‘All without the slightest result,’ Clive said bitterly. ‘You won’t even agree to staff talks.’
‘I know how you feel. I can only repeat to you what I told Anna. The President was re-elected last November on a pledge to keep America out of the war. He is not going to break that pledge. He cannot. There are enough people in this country who feel that he shouldn’t be in the White House anyway, as the rules had to be bent to give him a third term.’
‘And does he, do you, understand the situation that would arise were Japan to decide to take advantage of the European war and take over South-East Asia? Frankly, I don’t think we could cope. It could mean the end of the Empire.’ He regarded Joe. ‘I suppose your people would be quite happy with that.’
‘Some of them. I don’t happen to be one of them, although I would argue that there are areas where things could be improved. But there it is, old buddy. As I told Anna, the only way this country is going to go to war is if it is actually physically attacked. And I don’t think anyone is going to be nuts enough to do that.’
‘She came here to find that out?’
‘I think that was top of her list. But she sure wants to see you.’
‘Snap. You said you could help with that.’
‘I said it is all arranged. I’m to invite her out to lunch, and after lunch, take her back to my apartment. We . . . ah . . . had a trial run of this when we met a couple of days ago, and there were no repercussions. Her bosses know she’s here to gauge public opinion, and getting close to someone like me is an obvious way to do that.’
‘I see. How close?’
‘Well, we had to make it look good. So this time, you’ll be waiting at my apartment, and I’ll just push off again. For as long as you require.’
Again Clive regarded him, this time for several seconds. Then he said, ‘You’re all heart, Joe. But I agree, I don’t think we can improve on that plan. When?’
‘I’ll call her now. She has to name the date.’ He picked up his phone, trying to avoid looking at his friend. ‘Margaret, would you put a call through to the German Embassy. I’d like to speak with the Countess von Widerstand.’ He then replaced the phone. ‘She’s a good girl – Margaret I mean. But sometimes I get the feeling she thinks she’s my mother.’
Clive nodded. ‘I have one of those. Now, tell me about this new set-up of yours. Rumour has it you’ve created your own MI6.’
‘Loosely. There’s so much going on in the world right now that’s beyond the reach of agencies like the FBI.’
‘So, will we be seeing you in England again some time soon?’
‘Could be.’ The phone rang, and he switched on the speaker before picking it up.
‘The Countess von Widerstand isn’t available right now, Mr Andrews.’
‘Oh. Damn. Well, leave a message for her to call me when she is free.’
‘Yes, sir. However, there is a gentleman who would like a word.’
‘What gentleman?’
‘A Herr Riedeler.’
‘Ah . . . you’d better put him on.’ He gazed at Clive.
‘Trouble?’
Joe put his hand over the mouthpiece. ‘I hope not. But he’s Gestapo. Head of Embassy Security.’
Clive felt his muscles tightening as he remembered the head of Embassy Security in Moscow, who had almost brought Anna down.
‘Herr Riedeler,’ Joe was saying pleasantly. ‘What can we do for you?’
‘I hope you can help us with a small matter, Mr Andrews.’
‘Shoot. In a manner of speaking.’
‘Well, sir, I believe you had lunch with the Countess on Wednesday. This is according to one of our staff, Herr Stoltz.’
‘That is absolutely correct. Is there anything wrong with that?’
‘Of course not, sir. The Countess is free to go where she wishes, and eat with whom she wishes. But I wonder if you could tell me where she went after the meal.’
‘This goes with her absolute freedom of movement you were talking about, does it?’
‘I am not prying, sir. But that was two days ago, and the Countess has not yet returned to the Embassy.’
‘What?’ Joe shouted.
Clive had difficulty in keeping quiet.
‘Now, sir, I repeat that it is not our business to inquire into the Countess’s movements, but the fact that we have not seen her or heard from her for two days is disquieting. The Ambassador is becoming worried. So if perhaps you could tell us where she intended to go when she left your lunch, it may be of great help in locating her, and reassuring us that she is all right.’
