kind of confidential investigation going on involving
the embassy. Peregrine didn’t know what it was, but
he intended to find out. He mentioned that he was
going to call Washington on a scrambler phone. I’m
not up on the technology, but I don’t think a person
places a call like that unless he’s worried that
someone might try to tap the line.”
He did place a scrambler call. He told you that?”
Yes, he did. And there’s something else, Miss
Heathley. As you correctly stated, I’m the one
responsible for Walter Peregrine ever having heard
of Converse, and I don’t feel very good about it. But
isn’t it odd that in spite of the fact that it wasn’t a
secret you knew, Washhurn knew nobody has
come to question me since Walter was killed?”
No one?” asked the woman incredulously. “But
I included your name in my report.”
“Whom did you give it to?”
‘Well, Norman was handling everything….” Enid
Heathley stopped.
“Washburn?”
“Yes.”
“Didn’t you speak to anyone else? Weren’t you
questioned?”
436 ROBERT LUDIUM
“Yes, of course. An inspector from the Bonn
police. I’m sure I mentioned your name I’m
positive I did.”
“Was anybody else in the room?”
‘Yes,” said the murdered ambassador’s secretary.
“Norman,” she whispered.
“Strange behavior for a police department, isn’t
it?” Caleb leaned forward, but only slightly. “Let me
reemphasize something you just said, Miss Heathley.
You asked me if I was a Hollywood actor trying to
protect his image. It’s a logical question, and if you
ever saw the unemployment lines in Los Angeles
you’d understand just how logical it is. Don’t you
think other people believe the same thing? I haven’t
been questioned because specific people here in
Bonn think I’m shaking in Pa Ratchet’s boots,
keeping silent so as to protect that image and the
ratings that make it possible. Oddly enough, that
reasoning is my best physical protection. You don’t
kill off a Pa Ratchet unless you want the wrath of
millions of viewers who, in my judgment, would
latch on to the flimsiest connection to raise
hysterical questions. National Inquirer, you are
there.”
“But you’re not keeping silent,” said Enid Heathley.
“I’m not talking loudly, either,” corrected the
actor. “But not for the reasons I’ve described. I owe
Walter Peregrine I know that better than anyone
else. And I can’t pay that debt if a man I think is
innocent is hanged for his murder. But here’s where
I step back into my own confusion. I can’t be
certain. I could be wrong.”
The woman returned Dowling’s stare, then
slowly frowned, keeping her eyes on him. “I’m going
to leave now, but I’d like you to stay here for a
while, if you wouldn’t mind. I’m going to call
someone I think you should see. You’ll understand.
He’ll reach you here no paging, of course. Do as
he says, go where he wants you to go.”
“Can I trust him?”
“Mr. Peregrine did,” said Enid Heathley,
nodding. “And he didn’t like him.”
“That’s trust,” said the actor.
The phone call came and Caleb wrote out the
address. The doorman at the Konigshof secured him
a taxi, and eight minutes later he got out in front of
an ornate Victorian house on the outskirts of Borm.
He walked up to the door and rang the bell.
THE AQUITAINE PROGRESSION 437
Two minutes later he was ushered into a large
room once a library, perhaps but now with shades
covering the obvious bookshelves. Shades that were
detailed maps of East and West Germany. A man
wearing glasses got up from behind a desk. He
nodded perfunctorily and spoke. “Mr. Dowling?”
“Yes.”
‘I appreciate your coming out here, sir. My name
is not important why not call me George?”
“All right, George.”
“But for your own confidential information and
I must stress confidential I am the station chief for
the Central Intelligence Agency here in Bonn.”
“All right, George.”
“What do you do, Mr. Dowling? What’s your line
of work?”
“Ciao, baby,” said the actor, shaking his head.
25
The first indefinite light of dawn crept up the
lower wall of the eastern sky, and along the river pier
boats bobbed in their slips, straining their lines,
creating an eerie symphony of creaks and thumps.
