51
In Switzerland it was not difficult the following morning for Marler to obtain a film projector, a screen and the other equipment he needed on Tweed's instructions. He arrived back at the hotel at 8.30a.m. to find Tweed having breakfast with Paula and Newman.
'I lay awake half the night,' Paula was saying. 'I still can't believe the President of the United States is guilty of such horrific crimes.'
'Read the history of previous occupants of the Oval Office,' suggested Barton Ives who had overheard her remark as he joined them. 'Under our crazy electoral system a really depraved guy was bound to get there one day. He has.'
'What do we do next?' Paula asked.
'You've got everything?' Tweed checked with Marler as he sat down.
'Everything.'
'Then our next trip is to take Amberg to his branch here, force him to produce the film and tape Dyson gave them in Zurich for safekeeping. Then we view the film inside the bank…'
Amberg was still under guard in his room with Cardon keeping him company. Their breakfast came up from room service. Joel Dyson was also trapped in his room with an extremely unsympathetic Butler acting as his guard.
'You know we were followed here all the way from Basle?' Newman warned his chief.
'Not to worry – it was an unmarked car but they would be Beck's men. After seeing us pass through the control at Basle Station when we arrived from Colmar he's not a man to let us out of his sight. Talk of the devil…'
Arthur Beck, wearing a smart grey suit, walked into the dining-room, which overlooked a small garden. He refused an offer of coffee, bent down to whisper to Tweed.
'I have brought a small army of men into Ouchy. We saw the Americans returning. So-called diplomats waiting for their postings. This is too much. I'm organizing a dragnet to check all the hotels.'
'I can save you time.' Tweed produced the list Marler had drawn up the previous evening. This lists where they all are. They will be armed.'
'So are my men.' Beck smiled wryly. 'Thank you for doing my job for me. May I ask how you tracked them down?'
'Marler, tell our friend about your researches.'
'Not difficult,' drawled Marler. 'I'd call at a hotel, tell the night clerk some American friends of mine had arrived, that I wanted to pay them some money I owed to them. Also I needed a room for the night and how much would it be? I had a handful of Swiss coins – which can be of reasonable value – and pushed them over the far edge of the counter. While he was scrabbling for them I checked his box of registration slips, memorized all names where the nationality was American. I then told the clerk I'd left my passport in my car, that I'd be back for the room I'd paid for. Then on to the next hotel. Quite easy.'
'And very skilled – to pull it off with Swiss hotel staff.' Beck glanced at the list. 'I should have this lot within the hour – for immediate deportation via Geneva Airport. Spoil their breakfasts…'
He had just disappeared when Gaunt trooped in with Jennie clinging to his arm. Marching straight up to
Tweed's large table, he sat down
Top of the morning to you,' he greeted them breezily. 'Lovely day. Sun shining on the mountains of the Haute-across the lake. A large English breakfast for two,' commanded the waiter.
'I just want croissants,' Jennie said, her eyes glowing with annoyance. 'And I do like to be asked.'
'Nonsense! You must stoke up. Busy day ahead of us, eh, Tweed? Saw a bunch of American thugs filing into the Hoteld'Angleterre just opposite last night. Have to keep a lookout for spoilers.'
'We have an appointment,' Tweed wiped his mouth with his napkin. 'May see you later.'
He had hardly spoken when Eve Amberg appeared, asked if she could sit with them. Tweed gestured to an chair and Paula caught Jennie glaring at the new What was it between these two women? Eve wore a form-hugging purple sweater and black ski-pants tucked knee-length leather boots. A striking outfit, Paula to herself.
'Where is Walter?' Eve enquired as she selected a roll. 'Coffee for me,' she told the waiter. 'So where is Walter?' she repeated.
'He's exhausted,' Tweed lied. 'Sleeping in until about ten before he surfaces.'
'A poor fish,' Gaunt boomed. 'No energy…'
He was talking to a smaller audience. Tweed, followed by Paula and Newman, was leaving the restaurant. Walkbriskly, he went up to Amberg's room, rapped on the with the agreed signal, walked in with the others Cardon opened it. Tweed was in his most aggressive when he addressed the banker, who was again neatly in his sombre black suit.
' Had your breakfast? Good. Time to get moving. To your bank. I want the film and the tape out of the vault five minutes after we arrive. We'll accompany you everywhere.
In case you feel like staging a protest, Beck, the Chief of Police, as you know, is here in Ouchy. He'd be very interested to talk to you about those murders in Zurich.'
'I had nothing to do…' Amberg began.
'Policemen never believe a word you say. We'll get moving now. By the back way into the car park. Avoid the dining-room that way. Three tough-looking American types are having breakfast. Don't want to meet them either, do you, Amberg?'
Marvin Mencken, who was staying at the d'Angleterre, had risen early and had a quick breakfast at another hotel. He liked to be up before any of his subordinates and he made a habit of not following a routine. He never ate where he was staying.
Returning from a brisk walk alongside the lake he saw two Audis pull up in front of the d'Angleterre. Men in plain clothes stepped out, walked towards the entrance with almost military precision, disappeared inside the hotel. Seconds later more cars pulled up outside two other hotels where his men were staying and uniformed police, holding automatic weapons, climbed out swiftly and moved inside.
'Jesus Christ! ^ ' Mencken said to himself.
Without hurrying, he crossed the road, reached his car parked behind a stretch of grass and trees. He got in behind the wheel, pulled out of his trench coat pocket a Swiss hat he'd bought in Basle, rammed it on his head and slid down out of sight as he started the engine.
Mencken waited until he saw the police bringing out his men, wrists handcuffed behind their backs. More cars with only a driver had arrived. His captured men were bundled inside the vehicles. Mencken had no worry that he would be betrayed – he'd been careful to ensure that none of these men knew he was driving a Renault.
As the convoys drove off he cruised slowly round the park towards the Chateau d'Ouchy. Norton had given him explicit instructions he was not to be contacted, not that Mencken had any idea what he looked like. But he had been told Norton would be using the name Dr Glen Fleming. He'd have to phone him, warn him quickly.
The Zurcher Kredit Bank was open for business when Tweed arrived in the Espace with Amberg alongside him. Paula, Newman, Ives and Butler were travelling with him. In the rear of the vehicle Marler sat with the projector and the rest of his equipment.
In the station wagon following close behind were Car-don, guarding Joel Dyson, and Pete Nield who was driving. Before leaving the Chateau d'Ouchy for the short drive to the bank Tweed had spoken to Dyson, making no bones about the position he was in.
'Cardon has a gun, won't hesitate to use it if you make one wrong move. But more likely, we'd put you aboard an aircraft for Washington at Cointrin Airport, Geneva.'
Watching the little man closely, Tweed had seen a flicker of triumph in Dyson's shifting eyes. Joel Dyson clearly knew Europe well, knew the lines of communication by air travel. There was no better way of subduing a man than by raising his hopes and then dashing them.
'Of course,' Tweed went on, 'there are no direct flights to Washington from Geneva. So Cardon would escort you aboard a flight from Cointrin to Zurich. Then you'd be put aboard the first non-stop flight for Washington. A phone call would be made so certain people would wait at Dulles Airport for you to disembark. Something wrong, Dyson? You've gone pale as a ghost…'
