Biggles Takes a Hand

by W E Johns

  Algy’s eyebrows went up.

  “She’s being tailed. I’m handing her over to you. She’s beside me, in the fur coat, Anna Lowenhardt. I’ll get her case marked. Take her home. I’ll come later. That’s all.”

  Biggles turned. The Chief Customs Inspector, standing behind the examiners who lined the counter, gave him a nod of recognition. Biggles beckoned him over. “The lady on my right in the fur coat. You might put your mark on her case. It’s okay.”

  “Need any help?”

  “No thanks. I can manage.”

  The official took a step to where Anna was standing with her case on the counter and made the necessary chalk mark on it.

  Biggles spoke to her briefly, still without looking at her. “Go with my friend here. He’ll take care of you.”

  Algy walked towards the public hall, Anna following.

  “What goes on?” asked the Customs man.

  “I haven’t time to tell you now. You see the two men just coming in?”

  “Yes.”

  “You might hold ‘em up for a few minutes to give Algy Lacey a chance to get clear.”

  “Have they got anything on ‘em?”

  “I don’t know. They’re enemy agents shadowing the girl I brought in.”

  The official walked along his side of the counter to where the men were waiting with an impatience they did not attempt to conceal, to be cleared.

  Pulling down the brim of his hat and turning up the collar of his coat Biggles went through to the main hall. Karkoff was there, ready to watch the passengers as they emerged. His attention being on them he did not so much as glance in the direction of Biggles, who took up a position to watch.

  It was a good five minutes before the two shadowers came out, walking quickly and apparently annoyed by the delay. Karkoff went straight to them. There was a short argument, or explanation, at the end of which all three strode to the main exit. They spent a minute looking about them, presumably hoping to see Anna. One of them looked in the coach waiting to take the air passengers to the terminal building in London. He came back shaking his head. Upon this Karkoff called the first of a line of waiting taxis.

  Biggles took the second. “Follow the cab in front,” he ordered, and taking his seat sat back with a smile of satisfaction, feeling for his cigarette case.

  He was not surprised when the leading cab made its way to Kensington and pulled up at the Cosmolite Hotel. It was all he wanted to know.

  “Okay,” he told his driver, and gave him his home address.

  CHAPTER V

  ANNA TALKS

  BIGGLES returned home to find everyone sitting round the table drinking tea, apparently on the best of terms. He pulled up a chair and joined the party.

  “Everything go off all right?” asked Algy.

  “Yes. Much as I expected after you’d told me Karkoff was there. He met the two off the plane and the three of them went to the hotel in the Cromwell Road. So we do at least know they are associated, and that means there’s a link-up with Anna. Not necessarily with her, of course, but with her father and through him certain friends.” Biggles was watching Anna’s face as he spoke, but her expression did not change. “Does the name Karkoff mean anything to you?” he inquired of her.

  She shook her head. “Nothing. Should it?”

  “I hope not,” answered Biggles vaguely. He looked back at Algy. “Has Anna told you what happened?”

  “She has given us the broad facts.”

  “Then I needn’t go over them again.” Biggles turned again to Anna. “I’m afraid this may alarm you, but you must realize by now that you may be in danger. Just how serious that danger may be I don’t know—yet. I want to help you, but if I am to do that you will have to help me.”

  “How can I help you?”

  “By answering truthfully some questions I am going to ask you.”

  “I will do my best to answer.”

  “Good. Do you know why those two men were following you?”

  “I think so. They must have been watching the house and saw me leave.”

  “Do you know who they are?”

  “No.”

  “Whoever they were they would be enemies?”

  “No one else would watch us.”

  Biggles put the leading question. “Were they watching your house because they knew you were friendly with the Roths?”

  “That is the only reason I can think of.”

  “So the Roths did escape to West Berlin?”

  “Yes.”

  “And they came to you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are they in your house in the Antonstrasse now?”

  “No. Not now.”

  “How long did they stay with you?”

  “One night.”

  “Why only one night?”

  “We invited them to stay but they refused, saying it was not fair to us. Spies would soon know where they were and that would put us in great danger.”

  “Had the Roths any money?”

  “A little. Not much. My father gave them some.”

  “So that they could come to England?”

  Anna hesitated.

  “I can understand why you would rather not say much about the Roths, but if you will be frank it would save much time and trouble. It might also be the means of saving the lives of the Roths. Enemy agents are in this country looking for them, and when they find them they will kill them. Now tell me. Did the Roths come to England?”

  Anna moistened her lips. “Yes.”

  “And you know where they are?”

  “I think so.”

  “You’re not sure?”

  “I know where they were going but they may not have stayed long.”

  “And you decided, after my visit to your house this morning, to come to England to see them?”

  “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  “To warn them of their danger. I dare not write a letter because it would not be safe.”

  “My information is, Herr Roth was shot. Do you know that for certain?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can you think of any reason why the people who did that should be so anxious to find the rest of the family?”

  “I can only tell you what Moritz told me when they were in our house. His father had for some time been under suspicion of having sympathies with the West. He was making plans for them all to escape when he was arrested. But he had made provision for that. He had some important papers. He gave them to Moritz.”

