A Walk Among the Dead

by Fanning, Fred

  “Did you ever have any problems with him?”

  “No, I hardly knew he was here.”

  “Did he have any guests?”

  “Not that I know of, but I don’t usually keep an eye on who comes and goes like that.”

  “I understand. Did he have a car?”

  “Not that I ever saw.”

  She handed him her card. “If you think of anything else please give me a call.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  The next morning, Maggie read through the list of criminals that might have had a reason to kill Inspector Werner Albrecht. She had come in early in the hope that no one would interrupt her. Suddenly, she dropped her coffee on the floor, breaking the cup. She was too mesmerized by the list to give it a second thought.

  Then she whispered Günter Eckersley to herself. She made the connection she thought was there all along. She called the Chief Inspector to tell him.

  “Maggie, you’re at work early aren’t you.”

  “Sorry to bother you at home, but I thought you would want to know.”

  “Know what Maggie?”

  “That Inspector Albrecht had put Günter Eckersley and Kurt Howler in jail twice over the past year. It took us a few weeks to get the list from Bonn, they are overworked with the unification, so we are just now finding this out. I have identified him and Kurt Howler as the primary suspects in Hans von Manntoell’s murder.”

  “Well, congratulations. I for one didn’t believe there was a connection, but you have found it.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “We already have issued an order to all police officers to be on the lookout for Günter Eckersley and Kurt Howler haven’t we?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “I’ll let the District Police Chief know, thanks again.”

  Maggie sat quietly at her desk focusing on the list of names. Suddenly she remembered dropping the cup of coffee on the floor. She jumped up from the chair and grabbed a couple of napkins from her desk drawer and dropped them onto the spilled, brown liquid. She called the facility office to have someone come and clean up the mess.

  Across the Atlantic, in the U.S., her friends from the Simon Wiesenthal Center had identified how the payments were made to the Society. They also found that the son of the late director was spending heavily on himself in the last days before he died in the bombing of the Society building.

  They faxed this information to Maggie, excited at this latest revelation. Their goal was to unveil all secrets of the NAZI Party and their work here furthered that goal. Another chapter was opened to the light.

  Maggie stood back out of the way while two janitors cleaned up the broken cup and spilled coffee. She thanked them very much and apologized for making the mess. Suddenly the phone rang and she answered.

  “This is the administration and I have a fax from California for you.”

  “Thank you, I will be right down.”

  Maggie walked down the stairs to administration. She signed for the fax and read it while she walked back upstairs. She stopped on the stairs as she stared at the words in front of her. The money wasn’t for the research; it was for the people in the society. That means that Hans kept the money because it was his.

  Silke had made arrangements to review historical files for a German magazine from the 1940s. She showed her journalist credentials to the security guard at the help desk of the building and explained her area of interest. He referred her to an editor that was very helpful. Silke was shown to a microfiche machine with directions for the cataloging of tapes in the row of cabinets nearby.

  Silke sat in the chair for hours before she found additional articles about the death of the director of the Society and how his family was paid a death benefit from the Society. There was further information that the Society was closed in 1944, all outstanding bills paid, with severance to all members. The Society closed forever. The articles only mention the director Stephen Grünspecht. No mention of the amount of death benefit was made.

  Maggie, Silke, and Johann met at Johann’s flat at 9:00 pm.

  “The police have identified Kurt Howler as the man at the funeral. He has been tied to Günter Eckersley. The police are searching for them both. The two men worked together in the East German Police. They both had encounters with Inspector Albrecht. I think they were the two that committed the Hans and Helga von Manntoell murders and the attempted murder of Inspector Werner Albrecht and Käthe Woolwine,” said Maggie.

  “Well I also found new information, but I can’t tell you what it is because the file containing the information is missing,” said Johann.

  “I haven’t found anything new, but I have found evidence that the Berlin Society of Theosophy existed. Furthermore, Hans von Manntoell was the secretary of the society. I have also verified that nearly $300 million was unaccounted for when the society was closed,” said Silke.

  “Wait … you are saying that you believe that my father took the $300 million and had access to the money all these years? You are also saying that he and my mother were killed because someone wants that money?”

  “Yes that is what she is saying,” said Maggie.

  “It really hurts me to think that my father and mother were killed and my aunt nearly killed for this dirty money.”

  “It appears that the evil of the NAZI Party lives on,” said Silke.

  “Where does the shooting of Inspector Albrecht fit into all of this?” asked Johann.

  “I think it is retribution for putting two men in prison,” said Maggie.

  “Where do we go from here?” asked Silke.

  “The police need to find Günter Eckersley and Kurt Howler. After that we need to figure out if anyone else is involved with them in these crimes,” said Maggie.

  “What about the money?” asked Silke.

  “If we can find it all the better, but police resources can’t be used to search for treasure unless I can directly tie to the murders. That doesn’t mean private citizens can’t continue looking,” said Maggie.

  “I don’t care about the money,” said Johann.

  “But, Johann, imagine what that money could do,” said Silke.