Joel walked beside the young merchant seaman, his
hand unconsciously straying to his face, to the new
soft hair that was the outgrowth of a stubble. He had
not shaved in four days, not since Bonn, and now he
had the beginnings of a short, neat beard, not yet full
but no longer an unkempt bristle. One more day and
he would have to begin clipping it, shaping it,
another plane of removal from the photograph in the
newspapers.
And in one more day he would have to decide
whether or not to phone Val at Cape Ann. Actually,
he had made his decision negative. His instructions
had been clear enough and the possibility that her
telephone was tapped was more than he could
handle. Yet he wanted so terribly to hear her voice,
to hear the support he knew he would find in it.
Negative. To hear it was to involve her. Negative!
438 ROBERT LUDIUM
“It is the last boat on the right,’ said the seaman,
slowing his pace. “I must ask you again, because I
gave my word. You carry no drugs.”
“I carry no drugs.”
“He may want to search you.”
“I can’t permit that,” Converse broke in, thinking
of his money belt. What could be mistaken for a
cache of narcotics would reveal many times the
amount of money for which most of the dregs on
the riverfront would kill.
“Maybe he want to know why. Drugs bring bad
penalty, long time in prison.”
“I’ll explain to him privately,” said Joel, thinking
again. He would do so with his gun in one hand and
an additional $500 bill in the other. “But I give you
my word, no drugs.”
“It iS not my boat.”
“But you made the arrangements, and you know
enough about me to come after me if they came
after you.”
“la, I remember. Connect-teecut I been to visit
friends in Bridge-port. A broker house, a
vice-president. I find you if I have to.”
“I wouldn’t want that. You’re a nice fellow who’s
helping me out and l m grateful. I won t get you in
trouble.
“Ja,” said the young German, nodding his head.
“I believe you. I believe you last night. You talk
very good, very high class, but you were stupid. You
did a stupid thing and your face is red. A red face
costs more than you want to pay so you pay much
more to make it go away.”
“Your homilies are getting to me. ‘
“Was ist?”
“Nothing. You’re right. It’s the story of
upper-level management. Here.’ Joel had the bills in
his left-hand pocket; he pulled them out. “I
promised you fifteen hundred dollars. Count it, if
you like.”
“dye? If is not there I talk loud and you stay
here. You are too afraid to risk that.”
“You’re a natural-born lawyer.”
“Come, I bring you to the captain. To you, he is
only’captain.’ You will be dropped off where he
says…. And be careful. Watch the men on the boat.
They will think you have money.”
“That’s why I don’t want to be searched,”
admitted Converse.
“I know. I do my best for you.”
THE AQUITAINE PROGRESSION 439
The seaman’s best was not quite good enough.
The captain of the filthy barge, a short hulk of a man
with very poor teeth, brought Joel up to the
wheelhouse, where he told him in broken but
perfectly clear English to remove his jacket.
“I explained to my friend on the dock that I can’t
do that. ‘
“Two hundred dollars Amer~kaner,” said the captain.
Converse had the money in his right-hand pocket.
He reached down for it, his eyes briefly glancing at
the portside window where he saw two other men
climb on board below in the dim light. They did not
glance up; they had not seen him in the wheelhouse
shadows.
The blow came suddenly, without warning, the
impact such that Joel doubled over, his breath
knocked out of him, and gripped his stomach. In
front of him the surly bull of a captain was shaking
his right hand the grimace on his face indicating
sharp pain. The German s fist had crashed into the
gun lodged in Converse’s belt. Joel staggered back
into the bulkhead, leaned against it, and lowered
himself to the floor as he reached under his jacket
and took out the weapon. On his haunches, his legs
bracing him against the wall, he aimed the automatic
at the captain’s huge chest.
“That was a rotten thing to do,” said Converse,
breathing hard, still holding his stomach. “Now, you
bastard, your jacketl”
“Was… 9”
“You heard mel Take it off, hold it upside down,
and shake the goddamned thingI”