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you'll let me go?"

"I am in no mood, Suzanne. My orders are to do as I please, and I believe you know what pleases me."

Buy some time, she thought. "Who else was in the church?"

"The Cutlers. It seems they have a continuing interest. Care to enlighten me?" "How would I know?"

"I believe you know a lot more than you are willing to state." He squeezed harder. "Okay. Okay, Christian. It's the Amber Room."

"What of it?"

"That chamber was where Hitler hid it. I had to be sure, that's why I'm here." "Sure of what?"

"You know Loring's interest. He's looking for it, just like Fellner. We're just privileged to information you don't have."

"Such as?"

"You know I can't say. This isn't fair."

"And blowing me up is? What is going on, Suzanne? This is no ordinary quest." "I'll make you a deal. Let's go back to your room. We'll talk after. Promise." "I'm not feeling amorous right now."

But the words had the desired effect. The hand around her throat relaxed just enough for her to pivot off the wall and knee him solidly in the groin.

Knoll crumpled in pain.

She kicked him once more between the legs, driving the toe of her boot into his cupped hands. Her adversary crashed to the cobbles and she rushed away. Blinding pain racked Knoll's groin. Tears welled in his eyes. The bitch had done it again. Quick as a cat. He'd relaxed only a second to readjust his grip. But enough for her to strike.

Damn.

He stared up to see Danzer disappearing down the street. His groin ached. He was having trouble breathing, but he could probably still take a shot at her. He reached for the pistol in his pocket, then stopped.

No need.

He'd tend to her tomorrow.

FORTY-EIGHT

Wednesday, May 21, 1:30 a.m.

Rachel opened her eyes. Her head pounded. Her stomach churned as if from seasickness. The stench of vomit rose from her sweater. Her chin ached. She gently traced the outline of a blood pimple, then remembered the knifepoint boring in.

Hovering over her was a man dressed in the brown cassock of a monk. His face was old and withered, and he watched her intently with anxious watery eyes. She was propped against the wall, in the corridor where Knoll had attacked her. "What happened?" she asked.

"You tell us," said Wayland McKoy.

She looked beyond the monk and tried to focus. "I can't see you, McKoy." The big man stepped closer.

"Where's Paul?" she asked.

"Over there, still out. Got a nasty blow to the head. You okay?"

"Yeah. Just have one monster headache."

"I bet you do. The monks heard some shots from the church. They found Grumer,

then you two. Your room keys led them to the Garni and I hustled up here." "We need a doctor."

"That monk is a doctor. He says your head's fine. No cracks."

"How about Grumer?" she asked.

"Aggravatin' the devil, probably."

"It was Knoll and the woman. Grumer came up here to meet with her again and Knoll

killed him."

"Fuckin' bastard got what he deserved. Any reason why you two didn't invite me?"

She massaged her head. "You're lucky we didn't."

Paul groaned a few feet away. She pulled herself across the stone floor. Her stomach started to calm down. "Paul, you all right?"

He was rubbing the left side of his head. "What happened?"

"Knoll was waiting for us."

She slid close and checked his head.

"How did your chin get cut?" McKoy asked her.

"Not important."

"Look, Your Honor, I've got a dead German upstairs and police askin' a thousand

questions. You two are found sprawled out cold, and you tell me it's not important. What the fuck's goin' on?"

"We need to call Inspector Pannik," Paul said to her.

"I agree."

"Excuse me. Hello? Remember me?" McKoy said.

The monk handed her a wet rag. She dabbed it to the side of Paul's head. Blood stained the cloth.

"I think he cut you," she said.

Paul reached up to her chin. "What did happen there?"

She decided to be honest. "A warning. Knoll told us to go home and stay out of this." McKoy bent close. "Stay out of what?"

"We don't know," she said. "All we're sure of is the woman killed Chapaev and Knoll killed my father."

"How do you know that?"

She told him what happened.

"I couldn't hear all of what Grumer and the woman were saying in the church," Paul said. "Only little bits and pieces. But I think one of them-Grumer, maybe-mentioned the Amber Room."

McKoy shook his head. "I never dreamed things would go this far. What the crap have I done?"

Paul said, "What do you mean,done?"

McKoy said nothing.

"Answer him," Rachel said.

But