  “Silke, I don’t have to imagine. I know what that money has done to my family.”

  “I am sorry, Johann. I didn’t mean it like that,” said Silke.

  “No apology necessary, I know.”

  “If I may suggest, you two could finish the search and hand over all the information to the Simon Wiesenthal Center. They could continue the search for NAZI war criminals or help find money and property stolen from Jewish people in the war,” said Maggie.

  “Maggie, now, that is another good reason to finish what we have started. If the money my father kept was taken from Jewish families, I would like to see it returned.”

  “I am hoping we can find those two murderers before someone else is killed,” said Maggie.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

  Maggie slept on her office couch again. She woke up with glints of sunlight hitting her eyes through the blinds. She laid there wondering about all the things that appeared to be tied to two evil men. She couldn’t help think it all sounded too neat. She wondered if she was missing something. She decided to call Chief Inspector Berndt Wagner.

  “Hello Maggie, you must have slept in your office again.”

  “How do you know that Chief?”

  “Cause every time you call me at this hour you’ve been sleeping in your office.”

  “Well, yes, I did it again.”

  “What can I do for you, Maggie?”

  “I spoke to you about my idea that Günter Eckersley and Kurt Howler are responsible for the deaths of Hans and Helga von Manntoell and the attempted murder of Inspector Albrecht. Well, as much as the evidence points in that direction, I have my doubts.”

  “See this through Maggie. For now, trust your intuition that they are responsible. It’s brought us this far.”

  “What if I’m wrong?”

  “If you’re wrong,
we won’t have wasted much time. We know they are responsible for two murders.”

  “Thank you, Chief. I will see this through to the end.”

  “Your welcome. Now I am going to get ready for work.”

  “Sorry for waking you again, Chief.”

  Maggie took a long hot shower downstairs in the locker room. After dressing at her locker, she headed up to the squad room on the second floor to check on the progress in locating Günter Eckersley and Kurt Howler. There she saw Ursula, the task force leader.

  “Any progress with the manhunt, Ursula?”

  “We haven’t heard or seen either one. We are tracking a lead on a second flat for Günter Eckersley.”

  “I’m afraid it will be vacant as Howler’s flat was.”

  “You’ll be the first person I call when I know anything.”

  “Thanks, Ursula, you always get your man.”

  “We aren’t the Royal Canadian Police you know.” She smiled and winked at Maggie.

  “I know, I know.”

  Maggie walked back upstairs to her office. She looked through her files to see if she’d left any stone unturned.

  She called Johann to let him know there was no progress in locating the two fugitives. Johann understood it was difficult to find people who don’t want to be found. She asked Johann to let Silke know.

  Johann decided to visit his parent’s remains at the mausoleum one more time. While there he looked at the doors of the other family members in vaults. He read the names as he ran his hand over the stone etchings of each name. There were a few empty doors with religious sayings on them. He was melancholy and it began to rain as he left the mausoleum. He walked to the street and hailed a taxi. It took a few minutes for the drive to Silke’s flat.

  “Johann it is so good of you to drop by.”

  “Thanks, I am sorry, but I am a little wet from the rain.”

  “You’re fine. Would you like a towel?”

  “No, but I would like to hang my coat.”

  “I’ll take it.” Silke walked over to a closet and pulled a coat hanger out. She hung his jacket on the door to the bathroom. “So what brings you out in this weather?”

  “Well, it wasn’t raining when I left to come over here. It started when I was at the cemetery so I grabbed a taxi. Maggie called this morning to let me know they have not found either of the fugitives.”

  “I wish they would find them. I am afraid they will come after me again.”

  “Yeah I know the feeling. With them still out there I think we’re both in danger.”

  “I can look out the window and see the policeman there in the car.”

  “That makes me feel a little better, too.”

  “As long as you’re here would you like something to drink?”

  “Yes, I could use a beer.”

  “Certainly, please sit over in the living room.” Johann walked over and sat on the couch. Silke brought two beers and Johann took a nice, long sip.

  “Johann, you have a doctorate degree in theology. Why don’t people call you Doctor or Professor?”

  “I ask people not to.”

  “You deserve the respect. Don’t you want it?”

  “I don’t relish the attention. In fact, the less attention I get, the better.”

  “Is that why you still live on church property?”

  “Yes, ever since I left my parent’s flat here in Berlin, I have lived on church property. I have never had my own place.”

  “Now you do.”

  “Yes, you’re right. Now I do.”

  “So you studied theology all those years in university?”

  “Yes, along with the standard liberal arts required for degrees.”

  “I went to Frei University here in Berlin for journalism,” said Silke.

  “Why journalism?”

  “I love to investigate mysteries.”

  “So you are an investigative journalist?”

  “Yes, exactly.”

  Johann and Silke talked for another hour. This was the first time in days that either had a typical afternoon. As the evening drew to a close, they walked together to a corner café for dinner.

  After a delicious dinner of Schnitzel and potatoes, Johann walked Silke back to her building. She took the stairs up to her flat and Johann took a taxi back to his. He had to complete the paperwork to have repairs made to his parent’s flat.

