Paradox Part 13

Chapter 12
April 25, 2012 – Berchtesgaden - Bergwerkstrasse.

Helmut Mueller quickly surveyed the damaged apartment. The stupid man they hired had done a lousy job in his search for the second set of documents. A real professional would have left the room in the same condition as when he first entered so that no suspicion would have been generated. The damage done here was far too much to cover up. Still, there were places to look that the idiot probably missed. There would be no second chance to search because the others would become paranoid over the damage as soon as they entered the room.
Bruno Schäfer had assumed that the girl would leave her copy of the documents in her apartment but if the documents were important enough to Schäfer, they would just as likely be valuable to the girl and she would not leave them lying around. She may have, as insurance, already made copies of the copies.
Mueller made a mental note to find out just what the documents were. Contract pay was good but there was something going on with that slimy looking attorney, Burkhard that reeked of hidden secrets and wealth. If these two knew something important enough to get them eliminated it was something Mueller needed to know about.
He was searching in the bathroom beneath the cabinet drawers when he heard a sound at the front door. Someone was inserting a key into the lock. A moment later the door opened and closed and he could hear movement in the main room. A few seconds later the voice of the girl could be heard talking to a pair of tropical birds he had noticed hanging near the kitchen area.
Mueller took a quick peek from the bathroom and caught her profile as she was cooing and talking to the birds. She was a very attractive girl, long honey blond hair tied up in braids on each side of her head like some country Gretel, a full mouth with pouting lips, and large very blue eyes.
A real looker, Mueller thought. It’s a shame the good looking ones have to go. Why couldn’t she be some old cow or a scrawny old maid? He heard her moving towards the bathroom and than a sudden drawing in of her breath. She had finally spotted the damage done to her apartment.
“Don’t be alarmed.” Mueller entered the room. He had a Walther PPK/S .380 ACP Pistol with a 3.3oz. Titanium silencer pointed directly at her head. He noticed that she had left her handbag lying on the kitchen counter. “I merely want to take a look in your handbag.”
He walked over and turned the bag upside down spilling the contents onto the counter. The usual selection of handbag items poured out along with several pieces of very old paper. He disregarded everything but picked up the papers and scanned them while keeping an eye on Daria.
Daria was momentarily shocked when she noticed her ransacked apartment. So concerned about her pet birds, she hadn’t noticed it on her initial entry. She was stunned when a tall arrogant man with a deep scar on his cheek walked into the room with a gun pointed at her. She was positive she had never met the man before and she was also certain that he was looking for her copy of the documents.
She watched in fear as the man read the second note that she and Monday had recovered from her grandmother’s… from Paula Wolff’s dress, the note that only she and Monday knew about. The man glanced at her several times then stuffed the note in his jacket pocket. He walked over and stared at her for a few moments, walking all the way around her.
“Hitler’s granddaughter!” The man whispered with a note of awe in his voice. “You are the granddaughter of the Führer! His tone had almost changed to reverence at the mention of the title Führer. You are the granddaughter of my hero, my idol, and they want me to kill you.” He sounded as if he was in shock at the implications. “Never! Never in a million years would I harm the family of the leader. Where are the copies of the documents you know I am looking for?”
“I don’t have them.” Daria had a tremor in her voice. “I left them with a friend.”
“The American.” Mueller snarled with disdain as if the word left a bad taste in his mouth. “You will call the American now and tell him you need him to come here.” He walked over to the counter and grabbed her cell phone from the pile of items from her purse then handed it to her.
“What are you going to do?” Daria looked at the deadly pistol in the man’s hand.
“I can’t possibly kill you,” Mueller replied. “You are family. But the American, if he doesn’t bring the papers I have no choice but to…” he pointed the pistol at the couch and pulled the trigger. A small hole and puff of dust bounced off the backrest of the couch and a splintering sound could be heard as the round plowed a hole into the wooden wall.
“They’ll stop you!” Daria blurted before she realized she had used the plural.
Mueller cocked his head to one side and smiled. “They will?” he stated. “So, your American friend has associates with him?” Mueller asked, already knowing the answer. “Call him now!” he demanded.
Daria nervously scrolled down to Monday’s number and pressed enter. She didn’t know what she was going to say until he answered. “I need you,” she blurted into the phone.
“You sound upset,” Monday answered. “Is everything OK?
“No.” Daria was looking at Mueller who was waving a finger in front of her face. “I need for you to bring the papers to my apartment now.”
As soon as she completed the sentence Mueller grabbed the phone and closed it, breaking the circuit.
“In the chair!” He pointed toward a kitchen chair near the window. Fearfully Daria followed his directions and sat down heavily into the wooden chair. She knew that Monday would be rushing to find her and that he would be running into serious trouble. Mueller spotted a roll of heavy yarn lying in a pile of debris on the floor. He grabbed it and wound it around and around her hands tying them to the chair arms then did the same to her legs. He was very quick and efficient. He then dragged her over to the window and sat her sideways so that the profile of her upper body could be seen from the outside.
“We’re going to have a very quick talk about what you know, and then I will leave you here unharmed. Is that clear?”
Daria nodded her head in fear and for several minutes while she answered the thug’s questions.
“Until we meet again.” Mueller kissed her on the forehead. He pocketed the pistol and quietly left the room.
Daria was relieved that the man had left without harming her but worried about what was to come next. Obviously the documents were now of secondary importance to the thug. Her greatest concern was for Monday. She knew the man was planning an ambush.