  “What did he hope to gain by that?”

  “He thought they would be a safeguard for the family. In return for the papers the East German government would leave them in peace.”

  Biggles pulled a grimace. “That was a dangerous game to play.”

  “I can see that now.”

  “What happened?”

  “The secret police came to the house where Frau Roth lived and searched it for the papers.”

  “So they knew the papers existed?”

  “They must have done.”

  “Did they find them?”

  “No. Moritz had hidden them too well. But he knew the police would come again, and if the papers could not be found they would all be arrested, and perhaps tortured to make them speak. They did not wait for that. During the night, Frau Roth, with Moritz and Margareta, by means of a rope, escaped from a back bedroom window. They knew where to go. Plans had been made for that. Before daylight they were in West Berlin. This, you must understand, was before the concrete walls were built.”

  “Has Moritz still got those papers?”

  “He had when they left us.”

  Biggles looked shocked. “My God! That’s like walking about with a bottle of nitro-glycerine in his pocket.” He looked at the others. “Now I’m beginning to see daylight.” He turned back to Anna. “What does Moritz intend to do with these deadly documents?”

  “I think he still has an idea of using them as a weapon against the men who killed his father. It gives h
im a hold over them.”

  “I’d say more likely to give them a hold over him. I don’t know how important these papers are, but I can only imagine they must be vital for the enemy to send here a gang of men known to be murderers.” Looking at Anna very seriously Biggles went on: “You had better know that one of them was at the airport to meet the two men who were following you.”

  “But why should they follow me?” cried Anna.

  “In my considered opinion because they hoped you would lead them to where the Roths are living. Had I not been there to prevent it you would have done that, I believe.”

  “Yes. I would have gone straight to the Roths.” Anna’s face was ashen, presumably at the thought of what might have happened.

  “Then I take it they are in London.”

  “Hampstead. They went there with a letter of introduction from me. I know the people. That is where I worked when I was here. The man of the house is a dentist and a German, now naturalized. He came here before the war. He is a Jewish gentleman so he knows what it means to be persecuted. He has a large house and it was the only place I could think of. Was it true what you told me about Herr von Stalhein?”

  “Of course. How, otherwise, would I have known of you, and your address? Would you like me to let him know you are here?”

  “That is as you wish. Is there any reason?”

  “He might be helpful. Do you still want to see the Roths, even though it might be dangerous for you, and for them?”

  “But yes. That is why I came here.”

  “What clothes have you brought with you?”

  “Only a spare blouse besides the coat and skirt I am wearing now. There was no time to pack. I did not think I would need more, because as soon as I had seen Frau Roth, to tell her what you had told me, I would have gone straight back home.”

  “Where was your father when I called?”

  “He had gone to the college.”

  “What college?”

  “He is Professor of European History at the university.”

  “I didn’t know that. I don’t think Von Stalhein could have known it or he would have told me.”

  “He was only recently promoted.”

  “Ah! That probably explains it. I imagine your father speaks English?”

  “For his work he must speak and read several languages, including English.”

  “Do you think there is any chance of him, when he reads your note, of following you to England?”

  “I don’t know. He might. Why?”

  “Does he know where the Roths are living here?”

  “Yes. This was arranged between us.”

  Biggles bit his lip. “Pity. It means that if he did come here that is where he would go, expecting to find you there.”

  “Without a doubt. He would not know where else to look for me.”

  “Then we shall have to find a way to prevent that from happening. It would be a tragedy if he did what you would have done had I not stopped you.”

  “Now that the men who were watching the house have followed me here there may be no one to keep watch in the Antonstrasse,” said Anna, hopefully.

  “I wouldn’t care to reckon on that. I’d say the men who followed you have already been in touch with their employers to report what happened, and how they came to lose you.”

  “But my father! If the secret police know the Roths stayed in our house they may kill him.” Anna was visibly upset.

  “I think they would be more likely to watch him, so that needn’t worry us unless he came rushing over here to find you and see the Roths. But it’s getting late. The first thing is to see you safely in an hotel for the night. Stay indoors until you hear from me. The men who followed you from Berlin know you by sight and no doubt they’ll be busy looking for you. Tomorrow we will talk again. Meanwhile, you will have to decide if it would be wise for you, after what has happened, to go to the house where the Roths are staying. I may be able to advise you when I know exactly where that is. If necessary a meeting could be arranged somewhere else.”

  “After I have seen them shall I go back to Berlin?”

  “It’s too early to say. Much now depends on what your father does. Leave it to me. That’s enough for now. Try not to worry too much. I will take you to an hotel where your enemies will not be likely to find you. Tomorrow we will talk again. One last thing. A strange request, you may think. Will you lend me that brooch you’re wearing?”

  Anna stared. “Of course,” she agreed, unfastening the ornament, a simple gold pin with three small pearls in a row. “Please take care of it. It was a present from my father.” She put it on the table.

  “Thank you,” acknowledged Biggles, leaving the jewel where she had laid it. “You might phone for a cab, Ginger.”

  Ginger complied.

  “Where are you going to take Anna?” asked Bertie, while they waited.

