On the bottom of the briefcase was another business card, Dana Kovarik, assistant manager, SunTrust Bank, with an address on Royal Poinciana Way, Palm Beach. He put the card, keys and photographs in his pockets, walked out of the room and closed the door.
Forty-one
Harry watched Colette come through the gate. He’d been thinking about her, but seeing her had an effect on him. She was looking around, saw him and ran over, kissed him and they put their arms around each other, standing there, the exiting passengers moving around them.
They drove down the coast, checked in a motel on the ocean called the Ebb Tide. It had twelve efficiency apartments, a pool, private beach, and it was right near the inlet where the fishing boats came in.
When they got to the room, Colette showed him her article, six pages in Der Spiegel, featuring current photos of Hess and his bodyguard, Hess at the Blackshirt rally, and sepia-tone photos of Hess in his Nazi uniform, posing in front of the mass grave. The article read like a suspense thriller. He finished it and looked at her. “This is amazing,” Harry said. “Shooting Hess’ bodyguard with your father’s military sidearm. You couldn’t make that up.”
“It was self-defense and I still feel bad about it.”
“Of course you do,” Harry said. “You’re a good person. How’s your mother?”
“She was in shock.”
“I can imagine. Must’ve scared the hell out of her.”
“But she’s fine now, hiking in the mountains again.”
“I was surprised you didn’t mention Hess’ souvenirs.”
“We know he was a serial killer, but we can’t prove it. My editor wouldn’t allow it.”
“My favorite part, of course, is the daring escape by an eye-witness survivor who is prepared to come forward to help prosecute Hess.”
“I thought you’d like that.” Colette sat on the bed. “Here’s the strange thing, Harry. The article appeared a few days ago and Hess has disappeared. Reporters converged on his estate in Schleissheim and his Munich apartment. His wife and daughter claim they have no idea where he is.”
“You believe them?”
“I do. I think he’s left the country. Gone into hiding.”
“You’re probably right.” Harry didn’t tell her what really happened. That Hess was dead. At least Harry hoped he was.
Acknowledgments
I want to thank my publishers, Lou Aronica and Peter Miller, my agent, Jeff Posternak at Wylie, New York, and my editors, Angus Cargill and Katherine Armstrong at Faber, UK.
I couldn’t have written the book without the help of the librarians at the Holocaust Memorial Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
Thanks also to Tony Fiermonte, former Detroit Police Precinct Commander, prosecutor Steven Kaplan, Marvin Yagoda, Jean Acker, Gregg Sutter, Jim Bodary and Debi Siegel.
About the Author
Peter Leonard’s debut novel, Quiver, was published to international acclaim in 2008, and was followed by Trust Me in 2009. The Story Plant will publish Leonard’s newest novel, All He Saw Was the Girl, in the spring of 2012.
Also by Peter Leonard
Quiver
Trust Me
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental and beyond the intent of either the author or the publisher.
The Story Plant
The Aronica-Miller Publishing Project, LLC
P.O. Box 4331
Stamford, CT 06907
Copyright © 2011 by Peter Leonard
Cover design by James Tocco
Print ISBN-13: 978-1-61188-032-8
E-book ISBN-13: 978-1-61188-033-5
Visit our website at www.thestoryplant.com
All rights reserved, which includes the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever, except as provided by US Copyright Law.
For information, address The Story Plant.
First Story Plant Printing: January 2012
Printed in The United States of America