按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
I know。 It's only two years since Heissman made his spectacular escape from Siberia and arrived in London to the acpaniment of lots of noise and TV cameras and yards of newspaper space and enough red carpet to go from Tilbury to Tomsk； since which time he has occupied himself exclusively with his old love of film…making； so how can it possibly be Heissman？
〃Well it can be Heissman and it is Heissman for our Johann is a very downy bird indeed。 We have checked； in fact； that he was a movie studio partner of Otto in Vienna just before the war and that they did； in fact； attend the same gymnasium in St。 Peiten； which is not all that far away。
We do know that Heissman ran the wrong way while Otto ran the right way at the time of the Anschluss； and we do know that Heissman； because of his then munist sympathies； was a very wele guest of theThird Reich。 What followed was one of those incredibly involved double and treble…dealing spy switches that occurred so frequently in Central
Europe during the war。 Heissman was apparently allowed to escape to Russia； where his sympathies were well known； and then sent back to Germany where he was ordered to transmit all possible misleading but still acceptable military information back to the Russians。〃
〃Why？ Why did he do it？〃
〃Because his wife and two children were captured at the same time as he was。 A good enough reason？〃 Smithy nodded。 〃Then when the war was over and the Russians overran Berlin and turned up their espionage records； they found out what Heissman had really been doing and shipped him to Siberia。〃
I would have thought they would have shot him out of hand。〃
〃They would have too but for one small point。 I told you that Heissman was a very downy bird and that this was a treble deal。 Heissman was； in effect and actually； working throughout the war for the Russians。 For four years he faithfully sent back his misleading reports to his masters and even though he had the help of the German Intelligence in the preparation of his coded messages they never once latched onto the fact that Heissman was using his own overlaid code throughout。 The Russians simply spirited him away at the end of the war for his own safety and allegedly sent him to Siberia。 Our information is that he's never been to Siberia： we believe that his wife and two married daughters are still living very fortably in Moscow。〃
〃And he has been working for the Russians ever since？〃 Smithy was looking just faintly baffled and I felt some fellow feeling for him； Heissman's masterful duplicity was not for ready prehension。
In his present capacity。 During his last eight years in his Siberian prison； Heissman； in a variety of disguises； has been traced in North and South America； South Africa； Israel and； believe it or not； in the Savoy Hotel in London。 We know but we cannot prove that all those trips were in some way concerned with the recovery of Nazi treasure for his Russian masters…you have to remember that Heissman had built up the highest connections in the Party； the S。S。； and the Intelligence： he was almost uniquely qualified for the task。 Since his 〃escape〃 from Siberia he has made two pictures in Europe； one in Piedmont where an old widow plained that some tattered old paintings had been stolen from the loft of her barn； the other in Provence； where an old country lawyer called in the police about some deed boxes that had been removed from his office。
Whether either pictures or deed boxes were of any value we do not know： still less can we connect either disappearance with Heissman。〃
〃This is an awful lot to take in all at once；〃 Smithy plained。 It is； isn't it？〃
〃； OK if I smoke？〃
〃Five minutes。 Then I've got to drag you back by the heels。〃
〃By the shoulders； if it's all the same to you。〃 Smithy lit his cigarette and thought a bit。 〃So what we've got to find out is what Heissman is doing on Bear Island。〃
〃That's why we're here。〃
〃You've no idea？〃
〃None。 Money； it's got to be money。 This would be the last place on earth I'd associate with money and maybe that association would be wrong anyway。 Maybe it's only a means to the money。 Johann； as I trust you've gathered by this time； is a very devious character indeed。〃
〃Would there be a tie…up with the film pany？ With his old friend Gerran？ Or would he just be making use of them？〃
〃I've simply no idea。〃
〃And Mary Stuart？ The secret rendezvous girl？ What could the possible connection be there？〃
〃Same answer。 We know very little of her。 We know her real name she's never made any attempt to conceal that…age； birthplace； and that she's a Latvian…or es from what used to be Latvia before the Russians took it over。 We also know…and this information she hasn't volunteered …that it was only her mother who was Latvian。 Her father was German。〃 〃Ah！ In the Army perhaps？ Intelligence？ S。S。？〃
〃That's the obvious connection to seek。 But we don't know。 Her immigration forms say that her parents are dead。〃
〃So the department has been checking on her； too？〃
〃We've had a rundown on everyone here connected with Olympus Productions。 We may as well have saved ourselves the trouble。〃
〃So no facts。 Any hunches； feelings？〃
〃Hunches aren't my stock…in…trade。〃
〃I somehow didn't feel they would be。〃 Smithy ground out his cigarette。 〃Before we go； I'd like to mention two very unfortable thoughts that have just occurred to me。 Number one。 Johann Heissman is a very big…time； very successful international operative？ True'
〃He's an international criminal。〃
〃A rose by any other name。 The point is that those boys avoid violence wherever possible； isn't that true？〃
〃Perfectly true。 Apart from anything else； it's beneath them。〃
〃And have you ever heard Heissman's name being associated with violence？〃
〃There's no record of it。〃
〃But there's been a considerable amount of violence； one way or the other； in the past day or two。 So if it isn't Heissman； who's behind the strong…arm behaviour？〃
I don't say it isn't Heissman。 The leopard can change his spots。 He may be finding himself； for God knows what reason； in so highly unusual a situation that he has no option other than to have recourse to violence。
He may； for all we know； have violent associates who don't necessarily represent his attitude。 Or it may be someone entirely unconnected with him。〃
〃That's what I like；〃 Smithy said。 〃Simple straightforward answers。
And there's the second point that may have escaped your attention。 If our friends are on to you the chances are that they're on to me too。 That eavesdropper on the bridge。〃
〃The point had not escaped my attention。 And not because of the bridge； although that may have given pause for thought； but because you deliberately skipped ship。 It doesn't matter what most of them think； one person or possibly more is going to be convinced that you did it on purpose。 You're a marked man； Smithy。〃
〃So that when you drag me back there not everyone is going to feel genuine pangs of sorrow for poor old Smithy？ Some may question the bona fides of my injuries？〃
〃They won't question。 They'll damn well know。 But we have to act as if。〃
〃Maybe you'll watch my back too？ Now and again？〃
I have a lot on