‘She said she was returning to the Embassy,’ Joe muttered, trying to think, but his brain was overwhelmed at the possibility that something might have happened to Anna.
‘Thank you, sir. Would you have the exact time she left the restaurant?’
‘It would have been just after four o’clock.’
‘Sir?’
‘Shit,’ Joe muttered, and took a deep breath as he looked at Clive, who in any event appeared to be on the verge of an explosion. But much as he disliked the Gestapo, he reckoned they were at least as efficient at tracing people as the FBI. And if Anna was in any danger . . . As far as they were concerned she was one of their own. ‘It was not the restaurant,’ he said. ‘We finished the meal at about one thirty, and she accompanied me to my apartment.’
‘Ah . . . until four o’clock?’
‘We had an important matter to discuss. I am sure you realize, Herr Riedeler, that the Countess and I had a previous acquaintance, in Moscow earlier this year. Your people in Berlin know of it.’
‘Of course, sir. So she left your apartment at four o’clock. That would be where, sir?’
Joe gave the address.
‘Thank you, sir. But you do not know where she intended to go then.’
‘I have told you, she intended to return to the Embassy. I did not go down to the street with her, but I believe she was going to catch a cab.’
‘It is no more than half a mile from your address to the Embassy, sir.’
‘Perhaps she did not feel like walking.’
‘Of course, sir. I was only thinking that if she did catch a cab, she would have been here in ten minutes. Say, four-fifteen. So she left your apartment and went downstairs to catch a cab. But you were not with her, so you cannot say for certain that she did so.’
‘No, I cannot. But I imagine the concierge would have seen her. He might even have seen the cab.’
‘That would indeed be very helpful. Would you object if I sent one of my people round to interview your concierge?’
‘I would welcome it. I would like to know if anything has happened to the Countess as much as you would.’
‘Thank you, sir. You have been most cooperative. I will keep you informed of any developments.’
Joe replaced the phone. ‘Slimy bastard. But I guess he really wants to find our girl, so good luck to him.’
‘Do you really have no idea where she might have gone, what she might have been doing for two days?’
‘I wish I did,’ Joe said, as convincingly as he could. He had no doubt that she had been picked up. By the FBI, or the Soviets? He wouldn’t put it past either of those to take unilateral action and risk the consequences. And boy, he thought, are there going to be consequences.
‘I do feel,’ Clive said mildly, ‘that we need to be absolutely straight with each other in this business. I am sure that Anna means as much to you as she does to me.’
‘Of course she does.’
‘So what exactly was the topic of conversation that kept you occupied for two hours? In your apartment.’
‘I told you. She wanted to know under what circumstances we would enter the war.’
‘And it took you ten minutes to convince me that there are no circumstances short of a direct attack on the USA that would bring you into the war. That leaves one hour and fifty minutes unaccounted for.’
Joe sighed. ‘OK, OK. But it was neither a rape
nor a seduction. She felt she owed me for saving her life in Moscow. You must know what Anna is like more than anyone else. She always pays her debts. And when the debt is one of gratitude, well . . .’
‘She is willing to disburse a few of her assets.’
‘I guess so. You may now punch me on the nose, if you wish. Although I would like to say that the moment I told her you were in New York her interest in me totally disappeared.’
‘And you told her this before, or after, ah . . .’
‘After. So I’m a louse. But I could die happy on that one memory.’
‘I’d prefer you to stay alive, at least for a while. Where do we start looking?’
‘There are two possibilities.’ Joe outlined the events that had surrounded Anna’s arrival.
‘But,’ Clive said when he had finished, ‘you say she knew of the danger from both those sources. I mean, Anna is not the easiest woman in the world to snatch, if she doesn’t want to be snatched.’
‘But even Anna can become over-relaxed.’ Joe looked thoroughly embarrassed.
‘You mean she had just had a thoroughly satisfying fuck.’
‘Well . . . I actually meant that she had just found out that in a couple of days she was going to be with you. And I guess she felt pretty secure, here in Washington.’
