Rhinoceros

'And how on earth did you find us in Tender?'

'We'd picked you up again in Flensburg and I tried to follow you from there – Flensburg also has an airfield. I lost you, saw you again heading for Denmark, then you gave me the slip again. So I've been flying all over Jutland until I spotted you heading for Tonder.' She grinned. 'You do move about. This coffee is a life-saver.'

'So what can we do for you?'

'Before I come to that I'd better warn you there are some grim-looking villains in Tonder. I saw two in a bar. Certainly not Danes. I saw them in Hamburg late in the evening after I'd left you to buy something at a department store. If they were there and now they're here – just as you are – I don't think you want to go wandering round late at night.'

'Thanks for the warning.'

'And you should know that all hell is about to break loose – all over the West. I think you might be the only man who can help to stop it.'

'Why,' interjected Paula, 'do you think Tweed is the man?'

'Because we have a vast network of contacts and we have some idea of Herr Tweed's track record. How did we build up this network?' She leaned back and smiled. 'Money talks – but payment of money to the right people gets them talking. If I may say so, we also know that Herr Tweed is a man of complete integrity. Not a lot of that about these days.'

Paula was reeling. She was amazed at Mrs France's command of English – so different from the halting way she had spoken back in Hamburg, but with a foreign accent.

'What would you advise us to do?' she asked.

'Stay here for the night. Then in the morning start driving to Travemiinde.' She looked at Tweed. 'Any idea where that is?'

'On the Baltic coast, just east of Liibeck. I have been to both places.'

'It's a bit of a drive from here, but the way you moved from Flensburg I know you'll make it. Just watch out for attacks the whole of the way. I have no doubt Herr Tweed and his team – including your good self – can cope with any trouble.'

'When do you want us to arrive there?' Paula asked.

'Oh, the late afternoon, I would suggest.' She smiled again. 'In any case, considering the distance, it will probably be late afternoon when you do reach the waterfront.'

'Why do we go to the waterfront?' Tweed asked.

'I was just coming to that. There is a section of the promenade called Vorderreihe alongside the river Trave. It is only a short walk towards the Ostsee from the police station. Just behind it is a big restaurant with a large open area with tables outside under a canopy. When you get there you sit at a table under the canopy near the promenade. Someone will meet you.'

'Who?' Tweed for the first time became aggressive. 'We are not going all that way without knowing who to expect. You?'

'No. It will be Herr Rondel – whom you have already met.'

'And,' Tweed continued in the same manner, 'what is all this about? What is going on? I need to know what you know.'

'Oh. They said you were tough.' She sat in the chair. 'There is the most dangerous conspiracy since the Second World War being planned – by powerful politicians, including one from your country. At this moment they are meeting secretly on the island of Sylt. They have to be stopped, to be killed. Before it is too late. Please do not tell the partners I have revealed this to you.'

'I knew it already.'

'I should gave guessed.'

'You are Milo's chief accountant? I see. I had to be sure. That is your main role in life?'

'Not quite.' She drank from the fresh cup of coffee Tweed had poured for her. 'I am a flier, as you now know. But also I am an expert on the Internet. That is important.'

'So,' Tweed said with a smile, 'you are aware that terrorists are using the Internet to send coded messages to trained terrorists all over the world – instructing them where and when to be ready to launch a terrible series of riots?'

'Oh.' Mrs France looked surprised. 'So you know about that.'

'I know a lot more than you probably think I do, Mrs France.'

'Please call me Gina.'

'Well, Gina, is Danzer reliable, trustworthy?'

'Danzer?'

'Oh, come off it, Gina. We're both coming out into the open with each other,' Tweed snapped. 'Now, is Danzer reliable?'

'Totally, Mr Tweed. Milo trusts him completely to succeed in any mission he is sent on.'

'And he's on a mission now. Does he speak English?'

'Perfectly. He spent several years in London training to take his engineering degree.'

'It's your own fault I have to ask you,' he said with a smile. 'When you came to see us at the Four Seasons in Hamburg you went out of your way to tell us a lot about Danzer. I couldn't be sure whether you were warning us against him, or passing on information.'

'It was the latter. At that stage I was nervous about saying too much to you. I will tell him when I get back about our conversation – but only with your permission.'

'Tell him.'

She stood up, after looking at her watch, gave Paula a great big smile.

'I have enjoyed being with you both. I must go now to the airfield and fly back.'

'You can't take off in the dark from that airfield,' protested Tweed who had also stood up.

'Yes, I can. It has lights which can be switched on from inside the hut. Lights which illuminate the landing strip.'

'You're not going to the airfield by yourself at night. Give me a minute…'

He went to the phone, called Newman's room, asked if he was still dressed, then told him to come over. He turned round.

'Newman is coming. He will escort you to the airfield, drive you there. He is armed. You will be safe.'

'Oh, you are so kind, so thoughtful… But I insist on going by myself. I am an independent person.'

She ran to him, kissed him on both cheeks. There were tears in her yellowish eyes. She took out a handkerchief, dabbed under her monstrous glasses.

'Do excuse me. Sometimes I get so emotional.'

'We all do,' said Paula with a smile.

Newman arrived and Tweed explained the position, that as Mrs France had been so determined to leave by herself, he had felt it best to accede to her request.

Oskar walked into the bar in Tender where Barton and Panko sat drinking. As he sat down he knocked over Barton's glass of beer. An ugly look came over Barton's face.

'Now you can damned well buy me an other.' 'Keep your voice down,' Oskar said calmly. 'You have been drinking in here instead of getting some sleep so you are fresh for tomorrow. It would be so easy to replace you. If they ever found it} your body would be floating in the sea.'

Barton was afraid of very little. But as Oskar stared at him with his bulging eyes his face lost colour.

'We haven't been here long…' he began.

'You should never have touched alcohol. You will both now come back with me to the hotel and go to bed. I have some instructions to give you while we walk back.'

He looked up as a waitress appeared and began to wipe up the spilt beer. Oskar's whole personality changed as he looked at her with a smile and gave her a Danish banknote.

She stared at it in disbelief, looked at Oskar.

'That is too much for the beer,' she said.

'No, it is not. It includes your tip.'

'That is so generous. I do thank you.'

He had continued gazing at her and she gave him a great big smile. Quite a lot of women liked Oskar. Barton