  He couldn’t bring himself to stop calling it his parent’s flat. Johann sat at his dining room table looking over the papers the building superintendent gave him. The cost to repair the flat was $12,000. According to the paperwork, the insurance would fully cover the cost of the repairs. He would have to file a second claim for any property lost inside the house.

  He walked to his parent’s bedroom, which was just off the dining room. The room was severely burned with two large windows boarded up. All the furniture was entirely lost, reduced to disheveled heaps of black. This was where his father was killed. He knelt at the door and prayed that his father and mother were in heaven. He turned around to face the rest of the flat. The ceiling was stained with soot throughout. The carpet in the living room and dining area was damaged by water. He prayed for strength to see this through. He went back to the dining room table and signed the papers authorizing the repairs.

  He sat there on the couch for hours lost in his thoughts. What would he do when this was over?

  CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

  The police officers looking for Günter were coming up empty. Then they received a report from the U.S. Consulate, Office of Public Safety that a body had been picked up by U.S. Army personnel, floating in the Wannsee. The body had documents in a wallet that were wet but readable indicating the victim was Günter Eckersley. Ursula, the team leader for the operation, gave Maggie a call.

  “Ursula I hope this is good news.”

  “Well, good and bad.”

  “Give me the good news.”

  “We found Günter Eckersley.”

  “That is fabulous!”

  “No, it isn’t. The bad news is that he is dead. His body was in the Wannsee.”

  “That is terrible. I need some information from him. Is the body at the morgue?”

  “On its way, should be there within the hour.”

  “I would like to go see it.”

  “Sure, the team’s now focusing solely on finding Kurt Howler.”

  “Good luck Ursula.”

  “Thanks, I’ll give you a call if anything develops.”

  Hammer was listening to a bug he had placed in Maggie’s office and overheard that Günter Eckersley had been found dead in the Wannsee. He called Freda immediately. He made it quick so as not to draw attention. With Eckersley’s body found and Johann von Manntoell getting closer to the money, Freda Stern and Reinhardt Kantor decided it was time to kidnap them both.

  As Johann slept quietly in his room, Reinhardt and Hammer entered the building through the maintenance entrance at the rear of the building. They took the stairs to Johann’s flat and let themselves in with their key. They moved to the room Johann had been occupying and grabbed him. Johann struggled but was not able to get away. Hammer put a handkerchief with chloroform over his nose and mouth and Johann passed out.

  The two men grabbed Johann and took him down the stairs and out the back maintenance door. They checked to ensure no one was watching and slowly moved through the shadows to a waiting car. They placed Johann in the back seat. The police car watching Johann was on the other side of the building watching the two front doors. They didn’t see or hear anything. Johann was transported to the farmhouse outside of the city.

  The kidnapping of Silke Mencken didn’t go as well. There was no back maintenance door. So Freda Stern and Kurt Howler had to enter her building through the front door, the policewoman guarding her, Annalise Kerns saw a strange movement. She called for backup, got out of her car, and moved closer to the front door. “Stop! Police.”

  As Kurt turned to fire, the officer saw his gun an
d fired, hitting him in the chest. Freda moved forward and turned to run into the bushes. The officer shot again, striking Freda in the back. Freda dove into the bushes. The officer held her position, waiting for back up.

  Freda moved through the bushes to the end of the building, where she was able to escape into the forest. The police officer shot, but Freda escaped. The police officer moved to the man on the ground and checked for a pulse. He had none, the police offer reported she had one dead and a second escaped.

  The desk sergeant called Maggie, who immediately asked to have the stake out officer check on Johann von Manntoell.

  “Officer 2-10 this is base, please confirm the person in your custody is well.” The officer quickly walked into the building and up to Johann’s flat. He found the door open and pulled his weapon as he entered. He quickly ran back to the car.

  “Base this is 2-10.” The officer was winded from the walking.

  “This is base, go.”

  “The person in protective custody is gone and there appears to have been a struggle.”

  The officer on a stakeout at Johann’s apartment found him missing and the chair in his room had been tipped over and the lamp and nightstand on which it set were broken next to the bed. Maggie had only one thought - he was kidnapped. She was furious that she didn’t prevent this. Maggie called the Chief Inspector.

  “Chief, this is Maggie.”

  “What is it?

  “Von Manntoell has been kidnaped. An attempt to seize Silke Mencken has failed. One suspect is dead. A second was wounded and has escaped.”

  “Dammit Maggie, how did this go so wrong?”

  “Chief, we had Johann and Silke under protection.”

  “It seems impossible that they got to Johann. I am going to speak to the watch officer.”

  “Chief, I think we have a mole in the office. There is no other way to explain this.”

  “Don’t jump to conclusions. This may be mere incompetence.”

  Freda made it safely to the farm house where Reinhardt Kantor and Officer Erich Hammer were holding Johann. As she entered the room, Freda grabbed a bottle from the cabinet and took a good, long drink.