‘All right. I promise I won’t punch you in the nose until we find her. So let’s start looking.’
‘We’ll have to do it my way. I know the ropes around here. So you go back to your hotel and sit tight. I’ll call you.’
‘Oh, yes?’
‘Listen, I swear I will take no action, in any direction, without first filling you in.’ He picked up the phone. ‘Margaret! I need to see the boss. It’s urgent.’
*
Donovan stroked his chin. ‘When I gave you carte blanche to handle this woman, I didn’t mean you to take it quite so literally.’
‘Well, we’re old friends . . .’
‘And she owed you a favour. I got that. And I say again, I’d sure like to meet this dame. When you get her back. If you get her back.’
‘Sir?’
‘Has it occurred to you that she might merely have had her feet encased in cement and be now waving her arms in time to the flow at the bottom of the Potomac?’
‘Oh, Jesus Christ!’
‘Not a pretty picture,’ Donovan agreed. ‘On the other hand it’s not an FBI picture, either. The Soviets, now, that’s another matter. But start with the FBI. You say one of their people was at the restaurant. If his job was keeping tabs on the Countess, he’d surely have followed you to your apartment, and be waiting there when she came out.’
‘Holy shit! I never thought of that.’
‘You mean you didn’t spot him.’
‘Well . . .’
‘I get the picture. You were so wrapped up in what you reckoned was about to come your way that you stopped being a forty-four-year-old veteran and became a sixteen-year-old kid on his first date. I have just got to meet this dame. However, you can bet your last dollar that he was there. So, maybe he called up support and nabbed her when she left. But you tell me she’s not an easy woman to nab, at least when she’s on her feet rather than her back. Anyway, it doesn’t make sense for the FBI to decide to pick her up after she’s been here more than a month, doing nothing subversive. I don’t suppose there’s any chance she’s been setting you up on this?’
‘None at all.’
‘I’ll accept that. But this agent was there, and if he was doing his job, he’ll have seen exactly who did pick her up, and he’ll have noted the make of the car and the number plate. Go see Fisher and get that info. Pull rank if you have to. I’m at your shoulder.’
‘You have my eternal thanks, Wild Bill.’
Donovan grinned. ‘Just remember, when she turns up, I’m the guy taking her out to lunch.’
*
‘So you’ve lost your girl,’ Lawrence Fisher remarked. ‘Haw, haw, haw.’
Joe kept his temper. ‘So here’s where you give. Contrary to orders, you had a man on her.’
‘I take my orders from J. Edgar, not your lot.’
‘One of these days you may be in for a nasty surprise. I want to see his report.’
‘Confidential.’
‘You are treading on very thin ice,’ Joe told him.
‘So what’s the big deal? Loomis has nothing that’ll help you.’
‘He saw her leave the building.’
‘Sure. She walked right by him and didn’t even notice him.’
‘She had a lot on her mind. So he saw where she went.’
‘She got into a yellow cab.’
‘And he didn’t follow her?’
‘He heard her tell the driver to take her to the German Embassy. So he figured that was it for the day and went home.’
‘I want the number of that cab.’
‘I reckon we can let you have that. What, you saying she’s gone off with a taxi driver? After spending two hours shacked up with you? She sure must be randy.’
‘Look, just get me that number. And tell me something: you had any contact with Kronsky recently?’
‘I guess I’m not his favourite person right now.’ Fisher frowned. ‘You’re not serious?’
‘Someone has her. Kidnapping is still a Federal offence, ain’t it?’
‘He wouldn’t dare.’
‘Well, just let’s suppose he did dare. Having received orders from Beria.’
‘Shit!’
‘Good point.’
‘If the Reds have her, she’s either dead or out of the country.’
‘We’ll work on the principle that she’s alive until we turn up a body. As for getting her out of the country, the first thing you do is put an embargo on any ship leaving the east coast for Europe, at least until she’s been searched.’
‘I can’t do that. J. Edgar would never go for it.’
