by Brian Peters
“But there is no connection, Seifert, I told…..”
“So you say Kennet. I’m sorry, but I can’t take that risk. Look, I will write you a cheque for 20,000 euros. Take it. I know you still have property in Ireland and connections there, so why don’t you fly there. Then you can hole up until this has blown over. Perhaps then you can come over and I will get you a new identity. Trust me, it will work out OK in the end.”
Seifert wrote out the cheque and handed it to Kennet. Not believing him one bit, he but took it nonetheless The Irishman shook his head in despair.
“I will have Willi refuel the plane for you. The sooner you are in the air and away from here the better.”
Seifert opened the cupboard in the pedestal of his desk and produced a bottle of whisky. “Come, Kennet, let’s have a drink while Willi refuels the plane.” He smiled at Kennet and poured two large drinks, topping his own up with water and offering to do the same with Kennet’s. He waved a no and they both sat and sipped their drinks.
“Exactly where will you head for, Kennet?”
“There’s a farm south of Sligo, miles from anywhere. I have contacts there from the IRA days. They’ll look after me, they owe me from old times.”
Seifert’s phone rang. He picked it up and put it down again without speaking. “That was Willi. Your plane is ready to go.”
Kennet stood up and he waved the cheque in the air. “Thanks, Seifert. I’ll be in touch, you can be sure of that.”
Willi was standing by the plane, the cockpit door open. Kennet thanked Willi and climbed into the Piper Cherokee, fired up the engine, bumped his way over the grass runway and took to the air.
Arland Kennet’s head was full of misgivings about the arrest of Topper as the plane flew over the forests and headed for the coast. ‘How much information would he divulge? How would I get myself out of this mess? I don’t trust Seifert either, he thinks he can buy me off with….’
He heard what sounded like a small explosion forward of the cockpit. The engine coughed and then stopped. The plane began to slow and he tried to pull the nose up. Smoke began to lick into the cockpit from the bulkhead. The nose began to drop and the plane went into a shallow dive. He could see that his position was still over land, just a few hundred metres from the coast. At this angle of approach it would just about make it to the sea. He struggled to keep the plane gliding as the speed began to drop. He opened the door ready to jump if he got the chance, and prayed that the fire wouldn’t spread too quickly, hoping that he could make it out of the cockpit as the plane touched the water. It made two miles past the coastline before it had lost enough height to touch the water. Kennet flung himself out and hit the water at sixty miles and hour, bouncing painfully several shuddering times before sinking. He surfaced coughing salt water and amazed that not only was he still in one piece but that the plane that was floating a hundred yards away. He swam towards it and climbed onto the wing. By now a fire was burning fiercely inside the cockpit. He looked around the horizon for any sign of a boat that could rescue him. He knew that he couldn’t possibly swim to the shore; he was already exhausted from the hundred-yard swim to the plane.
“That bastard Seifert!” he cried aloud. An explosion blew him off the wing into the water, showering him with hot metal. Hardly a second elapsed before the planes fuel tanks exploded. Blazing fuel engulfed him. His screams were heard by no one, drowned by the cries of the gulls circling for food near the shore.
CHAPTER 12
The two cars pulled into an industrial area just outside Düsseldorf and stopped outside a warehouse with the ‘Seifert Logistics’ logo on the board over the entrance.
Drexler turned and held Kohler with his eyes and burst out laughing. “Don’t you think I’m a good actor, Kohler? You really did believe me, didn’t you? And with all your experience, in your position too. I cannot believe just how easy it was to get you here, a real bonus netting you all together.”
Kohler shut his eyes tightly and reflected on how he had led Asil and Luke into this mess. He had no illusions as to what Seifert had in store for them. He wasn’t at all sure that Frumholz would be able to rescue them in time.
Kohler, Asil and Luke were shepherded into the warehouse. Several container trucks were parked inside. They were led up to Seifert’s office on the first floor by Drexler, the others staying behind in the warehouse.
