Hunter's Rain by Julian Jay Savarin Page A

Thank you.”
    She swivelled the chair round to look at him. “No problem. Is there anything else you need? I’ve got to get back to my office. I’m upgrading one of our machines. Should get it done before the end of the day.”
    “No. Nothing else for now. And thanks again.”
    She gave him a warm smile, then turned back to the machine.
    “I’ll keep working on the stuff in here, of course,” she continued as she began to shut it down.
    “Of course.”
    “And I can fly my jet?” She pointed to the throttle and the joystick.
    “That was the deal.”
    The computer gave a soft click, and shut down.
    “That’s it,” the Goth said, rising to her feet. “Better get back before Kommissar Spyros sends out a search party.”
    “As ever, we’ll defend you,” Pappenheim said.
    “Then he hasn’t a chance.” Hedi Meyer looked at Carey Bloomfield, startling blue eyes hiding everything. “Nice working with you again, Colonel.”
    “You too,” Carey Bloomfield said.
    “Sirs,” the Goth said to Müller and Pappenheim, and went out.
    Carey Bloomfield looked as the door sighed itself shut. “Now why did that sound like a challenge?”
    “She’s just being playful,” Pappenheim said. “I’ll take a leaf out of the Goth’s book and leave you children alone. You have plenty to discuss. And…”
    “And you need your smoke,” Carey Bloomfield finished for him.
    “And I do need my smoke. And you, sir, Boss?” Pappenheim went on to Müller. “As you’re going to Grenoble, am I supposed to know?”
    “For the moment, no.”
    “Fine. I’ll talk to a French colleague down there. He’s very helpful. Keep unwanted people off your back.”
    Carey Bloomfield looked at Pappenheim in wonder. “Pappi, if I wanted to go to Vladivostok, would you have a contact there too?”
    “Take a little time, but I could probably arrange it. Might not be strictly legal, though. Hard to tell these days.”
    “Pappi, with your kind of network, you could probably run a not-strictly-legal organisation yourself.”
    “Why do you think I’m a policeman? It’s to avoid the temptation.”
    “Yeah. Sure.”
    “ Au ‘voir , children,” Pappenheim said. “Have fun.“
    “ French?” Müller said.
    “You’re going to France,” Pappenheim responded, as if that explained it all. He went to the door, and paused. “I’d disable the green light, if I were you. I’ll keep in touch.”
    Müller nodded. “Alright.”
    “What does he mean ‘green light’?” Carey Bloomfield asked as the door shut once more.
    “The one on the keypad outside. When it’s on, it lets people know someone’s inside.”
    “People like Kaltendorf.”
    “People like Kaltendorf,” Müller confirmed, as he went over to a panel near the door, to disable the warning light.
    “There’s a needle going on,” she said as he returned.
    “A needle?”
    “Well, there’s Miss Hawk Eyes…”
    “Berger.”
    “Berger. She…”
    “Does not like you. You think.”
    “I know,” Carey Bloomfield corrected.
    “Then there’s that partner of hers…”
    “Reimer.”
    “That’s him. He called me a CIA princess…are you smiling, Müller?”
    “He called you that? To your face?”
    “Not to my face. When Pappi and I came back, Pappi stopped by their office. They were going on about Reimer’s girlfriend, I think…”
    “They’re always going on about Reimer’s girlfriend. It’s a standing joke around here.”
    “Well, as we left, he said something like – ‘what’s the CIA princess doing here?’. He thought I hadn’t heard.”
    Müller was still smiling. “It’s territorial. They’re afraid you might lead me astray.”
    “Hah!” She paused. “Well, Müller? Pappi’s given me the background to your excitements in May. Do I get the details?”
    “You get the details. How much did he give you?”
    “Your glass palace was being bugged,” she began, “by people who were supposedly official. Aunt Isolde’s long-lost husband – the