175983.fb2 The Alexandria Link - читать онлайн бесплатно полную версию книги . Страница 86

The Alexandria Link - читать онлайн бесплатно полную версию книги . Страница 86

EIGHTY-TWO

VIENNA

THORVALDSEN STOOD WITH GARY. HE’D CALLED JESPER JUST AS they’d left the schmetterlinghaus and told him to send a car and driver. As soon as he and Gary were on their way back to Copenhagen, he’d instruct his aide to release Margarete. He hadn’t bothered to retrieve their clothes. No time. Instead, all he held was the atlas from the library that contained the letters of St. Jerome and St. Augustine.

Cars were coming and going from the lane that led through the trees to the front gate. Not all Order members stayed on the estate. Many chose to visit with friends or enjoy their favorite hotels in Vienna. He recognized some of those arriving and took a moment to chat. That also allowed him to blend with what was happening. But they needed to leave, with the letters, before Hermann awoke.

“Are we in trouble?” Gary asked.

“I’m not sure.” And he wasn’t.

“You whacked both those guys pretty hard.”

He saw the boy was impressed. “I did, didn’t I?”

“Don’t want to be here when they wake up.”

Neither did he. “We must keep these letters, and I’m afraid our host will never allow that.”

“What about his daughter? He didn’t seem to care about her.”

“I don’t believe he ever did. Taking her was just something unexpected that caused him to pause long enough for us to act.” He thought of his own dead son. “Men like Alfred care little for family.”

And how awful that must be. He missed his wife and his son. Seeing Gary Malone rush to his defense had both frightened and pleased him. He patted the boy on his shoulder.

“What is it?” Gary asked.

“Your daddy would be proud.”

“Hope he’s all right.”

“Me, too.”

Three cars sped down the main drive and rounded the paved lane. They stopped at the château, and men emerged from the first and third vehicles, each dressed in a dark suit. A quick survey of the surroundings and one of the men opened the rear door of the middle car.

The vice president of the United States climbed out into the afternoon sunshine, dressed casually in a pullover shirt beneath a navy blazer.

Thorvaldsen and Gary stood twenty yards away and watched as security men flanked the vice president and they all strolled toward the château’s main entrance. Halfway, the vice president stopped and changed directions.

Heading straight for them.

Thorvaldsen watched the man with a mixture of anger and disgust. This ambitious fool seemed willing to do anything.

“Not a word, lad,” he said to Gary. “Remember, ears open, mouth shut.”

“I’ve figured that out.”

“You must be Henrik Thorvaldsen,” the vice president said as he came close and introduced himself.

“I am. A pleasure to meet you, sir.”

“None of that sir stuff, okay? You’re one of the wealthiest men in the world and I’m just a politician.”

“What is the saying? One heartbeat away from the presidency?”

The American chuckled. “That’s it. But it’s still a rather dull job. I do get to travel, though, and I enjoy coming to places like this.”

“And what brings you here today?”

“Alfred Hermann and I are friends. I came to pay my respects.”

Another car cruised down the drive. A light-colored BMW with a uniformed driver. Thorvaldsen motioned and the car headed his way.

“Are you leaving?” the vice president asked.

“We have to go into town.”

The American motioned at Gary. “And who is this?”

Thorvaldsen introduced them, using Gary’s real name, and they shook hands.

“Never met a vice president before,” Gary said.

The BMW stopped and the driver emerged, rounding the car and opening the rear door for Thorvaldsen.

“And I never met the son of Cotton Malone,” the vice president said.

Thorvaldsen now realized they were in trouble. Which was doubly confirmed when he spotted Alfred Hermann parading their way, his chief of the guard in tow.

The vice president said, “Brent Green sends his regards.”

And Thorvaldsen saw Green’s betrayal in the man’s hard eyes.

“I’m afraid you’re not going anywhere,” the VP said in a low tone.

Hermann arrived and shoved the car’s rear door shut. “Herr Thorvaldsen will not need the ride. You may go.”

Thorvaldsen was going to protest, make a scene, but he noticed that the chief of the guard assumed a position beside Gary. A gun beneath the man’s jacket was pointed straight at the boy.

The message was clear.

He faced the driver. “That’s correct. Thanks for coming.”

Hermann relieved him of the atlas. “Your options are rapidly fading, Henrik.”

“I would say so,” the vice president said.

Hermann seemed puzzled. “Why are you here? What’s happening?”

“Bring them both inside and I’ll tell you all about it.”