  “The Barchester would be as good as anywhere. It’s quiet and it’s handy. Stick around. I shan’t be many minutes and I shall want to talk to you when I get back.”

  The door bell rang. “There’s your cab,” said Ginger.

  “Come along, Anna,” said Biggles. “I’ll take your case.”

  “You are being very kind.”

  “It’s always a pleasure to help a lady,” returned Biggles gallantly, as they went out.

  In twenty minutes he was back. “That’s fixed that,” he said. “She should be all right there. If Karkoff and Co. try ringing every hotel in London to ask if she’s there it should take them a long time to get round to the Barchester.”

  “Did you book her in under her own name?” Algy asked the question.

  “Yes. I thought it better. On a business of this sort one never knows what’s going to crop up and there could be all sorts of complications if the name in the register didn’t tally with the one on her passport.” Biggles sat down. “It begins to look as if I didn’t waste my time going to Berlin. We’re running on a hot scent. Bar a series of coincidences the Roths are the people Karkoff is after. If those papers Anna mentioned are so important to the top men on the other side of the Concrete Curtain you can bet they’d be just as important to us. If Moritz is going about with them in his pocket he must be out of his mind. That’s asking to be knocked on the head.”

  “Why didn’t you ask Anna where the Roths were staying while you were at it?” asked Bertie.

  “I didn’t want to press her too hard. She’s still a bit nervous and we can hardly blame her for that. We’ll get round to that tomorrow, when she’s had time to think it over. It’s her father I’m worried about now. If he comes rushing over here he’s liable to drop the spanner in the gears.”

  “How can we stop him?” asked Ginger.

  “That’ll be your job tomorrow.”

  “How?” Ginger looked astonished. “We don’t know which way he’ll travel.”

  “I hope you’ll be in time to stop him travelling at all. You’re catching the next plane to Berlin. Book yourself a seat. Claim priority if necessary.”

  “And what do I do when I get there?”

  “It’s no use messing about at this stage. Go straight to the Antonstrasse and ask to see Professor Lowenhardt. If he isn’t there, wait for him. All you have to do is tell him what has happened. Say Anna is safe and under police protection. The best thing he can do is stay at home. If he should insist on coming to England he must on no account go near the Roths. If he does it may mean the death of them. If he likes he can come here. You should have no trouble in West Berlin. If it was the East side of the line it would be a different matter.”

  “I’d have thought it would have been better for you to go yourself.”

  “I can’t be in three places at once. The first thing I must do is speak to the Air Commodore about this. He may not approve of our bashing on with work that isn’t really up our alley—anyhow, not without letting him know how things stand. I must also have another chat with Anna. There’s another reason why I’d rather keep out of the w
ay. The men who followed Anna will have put two and two together. They know me by sight. They will remember me as the man who sat next to Anna in the plane and stood by her in the Customs hall. They’d be fools if they didn’t realize I had a finger in the pie—particularly if Karkoff recalled he had twice seen me in the Adlon Restaurant.”

  “I can see one big snag in my going to Berlin,” said Ginger doubtfully.

  “What is it?”

  “Will Lowenhardt see me? If he does, will he listen to me? He’ll be in no state to talk to a complete stranger. I’d expect him to be more than somewhat suspicious of everyone.”

  Biggles picked up Anna’s brooch, still lying on the table. “Why do you think I asked Anna to lend me this? He’ll know it’s hers. He gave it to her, which is all to the good. He will at least know you must have been with her. That should smooth things out.”

  “Okay. Why you wanted that brooch got us all guessing.”

  “Now you know. I thought it better not to tell Anna. She’s anxious enough already. What I do after I’ve seen her will depend on what she tells me. If she lets me know where the Roths are living I may go to see them. I might also tell Von Stalhein how things stand. After all, he put us on to this. Being a German he may be useful, in that, knowing how German minds work, he might be able to guess what the enemy will do next.”

  “You won’t do anything about Karkoff?” queried Algy.

  “There’s nothing we can do while he and his gang behave themselves. We must give them credit for having enough sense to keep on the right side of the law until the time comes for them to do the dirty work for which they were sent here. Now we’ll have something to eat and get some sleep while we can. We may be losing some presently. Don’t forget to get yourself a seat on the Berlin service, Ginger.”

  “I’ll do it right away.”

  CHAPTER VI

  DISAPPOINTING NEWS

  THE next morning when Biggles appeared for breakfast Ginger had already departed on his mission to Berlin. However, the others were there, and as he joined them at the table he said: “We look like having a busy day so let’s get organized. For a start I shall have to see the Chief. Algy, you’d better come with me to deal with anything that may have turned up at the office. I don’t know what time the Air Commodore will come in but I don’t suppose it will be before half-past nine. I may be some while with him so what I suggest is this. You get the mail and anything else sorted in the office; if I’m not back with you by ten o’clock take the car, pick up Anna at the hotel and bring her round to the flat. It’ll be easier to talk here. We can’t very well go up to her bedroom, and it would be as well, I think, to keep out of the public lounge. So bring her to the flat and wait here till I come. That is, assuming I’m held up with the Chief.”