'The usual one. Rupert. He's traipsing round with – that swine, Basil. Windermere is a bad influence on him.' He smiled grimly. 'And probably Rupert is equally a bad influence on Basil.'
'You don't mean they're here?'
'They are. Both have a room in this hotel. They were passengers when I drove here from Basel. Found myself between the devil and the deep blue sea. Didn't want them with me. Didn't want to leave them behind. Thought it best to keep an eye on them. At this moment they're in the bar downstairs, of course. Saw them a few minutes before I went back up to my room in time to take your phone call.'
'You'll have to leave them on their own if you should come with us – if we're going anywhere.'
'Trouble is Basil has hired a car here in Freiburg. So they're mobile. But there are more important things than those two. I'd better go now. I'll wait for your phone call…'
Alone in his room, Tweed called Monica on Beck's mobile phone. He could tell from her voice the moment she answered that she was excited.
'Tweed, is this line safe?'
`Yes, it is. You have news?'
'Roy Buchanan called me, wanted to speak to you.
When I said you weren't available he gave some data to pass on. No more bombs have exploded. You know why?'
'I will if you tell me.'
'Well-'
'Monica, could you hold on? Something I have to check. Back in a moment…'
Tweed had started calling Monica as soon as Guy had left the room. He had vaguely been aware of some kind of commotion outside in the corridor. Running to the door, he opened it. Paula stood there. Her expression was strange. He went into the corridor. To his right stood Osborne, smoking a fresh cigar.
'Hi there, Tweed. Time we had that drink in the bar.'
Osborne seemed the jovial hail-fellow-well-met type he had been when he had visited Tweed in his office at Park Crescent. He waved his cigar in greeting.
'What is it, Paula?' Tweed asked, irritated.
'I was coming along to your room when I heard an argument. Two voices. One was Sir Guy's. He was shouting, sounded furious. I couldn't see who the other person was. The argument sounded vicious. I was a little way round a corner, so I couldn't see anything. When I got here I saw Sir Guy disappearing. Mr Osborne was standing where he is now…'
'The name is Ed,' Osborne called out amiably. 'OK, Paula?'
'The name is Miss Grey,' she shot back. 'Did you see who was in the corridor with Sir Guy Strangeways?'
'Nope. I just came outta my room. What's the problem?'
'There isn't one,' said Tweed. 'Paula, come in. I'm talking to somebody.'
He locked the door when they were both inside, ran back to the phone he'd left on a table. He explained briefly to Paula over his shoulder.
'I have Monica holding on. Be with you soon… 'Monica. Sorry about that. Turned out to be nothing. Now I can give you my full attention.'
'Well, Buchanan is using to the full his new powers. He's ringed the American Embassy in Grosvenor Square with a large team of plain-clothes officers, all armed. When anyone comes out they're followed – on foot if they're walking, in a car if they drive away. Since he employed these tactics no more bombs, as I told you earlier.' . 'Any protests from the Americans?'
'You bet. Buchanan happened to be there in a car with a team when Morgenstern came out, was driven off in a limo. Buchanan followed him. Morgenstern stopped his limo, demanded to know what was going on. Buchanan explained they'd had a tip-off that terrorists were going to bomb the Embassy, so he was providing protection.'
'Clever. Significant that the bombings have stopped.'
'Earlier someone had placed a bomb – a big one – inside a key telephone exchange. The Bomb Squad found it, defused it.'
'Any other developments?'
'I was just going to tell you. An FBI team flew in, offered their services. Buchanan said he didn't need an alien force to help. They didn't like that at all. The situation appears to be under control. For the moment.'
'Thank you, Monica. Make a note of this hotel's name and my room number. I may not be here long. And I'll give you the number of my mobile phone…'
He gave her the data, thanked her again, ended the call, turned to look at Paula. She was sitting down, listened intently as he asked the question.
'Something very weird went on in that corridor a few minutes ago. I even. thought I heard the sounds of a struggle. Were you able to identify the second voice – the voice of the person arguing with Guy?'
'No. It was a voice I haven't heard before. Strident. Using filthy language.'
'Voice of a man, a woman?'
'Sony, Tweed, but I couldn't tell. I thought I caught the tone of a very American accent, but I could be wrong. I was still a distance along the other corridor, which muffled things a lot.'
'But you could hear Sir Guy's voice?'
'Definitely. His is so distinctive. I thought I heard him shout, 'Don't you damned well talk to me like that.' But again I'm not sure. When I turned the corner he was just disappearing round a corner in the distance. Ed Osborne was standing outside his room.'
'How long do you think he'd been there?'
`No idea. It looked as though he'd just come out of his room. His cigar had been trimmed and was alight.'
'I don't like it.' Tweed stirred in the arm chair he had sat in. 'Something very weird is going on, as I said a few minutes ago.'
Paula, sitting in an armchair opposite him, the one Guy had occupied, reached out and felt the coffee pot on the table. She reached for a clean cup and saucer.
'This coffee feels fresh. Drink some. It will help you to get the brain racing.'
She watched while he drank slowly. He was staring at nothing, as though his mind was miles away. He put the cup down and spoke slowly.
'Guy was with me before he left this room. He's offered to join us as a reinforcement. He knows roughly what they're up to and thinks they should be stopped. Incidentally, regarding what happened in the corridor you used the word 'vicious'. Were you referring to Guy?'
'No, to whoever he was arguing with. I've just had a thought. Osborne was in the corridor. Could he have been the person Guy was having a verbal battle with?' 'Wouldn't you have recognized his voice?'
'Not necessarily. I've never heard Osborne in a towering rage.'
'Voices do change according to the mood a person is in.'
'You said Guy was going to join us. Is that a good idea?'
'I came to the conclusion he would be an asset. But if he does come he'll have to travel in Marler's Audi. There's space for a fourth person there. I must phone Marler, put the idea to him. If he doesn't agree, Guy doesn't come.'
Tweed took the mobile out of his pocket. He called the other hotel, explained the position to Marler vaguely, not using Guy's name. Then he put the phone on the table.
'Marler's phoning me back from an outside phone. We'll have to wait.'
They waited ten minutes. During that time they didn't speak a word to each other. Paula deliberately kept silent. Tweed was frowning, had a look of intense concentration. When the phone rang he explained the idea in detail, emphasizing it was up to Marler whether he agreed. When he broke the connection he smiled at Paula.
'Marler agrees we take Guy. It was Guy's reference to his being treated as a foot soldier which convinced him. And Guy knows something about war. Which is what I foresee we'll be engaged in during our trip to the Black Forest. All-out war.'
'Any chance of a quick lunch downstairs?' Paula suggested. 'I had a good breakfast but I'm hungry again. Must be the cold.'
