the Amber Room

'I saw him,' another worker said. 'I was in the shed outside going over the tunnel routes for the area. I saw a woman race out of the shaft with a gun in her hand. A man came out right after. He had a knife. They both disappeared into the woods.'

'You go after 'em?' McKoy asked.

'Shit, no.'

'Why the hell not?'

'You pay me to dig, not be a hero. I headed in here. Place was black as soot. I went back out and got a flashlight. That's when I found Danny lying in the gallery.'

'What did the woman look like?' Paul asked.

'Blonde, I think. Short. Fast as a jackrabbit.'

Paul nodded. 'She was at the hotel earlier.'

McKoy said, 'When?'

'While you and Grumer were talking. Came in for a minute then left.'

McKoy understood. 'Just the fuck long enough to see if we were all there.'

'Looks that way,' Paul said. 'I think it was the same woman from my office. Different look, but there was something familiar about her.'

'Lawyer intuition shit?' McKoy said.

'Something like that.'

'Did you get a look at the man?' Rachel asked the worker.

'Tall guy. Light hair. With a knife.'

'Knoll,' she said.

Visions of the knife blade from the mine flashed through her mind. 'They're here, Paul. Both of them are here.'

Rachel was uneasy when she and Paul climbed the Garni's stairs to their second-floor room. Her watch read 8:10 P.M. Earlier, Paul had telephoned Fritz Pannik but got only an answering service. He left a message about Knoll and the woman, his suspicions, and asked the inspector to call. But there was no return message waiting at the front desk.

McKoy had insisted they eat dinner with the partners. Fine by her--the more crowds, the better. She, Paul, McKoy, and Grumer had divided the group between them, the talk all of the dig and what might be found. Her thoughts, though, stayed on Knoll and the woman.

'That was tough,' she said. 'I had to watch every word I said so no one could say later I misled them. Maybe this wasn't such a bright idea?'

Paul turned down the hall toward their room. 'Look who's not adventurous now.'

'You're a respected lawyer. I'm a judge. McKoy has latched on to us like Velcro. If he did bilk these people, we could become accomplices. Your daddy used to say all the time, 'If you can't run with the big dogs, get back under the porch.' I'm ready to climb back under.'

He fished the room key from his pocket. 'I don't think McKoy ripped anybody off. The more I study that letter, the more I read it as ambiguous, not false. I also think McKoy is genuinely shocked by the find. Now, Grumer--him, I'm not so sure about.'

He unlocked the door and switched on the overhead light.

The room was wrecked. Drawers were yanked out. The armoire door swung open. The mattress was askew with the sheets half off. All their clothes lay strewn on the floor.

'The maid service in this place sucks,' Paul said.

She wasn't amused. 'This doesn't bother you? Somebody's searched this place. Oh, shit. Daddy's letters. And that wallet you found.'

Paul closed the door. He slipped off his coat and yanked out his shirttail. A body wallet wrapped his abdomen. 'Going to be a little difficult for anybody to find.'

'Mother of God. I'll never berate your obsessiveness again. That was damn smart, Paul Cutler.'

He lowered his shirt. 'Copies of your daddy's letters are back at the office in the safe just in case.'

'You expected this?'

He shrugged. 'I didn't know what to expect. I just wanted to be prepared. With Knoll and the woman now around, anything can happen.'

'Maybe we should get out of here. That judges' campaign waiting back home doesn't seem so bad right now. Marcus Nettles is a piece of cake compared to this.'

Paul was calm. 'I think it's time we do something else.'

Instantly, she understood. 'I agree. Let's go find McKoy.'

Paul watched McKoy attack the door. Rachel stood behind him. The effects of three huge steins of beer showed in the intensity of McKoy's pounding.

'Grumer, unlock this goddamned door,' McKoy screamed.

The door opened.

Grumer was still dressed in the long-sleeved shirt and trousers worn at dinner. 'What is it, Herr McKoy? Has there been another incident?'

McKoy pushed into the room, shoving Grumer aside. Paul and Rachel followed. Two bedside lamps burned soft. Grumer had obviously been reading. An English copy of Polk's Dutch Influence on German Renaissance Painting lay parted on the bed. McKoy grabbed Grumer by the shirt and slammed him hard against the wall, rattling the picture frames.

'I'm a North Carolina redneck. Right now, a half-drunk North Carolina redneck. You may not know what that means, but I'll tell you it ain't good. I'm in no damn mood, Grumer. No damn fuckin' mood at all. Cutler tells me you dusted away letters in the sand. Where are the pictures?'

'I know nothing of what he says.'

McKoy released his grip and rammed a fist into Grumer's stomach. The man doubled over, choking for air.

McKoy yanked him up. 'Let's try it one more time. Where are the pictures?'

Grumer struggled for breath, coughing up bile, but managed to point to the bed. Rachel grabbed the book. Inside were a clutch of color photographs showing the skeleton and letters.

McKoy dropped Grumer to the carpet and studied the pictures. 'I want to know why, Grumer. What the hell for?'

Paul wondered if he should issue a caution on the violence, but decided that Grumer had it coming. Besides, McKoy probably wouldn't listen anyway.

Grumer finally answered. 'Money, Herr McKoy.'

'Fifty thousand dollars I paid you wasn't enough?'

Grumer said nothing.

'Unless you want to start coughin' up blood, you'd better tell me everything.'

Grumer seemed to get the message. 'About a month ago, I was approached by a man--'

'Name.'

Grumer caught a breath. 'He gave no name.'

McKoy reared back his fist.

'Please . . . it is true. No name at all, and he talked only by telephone. He'd read about my employment on this dig and offered twenty thousand euros for information. I saw no harm. He told me a woman named Margarethe would contact me.'

'And?'

'I met her last evening.'

'Did she or you search our room?' Rachel asked.

'Both of us. She was interested in the letters from your father.'

'She say why?' McKoy asked.

'Nein. But I think I may know.' Grumer was starting to breathe normally again, but his right arm hugged his stomach. He propped himself up against the wall. 'Have you ever heard of