Chapter 12: Frick And Frack Get Naked

The captain led us out. "Thank you for standing up for them. Even if they stayed in that incident would have blocked them from anything but head duty in Alaska. You helped them a lot.

"When we get back to the States I'll try to get their discharges reviewed and perhaps set aside for something more acceptable. I hate it when the bad guys keep winning."

"You know, you're not at all what the communiqués from Berne made you out to be. It's almost as if they were referring to some other person."

Uh oh, I thought to myself as I looked at his nametag. "How's that, Captain Woods?" I asked him.

"The FBI reports had you pegged as an insane, self centered spoiled gay boy who had no redeeming qualities whatsoever. Yet you turn out to be just the opposite. You went out of your way to help my nephew and his buddy. You also refused to be intimidated by Frick and Frack."

I looked at him questioningly. He grinned self consciously, "Ah, that's the pet names we gave those two FBI clowns attached to this consulate. Sorry, sir, I misspoke." He frowned at his slip of the tongue.

"No, Captain Woods, I agree with you a hundred percent. Those are very apt names for that matched pair of assholes. It happens I have developed an attitude quite similar to your own. There are good guys in the government; you and the Ambassador here are examples of that. But there are all too many shallow, self-serving idiots and incompetents also. A bureaucracy seems to breed them. You are another example of a dedicated career man who does his job well by choice. My wife and I both like you."

He flushed at the high praise. "Thank you," he said simply and shook my hand. He stepped back, all marine, and said formally "This way out, sir."

"If I wasn't already saddled with you, I'd like to saddle that guy once." Bobbie smiled at the captain's retreating back.

"Honey, you'd kill him. Your newly awakened appetites are the stuff legends are woven around." I goosed her in the butt and was rewarded with a squeal as she jumped.

"Stop that!" she hissed. "You're a cripple, remember that."

"But I'm getting better," I quoted that old movie line that seems to have been around forever. "Besides, you make me horny."

"A keyhole makes you horny," she grinned as Captain Woods came back to see what was holding us up.

He heard Bobbie's last remark to me and gave a tight smile. After he led us to the front entrance, he said, "You folks can find your way out from here. Have a good one."

"We just did this morning," I said. Bobbie smiled down at me.

He laughed at my remark, shook hands with us, and hurried back to his office. I steered the wheelchair down the final hallway and out into the open air.

The two guards at the entrance waved us through. We saw Sir William's driver waiting patiently, leaning against the side of the van until he spotted us. He quickly hurried to the back and opened the cargo door. One end of the ramp dropped down and I rolled right up into place. He secured the wheelchair and opened the passenger door for Bobbie, helped her in and hurried around to the other side. He got in, started the engine and had us quickly on our way back to the hotel. I needed to get out of that wheelchair and stretch my legs, in the worst way. My leg muscles were cramping on me. I hated to be physically inactive for very long a time without moving around.

The doorman snapped to attention and opened the door for Bobbie. Our driver unfastened my chair and let down the ramp. We entered the hotel with all the pomp of royalty. Evidently word of our largesse had spread. Good tippers are loved the world over. Only the concierge seemed unaffected by our newfound charm.

"Sir, you have messages awaiting you." He waved in the direction of the front desk.

I nodded my thanks. There were three messages. The oldest, from Sir William said, "There were bugs. See security. The second was from Sir William, "I have bugs too."

The third message was from Lester Bowman. "Your enemies have been vanquished back to the States. She with a reprimand and he shall soon be permitted to resign. Thank you. The young men are on their way home and the ambassador is furious. Unhealthy climate here." I figured that last sentence meant I was unwelcome in Switzerland. I could not blame the Swiss for that. A lot of property had been destroyed during our short stay there and we were at least partly to blame in their eyes.

The head of hotel security came up to us, "Your friend suggested we sweep your suite for listening devices. I asked a couple of old friends from MI to come do the task. There were a few. How old they were we have no idea, but the look recent. We found eight. Someone evidently wishes to know all about you."

"Please escort us to whatever bank you have here. I need to make an immediate funds withdrawal."

"I'd suggest the Lloyd's services right next door." He smiled quietly.

"They have an arrangement with many other banking institutions world wide. You have done business with them before, I believe."

Woops, I almost stuck my foot in it again. On a day to bay basis, hour-by-hour it is difficult, if not next to impossible, to impersonate another person perfectly. There are too many small details to be aware of, known and remembered. We definitely needed to disappear for a while, until we made a baby.

"Yes, they'll be fine," I answered weakly. "Lead the way."

Bobbie and I followed him. A very distinguished looking man greeted us. He appeared to be in his early sixties. "Ah, Mister Hundley, Madam, how may I serve you?"

"I need twenty thousand pounds right now." I took a deep breath and added, "Perhaps more in the very near future, it might even be tomorrow or the day after. We have some very delicate business to transact that might demand a bit of loose cash." I tried to sound casual about amounts of money I never imagined I would see at one time in my lifetime.

"Very well, sir. Same arrangements as before?"

Uh oh, I thought fast. "Do you mean security arrangements?" I asked trying to figure out what he was referring to.

"Why yes, sir." He looked at me bewildered.

"Ah, no, all old security has been compromised. Thanks to this man, some spy devices have been found and removed from our rooms." Thinking fast I told the security man, "Tell him."

"Keith?" the banker asked.

"He's right. Someone went to a bit of trouble to install snoops in every room of their suite."

"Oh this is so embarrassing," Bobbie chimed in, "I just realized that means someone was listening when we were..." She let her voice trail off and look down toward the floor." She was perfect.

Keith our security man seemed slightly embarrassed. "Ah, well, I believe a new set of protocols might be in order."

"If either my wife or I place a period at the end of our signatures, whatever transaction being made is made under duress. Two periods means there is immediate danger involved." We all nodded our understanding and agreements. Simple methods are harder to screw up. We shook hands. "We'll be in our suite if we are needed."

Keith followed us out. "I want you to bring the money up when it is ready. Take out a thousand pounds for each of your men and two thousand for you. I want to thank you for the help you have given us."

He smiled, "I do like the way you express your gratitude."

Bobbie and I returned to our suite. "Let's go through those papers. I need to copy something." I held my finger across my lips and shook my head. I was afraid there might have been other bugs as undiscovered. She brought the attaché case to me.

As she opened it I grabbed out the pen and note pad. I quickly wrote, "Go for a walk and get security to have their man run another check of these rooms and our luggage. Everything. Go."

"Dear I'm restless. Would you be all right if I go for a walk. I'd like to shop and do a few girl things."

"Sure, go ahead. I want to think things through."

"Bye," she said as she went out the door.

There were various specimens of Daniel's signature on the papers. I studied them carefully. Next I carefully began to trace the signatures with the tip of a retracted ballpoint pen. I did not wish to mark over the signatures but to trace them and get a feel for the flow of the handwriting. I used a similar technique when I did delicate model lay ups. By tracing the different samples, I got a feel of how he moved his fingers when he wrote.

The letters were cramped and shaky. There were feathery tremors that grew more pronounced as the dates on the various papers he signed became more recent. It appeared to me his condition had worsened even more than Bobbie had been made aware of. I had a hunch about the signatures. I studied the bank documents and noticed a small curlicue at the end of all signatures dealing with money.