by Katie Penryn
Felix looked up from his search. “They were bound by law to report their find to the mairie within a week. If they’d done so, they’d probably still be alive.”
“Maybe it wasn’t just greed. Maybe the search had the appeal of an adventure. Diving for treasure is exciting.”
Felix pushed his laptop away and picked up his mug of cold tea.
“Yuk,” he said as he tasted the tea. “Stone cold. I’m going to warm it up in the micro wave. I’m starving, anyway. Are you coming with me?”
“You’d better hide the gold first.”
“If we use the bar as a paperweight on the desk, it’ll be hidden in plain sight. No one would take it for real.”
We left the bar of gold on the desk with me hoping Felix was right.
Zag woke up and stretched.
“Can’t you folks let sleeping dogs lie? It’s not dawn yet.”
He settled down again after I’d rubbed his ears and told him everything was fine. Felix sat doodling on the kitchen memo pad while I made us some cheese on toast. Neither of us spoke. The discovery of a bar of Nazi gold in Désirée’s back garden had knocked us both for six.
I passed Felix his reheated tea, and he drank slowly while he continued with his drawings of balloons and arrows. I ate my snack while I mulled over everything we knew which wasn’t much, but it was enough to know that this case was dangerous.
I licked my finger and dabbed up the last crumbs of toast before I broke the silence.
“Felix?”
“Umm,” he answered without looking up.
“What are we going to do?”
He stabbed his pen into the paper and without looking at me said, “Tell the mayor, of course. Anything else is too dangerous. The murderer has nothing to lose. He’s already killed two people. He won’t stop at knocking us out of his way.”
“Think for a minute. What have we got to tell the mayor? That we dug up a gold bar in Désirée’s garden? That Ben and Joseph were hunting for Nazi gold? That someone killed off the competition? Monsieur Bonhomie would be happy to take over the gold and pass it up the chain, but he’s not going to swallow the rest of the story. We don’t know who the murderers are. We don’t know where the wreck is or even if one exists.”
“So you want to go investigating?”
I nodded.
“I can’t let you do that, boss. If there is a wreck full of gold out there,” he said waving his arm towards the sea, “the value would be astronomical. The murderer won’t hesitate to kill us.”
“Felix, I love that you look out for me. I truly do. But I need to carry on. My curiosity is piqued. My sense of adventure is aroused. We must establish whether the treasure exists or not, and, if so, where the wreck is. Plus, we have to find out who the murderer is. We owe it to Joseph and Ben, not to mention Désirée and Bella.”
Felix turned his doodles towards me. He’d been making a mind map of what we’d learned and the possibilities and probabilities that stemmed from that. He’d been thinking along the same lines as me.
“What’s that bit mean?” I asked him pointing to a strangely drawn double arrow which bent back on itself.
He flinched. “You caught me out. If we retrace the Marins’s last voyage to see if we can find the wreck, we may flush out the murderer and identify him. That would give us something to report to the authorities.”
“So it’s only your sense of responsibility for me that’s saying we should report our find to the mayor?”
Felix had the grace to look abashed at being caught out.
“Boss, an adventure appeals to me as much as it does to you, but you have to understand such an undertaking will be perilous.”
“Understood. What do we do next?”
“We can’t do this alone. We’ll enlist Izzy and Garth to join us. We need people with sailing experience who can scuba dive.”
“But, Felix, that would mean putting our friends in harm’s way.”
“We either do that or take the gold bar to Bonhomie.”
It didn’t take me long to make the choice. Although the murderer was watching us, if we acted quickly and discreetly we could find the wreck before he realized how far along we were. After all, he was unaware we’d found the gold bar. He only guessed I was helping Dubois with his investigation into the murders of Joseph and Ben.
“I’ll ring Izzy first thing in the morning. For now we should get some sleep. I’d like us to collect Ben’s other library books from Désirée. We should study the photos so we can recognize the wreck if we find it.”
Chapter 31
Izzy said she and Garth would call round at eleven as she’d planned to go to the market first thing. Felix and I made good use of the waiting time by catching Désirée before she set off for work and borrowing Ben’s library books from her. We trawled through the books and scanned several sites on the internet familiarizing ourselves with the classes and shapes of German World War Two warships. Felix ordered an aqua regia kit to test the gold, so we’d know for sure whether the bar we’d found was gold or not and paid extra for same day delivery.
Izzy arrived on the dot of eleven closely followed by Garth. She rushed into the house waving a bag of apple beignets.
“I’m dying for a coffee.”
I’d warned Gwinny that Izzy and Garth would be coming over so she had the coffee ready. She put the pot and mugs on a tray with some paper napkins and followed us all into the study. I thanked her and asked her to see we were left undisturbed for a while.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Izzy burst out, “Give. What’s so important? You were so mysterious on the phone.”
“Sit,” I said pouring the coffee while she shared out the beignets before taking a seat. “Coffee first.”
Garth drained his coffee in a couple of gulps and placed his mug on the desk right next to the gold bar.
“Nice paperweight,” he said picking it up and hefting it.
Felix winked at me but we didn’t say anything. I waited until everyone had finished their elevenses then I pointed to the gold bar Garth was still turning over and over in his hands.
