Chapter 7
Draco didn’t sleep in the chair as he’d done the night before. Instead, he lay on the floor in front of the door. If someone wanted in, they’d have to go through a door that wouldn’t budge unless he moved first.
Cate had showered and slipped into bed, wearing a pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt Hammer’s wife had given her.
She’d barely spoken since they’d climbed the stairs to their room at the Hotel Bieri, seeming deep in thought, sad for the banker and probably frustrated they hadn’t gotten the name of the partner Marcus had cheated.
Every time Draco relived Cate’s meeting with Brunner, his pulse shot up, and sleep became impossible. He’d gone along with her rule to stay back and let her interview. It had cost at least a year off his life and new gray hairs. The man could have hurt her before Draco could get to her.
At the moment Brunner had leaped to his feet and bumped into Cate, Draco had nearly lost his mind, sure the man had a knife or gun he intended to use on her.
Draco had been out of his seat and halfway to Cate when Brunner had taken off. When Cate had run after the man, Draco hadn’t been too far behind. Still, he didn’t think he could leave her alone again.
After a while, Cate’s deep breathing calmed him, and he closed his eyes, drifting into a troubled sleep, filled with images of Cate disappearing into a crowd of people and being chased by the man in the gray coat.
When the gray light of dawn edged through the window, he was up and out of the room, too wound up to sit still and wait for Cate to wake.
As he had the morning before, he cajoled Frau Bieri into giving him two steaming cups of coffee and a paper bag, this time filled with a hunk of bread, and slices of cheese and cured meats.
He entered the room, juggling the two cups of coffee.
When he turned to check on Cate, the bed was empty.
For a split second, his heart leaped into his throat.
Then the door to the adjoining bathroom opened, and Cate stood framed in the doorway, dressed in jeans and a sky-blue sweater that hugged her body like a second skin.
She’d pulled her damp hair back in a ponytail, accentuating her high cheekbones and the shadows beneath her eyes.
His defenses down from dreams he’d had of this woman had his groin tightening automatically.
She inhaled, her eyes half-closing. “Oh, thank God for coffee,” she moaned. She reached out and took one of the cups out of his hand, her fingers brushing lightly against his.
Electricity shot up his arm and set his body on fire. Being with her twenty-four-seven was taking its toll on his ability to remain neutral. He held out the bag of food. “Help yourself. If you’re done in the bathroom, I want to wash up.”
“I’m done. Bathroom’s all yours,” she said as she took the bag and sat with it on the edge of the bed and opened the bag.
Everything about her made Draco want to pull her into his arms and kiss her, like there was no tomorrow.
If Brunner’s death was anything to go by, no tomorrow might happen sooner than he thought.
He locked the door to the room and wedged the chair against the doorknob before striding into the bathroom.
“Is that a little overkill given Frau Bieri is our first line of defense?” Cate asked.
He ignored her jab. “I won’t be long,” he said and left the door ajar to listen for any odd noises coming from the bedroom.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll peek?” she called out.
With his hands on the button of his jeans, his pulse quickened at her words.
Draco’s lips twisted. “I’m more afraid you won’t.
” Before she could fire a comeback, he turned on the cold water only, stripped naked and stepped beneath the spray, hoping it would chill his desire for the woman on the other side of the door.
He didn’t linger long enough in the chill water for his desire to diminish much.
A quick full-body scrub and rinse, and he was out, drying off within a few minutes.
He dressed in the clean T-shirt and boxer briefs he’d found in his backpack, pulled on his jeans, brushed his teeth and combed his damp hair.
Satisfied he was ready for the day, he exited the bathroom exactly five minutes after entering.
Cate shook her head. “Impressive.” She sat where he’d left her, sipping coffee.
Draco shrugged into his jacket and held Cate’s out for her.
She set her cup on the nightstand, stood and slipped her arms into the jacket. Cate turned to face him. “What’s the plan?”
“We go to the Brotherhood Protectors International headquarters and meet with the team. I hope Dmytro can help us figure out what to do with the safe deposit box key.”
“I hope they’ve heard more about Brunner.” Cate shook her head. “It wasn’t suicide. I’d like to know who made that call.”
Draco nodded. “Same. Makes you wonder if someone on the police force is in on the whole Alpenhorn scheme, covering for the mystery partner.”
They walked through a thick blanket of morning fog that shrouded the city, making Draco second-guess his decision to walk instead of insisting on a cab.
