Heart of Lies by M. L. Malcolm

alternatives. He could try to negotiate a deal with Károly. He would give the bastard the necklace in exchange for his own freedom. Now his life mattered. His continued existence was no longer a cosmic joke. He had found Martha.
    Martha . He had no way of getting in touch with her. He would have to find somewhere to hide until five o’clock. Good God, were Janos and the others in on this scheme, too? Had he been the patsy from the outset?
    He threw some change on the table to pay for his untouched coffee and went back into the street, pulling his hat low over his forehead. There was no reason for anyone at the hotel to connect him with Jean Pierre Printemps. Unless, of course, a physical description of him was already being circulated to the public. He would have to risk that much.
    Within a few minutes he was back at his hotel, relieved to see that the police chief was not already waiting for him in the lobby. He needed time to collect his thoughts, to come up with a plan. Ignoring the elevator he sprinted up the four flights of stairs to his room, his adrenaline pumping full force.
    Leo burst into the room and sat down on the small single bed, head in his hands. Now think. Think about how to save yourself.
    Károly’s voice interrupted the silence. “Well, you little Jewish bastard, where have you been all night?”
    Leo stood and turned to face Károly, who was stepping out from behind the door, which Leo had not even bothered to close. Károly did so now, and locked it. It was then that Leo noticed the gun in his hand.
    Károly came closer, until he was standing just on the opposite side of the bed from Leo. His face wore the sneer of a coward in complete possession of unearned power.
    “So, tried my lovely necklace on the neck of a little French whore, did you? You’d better answer me, pretty little Jew boy. It isn’t in the hotel safe. Where is it?”
    “You set me up.”
    “So you’ve heard the news. Well, we managed to change thousands of francs before Kovacs got himself caught. Of course I set you up, you cocksucking fool. You executed the biggest single trade we accomplished.
    “Imagine Janos Bacso’s surprise when I showed up yesterday and told him that his brilliant interpreter, the man who was nearly his son-in-law, is in reality a vile, untrustworthy Jew. You can see how embarrassing it was for him to have recruited your assistance in thepurchase of arms for our organization. Luckily I brought a suitable replacement.
    “Janos was only too pleased to allow me to persuade you to help us in other ways. The cash we’re raising, the guns we’re buying, they’re not going to aid the spineless military who allowed the dogs of Europe to rape our country. We’re fortifying the future rulers of Hungary, the men who have the strength of will to reclaim the Empire.”
    Gombos. It all made sense now. Appalling sense. Károly and Bacso were working for Gyula Gombos, head of the Hungarian Fascist party. They wanted weapons to take by force what they could not achieve through democratic means: complete control of Hungary.
    Károly’s expression shifted from triumphant to threatening. “Where’s the necklace?”
    Leo felt the receipt for the necklace burning a hole into his foot. “It’s not here.”
    “You expect me to believe that? Take off your coat and toss it to me. Slowly.”
    Leo did as he was told.
    “Now your jacket.” Again, Leo complied.
    “Now turn your pockets inside out.” Without pointing the gun away from Leo’s chest, Károly spread Leo’s clothes on the bed and searched them with one hand. He found nothing but the wallet he’d given to Leo, Leo’s wallet, and Leo’s passport. He tossed the clothes onto the floor.
    Leo could tell that the man was losing control. Good . Get angry. An angry man doesn’t think clearly. He must goad Károly into making a mistake.
    “You can’t just shoot me here in broad daylight.”
    “You’re wrong about that, you stupid shit. Bystanders don’t