Seifert rose from his desk and nodded to Drexler, or rather Herbert Hansch, his real name.
“Well done Herbert.” He looked at Luke and said: “You don’t look well young man, you better sit down.” Luke sank into one of the red leather chairs and hung his head. The stress and pain was taking its toll. Asil crouched down next to him and put her arm around his shoulder, tears brimming in her eyes.
Seifert said: “I have waited a long time for this moment, Kohler. You have cost me a lot of time and money over the last couple of years. I aim to put a stop to it, do you understand?”
“You may think that you can get away with this, Seifert, but you ----“
“Save what little breath you have left man, you and your colleagues here have reached the end of the line.”
“Listen to me Seifert. These two are not in any way involved. I simply got Luke here to buy the car for me. They are totally innocent. Please let them go.”
Seifert thought for a moment, then shook his head and said in a low voice:
“Too late Kohler. They know too much already. I’m sorry. Take them downstairs Herbert. Truck number seven, you know what to do. Goodbye Kohler, have a pleasant trip!” Seifert grinned as he said it. Asil helped Luke up and they were ushered out of the office and back down into the warehouse.
Hansch walked them over to a large Man tractor unit coupled to a trailer with a container already loaded. He signalled to Boris and they were led to the back of the container. Boris opened it to reveal its interior, half full of large wooden crates. “Right, inside! Now!”
Kohler realised that resisting was futile. He climbed in, followed by Luke who was helped up by Boris. Hansch grabbed Asil’s arm roughly to assist her inside. She screamed at him and sunk her teeth into his hand. He struck her forcefully across the face with the back of his hand and hurled her into the container. “Next stop China, you bitch!” he shouted as he slammed the door of the container. Hansch sucked the blood from his bleeding hand while Boris glared at him. Hansch glared back at him and said: “Nice work. We can go home now.”
Hansch and Boris walked back up to Seifert’s office. Boris said: “Are you sure you are doing the right thing here, Franz?”
“The truck is not ours, Boris. It has false number plates. It will drive to Hamburg tomorrow morning and it will be loaded onto a ship heading for China. Contacts at the port in China will dispose of the bodies. The lack of ventilation in the container will ensure that they will not survive the journey and no one will hear them once the container is loaded. What can go wrong, eh? Have faith! I’ve never let us down yet, have I?”
“What about Kennet?”
“I’ve already taken care of him. Don’t worry, boys.”
Hansch nodded and smiled. “Boris, you have a soft heart. It will be the death you if you’re not careful. Break open that bottle of Asbach, Franz. I need a drink and so do you!”
****
As soon as Frumholz entered the helicopter he got on the radio to police headquarters in Lüdenscheid and reported the suspected kidnapping of Kohler and the Lomax’s. He knew that there was an Anton Drexler who was part of the force so he asked the office to verify his whereabouts. He also asked for the address of Seifert Logistics and ordered an armed team to be ready to leave as soon as he landed. “It looks like you’ll have to be in on this operation, Currie. I hope that you will accompany us?”
“Try to stop me! Lambert and I will give you every assistance, won’t we, Lambert?” Lambert nodded approval.
“Good. We’ll take two other cars; three of my men in each and you and Lam
bert can travel with me. I’m afraid that I can’t issue you with arms though, I’m sure you understand. Hopefully we won’t need to use them anyway, but with the scale of Seifert’s operation one cannot be sure. The safety of the Lomax’s is the most important issue. I just hope that we are in time to save them from whatever Seifert has in mind. He is a ruthless man as I’m sure you won’t be surprised to know.”
The office came back within minutes. “Drexler is in Munich at a conference and has been there for two days.” Frumholz relayed the information to Currie. It was enough to confirm that they were on the right track and that the action they were about to undertake was fully justified.