They couldn’t see more than twenty feet in front of their faces and barely that.
Thankfully, the GPS on his cell phone guided them through the streets without mishaps.
If the gray-coated man was following them, Draco never saw him.
At the headquarters building, Hammer met them at the door and ushered them inside.
Dmytro was in his usual spot, tapping away on his computer keyboard while monitoring multiple displays.
Crusher and Marta rose from their seats around the table.
Cate rounded the table to wrap her arms around Marta, while Draco shook hands with Crusher.
“Glad you’re here,” Draco said. He and Crusher went way back to joint task force days on active duty. He trusted the man with his life.
“Figured you might be ready for some backup.” Crusher’s gaze went from Draco to Cate. “Hammer told us you met with the banker last night.”
Cate nodded, a shadow crossing over her eyes. “I did.”
Marta frowned. “The authorities claim it was suicide.”
“They’re wrong,” Cate said with a frown. “He was worried about his family.”
“There’s no way they could’ve conducted an autopsy overnight,” Marta said. “Why would they make that claim?”
“Good question,” Draco said. “One we might ask of the person who made that claim.”
“Inspector Brandt,” Dmytro called out from his corner of the room. “According to the online records.”
Cate’s lips pressed together tightly. “I intend to talk with the inspector as soon as possible.”
“Did you actually speak with the banker before his unfortunate demise?” Marta asked.
“I did,” Cate said. “He didn’t give us the name of the account holder. I think he was about to do it when he got scared and took off.”
“Did he say anything else?” Hammer asked.
“He did admit to being the person at the bank who handled all Alpenhorn transactions and that, if Marcus Calloway was dead, his wife didn’t kill him. He thinks Marcus’s partner would’ve been the one to do it.”
“But he didn’t get around to telling you who that partner happened to be.” Crusher’s brow dipped low on his forehead. “How unfortunate. Now, he’ll never be able to tell you.”
Cate dug her hand in her jeans pocket and pulled out the flat brass key. “Brunner pressed this into my hand before he got lost in a crowd of tourists.” She laid the key on the table.
Marta reached for the key and held it in her hand. “Looks like a safe deposit box key. I had one when I first moved to Atlanta. I stored documents in it that would be safe if my house burned down.”
“We assume it’s to one of the boxes in Brunner’s bank.” Draco turned to Dmytro. “Is it possible we can get into that box with only the key?”
Dmytro held up a hand without looking up from his screen. “Anything is possible with money and/or the right technology. I was able to get past the firewall of Brunner’s bank after a lot of technical gyrations.”
Cate perked up. “Could you see the names on the Alpenhorn account?”
“I did,” Dmytro said. “Marcus Calloway was one. The other name was Roland Weiss.”
Cate leaned toward Dmytro. “Were you able to get a phone number and address for this other man?”
“I was able to get an address, but it will not help you,” Dmytro said.
“We need to interview him,” Cate said. “He could be the man behind the theft.”
Dmytro shook his head. “His address is a cemetery north of Zurich. He was found dead in his apartment nine months ago. It appears that he was only a nominee director of Alpenhorn Relief Logistics.”
Cate frowned. “What is a nominee director?”
Dmytro turned away from the monitor long enough to explain. “Someone who lends his name to the organization. He does not run it.”
“A figurehead to lend cover to the real owner?” Draco asked.
Dmytro nodded. “A placeholder allowing them to set up the corporation without revealing who is really in charge.”
Cate’s eyes narrowed. “Another man who served a purpose and was a loose thread to be disposed of.”
“Like Brunner,” Hammer said.
“You don’t think it was suicide, do you?” Cate asked.
Hammer shook his head. “No.”
Cate lifted the brass key. “We need to know what’s in the safe deposit box. Brunner must’ve thought what’s inside it is important.”
“Important enough to risk his life,” Marta added softly.
“How do we get into the bank?” Draco asked. “More specifically, how do we get in to use that key to open the safe deposit box?”
“You’ll need matching identification like a passport that matches the contract and, in Brunner’s bank’s case, matching biometrics, along with the key and the box number.”
Cate’s shoulders sagged. “We have two out of four requirements in the number and the key. I’m supposed to get my replacement passport at the US consulate. But the biometrics...” She shook her head.
Dmytro cracked his knuckles. “Myla divchyna, no challenge is too great for Dmytro.” He waved for her. “Come. I will show you how it is done.”
Cate rose and walked to where Dmytro sat.
Draco followed.