McSweeney's Mammoth Treasury of Thrilling Tales - Michael Chabon [155]
“And these—these—letters from Himmler to Captain Zeiss, asking him to seduce that poor girl, compromise her, then kill her, so that Himmler could continue his blackmailing of Hitler through a third party. There’s a note here that even suggests Himmler was responsible for the initial blackmail a couple of years ago! The most damning evidence! So your cousin, von Bek, is a common murderer, after all! And in Captain Himmler’s employ?”
“It certainly appears so.” Begg looked around for a bag. “Come on, Taffy. We’d better take these togs to Hitler.”
“Surely we should get them to Inspector Hoffmann as soon as possible? Zodiac must be captured!”
“I remind you again, Taffy, that Herr Hitler is our paying client and it is our duty to show him the evidence before it is presented to the police.”
“But Great Jehovah, Begg, this overrides any client loyalty!”
“I’m afraid not, Taffy. I remember the way to Berchtesgaden. You’d better come with me, old man, whatever your scruples. I need a witness and someone at my shoulder if the client decides to kill the messenger.”
Only this persuaded the pathologist to accompany his friend, but he did so in brooding silence. Begg seemed completely insouciant, whistling fragments from musical comedies as the great car bore them relentlessly up toward Hitler’s retreat.
Only because Rudolf Hess was convinced they had good news for Hitler were the Englishmen allowed into the fusty stench of the Nazi leader’s lair. Again he greeted them in nothing but his mackintosh, his eyes as mad as ever. He moved between gross self-pity and rage against his niece’s killers, sometimes in seconds. But when he at last looked at the evidence Begg and Sinclair had brought with them, he was stunned into a cold, sudden pseudo-sanity.
“Himmler! He was behind the assassination attempts. Failing to kill any of us, he made his victim an innocent young girl! He always hated her. He has grown closer and closer to me, building up the SS on my behalf, he says. They warned me he had Jewish blood, but I laughed at them. And all the time he plotted against me in this subtle way, getting at me through Geli, using one of his own men to— ugh!” He stood up suddenly, bowing with both hands at his sides, and brought his bare heels together. “I am most grateful to you gentlemen. You have done everything Hess promised. Naturally you will receive your fee. Herr Hess will take you to the Brown House at once.”
Even Hess seemed surprised by this sudden volte-face.
“No need, old boy.” Sir Seaton Begg lifted his hat. “Have this one on me. I am happy to serve the cause of justice.”
Though dressed only in a mackintosh, Hitler visibly grew an inch or two. “You have served not only my interests and those of my great party, Sir Seaton. You have served the interests of the entire free world. Hess. We shall need the Mercedes. There is something I must take care of at once. Thank you again.” He lifted his arm in his familiar salute.
“Only too happy to oblige, old chap.” And with that Begg steered an open-mouthed Sinclair into the fir-rich air of the subAlpine forests.
“Take a good gulp, Taffy,” he murmured.
“Are you out of your mind, Begg? That chap’s about as unbalanced as it’s possible to be without falling off the planet. You’ve no idea what notions you’ve given him.”
“Oh, I think the ones he was meant to be given, Taffy. Perhaps you already suspect the truth? In this case we served a client other than we thought!”
By now Dolly’s headlights were piercing the dark shadows of the German night. Taffy, still deprived of his usual amount of sleep, began to doze in the seat beside his friend. He was awakened to realize that Begg was driving far slower than usual and that the headlamps of another car were coming from behind. He watched in some astonishment, as if dreaming. The great Mercedes swept past