Helen awoke early, feeling restless. She lay for a moment, thinking about Sandy and last night´s declaration. “Did I really say that? Did I mean it?”
Not sure she was ready to face that, she got up and took another shower, washing her hair and setting the drier down just as the phone rang. It was Johannes.
“Hi, glad you´re up. I didn´t wake you?… Good. I´ve ordered breakfast here in my room. Can you come soon?”
“Yes, I´m just out of the shower. I just have to put some clothes on.”
“See you soon.”
Johannes and Rummy were drinking coffee when she walked in, Rummy poured for her, and she attacked the tray of rolls and wurst with appetite. After a few moments, they began to talk business.
“How´s Dumont?” Rummy asked.
Johannes said, “The hospital says he´s fine, no concussion or anything long-term. Just a few bruises. I´ve got a local policeman keeping an eye on him, and we can pick him up on our way out.” He caught Rummy´s look and added, “He´s not under arrest, but I think a little protective custody won´t hurt.”
“Johannes,” Helen began, “I think it was me they were after on the road last night, not you or Dumont.”
“How do you figure that?”
“I was driving that car when we got to the job site, Johannes. My guess is, they had a spotter. When Dumont´s car blew, they must have thought they‘d gotten him and pulled back out of sight. They waited until ‘my´ car came out and went after it. That´s my theory, anyway.”
“You may be right, Helen. I had been thinking they were still after Dumont, but on the other hand, I´m not sure why they´d be after you.”
Rummy intervened, “I´ve been wondering that all along, since that first attack. Were they after both of us, or one of us? It´s pretty clear the ladder was a general warning, though after the Bagger I don´t know why they bothered with a warning. If the re-bar wasn´t an accident, she is a target. Given the amount of macho attitudes we´ve come across – nothing really unusual, of course – I´d have thought they´d be after me. Most of those guys would assume she´s just my gofer.”
Thoughtfully, Helen suggested, “Well, the only place where I´ve been the bad guy – maybe bitch is more appropriate – is just a bit with Schellen – nailing him to the wall on this contract, which I really think he didn´t mind – and with Sauter. Sauter was really ticked when I threw him off the job site. Of course, it may not make a difference.”
“It could make a difference,” Johannes said. “It really depends on who´s calling the shots.”
“How´s that?” Rummy asked.
“Well, if it were Sauter himself, or Schellen, I could see how one of them might target Helen. But if it were someone outside the deal, a contract enforcer, for example, they´d be more likely to go for Rummy, just because he´s the big male,” Johannes grinned.
“So, you don´t think Dumont´s a major item, here.” Helen said.
“No. I think they´ve written him off. At least they really tried. Whoever wired that bomb screwed up. It shouldn´t have gone off until he was inside the car and turned the ignition switch.”
“I´m no fan of Dumont, but I´m glad they did screw up.” Rummy said into his coffee cup.
“So am I, but in my case, it´s also because it will make my life easier,” Johannes said. “I just hope he isn´t too scared to be a cooperating witness.”
Helen´s mobile sang its song, and she looked at the display.
“It´s Hans Schellen. Shall I…?”
Johannes nodded and Helen answered. “M Schellen, good morning.”
In the earpiece, Schellen´s voice said, “Mme Wallace, what is going on? What has happened to M Dumont? I have had an hysterical call from Madame Dumont that he has been the victim of a bomb and is in hospital. What is going on there? Are you in Freiburg?”
“Yes, I am. I was there when it happened. M Schellen, last night at the job site, when Paul went to unlock his car, it exploded. He was not in the car – it blew up when he used his central locking remote – and he was not injured. However, when we were driving back to the hotel, the car he was in was run off the road. He is in hospital, but he is all right, not seriously injured.” Helen nodded as Johannes signaled her. “M Schellen, please hold a moment, someone here wants to speak to you.”
Johannes took the phone. “M Schellen, this is Major Johannes Selig of the Swiss Police. I am representing Interpol in this matter. Mme Wallace has correctly stated the facts. M Dumont is in reasonably good health, and I will be bringing him to Geneva later today. He is not a suspect in the case. I will want to meet with you when we return to Geneva. Can that be arranged?”
“Yes, of course, Major Selig.” Schellen replied. “The only problem is that I am not in Geneva at the moment. I am in Athens and will not be back in the office until Tuesday morning. Now, if there is need, I can return ahead of schedule…”
Johannes thought briefly. “No, M Schellen, I think Tuesday will be time enough. That will give me time to consult with my investigating magistrate and also give M Dumont a little time to recover with his family.”
“I take it,” Schellen said, “that Dumont is not under arrest? Madame said there was a policeman with him.”
“Yes, that´s true. I felt that, under the circumstances it would be wise to arrange protective custody, but there are no charges against him.” Johannes´s facial expression added ‘at this time´.
“Yes, I think that was wise, Major. Thank you. Well then, I will make myself available on Tuesday whenever that may be. Perhaps you would be good enough to let my secretary know when you will be coming.”
“Of course.”
“In that case, I´ll call Madame Dumont, shortly, and let her know what you have told me. I assume he will be able to call her, too?”
“Yes, M Schellen, I assume he has already called her, if you know about this, but I will reassure him as soon as I get to the hospital that he will be with his family as soon as I can get him discharged and back to Geneva.”
“I´ll look forward to seeing you Tuesday. Will Mme Wallace be with you?”
“Yes, M Schellen, she will. She also figures in this case. I´ll see you then.”
They traded ending formalities, Johannes hung up and returned Helen´s phone. He filled in the details of the call they had missed.
“Here´s how I see it. We´ll collect Dumont, I´ll take him back to Geneva by car – Interpol will provide safe escort. You two go home. Plan to be in Geneva Tuesday morning early.” He grinned at Helen. “That gives you time for your appointment in Orange, and both of you a weekend to relax. I´ll let you know what time we´ll meet.
Helen put in, “I must say, I´m pleased by Schellen´s attitude. He seemed genuinely concerned for Dumont. He called from Athens – obviously Dumont´s wife was able to reach him there, somehow – and he seemed to want to know that Dumont was all right and not in trouble. Maybe he´s not the guy I assumed he is.”
“Well, we´ll see,” Johannes said. “I´ll probably be bringing a magistrate with me, Tuesday, so we can move this case forward. You should both keep in touch by phone or e-mail.”
“That´ll work,” Rummy said, “provided we can get flights out of Strasbourg. That shouldn´t be a problem; we already have tickets.”
Helen asked, “So what´s our approach? Who´s our suspect? What are we after when we meet Schellen?”
Johannes replied, “I´ll have the time between now and then to question Dumont pretty thoroughly, Helen. My theory is that Sauter was using Dumont to get a foothold in Schellen´s projects. I´m not sure which of them is the head in this, but in any case, it would normally be unlikely for them to target a…” he wiggled his fingers in the air, “ ‘mere woman´ in a situation like this. You´re right that many people in that business would not credit you with the role you usually take in these things. So, if you are a target, it´s because someone has designated you. For me, that may not be Schellen, more likely Sauter – he´s the one with nothing to lose. His company´s kaput, and I think he´s going for anything he can. But, I have to prove it, and I have to get a magistrate to agree.”
“That sounds like a good approach to me, Johannes,” Helen said, “at least until you have more from Dumont.” She turned to Rummy, “Let´s get going. I need to get home. But I´ve got to stop in Paris first.”