Assassin (38 page)
Authors: David Hagberg
Touching down at what appeared to be an air force base, the afternoon was clear except to the north where a thick haze defined the city limits of the Russian capital. When they were on the taxiway, a pair of MiGs took off side by side with a mind-numbing roar on tails of black smoke. In the distance several helicopters seemed to be hovering over a stand of white birch. And in some of the hangars they passed, crews were working on partially disassembled fighter/interceptors.
Elizabeth had been allowed to use the bathroom, but she'd not been offered anything to eat or drink a second time. She got the feeling that they didn't care what she did. None of the crew paid any attention to her, and during the remainder of the two-hour flight Chernov had remained in the conference room with the other men.
Chernov, a smug look of satisfaction on his face, came out of the conference room with the others as the airplane stopped in front of an empty hangar. Several cars were waiting on the tarmac.
“You should have followed your orders, and not tried to interfere,” one of the men said to her as he passed.
“The CIA should not have involved the man's daughter, Illen,” another of the men countered angrily. “It's a bad business that will not have a happy ending for anyone.”
The crewman opened the forward door as boarding stairs were pushed into place. Everyone got off the plane, climbed into all but one of the waiting cars and drove off, leaving Elizabeth alone with Chernov.
“Major Gresko is right, you should not have come to Riga, Ms. McGarvey. You've accomplished nothing. In fact you've jeopardized your father's safety.”
“Will I be allowed to call my embassy?”
“That won't be possible.”
“The Chief of Station here will start making noises pretty soon. President Kabatov is a reasonableâ”
Chernov dismissed her with a gesture. “While it's true that you work for the CIA, you're supposed to be in Paris at this moment staking out your father's apartment with the French intelligence service in case he returns. No one knows that you came to Riga. That, you did on your own. Inventive, I'll give you that much. But stupid.”
“My father is on his way to the States.”
“No he's not. He's on his way here to Moscow. Probably in some clever disguise, almost certainly traveling under false papers. The last time I saw
him was in Nizhny Novgorod where he was dressed as a soldier. I didn't know that he was coming then, but I know it now. And I know that he is coming here from Riga. There are only so many trains, airplanes, boat ferries and highways between here and there, and I assure you that all of them are being watched.”
him was in Nizhny Novgorod where he was dressed as a soldier. I didn't know that he was coming then, but I know it now. And I know that he is coming here from Riga. There are only so many trains, airplanes, boat ferries and highways between here and there, and I assure you that all of them are being watched.”
“Then what do you need me for?” Elizabeth asked defiantly, although she was sick at heart.
Chernov thought a moment.
“Because quite frankly, your father is very good at what he does, and I have the utmost respect for him, and maybe a little fear. He might somehow make it to Moscow. He might even be in Red Square on May Day when Tarankov makes his speech atop Lenin's Mausoleum.”
“That's the day Tarankov will die.”
“I think not,” Chernov said. “Because you will be standing next to him on the reviewing stand. In plain sight for everyone, including your father, to see.
Elizabeth didn't know what to say.
Chernov had perched on the arm of one of the seats. He got up. “Now it's time for you to meet him. I think he'll enjoy talking to you, as I'm sure his wife Liesel will. They're very persuasive people.”
A
t first appearances the banker Herman Dunkel and the car dealer Bernard Legler were cut of different cloth. Dunkel was an arch-conservative who habitually dressed in dark three-piece suits, and was concerned only with the bottom line. Legler, on the other hand, affected American western dress, spoke garishly, and was only concerned with hiding the bottom line from his accountant, and pocketing the money thus diverted. They had several things in common, however. Both had worked for the East German intelligence service Stasi until the Wall had come down. Both were shrewd businessmen who were profiting from Germany's reunification. And neither man trusted anybody.
t first appearances the banker Herman Dunkel and the car dealer Bernard Legler were cut of different cloth. Dunkel was an arch-conservative who habitually dressed in dark three-piece suits, and was concerned only with the bottom line. Legler, on the other hand, affected American western dress, spoke garishly, and was only concerned with hiding the bottom line from his accountant, and pocketing the money thus diverted. They had several things in common, however. Both had worked for the East German intelligence service Stasi until the Wall had come down. Both were shrewd businessmen who were profiting from Germany's reunification. And neither man trusted anybody.