“That’s why we called you. We’re almost a hundred per cent sure it’s the real thing.”
Garth dropped it with a thump onto the desk as if it’d burned him. “What?”
Felix laughed. “You’ve been holding a genuine one kilo bar of 24 karat Nazi gold.”
“Where the hell did you get it?”
“We found it buried in Ben Marin’s garden.”
Izzy leaned forwards and picked up the bar. She ran her fingers over it, feeling the indentations of the eagle and the Deutsche Reichsbank’s markings.
“There are so many rumors and legends about this gold,” she said. “I can’t believe you found this here in Beaucoup-sur-Mer.”
“Why not?” I asked. “This area was under German military occupation for several years. When the Germans left in 1944, they had to get out in a hurry.”
“You’re not telling us the whole story,” said Garth looking from Felix to me and back again. “Tell us.”
Between us, Felix and I related all that had happened and all that we surmised.
“Let me see if I’ve got this right,” said Izzy. “Joseph and Ben Marin found the wreck of a German ship—”
“Or U-boat,” Garth interjected.
“They may not have found it but they were looking for it,” Felix said. “But remember Ben drowned. All the signs are that someone drowned him. His breathing hose was cut, and he’d been restrained before he died.”
Garth continued, “That’s why they were murdered… because the murderer or murderers want the gold for themselves?”
Felix and I nodded.
“So what are you thinking of doing?” asked Garth.
Felix replied. “We want to hire a boat and retrace the route Ben and Joseph were following. From the day they found the gold bar, the 15th April, to the day Joseph was killed was all of five months. From the secret logbook, they we
re searching fifty to a hundred yards on each trip out to sea. If we pick up the trail from the last entry, the day before the murder or murders, it should take us only one to three days to find out if there is anything down there at the bottom of the sea.”
It was my turn to speak. “We need you two as extra divers because Felix says I don’t have the experience to dive in the open sea. If you remember, I was to have a lesson on the day we found Joseph dead on the Princesse. Also, we need someone who can handle a boat. We’re guessing that as Garth was in the Special Boat Service, he’d be up for that.” I looked at Garth.
“You’re right. I have the necessary UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency Certificate of Competency and it’s recognized in France. Anyone we hire a boat from will be able to satisfy their insurers that it’s safe to let me captain their boat. Do you have one in mind?”
“The fishing captains we met when we made inquiries down at the harbor. Fishing’s slow at the moment. Someone may be glad of the money.”
“Got a notepad?” asked Garth.
Felix handed him a pad and a ballpoint.
Garth began to make notes. He looked up half way down the page. “What about diving equipment?”
Not my province. “Felix?”
“We can borrow Ben’s equipment. I suggest Penzi and I visit the harbor to find a boat while you and Izzy go to Désirée’s for permission to borrow the gear and to get the key to Ben’s office from her.”
“Okay,” agreed Garth, “but we haven’t met Désirée.”
“Penzi can phone her and make arrangements. Let’s get everything sorted so we can leave early tomorrow morning for our first trip.”
Garth paused in his writing. “You’re thinking of going out tomorrow? With nothing but standard diving gear?”
“Yes,” I said. “We don’t want to lose any time. We need to find out if there is a wreck before the murderers cotton on to what we’re doing.”
Garth put down his pen. “You do know that trying to find a wreck by diving with nothing but a vague idea of its possible location is an impossible task? We should delay the search and get some modern equipment.”
“Such as?” asked Felix with an edge in his voice. “This is urgent.”
Garth sat back in his chair and toyed with his pen for a few seconds before he spoke. He looked up at Felix again and said, “Steady on, old man. I’m suggesting we use sonar equipment. We send out a sonar vehicle, like a mini floating rocket, and it sends back a view of the sea bed to the computer on board. For the depths you’re talking about, that would be adequate.”
Felix dipped his head. “I bow to your professional knowledge, but what do you think, boss?” he asked me. “Can we afford the delay?”
I looked from one earnest face to the other. Both men had the success of the mission in mind, but time was of the essence. The longer we waited to start, the more dangerous the search would become.
“Here’s my compromise. We order the sonar equipment now as back up. However, we’ll go out in the boat tomorrow, and you three will conduct a preliminary search by diving in the target area. We might strike lucky.”
Garth chuckled. “Pigs might fly, but we’ll give it a go. At the very least, it’ll be fun to spend the day diving. Pass me your laptop, Felix, and I’ll order the sonar.”
“Just a minute,” said Izzy replacing the gold on the desk and staring round at us. “I can see what you’re all thinking. You want to go on a big adventure and track down this wreck. Don’t you realize how perilous this is going to be? These men have already killed Joseph and Ben. They sent Penzi a warning not to investigate the murders. What are they going to do if and when they find out you know about the gold and are looking for it?”
Garth smiled and joked. “Not you’re looking for the gold, Izzy, but we’re looking for the gold.”
Izzy blinked twice at the implication of what Garth had said. “No, Garth. We can’t join in.”
“Come on, old girl, I mean boss, you’ve done this sort of thing before.”
