Chapter 19

Wearing their meeting-the-client clothes, Helen and Rummy entered Schellen's office at the appointed time. Helen was dressed conservatively but her short skirt showed her legs. Paul Dumont was not present.

Schellen shook their hands. After the polite preliminaries he said, "I understand you ordered my brother-in-law to leave the work site two weeks ago, Mme Wallace."

Helen looked him in the eye. "That is correct, M Schellen."

"Why did you do that?" Schellen asked, his eyes angry.

"M Schellen, he had no business at that job site. The site belongs to you, M Schellen, and access to the site is my responsibility. I have not been informed of any exceptions. My standing instructions are that no visitors are allowed unless they have business with me or my staff, with the general contractor or one of the subcontractors. I do not believe he had legitimate business there, so I told Herr Siegmann to ask him to leave. Can you tell me what he was doing there?"

Schellen's face grew red. "I do not explain myself to you. You had no business to act in such a way."

Helen looked at Schellen. "M Schellen? I believe our contract makes me responsible for safety and security on the site, is that not so?"

Schellen's eyes flicked toward the papers on his desk. "That is so, Mme Wallace." He paused, reconsidering his position and perhaps regretting his words. "I realize you are correct. Perhaps in future, he should contact you in advance if he wants to visit the site?" Again, more directly to Helen, "Would that be agreeable?"

"Certainly, M Schellen, if you authorize it and if M Sauter will tell me the purpose of his visits, at least in general terms."

"Let us leave it at that, then. I'm sorry if you were inconvenienced."

Schellen seemed to shake himself and began the ritual coffee and meeting noises. Helen and Rummy went through the motions until Helen finally brought things to the point.

"Have you read my site visit report that I sent you yesterday?" she asked.

"No, Mme Wallace, that is the responsibility of M Dumont. If there is anything that requires my attention, he will let me know."

"Then you don't know that M. Harms and I were murderously attacked yesterday?"

Schellen jerked to attention. "What do you mean? Attacked?"

"M Harms and I went to look at an unauthorized excavation that was under way. The operators of the excavators attempted to strike us with the shovel buckets. We barely escaped, but the operators of the machines escaped easily. We notified the police, of course."

"I am at a loss, Mme Wallace. What can have caused this? Do you know who did this?"

"Apparently, two men impersonating maintenance workers from Liebherr took the machines and dug a trench in a place where we would notice it. When M Harms and I went to investigate, we were attacked.

"You were not injured, I hope?" Schellen looked her over carefully.

"No sir, fortunately M Harms noticed the attack before we were hit by the shovels and we were able to escape by rolling under the machines. Our clothing was ruined, of course, but we were unhurt."

"I am very glad to hear that. What do you want me to do?"

"Well, the Freiburg police may contact you, but that should be no problem. They'll just ask routine questions. But this underscores the importance of our control of access to the site. I trust you will agree."

"Of course, Mme Wallace. Please take any necessary measures. I will inform everyone of the importance of your rules."

"I would appreciate that. And how may we help you today, M Schellen?" she asked.

Schellen moved somewhat uncomfortably in his chair, paused for a moment and looked at Helen. He appeared to have considered, then made a decision. "I have been reading your reports, Mme Wallace — until the most recent one — and I am generally pleased with progress so far. I have showed your reports to my associates, and they suggested you and I should meet to discuss a proposal they have in mind to help you complete the project ahead of schedule."

Rummy made as if to respond, but Helen spoke first. "Well, M Schellen, what is it you propose?"

"Mme Wallace, now that excavation is well advanced, you may need additional assistance with the form-building, foundation work and poured structures. We would be glad to provide such assistance. As you may not know, my company has associates with considerable experience in that area who could act as sub-contractors at what I think would be a most attractive price."

Helen looked directly at him. "M Schellen, I think we've discussed this before, and you know my views. What is more, at least one of my subcontractors told me yesterday that someone was making similar proposals to subcontractors at the site. I consider that interference in the performance of the work in contravention of our contract. If someone wants to make such a proposal, they must come to me."

Schellen's face tightened. "I can assure you that the company I am talking about is fully qualified to be considered." His tone was carefully controlled.