Free The Waiting Time by Gerald Seymour Page A

Krause, that the BfV has invested heavily in you, money, time and resources, and in prestige?’
    ‘As I am often told.’
    ‘The basis of that investment was your guarantee to us that there were no matters in your past work that could be uncovered that would show criminal violation of human rights. Correct?’
    ‘Correct.’
    ‘I asked you at the beginning of our association for a most detailed brief on your work with the Ministerium für Staatssicherheit. I asked whether there were acts in criminal violation of human rights that might in the future be uncovered. You understand?’
    ‘I understand.’
    ‘Is there, in your past, an act in criminal violation of human rights that might in the future be uncovered?’
    Where he stood by the door Goldstein could see little of Krause’s face. He could recall what the girl had said, the accusation she had made. In the last, long hour, Raub would have given the exact words to the senior official.
    ‘There is nothing in my past that could be uncovered.’
    ‘The woman in England made an allegation of murder. Yes?’
    Goldstein fancied a smile came to Krause’s face.
    ‘The same accusation was made by a security man when I was in the medical area. They had detained us there until he arrived. I asked him, “Where is your evidence?”’
    ‘If I order a further search of the archive material of the MfSZentrale at Normannen Strasse...?’
    ‘You would find nothing.’
    ‘If you lied to me, Doktor Krause, if evidence were ever produced, there could be no protection.’
    Goldstein craned forward and saw the grin play on Krause’s face. Goldstein thought the man lied, and spoke the truth: the lie, that no criminal act in violation of human rights had been committed; the truth, that no evidence would be uncovered.
    ‘There is no evidence.’
    The senior official stubbed out his cigarette and came round his desk. He shook Krause’s hand with warmth. ‘Thank you, Doktor Krause. You have now a few days at home to prepare for Washington? We place great importance on that opportunity.’
    Krause said, without emotion, ‘I tell you very frankly, if people come to Rostock and make a difficulty, come to make a problem, then I do not wish to involve you. If they come to Rostock and try to make a difficulty then they will find pain, but they will not uncover evidence.’
    ‘Good day, Doktor Krause.’
    He pulled up at the gate. The fence either side of it was higher than he remembered, embellished with more shiny wire coils on the top and where the grass grew at the base. The rain had stopped and low sunshine blistered on the razor points of the wire. He left the engine running and sauntered towards the sentry. He knew what was important, knew how to behave. Josh Mantle had come through that gate for the first time as a fledgling recruit thirty-three years before, when there had been no coils of wire, when the sentries hadn’t carried sidearms, hadn’t draped automatic rifles across their chests, and hadn’t worn bullet-proof vests. The Intelligence Corps and the Royal Military Police had been his life for twenty-seven years. He knew how sentries reacted at a gate, which was why he had worn the dark suit, the new shirt and the better shoes.
    ‘Yes, sir?’
    The sentry drifted towards him, relaxed.
    ‘My name is Josh Mantle. I represent the legal firm of Greatorex, Wilkins & Protheroe. Corporal Tracy Barnes is being held here under close arrest, and I am instructed by her family to act on her behalf. I need. .
    The smile of welcome had fled the sentry’s face. ‘Who is your appointment with, sir?’
    ‘You are required under the terms laid out in The Manual of Military Law, Part 1 — I can quote you the page — to give me immediate access to my client. That’s what I need.’
    ‘I asked, who’s your appointment with, sir?’
    ‘When I come to see a client, I don’t need an appointment with anyone. I’m not a dentist’s patient.’
    ‘You can’t just drive in here