Chapter 44
Brunner looked glued to the spot, and Lizzie took control, leading him to the door. ‘Key in your combination,’ she instructed.
The stunned banker did as she said and opened the door. Lizzie breathed in the cool air as they entered the corridor. The vault had been claustrophobic after being locked in there for so long, and now she felt the thrill of freedom. It had been close, but Voss had let them go.
‘What should I do now?’ Brunner asked, his tone almost childlike, not that of a wealthy, influential banker.
Lizzie could see he was shocked by the events in the vault and hadn’t fully digested what had happened. He needed firm guidance, or he might do something that would get them both into trouble. ‘You should carry on as normal, as though nothing untoward has occurred.’
Brunner raised his troubled eyes and whispered. ‘How can I carry on as normal when Hauser is threatening me with Nazi retribution?’
Lizzie pushed him along gently, and they moved down the dimly lit corridor and up the first flight of stairs. ‘I have a feeling he won’t bother you again.’
Brunner jerked to a stop. ‘What do you mean? What will Voss do to Hauser?’
Lizzie leaned in closer. ‘That’s a question you shouldn’t ask if you want to keep Brunner spring had blossomed in full technicolour, and the budding linden trees lined the wide avenue, and the grand architecture set against the blue sky painted an idyllic picture.
She pushed the sinister thoughts of the dead banker floating in the river to the back of her mind.
Stepping out of the caged lift, she approached the door and fumbled for her key.
Handling Swiss counterintelligence had proved manageable.
Until now. If she could just get away before they found Hauser’s body.
The pressure the Allies were putting on Switzerland clearly intimidated them, and they didn’t want to risk antagonising Whitehall.
But Val had warned her that assassinations were out of bounds.
Even though she was under the auspices of the Legation, and it was unlikely her apartment would be searched, she still tied a dark thread of cotton across the lock every time she left.
Her hand paused with the key. For the first time since she arrived in Bern, the thread wasn’t in place when she returned.
Dropping to one knee, she found it lying on the ground near the front door. Her instincts heightened as she readied herself for combat with steely resolve. Tom was right—two and two didn’t quite add up to four.
Someone had broken into her apartment. The only question was: were they still inside?