Free Unholy Ghost by James Green Page A

occupying forces. She still had no difficulty, given her connections, in going to Switzerland but she would have had to travel with very little in the way of luggage and would definitely not have carried anything that might compromise her with the authorities, German, Swiss, or even Allied. It is just possible that she may have decided to leave things concealed in her Paris house in the hope that one day she would be able to retrieve them.’
    â€˜Which would give her a good reason to lease the place to the nuns. Apart from making sure it didn’t fall into any unfriendly hands the nuns weren’t likely to do any serious redevelopment without asking her first.’
    â€˜Exactly. If there is anything hidden in the convent and it were to come into the light of public scrutiny that would be unfortunate. We need to be sure that anything of a compromising nature is quietly removed. To be able to do that we need total and unrestricted access with full authorisation which means we need to produce the heir to the Colmar estate.’
    Jimmy understood, or at least he thought he understood. But it didn’t fit together as well as it should, not if McBride was the one putting the pieces together.
    â€˜Isn’t that all a bit over the top? If anything’s there then it would be down to Colmar. No one could possibly think the nuns …’
    â€˜Mr Costello, public relations is obviously not your field but I will try to explain. Even after all these years anyone found to be in possession of Nazi loot immediately becomes headline news. That would be especially so if that “anyone” happens to be a part of the Church. After the war far too many ex-Nazis slipped away from justice through the help of Catholic clergy or religious. The last thing the Church needs at this time is to find compromising material in a Catholic convent. The Church, in the face of considerable opposition, is in the process of trying to canonise Pope Pius XII.’
    â€˜Didn’t someone call him Hitler’s Pope?’
    McBride almost scowled, but only almost.
    â€˜I believe there was a book of that title. If it came out that a convent in Paris was found to be the repository for ex-Nazi loot what do you think forces antagonistic to the Church would make of it?’
    â€˜They’d have a field day.’
    â€˜The beatification of Pope Pius XII is no small matter. It will be a symbol of the Church’s rejection of Nazism and all other godless ideologies. If it is frustrated it will be a serious blow to the prestige of the Church, the Vatican, and the Papacy.’
    â€˜Not to mention Pope Pius himself wherever he is.’
    â€˜Please don’t be flippant, Mr Costello. I hope you now see why we must find a suitable heir to Mme Colmar’s estate or at least prolong the process until we can be sure that all that needs to be done is done.’
    â€˜Yes, I suppose so. But if the nuns are moving out why can’t the Church quietly move in and do what they want?’
    â€˜Because the matter, unfortunately, is not in the Church’s hands. There are lawyers and procedures, unfortunately they are already in place and active’
    â€˜Yes, I see. If the Church sent people in to pull the place apart questions would get asked.’
    â€˜Nothing could be properly done without attracting unwanted attention and enquiry. We need to be able to look thoroughly and without interference and then dispose of whatever is found, if anything is found, with the minimum of fuss.’
    â€˜If you say so.’
    â€˜Good. I hope you now have some sort of grasp of the seriousness of what you are doing.
    â€˜I suppose so.’
    â€˜Then I will send for you when I decide what is the best way to proceed.’
    â€˜You mean when you think it will be best to slip your woman in with her claim?’
    â€˜That among other things, but as I have already said it has become difficult. After the assault on M.