‘Tell J. Edgar to give Wild Bill a call.’ Joe stood up. ‘Meanwhile, just in case they’re holding her some place, I want a list of every house within a fifty-mile radius of this office which belongs to or is rented by the Russian Embassy.’
‘You reckon she’s that close?’
‘I’m playing a hunch.’
‘You realize that we’re not supposed to rough up the Soviets right now? They’re flavour of the month with FDR.’ Fisher held up his hands. ‘OK, OK. Your Wild Bill can even square it with the boss. But let me ask you something: your entire bunch got the hots for this chick? Or is she that important?’
‘She is to us,’ Joe said, and left the office.
*
‘That is one hell of a long shot,’ Clive remarked.
‘You got any better ideas?’ Joe asked. ‘And it’s not just guess-work. Figure this: Anna hails what she assumes is a cab outside my apartment building, tells the driver to take her to the Embassy. Now, she hasn’t been here very long, and she may have been on Cloud Seven, but she has been shown around this old town, and she knows that the German Embassy is only a few blocks from my place. Like I say, she may have been in one big day dream, but she was going to wake up, sooner than later, when she was driven for . . . well, you tell me. Fifteen minutes, half an hour? And when she wakes up and realizes that she ain’t being carried to the Embassy, boom-boom. Now, the Soviets may not know all about her, but they know enough, after that explosion in the Lubianka, to be sure she’s not just going to scream for help if she’s being kidnapped. They’ll have allowed a certain time, then that cab must have pulled in some place, preferably some place nice and quiet, but pretty close, where they had their goons waiting for her, presumably with sufficient force to subdue even Anna. I happen to know that she wasn’t armed.’
‘What you are saying is that they probably put a bullet in her right there and then,’ Clive said miserably.
Joe shook his head. ‘That doesn’t fit. Kronsky asked Fisher to have her arrested and deported, so that they could take her back to Russia for a show trial. Fisher refused, so
they decided to do their own thing.’
‘After a month?’
‘If I’m right, and I’m sure I am, they would first of all contact Moscow to get the OK for unilateral action, and having got that, it was a case of taking the first opportunity that presented itself. I reckon they’ve had her under surveillance from day one, despite being warned off, but she’s never been alone, always had someone from the Embassy with her. And the fact that she was being shadowed wasn’t being noticed by anyone, me included. I spotted the FBI tail easily enough, but didn’t reckon on the Reds. You have to give them credit. They watch and they wait. And suddenly, she drops her German minder and has lunch with me. No chance there: they know who I am. But then she accompanies me back to my apartment. They must have hurried, arranged the cab and the drop-off point. They probably could hardly believe their luck.’
‘But if you had come out with her . . .’
‘The plan would have been aborted, and we, and she, would have been none the wiser. Oh, I’m a dummy to let her leave on her own. But that doesn’t alter my thesis, that as it was a matter of seizing the moment, they can’t have had any immediate arrangement for getting her out of the country. That had to be set up once they had her. Ergo, ten will get you a hundred that she’s still here.’
‘Joe, she was snatched two days ago. That’s a lot of time to set things up. And when you think what she might have been suffering throughout those two days . . . Christ almighty!’
‘Don’t you think it’s burning holes in me as well? Oh, fuck it!’ His outside telephone was buzzing. He flicked the switch. ‘Andrews.’
‘Joe?’
Both men sat bolt upright. ‘Anna!’
‘Oh, Joe, it’s so good to hear your voice. Listen, I have a problem.’
*
Joe looked at Clive; her voice sounded as softly calm as ever. ‘Where are you?’ he asked.
‘That’s part of the problem; I don’t know.’
‘What? Listen, are you all right?’
‘You could say I have a few ruffled feathers. They’ll smooth out.’
‘But where have you been these last two days? We’ve been worried sick.’
‘Well, I should think so too,’ Anna said severely. ‘I was picked up by these people and brought to this house. They took me completely by surprise. I suppose I was thinking of other things.’
Angel of Vengeance: The thrilling sequel to Angel in Red (Anna Fehrbach) Page 13