****
Kohler’s handcuffs had been removed before being put in the container, Boris having pointed out that escape was impossible, handcuffed or not. And Kohler tended to agree with him. At least Boris seemed to have a modicum of decency in him. Kohler knew, and so did Asil, that once inside the container making a noise would be futile. They didn’t know whether this was a temporary prison or a means of transporting them somewhere else. Kohler realised that from where the truck was situated in the warehouse no one would be in close proximity until the truck took off for whatever destination they were bound for, if indeed they were going to be moved. He was aware that they were trapped in an airless coffin and didn’t want to speculate on how many hours they had left before the oxygen would run out. He prayed that Asil was unaware of this situation.
Asil sat on the floor of the container hugging Luke who was sitting with eyes closed, his arms around his knees and shivering. It was pitch black at first but after a few minutes they could just about make out each other’s whereabouts. Kohler crouched and put his arm around Asil. “I managed to leave a note at the bungalow, telling Frumholz that it was Seifert’s men who were taking us. As long as he believes it, I’m sure that help will be here before too long. Don’t give up, Asil. We will get out of this.”
“Give up? I’ve no intention of giving up! I’ve been in worse situations than this, Klaus. And while I’ve got breath in my body I’ll fight for our lives and Luke’s safety.” Asil said this with some vehemence. Kohler smiled but said nothing, admiring Asil’s spirit. He squeezed her shoulder and placed a kiss on her forehead. He stood up and paced up and down, his footsteps echoing in the metal container.
Kohler decided to try to break open one of the wooden cases that took up half of the space in their metal prison. The lids were firmly nailed or screwed on and no tools were visible. Bare hands were not strong enough to remove them. He banged his fist on the wooden lid in frustration.
Elsa arrived at the main police station in Frankfurt and rushed to the reception desk. A bored duty officer looked up as she banged her fist on the desk.
“My name is Elsa Kohler. My brother has been arrested by a man named Drexler and…”
“Hold on madam.” He looked at a note on his desk. “ You are Klaus Kohler’s sister? Have you any identification please?”
Elsa searched in her handbag angrily and produced her driving licence and credit cards. The officer studied them and said: “We know all about this madam. Captain Frumholz has been in touch and is dealing with it at this moment. Now, calm down and wait here, there is nothing you can do until we hear from the Captain.”
“But what about my brother and the Lomax couple? Are they still under arrest here? I must see them!”
“I’m sorry Miss Kohler, but they are not here. The man who called himself Drexler was impersonating a police officer apparently. Captain Frumholz is dealing with it as I have already said. Other than that I’m afraid I really don’t know any more than you do.”
Elsa’s mind was in a spin. “But …..They have not been arrested? I….I don’t understand….”
The officer smiled and placed his hands wide apart on the desk and looked into Elsa’s eyes and spoke slowly as if talking to a child.
“Let me explain again Miss Kohler. Your brother and the Lomaxe’s were under the impression that this Drexler was a member of the police force. He was not. Captain Frumholz is pursuing them and he has taken a team of officers to hopefully apprehend them. Do you understand?”
Elsa held her head in her hands while she tried to absorb this information.
“Yes. Yes, I see. I’m sorry. So they are still in danger then. Who is this man Drexler working for?”
“Madam, I really can not tell you any more than I already have because I don’t know. Now you must be patient until we have any further news from Captain Frumholz. And I have work to do so please excuse me.”
“Yes, thank you. Look, I’ll give you my mobile number, please keep me informed the moment you have any news, will you?” She wrote her number down and gave it to him.
“OK, I promise, Miss Kohler. Now please go home, or you can stay here if you wish until we get some more news. I can get you a coffee and you can have it in the waiting room next door.”
“OK, thanks, I’ll be right back.”
She thanked him again and went out to her car.
I must phone Sabine right away she thought. She rang her mobile and Sabine answered immediately. Elsa explained the situation to an at first relieved and then a concerned Sabine. “Do the police know what’s happening to them, Elsa?”
“No, not really. Captain Frumholz is handling it but I don’t know any more than that.”
“So they could be in even greater danger then. Where are you now?”
