The Devil's Opera(145)
“Go on,” Honister encouraged.
“Well, this time the merchant agreed to a steeper discount than usual.”
“Much steeper?”
“More than I would have ever let my boss pay.”
Aha!
“Anything else?”
Another moment of hesitation, then, “They even exchanged some gold coin for silver.”
Honister started at that. Even in the current state of economic fluctuations, people with gold almost always held on to it. For someone to let go of gold coin indicated a serious need.
“Okay. Last question: who was this merchant?”
“I never saw him. I only dealt with an underling; but it was Master Georg Schmidt.”
Master Georg Schmidt. Honister knew that name. Hardly anyone of the merchant or patrician class or of the political structure of Old Magdeburg didn’t know it.
He nodded slowly. “That will be all for now, Herr Dauth. Thank you for your help. If I need anything more, I’ll try to talk to you during the day.”
Dauth slipped back inside his door, and Honister turned away, thinking furiously.
His father had had dealings with Master Schmidt, and didn’t have much kind to say about him, so in and of itself he had no problems with making the merchant a suspect in his investigation. But Master Schmidt had connections, he did. To be precise, he was Mayor Otto Gericke’s brother-in-law. And that may have just put Honister’s investigation into a new light.
* * *
Hans drifted back to stand by Gus. He took one of the bills he had taken from the purse and jammed it into the other fighter’s coat pocket.
“For you. Now get out of here. I don’t think you want to be involved in what’s coming.”
“Truth,” Gus muttered.
As the other man started to turn away, Hans said, “And Gus? Thanks. You didn’t have to stand with me tonight. If I survive what’s coming, I’ll remember this.”
Gus hesitated. “I hope you do survive,” he said, and moved off.
Hans’ answering thought was dark.
But that’s not the way to wager, is it?
Chapter 56
Ursula was still awake when Simon walked in the door, followed by Sergeant Hoch. The candlelight was wavering on her face; her long hair brushed out and flowing over her shoulders.
“Simon…Sergeant Hoch!” One hand flew to grasp the closures of her robe, the other to grope for her cane where it rested against her table.
“Fraulein Metzger,” the sergeant said, setting his back against the door and not moving.
“Where is Hans?” She asked, struggling to her feet with panic and worry plain to see on her face. “Is he hurt? Is he…”
Dead was the word Simon knew would have completed her sentence, if she could have brought herself to say it.
“He is downstairs waiting for us,” Simon replied. “He said that you should get dressed, bring all your money and leave everything else.”
Ursula stood up straight. “I will not take a single step until you explain what is going on!”
In the flickering candle light, she looked positively regal. Simon’s heart was drawn to her even more than it ever had been.
Simon ducked his head. She wasn’t going to be happy.
“Some bad things happened tonight.”
“What?” Ursula’s tone was sharp.
“Hans was offered fifty thousand if he fought a man from Hannover and beat him.” He didn’t want to say any more.
“So Hans took the offer.” Ursula’s voice was heavy. “I assume he won. What happened? Why isn’t he here?”
Simon swallowed, still looking at his feet. “The other man was bigger than Hans, and meaner. It was a hard fight.”
Ursula sighed. “How badly was he hurt?”
“Cuts, black eyes, sore ribs.” Simon swallowed again. “He got hit in the head a lot.”
Ursula put her hand to her mouth. Simon could see tears in her eyes. “Why did he do it?”
“For you,” Simon squeezed out. “He wanted you to have the money.”
He pulled the purse from inside his jacket and tried to hand it to her. She ignored it.
“I don’t want the money,” she almost wailed. “I want to see Hans.”
“He is downstairs. He said for you…”
“To get dressed, bring my money, and leave everything else. I remember that. But why should I?”
Sergeant Hoch stirred, and said, “Because there are some very powerful men who want that money, Fraulein Metzger, and probably want your brother dead. They won’t stop at hurting you to get to him. We’re here to take you someplace safe, where they can’t get to you.”
“Dead? Hurt…me?”
Ursula seemed to have trouble taking that last in.