This United state

'What an unexpected pleasure. Now you can host a dinner for me here tomorrow evening. No, it's almost 6 am. I should have said this evening.'

'Are you following us?' Strangeways demanded abruptly.

'You arrived together, then?'

'No, we didn't,' Sharon said quickly. 'I drove myself here in a Merc. I told Guy where I was going and he said he'd be coming too. I thought he was joking. But, as you see, here he is. Do sit down. Paula, how nice to see you. And, Bob, you have completed the party.'

'A party? At six o'clock in the morning?' Newman queried.

'Why not?' Sharon gave him an inviting smile. 'It's the serene time of the day. I love it. No one up yet in the hotel. Just the five of us. Champers, Paula?'

'Not for me, thank you.'

Sharon was holding a bottle she had taken out of a silver bucket of ice. From a side table she had picked up a fresh glass.

'You'll join me, won't you, Bob?'

'Just one glass. Might keep me awake. Or put me to sleep.'

'And, Tweed, you'll join me. Tell me, how much sleep have you had in the past twenty-four hours?'

'I had a couple of brief naps in the car on our way here.'

'I thought so. I'm sure you and I have one thing in common.' She gave him a ravishing smile as she poured him a glass. 'We are both blessed with immense stamina. I get by on four hours a night. Less, if I have to.

'More for you, Guy?' she suggested.

'No, thank you. Think I'll have to crawl up to bed soon. I did ask you a question, Tweed. Why are you following us?'

'You've just rephrased the question, Guy. And I was going to ask you just the same question. First you arrive at the Three Kings in Basel, just before I do. Now you turn up here.'

'I think I must get up to bed now.' Guy dragged himself out of his chair. 'I'm dropping. Goodnight

Tweed was mentally contrasting Guy with Sharon. The man who had just left them had had puffy eyes, a strained look, almost haggard. On the other hand Sharon looked fresh as the proverbial daisy, ready for anything. He looked at her and the green eyes glowed back.

'I got the impression Guy is very worried about something. Did you?' he asked her.

'Yes, I did. Ever since he sat down, which was quite a while ago, he's been crossing and recrossing his legs. Then he kept shifting round in his chair. I asked him point-blank. He wouldn't even give me a hint. He drank a lot of champagne and I had to order another bottle. Mind you.,.' She smiled again. 'I contributed to killing that first bottle. He's definitely got something on his mind, but won't come out with it.'

'Might depend on what it is,' Tweed mused, sipping at his glass.

'I suppose it might.' Sharon looked at Paula. 'You're awfully quiet. Hardly said a word since you sat down.'

'Sorry. Excuse my bad manners. The fact is I need some sleep. It's been a long day.' She smiled. 'And a long night. I hope you don't mind if I go up to my room.'

'Think we could all do with a bit of Up,' Newman said, standing up at the same moment as Paula. 'Look forward to seeing you later.'

'You're not going to leave me on my own, are you?' Sharon asked, gazing at Tweed.

'I'm afraid I am. I have some papers I have to go through. As Bob said, we'll see you later.'

'You're abandoning me,' she said with mock disappointment.

'Not for long. How could I?'

'Tweed,' she called out as he was leaving, 'that awful man Ed Osborne is staying here. Thought you ought to know…'

'The eagles gather.'

'I'd like both of you to pop along to my room with me. Just for a moment,' Tweed said as they were going upstairs. 'We have to plan for any emergency.'

Tweed unlocked the door to his room and let Paula go in first. She looked round and gave a sigh of pleasure.

'What a lovely room. Pure luxury.' She sat on his bed and bounced on it. 'If you're not careful I'm just going to drop off here.'

'Then I'll have to move all my stuff to your room. Not that I'll unpack much.'

'What do you think of Ed Osborne being here? We knew he would be coming, but he gave you details of the Schwarzwalder Hof. Not this place.'

'You heard my comment when Sharon warned me.'

'Which tells me a lot. You mentioned planning for an emergency. I took that to mean a sudden take-off. I've already decided I'll have a very quick shower, change into fresh underclothes, sleep in them. When we leave I'll be in my warm clothes, leggings and boots. I think it will be cold.'

'It will be freezing,' Newman told her.

'Paula has put her finger on the basic plan,' Tweed said, sitting in a chair. 'Ready to leave at a moment's notice. I think we'll get warning that they're on the move from Marler. There are a lot more of them at the Schwarzwalder Hof. Here there's only Ronstadt and his three thugs.'

'So you're relying on Marler to call you?' Newman suggested.

'Yes. When he came to the car window to return your weaponry I slipped him Beck's powerful mobile phone.'

'What if Beck happened to call you?' Paula enquired.

'Then Marler would pass onto me whatever message Beck wanted to pass on. Incidentally, Ronstadt will probably leave tomorrow – that is, today – unless something happens to upset him.'

'Let's hope it does,' said Paula as she got up to leave. 'I'm not too keen on an early departure. I've got some sleep to catch up on. And I get the impression you're all falling for Sharon.'

'What man wouldn't?' Tweed said with a dry smile. 'She really is the most amazing woman.'

'Don't expect me down to breakfast. I'll have it in my room. I really couldn't stand seeing Ed Osborne at another table. He looked so grim when we left the bar at the Three Kings.' She made a face. 'As though he was expecting the heavens to fall.'

'Perhaps they will,' replied Tweed:

'Any idea where we're going when we head into the Black Forest?' she asked as she reached the door.

'In Kurt Schwarz's little black notebook, which I have with me, he mentioned Hollental. Which, as you know, is German for Hell's Valley.'

'You're so good for my morale. Give my love to Marler if he does call…'

Earlier, after turning down the right fork, Marler had found it easy to follow the three black Audis. Not that the route was easy. They soon plunged into a one-way system which twisted and turned. It wasn't long before Marler realized they had entered the Altstadt – the Old City of Freiburg, built centuries ago.

Ancient stone buildings lined either side of the narrow streets. The lighting, from old street lanterns, was dim but adequate. They kept moving into shadows, then briefly into an illuminated area. The streets became cobbled, the car rocked as Marler kept down to a slow pace, imitating the red lights of the three cars ahead. There was hardly any other traffic, which was a blessing, but. cars were parked everywhere, which was a curse.

Suddenly he caught sight of the moonlit towering spire of the Munster. Nield, sitting beside him, stared fixedly ahead.

'I reckon we must be nearly there. I think they're parking in that big open space by the Minster.'

'I think so too,' Marler agreed.

'So we wait until they've pushed off to the hotel.'

'Seems sensible. We'll give them time to register, get up to their rooms. If possible, I'd like both of you to keep under cover. It probably means going straight up to your rooms while I register, then having something to eat in the rooms.'

'Suits me,' said Butler.

'Good strategy, I'd say,' Nield agreed. 'What will you do?'

`Eat in the restaurant. I think those thugs will do the same. I want to memorize their faces.'

'Not an enjoyable pastime, I'd imagine,' commented Nield.