The 34th Degree

77

“ I must say, you make a rather dashing Nazi, Herr Andros.” Werner waved his Ceska casually inside the library at the Vasilis estate. “Please sit down.”

Andros, numbed for a moment, slowly moved his hand to his side.

Werner snapped up his arm with the Ceska, a bulbous silencer screwed onto the end of the barrel. “I wouldn’t, Herr Andros. This still makes a little cough, and I would prefer not to attract the Baron’s attention just yet.”

Andros sat down while Werner sifted through the open files, careful to keep his gun trained on him.

“What was it you were looking for? Coastal defenses for Greece, perhaps? Or an ancient Greek text? Ah, I see the Baron is conducting atomic experiments without the Fuhrer’s knowledge. Jewish physics. I thought we were through with all that when the Norwegian Resistance sabotaged the Norsk Hydro heavy-water plant and then Allied bombing finally destroyed it. Hmm, the Reichsfuhrer will be very interested to know that work proceeds on the Flammenschwert.”

“Himmler doesn’t know?”

Werner smiled. “Take your pictures, Herr Andros. Go on, quickly.”

Andros hesitated, puzzled by this instruction, but he proceeded to shoot the film.

Werner said, “Now leave the camera on the desk and return the folders to the safe and shut the door.”

Andros did as he was told and turned around.

“Yes, I think it would be better for my own life if it appeared I caught you and killed you before I had any chance to see the contents of the safe,” said Werner. “But first you must explain to me how you got the combination. I’ve been trying for months.”

“The ring box,” said Andros, carefully dipping his hand into his pocket under Werner’s watchful eye. “It has a listening device. I could hear the tumblers.”

Andros held out his hand, and Werner moved closer, interested. But when Andros opened his fist, nothing was there. Andros quickly swung his leg up and kicked the Ceska out of Werner’s hand. He grabbed the letter opener on the desk and lunged at Werner, driving the blade up through his stomach and into his heart.

Werner’s eyes flashed surprise, and with a wince, he dropped to the floor.