Izzy gave an unladylike snort. “Only in make believe. In that dreadful film. I’ve never taken part in an undertaking as dangerous as this one.”
“Time you lived a little.”
“Garth, my husband will fire you if he ever finds out.”
It was time for me to intervene. “Izzy, if you don’t want to come, that’s all right. We could manage with Felix and Garth doing the diving although three would be safer. And we really need Garth to captain the boat. Would that be acceptable? Can you loan him to us?”
Izzy turned the idea over in her mind for a minute. “What happens if we find the gold? If it’s been there since the end of World War Two, who would have the rights to it?”
“Good point,” said Felix. “I’ve been so excited by the idea I hadn’t considered that. I’m taking it that if we do find gold, we’ll do the right thing and report the find?”
Everyone nodded. We waited quietly while Felix carried out a search of the relevant government sites.
“Well,” he said closing his laptop. “Ben and Joseph were searching within France’s territorial waters. As far as I can see, in normal circumstances the treasure is split between the government and the finder. But these circumstances are not normal. If there is a stash of Nazi gold at the bottom of the sea, it belongs to the countries from which it was stolen in the first place.”
“Such as?” asked Izzy.
“Just about any country the Germans occupied. They appropriated $550 million overall in World War Two value, and that doesn’t include what was taken from private citizens. However, it would be impossible to trace anything we find back to the original owners because the Nazis melted everything down to make these bars.”
I’d been turning it all over in my lawyer’s mind while Felix and Izzy were talking.
“Guys, if we find anything the outcome would be a finder’s fee. That would have to be negotiated with the French government who would have first lien on the gold in the absence of being able to find the original owners.”
Garth coughed. “Wait a minute; we’re getting carried away here. Are we doing this for the gold, for the adventure or to flush out whoever killed the Marin brothers?”
I looked round the faces of my friends. Felix and Izzy had been caught up short by Garth’s question.
I gave my response. “I want to see the killer or killers brought to justice. I agree it would be fun. If there is any financial reward that would be the icing on the cake for me. And you?” I asked.
Izzy brushed her long blond hair back from her face and relaxed back in her chair. “I don’t need the money, but I don’t need the danger either. However, I will go along with it out of friendship and a desire to make things right.”
Garth patted her arm. “Quite right, boss. As for me, the adventure comes first. I’m the cliché of an action man, after all,” he added with a chuckle. “Over to you Felix.”
“I agree with Penzi, but have to admit that I like the idea of a dangerous adventure at sea. My only fear is that the villains may be stronger than we are. We have to proceed cautiously.”
“Right,” I said and held my hand out. “Let’s shake on it. Equal shares of whatever we are legally awarded.”
We thrust our right hands forward and shook.
Izzy broke away first. “I’ll give whatever I earn to charity.”
“One more point,” I said. “I’m in charge of strategy and Garth is in charge of the boat. Once we board the boat, what he says goes. Agreed?”
Everyone nodded. I turned away to call Désirée and arranged for Garth and Izzy to visit her after school to collect the key to Ben’s office at the diving school. I rang off.
“We’ll meet tomorrow morning at seven down at the harbor. I’ll ring you tonight to confirm we’ve hired a boat and if so which one. Garth you need to email me your Certificate of Competency and be prepared to show your passport tomorrow morning to the owner. Felix and I will be responsible for provisions and paperwork. Y
ou for the diving gear. Are we all set?”
Everyone said yes. We spent the next half hour going over the route we needed to take the next day. Joseph and Ben had been sailing a straight line out into the Atlantic Ocean 46 degrees north plus a few minutes.
*
Felix and I had lunch to give the fishing fleet time to return to port before we set off to hire a boat for our adventure. A few stragglers where hurrying through the gap in the protective moles of the harbor as we drew up in the parking area. Felix and I had decided that if possible we would hire the new fishing boat, the Lamartine, which usually tied up in front of the Princesse. We set off at a brisk walking pace along the key passing several fishing boats already moored and deserted, skirted round the police tape marking off the Princesse as a crime scene, and reached the Lamartine. No one was about. We hailed the boat but received no answer. The nice young man we’d met before was absent. We walked on past another five boats, all cleaned up after a morning out at sea and with no crew on board. The next boat along was the Mermaid, the wooden hulled boat with clean lines owned by the British couple, the Merchants.
Gwen hailed us as we approached. “Hey there. Come aboard.”
We climbed up the gangplank.
She called out to her husband, “Visitors. Put the kettle on.”
After hellos were exchanged all round and Peter had brought out a tray of tea and shortbread, I broached the subject of our visit to the harbor.
“Perhaps you can help us. We were hoping to find that young man who looks after the Lamartine for his grandfather. Do you know if he’s around today?”
Gwen looked up from pouring the tea. “He’s gone to Paris. We’re keeping an eye on his boat for him. Why did you want to speak to him? Can we help?”
Felix accepted the cup she handed him and helped himself to sugar before answering. He glanced at me to see if it was all right for him to tell the Merchants. I nodded.
“We’re looking for a boat to hire for two to three days, maybe more. The Lamartine is modern with all the newest navigation aids. As his grandfather isn’t using it much at the moment, it seemed like the perfect fit.”