They met for lunch at the Thüringer Hof, a centuries-old restaurant/ tavern downtown, something they hadn't done in several weeks. They liked to get together occasionally to talk over some of the interesting cases they'd
worked on in the Stasi. The darkly paneled bar was quiet and anonymous. Voices did not carry, something of interest to both men who had carefully hidden their true pasts. Legler suspected that this meeting was different, however, because of Dunkel's abrupt manner this morning on the telephone.
worked on in the Stasi. The darkly paneled bar was quiet and anonymous. Voices did not carry, something of interest to both men who had carefully hidden their true pasts. Legler suspected that this meeting was different, however, because of Dunkel's abrupt manner this morning on the telephone.
Their drinks came and Dunkel raised his glass.
“Prost.”
“Prost.”
“Prost,”
Legler responded.
Legler responded.
When the waitress was gone, Dunkel gave his old friend a quizzical look. “How is your business with Herr Allain proceeding? Have you received any further orders?”
“Just the two units,” Legler said. “But his money is good.”
“He has plenty of money, there is no doubt about that. In fact I made further inquiries into his Barclay's accountâor I should say accounts.” Dunkel glanced toward the door. “I have an old friend over there who has worked for the bank since the mid-eighties. In the past his information was reliable.”
“It's wise to have such contacts.”
Dunkel nodded sagely. “In part because of what I learned, I've asked Karl Franken to join us, I hope you don't mind.”
Franken was chief investigating officer for the Federal Criminal Bureau for Saxony, also an ex-Stasi officer whose past was buried even deeper than theirs. It was rare that they had any contact with each other.
Legler held his reply for a moment, but he too glanced toward the door. “What are you worried about, Herman?”
“We have built comfortable lives for ourselves in the aftermath.”
Legler acknowledged the obvious. “The future seems bright.”
“I would not like to jeopardize what we have, for the sake of a minor profit.”
“You're still speaking of Herr Allain,” Legler said, careful to keep his voice neutral. “Admittedly the profit I made on the two units was not excessive. But if his business develops, it could turn into something worthwhile.” He'd dropped his pseudo western mannerisms. “Unless of course his business is something other than he says it is.”
“My thoughts precisely,” Dunkel said.
A heavyset, round-faced man with curly gray hair, appeared in the doorway, spotted them seated near the rear of the bar, and came back.
“Gentlemen,” he said, taking a seat.
“Good of you to join us, Karl,” Dunkel said. “In point of fact we were just discussing you. We need your help with a somewhat ⦠delicate matter.”
The waitress came, and Franken ordered a dark beer.
“Would this have anything to do with, shall we say, past entanglements?”
“Good heavens, no,” Dunkel said. “The past remains the past. All Germans are looking to the future. In that we are steadfast.” Dunkel pursed his lips. “It's another matter, one possibly of an international criminal nature that Bernard and I may have been unwittingly caught up in.”
“If you've gotten yourselves into trouble I don't know if I can help,” Franken said quietly.
“I'm not talking about
that
kind of help, Karl. We've broken no German laws, nor do we intend doing so.” Dunkel's voice was just as low as Franken's. What was being discussed here was nobody's business. “With the changing situation in the East, a businessman has to operate with care. Sometimes even forgoing an immediate profit if his business would possibly be in jeopardy.”
that
kind of help, Karl. We've broken no German laws, nor do we intend doing so.” Dunkel's voice was just as low as Franken's. What was being discussed here was nobody's business. “With the changing situation in the East, a businessman has to operate with care. Sometimes even forgoing an immediate profit if his business would possibly be in jeopardy.”
Legler shot him a dark look, but Dunkel ignored it.
“Go on.”
Dunkel explained the unexpected business deal that had fallen into their laps.
“His explanation to me why he was bringing his business to Leipzig, and not to Stuttgart, didn't ring true. Nor did his dealings with Bernard. Operating his business as he was, it would be impossible for him to make a profit. It made me wonder that either the man was a fool or he was working to another more, shall I say, mysterious purpose.”
