The bend Philip had to drive round just before they reached it was one of the most savage and hair-raising on the whole mountain road. He saw ice, slowed down to a crawl. Below them Sion, the entire plain, had vanished. He cruised, still crawling, up to the alcove.
'Look out!' yelled Paula.
With both hands on the wheel Philip couldn't react. He glanced to his left, saw three Leather Bombers inside the alcove. One held a machine-pistol, had raised it, was taking aim. Paula lobbed the grenade she'd taken out of her shoulder bag. It landed almost at the feet of the three men.
There was a vicious crack. All three men twisted, fell back against the rock wall, lay very still. Philip realized he was sweating. He looked at Paula before getting out.
'You were suspicious.'
'Yes, I was. No guards in sight. And you'd said when we were here earlier it would be possible to climb up that ravine. So I worked out it would be possible to climb down the ravine – and this is a perfect place for an ambush.'
'I'll have to get rid of those bodies. They'd be a dead giveaway when they were found. No pun intended.'
'Not funny. Maybe they're still alive…'
'Doubt that. Inside that confined alcove – with rock walls – the shrapnel from a grenade would kill.'
'Please make sure.'
'I will.'
He checked the brakes, left Paula, went inside the alcove. He felt the carotids of all three men. No pulse from two of them. The third did have a faint pulse. If he recovered he'd report what had happened. Heaving the first body by its legs, he dragged it behind their vehicle to the edge, peered over. An endless abyss, probably a thousand feet down. He toppled the body over. It spun through the air into space.
He went back for the second body, dealt with it in the same manner. Paula was looking the other way. Then he collected the man who was still breathing, hauled him to the brink, levered him over.
'As I thought,' he lied as he climbed behind the wheel. 'All were dead.'
Then you did the right thing.'
Not another word was exchanged as they descended the road and eventually entered Sion.
34
The Lear executive jet with BRAZIL splashed along the outside of its fuselage was flying over France, would soon cross the sea prior to landing at Heathrow.
Tweed spent most of his time chatting with the pilot and the co-pilot in their cabin. He had found out both men were once fliers with the Swiss Air Force. The radio op. swivelled in his chair to speak to Tweed for the fifth time. He spoke in English as a courtesy to his guest.
There's a real storm of reports building up. Something weird is happening in Moscow. Rumours that the President has resigned due to ill health. Rumours that a General Marov is bringing armoured divisions into the city. Rumours that the frontiers of Russia have been closed.'
'Pretty much what I expected.' Tweed replied.
'And a personal message from Chief of Police Arthur Beck for you. I didn't understand it first time and asked them to repeat it. He says the rumours are all originating from Zurich.'
'Again what I expected. Thank you.'
The plane was descending rapidly. The pilot turned to Tweed.
'We'll be landing shortly, sir.'
'I'm very grateful to you. You know that this plane and the whole crew are to be placed at my disposal again after you have landed?'
'Yes, sir. You expect to be flying again soon?'
'Very shortly. Now I will return to my seat.'
It was a very satisfied Tweed who sank into the luxurious seat and fastened his seat belt. He would arrive in London three hours ahead of the first scheduled flight.
Beck was furious. He sat in his office, staring at the sheets he'd taken from the teleprinter, giving reports from the international news services. Moscow… Moscow… Moscow… He looked up at Joinvin, who had just entered his office. He waved the reams of sheets.
'We know all this stuff is coming from rumours Brazil is spreading from here – in Zurich. Have you found out where from?'
'No, sir. The detector vans are out trying to trace the source of the radio transmissions but we have a problem.'
'I know we have a problem. Tracking his source.'
'What I meant, sir, was that he appears to be using some kind of vehicles to jam our detector vans.'
'He's also using jamming equipment! Let's face it -the man is a genius at organization. How do we get round that one?'
'We have found one van we know is using jamming apparatus near the lake at the bottom of Bahnhofstrasse. The trouble is we have no authority to search a private vehicle. I have an idea.'
'What is it, then?'
'I'll draw up a list of people who have complained their radios are being interfered with. I'll get names out of the telephone directory.'
'Go ahead. You know, Joinvin, I'm going to think about whether I should promote you.'
'That's all you will do.' Joinvin said good-humouredly. 'Think about it.'
The intercom buzzed, Beck answered it, listened, then pressed the button to shut it off. He looked at Joinvin.
'A brilliant idea of yours. Forget it. The radio transmissions have stopped. That man is playing with me – he's always one step ahead in the game. And now I hear from the security chief at Kloten that the pilot of Brazil's private jet has filed a new flight plan – to leave for Sion later this morning. Always one step ahead of me.' he repeated.
'Not always.' Joinvin reminded him. 'He doesn't know that Tweed has already arrived in London.'
Eve, fully dressed, walked into Jose's office, her expression livid. She always got on well with Jose, who looked up, smiled, then frowned.
'What's wrong?'
'I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk. What happens? I turn down a side-street off Bahnhofstrasse and two young Yanks ask me the way. Then they try to assault me.'
'They didn't…'
'No, they didn't. I scraped my heel down the shin of one lout. He yelped, let go. I swung round and kneed the other in the groin. They cleared off damned fast. But I feel I need some protection.'
'Not a gun.' Jose unlocked a drawer in his desk, took out a canister with a nozzle on top, handed it to her.
'This is hairspray.' she said, reading the printing on the outside. 'If I'd thought I could have got this from a shop.'
'No, you couldn't. And don't press the button. That canister contains Mace gas. The wording is camouflage. It's illegal.'
'Would it kill someone?'
'No. But it would disable them for some while. Keep it in your shoulder bag at all times.'
'Thank you, Jose. You know I'm being left in charge while you're all away in Sion? I've been wondering, does that include Gustav, who is also staying in Zurich?'
'I wouldn't try giving orders to Gustav. He's an ugly man – and not only to look at.'
'I'll take your advice.' She hesitated. 'I went out for my walk about an hour or so ago. I saw a lot of men who are on Brazil's staff going into a building on Bahnhof-strasse. They were in a hurry. What were they doing at this time of night?'
