by Unknown
Helga grimaced. “I hate those big trucks,” she said disgustedly. “One almost ran me off the road the night the Andersons were killed,” she said.
Dresner’s eyes shot up. “What happened?”
“I was on my way home and this smelly old thing came bounding down the road. I pulled over as far as I could and he just kept coming as fast as ever. He was so close the smoke he was blowing out came through my windows,” she said.
“Where were you?”
“On the road leading to the house, just after turning off the main road leading up the valley,” she said.
Something clicked in Dresner’s mind. The road leading to the house was a dead end. No traffic should have been on it. “Can you tell me what kind of truck it was?”
Helga shrugged. “One of those very big ones with a large tank on the back. In my lights I could tell it was a greenish brown.” She thought a moment. “And there was only one headlamp working. “Why. Is it important?” she asked.
Dresner’s mind began to race. Someone had used a truck to steal the acid. Those kinds of trucks had dual wheels in the back which would match the tire marks near where the Andersons had been pushed over the side of the road. And on the night of Mantz’s murder they had been passed by a truck exactly matching that description. This wasn’t the key piece of evidence but it sure was pointing in the right direction. Dresner smiled at Helga. “It may be very important. Even though you don’t know anything about my work you have just made it a little easier,” he said.
Dresner pressed down the accelerator. He wanted to get to a phone as soon as possible. Along the way he and Helga went over the facts she had given him again. By the time they arrived at the house he was fully charged and anxious to get things moving. Picking up the first phone available he dialed his office number. After only two rings it was answered.
“This is Dresner. Give me Betz,” he said quickly. It only took a moment and Betz answered.
“Sergeant, Helga just remembered something very important. On the way home the night of the murder she was passed by a large diesel tanker truck, brownish green, only one headlight and belching diesel smoke. Sound familiar?”
“Mein Gott, that’s the one that passed us the other night,” said Betz on the other end of the phone.
“Go with this Betz. I want the whereabouts of every truck meeting that description. I want to know who owns them and who drives them, then where they were on the night of both murders.”
“Jawohl, Herr Major. Thank Frau Hufham for me.”
He heard a chuckled on the other end. “I will.”
“By the way, the American Major came by and wants to see you tomorrow. He says it is very important.”
Dresner groaned. “That’s all I need,” he said as he hung up the phone.
Betz felt a chill run through him. Things were starting to happen quickly. The Major was like a bloodhound going after his prey. Betz found himself feeling the same way he often felt during the war when he and his men were about to begin a dangerous mission. The Major’s mind was beginning to race. When it did, people were carried along with him. Betz smiled at himself. Just like then, he knew he better get going, or else…. He immediately picked up the phone and called the motor vehicle department starting a search for the truck. He also contacted the Prost Fertilizer plant and a few other companies in the area which used tanker trucks. With luck, he would know some things within 24 hours. Then he called their former corporal to start calling the rest of their small band of men. After over an hour of quick calls, Betz sat back in his chair and thought a moment. Something interesting had come into his mind and he chuckled inwardly. His superior and friend was so tight and ‘by the book’ as the Americans say. Yet he just called Frau Hufham by her first name. His face broke into a grin. Wasn’t that interesting?
Betz reached over to the radio set he kept on his desk and turned it on. Instead of the usual music at his favorite station he heard the voice of the American President.
“Acting, therefore, in the defense of our own security and of the entire Western Hemisphere, and under the authority entrusted to me by the Constitution as endorsed by the Resolution of the Congress, I have directed that the following initial steps be taken immediately: First: To halt this offensive buildup a strict quarantine on all offensive military equipment under shipment to Cuba is being initiated. All ships of any kind bound for Cuba from whatever nation or port will, if found to contain cargoes of offensive weapons, be turned back. This quarantine will be extended, if needed, to other types of cargo and carriers. We are not at this time, however, denying the necessities of life as the Soviets attempted to do in their Berlin blockade of 1948.
Second: I have directed the continued and increased close surveillance of Cuba and its military buildup. The foreign ministers of the OAS [Organization of American States], in their communiqué of October 6, rejected secrecy on such matters in this hemisphere. Should these offensive military preparations continue, thus increasing the threat to the hemisphere, further action will be justified. I have directed the Armed Forces to prepare for any eventualities; and I trust that in the interest of both the Cuban people and the Soviet technicians at the sites, the hazards to all concerned of continuing this threat will be recognized.
Third: It shall be the policy of this nation to regard any nuclear missile launched from Cuba against any nation in the Western Hemisphere as an attack by the Soviet Union on the United States, requiring a full retaliatory response upon the Soviet Union,” Kennedy said in his speech.
Betz stared at the radio. My God has it come to this, he wondered. Betz remembered the Berlin blockade. For many in Germany, it was the first time the Americans had been seen as true friends. Despite the blockade by the Soviets people did not starve and people were able to hold on. The Americans had helped them do that. Now the Soviets had stationed atomic missiles just 90 miles from their shore. No one would stand for that.
Betz wondered where it would lead. No one in Europe wanted another war – especially the Germans. They were all tired of war. Germany was becoming a strong nation again. To have that threatened made him angry.
