She pointed a thumb to the folder and papers he held in his lap. “Take another look.”
Reluctantly, he took the paper out of the folder and looked over it again. He ran his finger along each recorded transaction and then stopped when he reached the bottom. “I am sorry, but I cannot see anything related to the location of the painting or who may have purchased it.” He shook his head and started to put the paper back in the folder.
Adriana stopped him. “Look at the last line on the sheet. You read it aloud back there in the room.”
“Yes. It says he will make his greatest declaration in death. It’s cryptic, but I was never able to find anything. No one in his town seemed to know anything about his past, much less anything about the Rubens painting.”
She let out a long sigh. “For a highly educated man, you don’t seem to be very good at unraveling clues. Tell me, what is a synonym for declaration?”
He thought about it for a few seconds before the epiphany struck him like a tidal wave. His right hand smacked against his forehead. “I cannot believe it. Annunciation is a synonym for declaration. How could I have not seen this before?”
She rolled her shoulders. “It’s not your job to figure out stuff like that. It is mine.”
His voice carried more excitement to it now. “So you believe that Graupe may have left a clue when he died?”
“If I had to guess, he may have been buried with it.”
His excitement vanished, instantly replaced with discomfort. “Are you saying we are going to dig up this man’s grave?”
“I really hope not, Herr Koenig. If we’re lucky, the clue might be in a more easily accessible place.”
He didn’t seem completely reassured, but the possibility of finding a painting that he’d been seeking for so long soon replaced any trepidation he might have held.
Minutes passed before he spoke again. “You know,” he said, looking around at the interior of the car, “I’ve never been in the passenger seat before.”
She smiled, welcoming the change of subject. “I’ve been wondering how someone on a professor’s salary could afford a car that’s nearly a hundred grand.”
“Well, I have a few other things I do on the side. For one, I have written several books. That helps supplement my stipend from the university. I also own a few businesses.”
“Ah.”
“What does your father do for work?” Koenig must have felt as if it was okay to return to the previous subject.
“He’s retired.”
“That must be nice.” Then he remembered the situation she was in. “I’m sorry. I did not mean to suggest…”
“You’re fine.” She didn’t show any emotion on the outside, but her heart sank into her stomach. “He has put himself at risk with the life he’s chosen. I’ve told him to be careful more times than I can count.”
“Old men don’t listen. I know I don’t sometimes. My ex-wife used to say that a lot too.” He winked at her, and that brought her smile back.
The car went silent for the next hour or so. Around two hours outside of the city, they stopped to fill up the fuel tank and get a quick bite to eat.
Once they were back on the road and had been driving for fifteen minutes, Adriana broke the silence. “During your research on Graupe, did you ever visit the town of Baden-Baden?”
Koenig nodded. “Yes. Twice. It’s a beautiful village. After my visits, I briefly considered living there, but my work at the university was too important at the time.”
“It’s never too late.”
“Perhaps. For now, I am happy in Berlin. I actually live in Potsdam. Are you familiar with it?”
Adriana gave a slow nod. “Yes. I visited the Sans Souci Palace once. Lots of great little places to hang out there.”
His face lit up. “That’s wonderful. I live in the Dutch Quarter. When we return to Berlin, maybe I can take you to my favorite bier haus.”
“That would be lovely.” She didn’t tell him that this was a one-way trip for her. If the mission were a success, she’d be headed to the next drop-off point to leave the painting for the mysterious man who held her father prisoner.
According to her phone’s GPS, the drive from Berlin would take just under seven hours. It would be dark then, and they’d need a place to stay for the night.
“Any thoughts on accommodations for tonight?” she asked. “I’m not sure if we will be able to do any searching tonight since it will be dark when we arrive.”
“Yes. It will probably be best to wait until the morning. There is a nice hotel on the edge of the town. I would guess getting a room there should be easy enough this time of year. During the fall, though, impossible. People come from all over the area to see the leaves change colors.”
Adriana grinned at the thought. In the time she’d spent in the Southeastern United States with Sean, she’d seen some of the best fall colors in the world. She’d heard New England had an amazing showing as well but hadn’t taken the time to check it out yet.
“I’ll lean on your expertise for this one,” she said. “Whatever you think is best.”
“Very well. I will call and make the reservation. After a good night’s rest, I will take you to the cemetery, and we will see what secrets our old friend Herr Graupe may have left for us.”
7
Allyson left the rental car at the edge of the cemetery, at a corner where the fence met the sidewalk. The dark green leaves of the massive oak tree shaded the vehicle from the waning rays of sunshine.
In Berlin, Allyson was focused on just getting out of the city until she received a text message from Frank’s right-hand man, Evan. The note was simple. All it said was, Baden-Baden.
Allyson had already decided that was where she must go next before the other woman intervened in the archives. Evan must have been following Adriana, as he’d been following Allyson prior. While Evan hadn’t saved her life in Mexico, he certainly saved her a great deal of time and trouble. If the federales had found her before he did, she might have found herself in a difficult situation.
Knowing where Adriana, and likely, the professor were headed merely confirmed Allyson’s original suspicions. When she’d heard the translation of the cryptic line in Graupe’s records, she knew something was fishy about the dead auctioneer’s grave. She changed trains and took the metro to the Hauptbahnhof, the main train station in the city. The station was a massive construction of steel and glass, more modern looking than she remembered. It had undergone a major renovation and now looked unlike any train station she’d seen.
Only a few trains made the journey to Baden-Baden from Berlin each day, and the next one out of town was leaving in only thirty minutes. She purchased a ticket and made it onboard with fifteen minutes to spare, allowing herself time to reset her mind.
The train ride from Berlin to Baden-Baden is slightly under six hours with the direct, nonstop route. While in her comfortable window seat, it occurred to Allyson to do a little checking on the time it would take Adriana to drive to the southwestern German town. According to what she learned, Allyson figured she might just make it there before the other woman, depending on how fast she drove. The idea that Adriana might spot Allyson was highly unlikely. She’d have no reason to go to the train station, and as far as she knew, Allyson might well be dead, crushed under a pile of heavy boxes and files. Sure, it was a long shot but certainly within the realm of possibility.
Getting a rental car had been a tricky proposition. Flirting a little with the man behind the counter netted her nothing more than a four-door compact. She convinced herself he was gay based on his effeminate mannerisms and the fact that he wasn’t swayed by her charms. She’d been hoping for something a little faster, something German with more horsepower, not the Czech-made four cylinder she received.