Free The Eagle's Covenant by Michael Parker Page A

Before he had a chance to say anything, Hoffman started to describe the interview with Schiller and Joanna.
    “I believe that because of her reaction; the way she suddenly stopped, like you do when something occurs to you in conversation that could actually have an impact on what you’re saying at the time. The way she stopped when she mentioned the kidnapper’s eyes. It was just as if she had remembered that she had seen, or met the woman. It was quite uncanny.”
    “It would be a helluva break if she had seen this woman before, but it may be difficult without a positive ID.” Jansch couldn’t see any way beyond normal police work that would budge Joanna Schiller’s mind. He envisaged an identity parade of possible suspects, but it was unlikely that they could pick up the kidnapper, whoever she was, simply by ‘making enquiries’. He said as much to Hoffman.
    “But that’s how it has to be done Uwe, although that is something of an over simplification,” Hoffman admitted. “We need to talk to lots and lots of her past friends and acquaintances. Find out if any of them have South African accents or connections. Good old police procedures, Uwe. Put a team on it first thing in the morning. You’ll also need the help of the British and South African Police. But don’t tell them why. Send people over there, and make sure you send some bright lads. Men like you.”
    Jansch smiled self-consciously and yawned suddenly. “God, I’m tired.”
    Hoffman smiled. “Aren’t we both? You get off then.” He looked over at his truckle bed. “I’ll get some sleep myself. Back here for six, Uwe. I’ll see you then.”
    Jansch left the office without being told a second time. The room was now empty except for the police chief. Tomorrow he would have a full, twenty four hour shift of manpower as officers drafted in from other divisions began work.
    Hoffman peeled off his jacket, booked an alarm call with the switchboard, and lay down on the bed. He wanted to mull over a few things about the case, but within a few minutes he was sound asleep.
    Moments later the door to Doctor Kistler’s penthouse office suite opened and the Police President walked out. Instead of riding the lift down to the ground floor, he walked down the stairs to operations room in which Hoffman had his unit set up. He opened the operations room door and immediately saw the quiet figure asleep on the small bed. He ignored him and walked across to Hoffman’s desk.
    The file which Jansch had left was on top of the desk, unopened. Kistler spun the file, opened it and scanned the contents quickly, untroubled by the fact that the police chief was sound asleep just a metre or so from him.
    Satisfied, he closed the file and walked softly from the room.
    *
    Conor killed the engine of the Opel and sat there for a moment in the pervading silence, not knowing which part of his body hurt the most. Much of it would be salved by a hot bath, but the bruising around his rib cage, and he was now convinced that’s all it was, would take longer to heal. He was quite sure now that he had not been burnt; the scorching he could smell earlier was evident only on his clothing.
    He had parked the car in Lonnericher Strasse, close to the Kölner Hauptbahnhof railway Station in Cologne. It was about three o’clock in the morning and there was very little movement in the streets. He was content to wait awhile and consider his options. Not that he had many.
    Stealing the car had proved quite easy for a man of Conor Lenihan’s skills. When he found himself well clear of the burning house and in quiet, sleepy suburbia, he had set about finding a car. He had waited until about two o’clock in the morning knowing that by then, most of the neighbourhood would be well asleep.
    He wanted an old car; one that did not have a sophisticated, immobiliser. He soon found an old Opel Corsa, and within minutes was on his way.
    Conor drove for a while and soon found he was leaving a town called