Despite the fact Betz was now an Austrian citizen he was still a very loyal German. Despite everything else he was proud of his birthplace and its people. The Soviet Union was a problem – to Germany and everyone else. He prayed for cooler heads to prevail. But when it hit the fan, as the Americans say, he knew which side he would be on.
The President’s speech was winding up. “Our goal is not the victory of might, but the vindication of right; not peace at the expense of freedom, but both peace and freedom, here in this hemisphere, and, we hope, around the world. God willing, that goal will be achieved. Thank you and good night.”
“Ja, I know which side,” Betz said to himself.
The trip to Eric’s home was a whirlwind of activity and excitement – especially for Anna. It had been her first time on a long flight and the ride on the Boeing 707 had almost been too much. Sitting in a window seat, she had stared out the window almost the whole flight. When they finally landed in Richmond she welcomed the ride to Eric’s house, only to get back to something more ‘normal.’ One of the first things Anna had noticed were all the automobiles in the American roads. They were in every shape, size and color, and seemed to fill the roads everywhere they went.
Eric had escorted her to his own car in the parking lot of the airport. He had described how lucky he was to get one as they had just come out on American roads. The new Buick Riviera was the most modern automobile she had ever seen. It looked like it would take off and fly. It was a dark blue with a white leather interior and it sparkled in the evening light. The Buick was much larger than most cars she had seen and as they rode down the roads, it seemed to float.
Eric’s home was a large ranch style home nestled in the woods near Charlottesville, Virginia. It was made of white brick with stone accents and had a three car garage. Inside, the house looked like something out of one of her magazine
s. It was modern and spacious. There were polished hardwood floors with new modern furniture and brass accent pieces surrounding a large stone fireplace. To one side was a dining room which led to a large kitchen. Her room was larger than anything she had seen at home, including some of then rooms in the palace in Salzburg. From the kitchen and dining room, sliding doors led to a deck with a pool. Anna couldn’t help but stare at everything. Innsbruck had nothing like this.
Despite all the excitement, both Anna and Eric were exhausted. Both turned in early. The next day would be a busy one. The funeral arrangements had to be finalized, documents signed on the estate, meetings held at the company and family visited.
Both went almost straight to bed. Yet despite falling into a deep sleep, Anna woke while it was still dark outside. Glancing at the clock on her nightstand she saw it was 2 am. Looking around the darkened room she noticed light coming out from under the bathroom door. The bathroom was shared with Eric’s bedroom next to hers. Curious, she got out of bed and pulled on a light robe she had brought along. She crossed through the bathroom and gently knocked on the door to Eric’s room before she went in. Eric was sitting up in his bed reading a book. He smiled meekly at her.
“Can you not sleep?” she asked.
Eric sighed. “Sometimes when I get really tired I can’t sleep that well. So, I read a while until I get sleepy again.”
Anna walked to the side of the bed and sat beside him. “Is there anything I can do?”
Eric almost blushed. “No, you are as tired as I am. Go ahead and get some rest. I’ll be okay.”
Anna gave him a bit of a look. She reached over and took his book, closed it, and placed it on his nightstand. She then stood and removed her robe, draping it on a chair. Eric hadn’t known that she didn’t wear a nightgown. She turned around only wearing a thin pair of shorts. Anna turned off the light and crawled into the bed. She snuggled up next to Eric and eased him back down from the sitting position. She pulled his head to her shoulder. “Now try and sleep,” she said.
In the dark Eric smiled, “I don’t know if I can now.”
Anna kissed him on the forehead and wrapped her arms around him. “Then let’s do something about that.”
Major Brewster stood in front of Dresner’s desk more subdued this time. Dresner wondered what had happened, but had a sneaking feeling it was not good.
“Herr Dresner I have come to ask your help again.”
Dresner got a skeptical look on his face. “What has happened Herr Major?” he asked.
“May I sit down?”
Dresner motioned for the chair and Brewster sat down tiredly. “Just late yesterday we discovered someone has stolen some of our fuel out of the local yards. We had received permission to store it there temporarily and when we went to remove it, we found over 80,000 gallons missing,” the major said.
Dresner got an alarmed look on his face. For a minute he sat and said nothing. His mind was running at top speed. It all fit. What was missing was the scale. The acid and all that fuel required very large and sophisticated storage. Nothing like that was around here that he knew of. The theft of the truck required a place to put the cargo. They had already searched all the local storage facilities and the truck itself wouldn’t fit into a garage. Someone had used an older German anti-tank round on the Andersons. Where would they store something like that? Someone had used plastic explosives on the Mantz murder. Someone very specialized. Mantz was probably an old Nazi. Something clicked again. It was too impossible to believe.
Dresner looked at Brewster. “Herr Major we need to work together on this. He quickly went over what he had been investigating over the past few months. Brewster seemed to come alive with each revelation. At the end he had a very determined look.
“Herr Dresner, what can we help you with?” Brewster asked.
“Before we act, I need to try and verify something. If I am wrong, then no harm is done. But if I am right I need your help in keeping this under the covers,” said Dresner.