“Es machts nichts,”
Franken said, indifferently.
Franken said, indifferently.
“But it does matter,” Dunkel disagreed. “We have reputations to maintain that might run into difficulties should certain inquiries be made arising from a criminal proceeding.” Dunkel looked frankly at the cop. “I'll do whatever it takes to maintain my good name. I have too much to lose otherwise. We all do.”
“What can you fear from a Belgian?”
“He's not a Belgian. The passport he used was a fake. In fact the man is an American.”
“How do you know?”
“His letter of credit arrived in the name of Pierre Allain, drawn on a foreign bank. When I did some checking I discovered, by accident, that Pierre Allain was apparently the name of his business, and was not in fact the name of an actual person. But the Belgian passport he showed me identified him as Allain. In fact the man's real name is Kirk McGarvey. An American, as I said.”
Franken stiffened slightly, but then he shrugged and took a drink of his beer.
“Did you happen to make a copy of his passport?”
“I did,” Legler said. “We needed it for the licensing and export documents.”
“Fax it to my office this afternoon, would you?” Franken said. “Along with copies of all the paperwork on the cars.”
“Okay.”
“Is this name familiar to you, Karl?” Dunkel asked.
Franken shook his head.
“Nein,
but I'll check it out. At the very least he's broken several of our laws by using a false passport.”
“Nein,
but I'll check it out. At the very least he's broken several of our laws by using a false passport.”
Dunkel hesitated a moment. “This won't affect us, will it?”
“Not to worry, Herman. You and Bernard have done nothing wrong. In fact you've done exactly the correct thing by bringing this to me.”
“Then this is out of our hands now?”
Franken pushed his beer glass aside and got to his feet.
“Completely,” he said to Dunkel. “But if he tries to make contact with you again, call me immediately.”
“We'll certainly do that,” Dunkel said.
Franken gave them an odd look, then turned and left the bar.
“
Gött im Himmel,
what the hell was that all about?” Legler demanded. “Who gives a damn what passport the man was using? I have a safe filled with them, as I imagine you do.”
Gött im Himmel,
what the hell was that all about?” Legler demanded. “Who gives a damn what passport the man was using? I have a safe filled with them, as I imagine you do.”
Dunkel smiled benignly. “Herr McGarvey's account with Barclay's bank, a secret account that can only be accessed by a number and a code word, is worth in the neighborhood of three and a half million British pounds.”
Legler's eyes narrowed. “What's your point, Herman?”
“I am in possession of the account number as well as the code word,” Dunkel said. “If Herr McGarvey were to find himself languishing in a German prison, he would not be in a position to challenge anyone who was to take over his financial holdings.”
This time Legler smiled. “Hot damn,” he said in English.
Lynch received the telephone call from Colonel Galan at his office in the U.S. Embassy at 2:15 P.M. He'd been working on his daily summary report for transmission to Langley and he was in a foul mood. McGarvey continued to elude them, and Ryan's star pupil, Elizabeth, had been of no help except for giving them Otto Rencke's name, which had resulted in a dead end. Galan sounded distant, almost resigned, as if he was at wit's end and was calling to explain why he could not go on, or even if he should have embarked on this mission in the first place.
“She's gone,” he said when Lynch answered.
“Who's gone?” Lynch asked.
“Elizabeth McGarvey. And there's a good chance that the Russians have her.”
“What are you talking about?” Lynch demanded angrily. If it was true he had no idea how he would explain this to Ryan, who'd taken a personal interest in the case.
“She and Jacqueline came up with the idea that McGarvey might be hiding out in an apartment he's used before in
Riga.
They flew up there early this morning without telling anybody and Elizabeth went in. Jacqueline was supposed to be backing her up, but before she could do anything Elizabeth came out of the apartment with a man, and they drove off together in a van.”
Riga.
They flew up there early this morning without telling anybody and Elizabeth went in. Jacqueline was supposed to be backing her up, but before she could do anything Elizabeth came out of the apartment with a man, and they drove off together in a van.”
