The Secret Crown

me instead of you.’

‘Are you serious?’ asked Richter.

Jones rolled his eyes. Some people had no sense of humour.

37

Heidi didn’t know what was going on, but she knew Ulster was hiding something. She could tell from the way he stammered every time she asked him a question about his visit to the King’s House on Schachen. He had the same reaction when she asked him about Ludwig; even simple questions about his interest in the subject matter seemed to cause him a great deal of stress. First Ulster would blush, then he would stumble around like a politician trying to evade a scandal, then he would try to change the subject.

In many ways, she found his behaviour endearing. He simply refused to lie and was willing to do just about anything to avoid it, including locking himself in Ludwig’s private bathroom where he had remained for nearly fifteen minutes. After a while, she realized she needed to change her approach. If Ulster wasn’t willing to talk about his visit, maybe she could convince him to talk about something else that would eventually get him to reveal small pieces of the puzzle.

But first, she had to lure him out.

‘Take as long as you need,’ she said through the bathroom door. ‘I’m pretty tired, so I’m heading upstairs to the Turkish Hall. I’ll be resting on one of the couches if you want to find me.’

Ulster replied a few seconds later. ‘Is that permitted?’

‘Is what permitted?’

‘Sitting on Ludwig’s furniture.’

She fought her urge to smile. ‘I won’t tell if you won’t tell.’

He opened the door a crack, just wide enough to make eye contact. ‘Rest assured, my dear. Your secret is safe with me.’

A few minutes later, the two of them were reclining on the lavish couches that lined the walls of the opulent room. Ulster stared at the gold fountain in the middle of the hall, admiring its handcrafted beauty as water trickled from one level to the next until it splashed into the tiny pool on the bottom. The relaxing sound took him to another place, one far from the stress of his everyday life, which was why it had been installed there to begin with.

‘I feel like a king,’ he said playfully.

‘And I your queen,’ she replied.

Ulster laughed loudly. Even though he housed some of the most spectacular artefacts ever discovered, he never got to enjoy them in this fashion. He could touch them, and study them, and admire them all he wanted, but he couldn’t lounge on them. To a historian, this was an extra-special treat – tasting the life of the man he was researching. It gave him the context he normally lacked when he delved into the mysteries of the past.

Heidi noticed the satisfied smile on his face. She hoped that meant his guard was slipping. ‘Tell me more about yourself. What do you do for a living?’

Ulster put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes. ‘I run a small research facility in the mountains of Switzerland. It’s called the Ulster Archives.’

‘Are you serious?’

‘I never joke about research.’

She slid closer to him on the couch. ‘Wait a minute! Are you Petr Ulster?’

He opened one eye. ‘I am indeed. Have you heard of me?’

She nodded enthusiastically. ‘I read a piece you wrote for The Times.’

He opened his other eye. ‘Which one?’

‘The London Times.’

‘No, my dear, I meant which piece. I’ve written several.’

She smiled warmly. ‘It chronicled your recent trip to Greece, and all the obstacles you were forced to overcome. I never knew so much had to be done after a treasure was discovered.’

He leaned forward and met her gaze. She seemed truly interested in the subject matter, which was a rarity for him. He hardly ever met fans outside the world of academia. ‘It wasn’t easy, I can assure you of that. Then again, certain problems were expected before I made my trip. Gold brings out the worst in people. Always has, always will.’

‘I bet you have thousands of stories.’

‘I certainly do, but most of them are boring.’

She laughed. ‘I find that hard to believe.’

He shook his head. ‘Trust me, my dear, my stories have put more people to sleep than late-night television. If you want excitement, you should talk to Jonathon and David. They are the real heroes of Greece. After all, they were the ones who found the treasure.’

It took a few seconds for the information to sink in. When it did, she felt a jolt of adrenaline. ‘You mean Jon and DJ?’

‘I do indeed.’

‘The guys who ran out of here?’

He nodded. ‘The very same.’

‘They discovered the Greek treasure?’

‘And several other artefacts. They seem to have a nose for it.’

Heidi thought back to her initial conversation with Payne and tried to recall what he had said about their trip to Mount Schachen. Very little, if she remembered correctly. He claimed they had flown up the mountain because of Ulster’s weight and were there to keep him out of trouble. Yet ten minutes into their visit, they pulled out their weapons and abandoned Ulster, forcing him to fend for himself. Obviously, they were more concerned about someone else.

Or something else.

Maybe that was it. Maybe they were in Bavaria hunting for gold. After all, what had Ulster said about the duo? They seemed to have a nose for it. Over the years, there had been a lot of speculation about Ludwig and his family fortune. Perhaps they were investigating some of the rumours? If so, maybe she could help their cause. As an employee of the Bavarian Palace Department, she had worked at Ludwig’s other castles and knew many things about his life that couldn’t be found in books. If she could help them find a long-lost treasure, it would be the thrill of her lifetime!

Then again, why would they turn to someone like her?

Ulster owned the best historical research facility in the world and had a vast network of contacts round the globe. If he needed assistance, he would call the Palace Department’s headquarters in Munich or fly there himself. He certainly wouldn’t team up with a glorified tour guide, even if she had a wealth of knowledge at her disposal. These guys had guns and helicopters, and flew around the world looking for exotic treasures. The last thing they needed was someone like her getting in the way.

Unless, of course, she forced their hand.

In her spare time, Heidi loved playing cards. Her favourite game was Texas Hold ‘Em, a variation of poker that was quite popular on television. The game consists of two cards being dealt face down to each player before five community cards are placed on the table. As the community cards are revealed, players place bets on the outcome of the hand. By betting aggressively, players can trick their opponents into folding superior hands. By betting meekly, players with great cards can lure their opponents’ money into the pot. The key, as far as Heidi was concerned, was the art of bluffing. When done correctly, it was tough to defeat.

And lucky for her, she was great at it.

38

Near the southern end of the Partnach Gorge, there was a major intersection where several hiking trails came together. Even though the paths were labelled with codes and colours, it still took a while for travellers to figure out which way they needed to go. Paths that seemed to be heading one way often ended up going another. Most of the time they went where geology dictated, whether that was along the Partnach River or up the side of a mountain. For hikers, this region was heaven. They could spend hours crisscrossing the valley, switching back and forth between easy paths and challenging trails without venturing more than an hour from the city.

Anticipating some confusion, Payne made sure his men knew they were supposed to follow the yellow sign with the green arrow on the right. The path went towards Eckbauer, the small peak to the north-east. According to