“What do you mean?”
Dresner took a deep breath. “Major, Germany is still rebuilding from the ravages of a war we started. The German people don’t need anything else from that era stabbing them in the heart. What’s more, we don’t need the repercussions from around the world. My young friend Eric Anderson told me a while back people still think of Germans as the bad guys. We have to earn our way out of that. If this is an old Nazi plot, I want to shut it down without a lot of attention. That saves embarrassment for us and for you. After all, if this is a plot, they stole a top secret truck and fuel from right under your noses,” Dresner said dramatically.
The American saw the look on Dresner’s face. The man was genuinely concerned and for the right reasons. Dresner was right. Even he did not have a high regard for the German people. But he was also right that Germany was just now getting back on its feet. Most he had met were hard working and tired of conflict. They didn’t like what they had been through and wanted to make things better. He was also right that he personally was embarrassed that these things had been stolen while on his watch. It was reasonable and his respect for Dresner had just grown a bit. He looked Dresner in the eye.
“I agree. I’ll keep things under wraps on my end as best I can. Now what do you need?”
Dresner didn’t bat an eye. “It is only something the American Army can do. I need to speak to one man.”
Chapter 10
Answers
“This company doesn’t need to be extending itself beyond what we do,” said James Gleeson, the vice president of Anderson Construction. “This company has done very well with our local operations and I can’t agree to such broad ranging changes.” Gleeson had been in the company for five years and had been hired to help Eric’s father in the company’s operations. He had always been opinionated and very conservative in his actions. Sometimes that had caused Eric’s father some grief.
The boardroom was filled with all the company’s officers. Most sat quietly after Gleeson’s comments waiting to see Eric’s reaction. All of the men were in suits and had been with the company much longer. Cigarette smoke slowly drifted up from several ash trays around the table.
“Eric, you just don’t seem to understand how we should operate. We are a small time operation and our business doesn’t need to expand for us to all make a very good living. We shouldn’t be taking any risks,” said Frank Logan, the contracting officer. “If you let Mister Gleeson and the rest of us take care of things, I think you can expect things to go quite well.”
Eric sat in his new seat at the head of the table. He had spent an hour listening to a few people try to tell him to go home and stay away. These two were just the last. Luckily, his father had long ago warned him about the men around the table and had told him what he would do. Eric looked over at Matt Jackson, one of the old timers of the company. He and his father had worked together from the beginning and Al had told his son that he could trust the man all day long.
Mister Jackson caught Eric’s glance, gave a slight sigh and glanced toward the ceiling. Eric almost chuckled. He was glad Mister Jackson thought the same as he did. Now it was his turn to act. He held up his hand.
“Gentlemen, it appears you have misunderstood me. I wish to expand our operations in the areas I mentioned. The construction industry is changing even as we speak. Those who do not change to meet the needs will fall by the wayside. I need facts and figures to me by the next meeting so I can see how we will stand.”
“That’s not the direction we need to go,” said Gleeson again.
Eric tried to remain calm. He turned and looked directly at Gleeson. “I am not asking anyone’s opinion. This is where I want the company to go. The last time I looked, that is my name on our letterhead. As of now I own this company. If anyone doesn’t understand that they are free to work somewhere else. Granted, I am younger than anyone in here. But that doesn’t change the situation. Once I decide to go in a direction it is your job to make that happen. Since we
all share in the profits the better you do your job, the more we can all earn. Anyone not interested in that can find a new job as well. Now I am going to be moving between here and Innsbruck for a while. I am taking one of the new fax machines with me. I also have a telephone. I want to know what is going on every day. Feel free to use the phone. I’ll get a second phone line operating to make it easier. Send me any documents I need to see. I can sign and fax it back. For now, I want to be cut in on the decisions until you can get used to the way I think and work. Once we start working together smoothly I will ease up a bit.
“Gentlemen, this company has operated successfully for over fifteen years. We are already in more areas of major construction that most in the United States. We are going to make it even bigger. Does anyone have any questions?”
“Eric, you have no idea…”
Eric stopped him in mid sentence. “Mister Gleeson, you may bring your doubts up with me in my office.” He turned back to the room. Most of the men had the look on their face that told him Gleeson had just stepped in it. “Any other comments?”
The men remained silent.
“Then thank you for your time. Mister Jackson will you join me along with Mister Gleeson?” Eric said as he picked up his writing pad and left the room. The men stood and filed out of the room as Eric walked into his father’s office. The two men followed him there. Gleeson looked slightly angry but Jackson had a slight smile on his face.
Eric sat in his chair behind the desk. “Mister Gleeson, you have been with our company for five years. Strangely enough, my father had me in on the company decision making since I was sixteen, so I have been here for seven years. You have done a good job helping my father out but even he sometimes got tired of having to drag you up to a new level. Today I gave out my marching orders. Once again, you tried to block things. But more to the point, you tried to treat me like some child off the street in front of the management team. Although I do not want a “yes” man around me, I cannot have someone undermining me in my own company. I will accept your resignation without prejudice. I will have your paycheck ready by the end of the day. Thank you for your service to Anderson Construction,” he said.