“At the Frankfurt main police station. I don’t feel like driving all the way back home, Sabbi. The officer I’ve been speaking to has promised to ring my mobile as soon as he has any more information, but I’ve decided to stay here. I’ll wait until you get here Sabby, are you far away?”
“I’m sorry Elsa, but you will have to drive over to my apartment, you know where it is. I’ll wait for you there.”
“Sabbi, it’s nearly 200 kilometres. It will take me a couple of hour.”
“It’s OK Elsa, it will probably be that long before the police have any more news.”
Elsa went back into the station and told the duty officer that she was going to stay with a friend who lived in Lüdenscheid. He promised to phone her as soon as he had any news.
When Elsa arrived at the apartment, Sabine was waiting outside for her, she had been watching from the second floor window and saw her park the car in the car park at the side of the block of apartments. She hugged Elsa as soon as she arrived at the front door. They went up into Sabine’s apartment and Elsa related everything that the police had told her.
“Have you any idea who this man Drexler could be working for, Sabbi?”
“I’ve heard Klaus talk about a man called Franz Seifert. I think it might be him who’s behind it. Elsa, I’m really concerned about his safety. I just hope that Frumholz is up to the job. Nothing we can do but wait I’m afraid.”
Sabine cooked them both a meal and they sat drinking wine until the early hours, fretting over what might be happening to Klaus and the Lomax’s. They eventually went to bed at gone three o’clock the next morning, still having heard nothing from Frankfurt.
CHAPTER 13
Frumholz and the other police cars arrived at Seifert Logistics just as the cars of Boris Neumann and Herbert Hansch were about to drive out of the gates. Two of the police cars blocked the main exit. Hansch and Neumann did handbrake turns and headed round to the back of the factory where they jumped out and fled into the vast warehouse. The policemen rushed into the building, guns drawn. They separated, fanning out cautiously and heading for the rear of the premises.
Frumholz, Currie and Lambert waited for a few seconds and then entered the warehouse and headed cautiously up the stairs to the offices. Two gunshots were heard coming from down in the warehouse. Franz Seifert appeared outside of his office and saw Frumholz with his gun pointed at him. He stopped and raised his hands. Frumholz gave his pistol to Currie. “Cover him, be careful, the safety catch is off.” He produced a pair of h
andcuffs and approached Seifert. “No need for those, officer I won’t be any trouble to you, I promise.”
Frumholz smiled. “I’m not taking any chances, Seifert.” Once firmly handcuffed Frumholz led him into his own office, followed by Lambert and Currie.
“We need to find out what’s going on downstairs, Currie. Stay here. I’ll go and take a look.” He retrieved his gun from Currie and cautiously descended the stairs. Seifert smiled at Currie and sat down in his chair behind his desk. Lambert went and stood behind Seifert. Currie stood warily watching Seifert for any sign of action.
Inside the container, they heard a muffled sound that they thought might be a gunshot, then another. Kohler looked at Asil. “Did that sound like someone firing a gun?”
“Someone outside? Do you think so?” Asil prayed that he was right; she did hear a crack that could have been a gun. “It must be Frumholz! Right, come on! Let’s make some noise!”
Kohler started shouting and kicking the sides of the container as hard as he could. Luke was in no state to make any sort of noise, but Asil was screaming at the top of her voice: “Help! Help! HELP!”
Boris and Hansch were caught at the far end of the large warehouse away from the container in which the prisoners were incarcerated. The of their cries for help remained unheard, muted by several large container trucks that were stationed between them and the police. All six policemen had surrounded the two men; Boris had been shot in the thigh whilst running for the small exit door in the rear of the warehouse. Hansch had realised how futile it was to resist after Boris, bleeding profusely, collapsed in agony. He threw his gun down and held up his hands. Boris was not armed, he had dropped his gun when the bullet entered his thigh and had staggered several paces away from it before collapsing. Two of the officers ran forward and both Hansch and Boris Neumann were handcuffed while one of the other officers phoned for an ambulance.