“Was it McGarvey?”
“Jacqueline didn't get a very close look, but she didn't think it was him,” Galan said. “My first thought was that the Riga police might have arrested her for some reason, but now I don't think so. I made a few inquiries up there, but one wants to say anything, beyond the fact that no young American woman was arrested anytime within the past month.”
“Then it was McGarvey,” Lynch said. “Now we're getting somewhere.”
“I don't think so, and neither does Jacqueline. She was his lover long enough to recognize him even from a distance,” Galan said. “In any event, the Riga police did admit that a Russian woman by the name of Raya Kisnelkov was arrested and turned over to the Russian Militia.”
Lynch thought for a second.
“It's a long shot, but it could be a coincidence,” he said, even though he didn't believe it himself. “At any rate how could the Russians have found out where McGarvey was hiding when we haven't been able to do it?”
“That's their back yard, Tom,” Galan said. “I don't think there's any question that the Russians probably have her. And I don't think there can be any doubt what they intend using her for.”
“Goddammit, we're helping the bastards. Is this how they repay us?”
“If they find out that she's working for the CIA they might ask what we were doing up there without telling about it.”
“I'll call Colonel Bykov and ask him if he has her.”
“Just like that?” Galan asked. “She's the daughter of a man who's gunning for Tarankov. What are you going to say when he accuses the CIA of secretly helping McGarvey? I hope you have a good answer, because if I were Bykov and you tried to tell me that you either didn't know Elizabeth was McGarvey's daughter, or that you didn't send her to Riga, I'd call you a liar.”
“I see what you mean.”
“What are you going to do?” Galan asked.
“I'll have to call Langley, because I don't know what the hell to do. How about you?”
“I'm sending Jacqueline to Moscow as an official liaison between the service and Colonel Bykov's commission,” Galan said.
“Jesus.”
“I know it sounds crazy. But maybe she can find out something before it's too late,” Galan said.
“Keep me posted,” Lynch said.
“Oui,”
Galan promised. “That bastard McGarvey has caused us a lot of trouble.”
Galan promised. “That bastard McGarvey has caused us a lot of trouble.”
“He's an expert at it,” Lynch agreed. “But the hell of it is that I almost hope he succeeds.”
“So do I,” Galan said quietly.
It took the Embassy's communications center ten minutes to find Howard Ryan at home, and establish an encrypted phone line to the DO. Lynch quickly explained what he'd just learned from Galan.
“Sending the Belleau woman to Moscow might not be the brightest move the French ever made,” Ryan said.
“Sir?”
“Obviously she's under McGarvey's spell, which makes her less than worthless in this operation,” Ryan said. He sounded smug.
“I'm afraid I don't completely understand, Mr. Ryan.”
“Figure it out, Lynch,” Ryan said irritably. “Neither we nor the French can find McGarvey. That's with all the resources of two of the best intelligence services in the West. Yet Elizabeth disappears with her father, and Mademoiselle Belleau concocts a story about how she was arrested by the Russians.”
“Colonel Galan did say that the Riga police turned a woman over to the Russiansâ”
“A Russian woman,” Ryan cut in. “The Latvians have no love for the Russians, and rightly so. I'm sure that such arrests happen all the time over there. But that's not the point, Lynch. The point is that Elizabeth is helping her father, and Jacqueline Belleau is on her way to Moscow, with her government's blessings, to work for Bykov's commission. The Russians were smart, creating that commission. But McGarvey's even smarter than they are. In one fell swoop he's recruited his daughter and managed to get one of his people inside the commission. I haven't any doubt that Jacqueline Belleau is McGarvey's little spy, and will somehow report to him every move they make.”
Ryan was wrong, and Lynch was sure of it. But he also knew enough to keep his mouth shut. You might argue with some deputy directors of operations, but not with Ryan.
“It's out of your hands now,” Ryan said. “I can't say that you did an outstanding job for us, but don't worry. Much better men than you have come up against McGarvey and lost. None of this will reflect badly on your record.”
“Yes, sir,” Lynch said, hardly believing his own ears. Not only was Ryan wrong, the man was an idiot.
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