Herr Fischer had been a regular patient of Dr. Weiss, a victim of chronic bronchitis, and he’d trusted the doctor with his health at first and then the jewelry that he’d wanted to keep safe, he said, for his wife and children. He claimed that he didn’t know where Dr. Weiss had hidden the things, but eventually, after a brief reunion with his wife, he recalled a fact that intrigued Ernst most of all.
Several times during Herr Fischer’s medical examinations, Max Dornbach had paid the good doctor a visit even though he’d been in excellent health. Once Herr Fischer heard them talking about Schloss Schwansee.
Ernst tapped on the edge of his desk, his arm throbbing. Aconstant reminder of what he needed to do.
Hands trembling, he removed a glass bottle and spoon from the bottom drawer of his desk. The doctor had prescribed tablets to relieve his pain, but the tablets had done nothing to take it away. He poured the clear liquid into his spoon and chased the bitter taste of morphine with a cup of coffee.
Had Max taken the jewels to his fancy castle? Perhaps he was hiding even more than jewels there. Perhaps he was hiding a certain woman as well.
His commander wouldn’t let him leave Vienna to search for Luzi, but if these jewels were hidden at Schloss Schwansee, surely the man would let him take the train west. He’d find the jewels, and then he’d find her.
An elevator delivered Ernst to the third floor, to the office of Major Rosch. The commander was two decades older than Ernst, a man of impeccable grooming with his pale-gray tunic, hair shaved short above his ears, Iron Cross that hung in the middle of his stiff collar. He’d been ruthless in Vienna, a perfectionist who wanted the city as pressed and starched as his uniform.
Ernst read him the report on Herr Fischer.
“Call the headquarters in Salzburg,” Major Rosch said, tapping the silver nib of his pen impatiently on the desk.
“I’ve already been in contact with their agents, but they haven’t found anything of significance in the house.”
“Have them search both the house and the grounds this time.”
“This time—” Ernst lowered the paper—“I want to search instead.”
“They are competent, Officer Schmid.”
“Of course,” he complied, trying to find another angle. “But I’m the only one who knows what Luzi Weiss looks like.”
Major Rosch waved his arm. “She’s of no interest to us.”
“I suspect she will be of great interest if she’s been helping Max Dornbach hide this treasure.”
The commander stopped tapping, his eyes narrowing. “Then send a photograph.”
Ernst’s heart quickened. If they found something, he doubted they would leave any for him. “This is my find.”
“It’s a few trinkets and a girl, Ernst. We have plenty of both here in Vienna.”
“Major—”
“If they find something of value, then you can go.”
Ernst stewed in his office for an hour before he finally called Salzburg and asked them to search Schloss Schwansee one more time.
“If you find a woman named Luzi Weiss, phone me right away.” He swallowed another spoonful of morphine. “And don’t touch her until I arrive.”
CHAPTER 36
A fishing boat creeps below the inn, trawling for the day’s catch, and the air—it smells like roasted coffee and sweet pine, rose petals and alpine snow, mountain wind and memories.
Most of the lake is hidden in these early morning hours before the fog slips back up the mountains, settling into crevices and caverns to hide for the day. I sip from one of the two coffee mugs that I retrieved down in the lobby, the caffeine slowly clearing the fog from my mind even as it lingers in the air around me.
No one seems to be awake in the room across the balcony, not that I’ve wandered over to knock. I returned so late last night from Vienna that I didn’t see either Josh or Ella. And I miss them.
My feet propped up on the chair across from me, I return an email from Brie. Eventually I’ll tell her what happened to Luzia, but not over the phone.
It won’t impact Brie like it has me. She’ll be sad about the truth, in her way, but then she’ll remind me that Charlotte has both of us, and the ties of family can go far beyond blood in one’s veins.
Perhaps I will tell Charlotte what happened to Luzia and what I suspect about Max. Perhaps she and Liberty Dornbach could even test to see if they have a DNA match. I want to protect Charlotte, and yet in some way, the information about Luzia might comfort her. At least she would know that her mother wasn’t able to return for her in France. And that she might have remaining family in Liberty and her brother.
