Chapter 1

I was sitting with Nora in a small restaurant on the eastern shore of Lake Zürichsee, just south of the town of Zurich, Switzerland. We were facing the very blue water, but our attention was instead on the two policemen sitting across from us, particularly Investigator Keller, who had just gone very pale.

He read his text message to us. “The Sweiss home is on fire, and firefighters have found two bodies at the house.”

“Then how did you get a picture of my diamond?” I asked.

“It was with one of the dead men in the following vehicle.”

My power flared outward, and I examined everyone within my range. Other than the wait staff, and a single police vehicle, the parking lot was empty. There was no Officer Schmidt, and no George the driver. There was also no 14 million of pink and red diamonds, neatly stored in three display boxes, for which I had purchased, only two hours earlier.

“Can I ask a question?” I asked.

“Go ahead, but I may not be able to answer it.”

“Fair enough, did you know our names when you came in here.”

“We did not.”

“Officer Schmidt knew my name, and Nora’s when he arrived. I assumed that our driver gave our names when he called your version of 911.”

“We had no call from your driver.”

“How did you know we were here?”

“The restaurant manager called us, because you told him that you were waiting for the police. You asked him to bring coffee to the police outside, but when he went out the police car was just leaving.

“He said you had witnessed an accident or something on the road, he thought it very unusual and so reported it.”

“I see.” I said, and I really was beginning to really see.

“Mr Barkley, until we talked to you, all we had was reports of gunfire, two white vans stopped in the middle of the highway, and six dead bodies,” the Investigator explained.

“I’m not feeling very safe right now,” I told him, holding onto Nora’s hand.

“And I’m feeling like you have somehow slipped out of a terrible tragedy by some sort of miracle. Mr Barkley, this is important, have you hired any security while in Switzerland.”

“No, I’m a nobody, not a celebrity. Why would I need security?”

“It’s not a crime to have hired security, and if there is a crime committed by them while in your employ, you are not personally responsible, so I ask again, have you hired private security.”

“I have not. But, I’m thinking I need to.” I replied.

He nodded, “Switzerland’s security firms are the best in the world, I will make recommendations if you wish, but for now I need to make some phone calls” he said, and stepped away.

I looked at the remaining officer and asked, “Would you like some coffee now, or would something stronger be better?”

“Coffee please,” he replied.

I waved the wait staff over, and the officer ordered coffee. I asked for small pastries or something, as I had a feeling we would be here a while. I also asked to speak to the manager.

When the manager arrived, I shook his hand and thanked him for calling the police for us, that for some reason our driver had abandoned us here, and we were so glad the police were here to rescue us while on our vacation.

He almost blushed at the praise and thanks I gave him. I sat back down, as Officer Schmid sipped at his coffee. He looked at me like he wanted to ask a question.

“Did you have a question Officer Schmid?”

“You paid for the boxes of diamonds with one stone?”

“Pink and red diamonds are rarely very big, and these were very small. I bought what he had.”

“But how did you know that one diamond was enough?”

I set more diamonds on the table in front of him. A 4 carat, an 8 carat, and a 20 carat. “That single diamond was my initial offer, and he took it. I know the diamond he took is worth about 14 million. That means that the pink diamonds are worth that. They were at least to me.”

“Why do you have so many diamonds!” he squeeked.

“I collect them, I trade them, and sometimes I buy and sell them. America really doesn’t like it when you carry lots of cash around, and diamonds don’t trigger a metal detector. It’s very simple,” I said sweeping them up, and dropping them back loose into my pocket.

He just shook his head at the casual display of wealth, “Mr Barker, I really think you should get some security.”

“I guess I should. I would never displayed them like this in New York, I guess I just felt safe here.”

He nodded at the explanation. Nora excused herself to go to the bathroom. I sat watching the lake, and a few boats go by. I was sitting for about ten minutes when the Investigator returned.

He sat down in front of me, and started to ask questions, “Did you see or hear any helicopters when you had your vehicle hijacked this afternoon?”

“No, why?”

“Everyone shot, except one person, was killed with a high powered rifle round to the head. It appears it was fired from the direction you were facing, but from a height. The exception was shot in the heart while exiting the vehicle. He seems to have been the last one living.”

“I don’t remember seeing or hearing a helicopter. I don’t even remember if there were trees.”

“I have some information I can share,” he said.

I waved for coffee. After the waiter poured, he took a sip, and looked at us both.

“The hotel at St Gotthard has no driver named George, and has accounted for all their vehicles. Hotel security video does show you being picked up by this man,” he showed us a picture on his phone of George opening the door for Nora earlier that morning. It was from a distance, but unmistakable as him.

“Yes, that’s George.” I said.

“There is no Officer Schmidt in the Zurich Canton, we are still trying to locate all the Canton police vehicles. Is this a picture of Schmidt?” he asked, showing us a photo from the restaurant security cameras. It wasn’t as nice of a camera, but was a much closer shot.

Both Nora and I agreed, it was the mysterious Officer Schmidt. It was a shot from when Schmidt was talking to George thru the window when he first arrived at the restaurant. They had stopped just beneath the parking lot security camera. It was on the roadside sign, and pointed towards the restaurant.

He showed us a third picture. It was a close up of a face. “That’s Haener.” I said before he could ask.

“Haener was one of the men in the rear van,” the Investigator said.

“That looks like the man from the Opera, but I’m not positive,” Nora said.

“So what is your theory?” I asked. “Robbery, kidnapping for ransom, extortion?”

“We aren’t making any theories at this time.” was his measured reply.

I nodded at the wisdom of that. “Do you have an officer available to take us back to our suite?”

“I do, and they are being instructed to guard you until you arrange for private security.”

“If you have that recommendation, I’ll call them now.”

He gave me the number, and I called. The answering service quickly switched to English, as I requested personal security for myself and my assistant. They asked for details, and I explained that I had been the victim of a hijack and robbery, that I had significant concerns over future security, and jewelry and jewelry making supplies of over forty million dollars to protect.

They asked for the location I was staying, and said they would have someone meet me there immediately. I mentioned that the Zurich police would be returning us to the hotel, but I didn’t know how long it would take. They assured me they would wait.