Michael said, “I wanted to thank you for your assistance at the crash site.”
Yossi gave no response to Michael’s gratitude. He stared at his coffee and stated, “I understand you would like me to attend the meeting at the bank on the twenty-first. I will stand at the entrance to the only door to the room where Mr. Mueller is situated. I will remain within visual contact of the door until the foreigners have left the bank. I understand no one is to enter or leave the room without a security search.”
“I’ve made arrangements with Sven for your remuneration. I would like to thank you for your diligence.”
Again, Yossi gave no response. Michael noticed the man spoke with no accent during their meeting. On the other hand, he spoke German to the waiter. His parlance was impeccable. His words flowed as though German was his native tongue.
“Any further questions, Mr. Evans?”
“It may be a lengthy meeting. I will arrive before the foreigners, and I will probably take a walk during the meeting. Please stay at the door until I have returned the item to the vault, and the visitors have left the premises.”
With two gulps, Yossi downed his double espresso, and then surveyed the room and the exit door.
“If you leave the bank, it is your choice, but you will have no protection.”
“I will take that into consideration.”
“Good day, Mr. Evans.”
Michael sat there, dumbfounded. Their conversation had lasted less than four minutes. He felt as if he were speaking to a robot; in point of fact, in the name of courtesy, a robot would have some superfluous dialogue programmed into its vocabulary. By the time Michael regained his composure; the man had left a small gratuity, replaced his chair, and departed without a word.
“Thank you for coming,” Michael muttered to Yossi’s vacant chair. Despite the brief encounter, Michael knew this was the right guy for the upcoming task.
He glanced out to the street; like quicksilver, Yossi had blended into the crowd and disappeared. He had noticed Yossi wore a Rolex watch; times were not tough for this ex-Mossad.
CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE
Michael finished his coffee and arrived at Sven’s office soon afterwards.
“Good morning, Michael. Here are the papers for the property purchase. I have named the LLC The Aislinn Corporation. The translation is ‘vision’ in Gaelic. There have been no other interested buyers to date. Her superior called me back, and you are in a binding contract as of today. We have a ninety-day window in which to come up with the remainder of the money.”
“Great, that’s a load off my mind.”
Sven continued, “This property was owned by a woman who died a while ago, it was seized due to back taxes.”
“I know.”
Sven appeared puzzled by Michael’s demeanor. “This transaction is vital, is it not?”
“It could be.”
“If the property closure date is before our settlement with Trinity, my firm will cover the final payment. I told Mrs. O’Reilly I am your attorney and I will handle the purchase.”
“Sven, regarding the letters—if we must, let them see the sister’s letter and tell them the map is not available out of consideration for privacy. We will not mention the letter from Sister Abbey’s parents. If they insist on more clarification, we will deal with it at that time.”
“My guess is that Trinity will not push for added proof once they are assured the cover is authentic. This cover has been missing for so long; theft would be hard to pin down in a court of law. How was your meeting with Yossi?
“I am impressed with his brevity and intense focus on the task at hand.”
Sven chuckled, “He does lack the art for small talk.”
“I will wait either at the bank or go across the street. If you have any questions that cannot wait, call me.”
“Fine.”
Michael continued, “There will be no discussion about money at that time; just the viewing with their appraiser. No photos will be taken while the cover is in our possession.”
“They will be told that we will hold back on offering the cover to other interested parties for a period of time. I will diplomatically inform them if they discuss this matter with anyone, it will be put up for auction the following day. My final question will address how much time they will need to make a decision. I hope to get a concrete date.” Sven leaned back in his chair, his hands behind his neck. “Well then, Michael, we are getting close to a final chapter in this saga.”
“By the way, Sven, could we return to the bank? It’s time to show you the letters. I think it will solidify your commitment to our proposal.”
They strolled back to the bank, and Michael produced the map and letters. Michael watched Sven as he sat in silence, reading the letters. “Although I did not require more assurance, I appreciate your sharing these with me. They are conclusive.” He folded the letters up in a slow, deliberate fashion. “I think that will do it for today. I will see you tomorrow as planned.”
Michael felt drained and somewhat apprehensive. He walked to a children’s park, sat for a while, and headed for his hotel. He remained reclusive for the rest of the day.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
Michael woke up with a jolt. He checked the time—this was the day that could change his life. He chose to walk until it was time for the meeting.
At last, it was time to enter the bank. He saw Yossi out of the corner of his eye, standing and reading a newspaper. This time, he was dressed head to toe in black, preferring to look the part of a private guard; dark sunglasses obliterated his ever-shifting eyes. There was an aura of tension. He felt bereft of self-assurance; his brain was paralyzed with anticipation. After all, this could be the heist of all time—a thriller, filled with deception. Michael had lost touch with reality. He removed the cover from the vault and placed it in Sven’s hands. His mouth felt like he had swallowed a cotton ball. He had to get out of there!
There was a grassy area across the street, offering a few benches. Michael’s feet felt as if they were slogging through cement. He decided to sit. He had an unobstructed view of the bank entrance. He saw the Irish group arrive in a limousine. He was sure these were the men from Trinity. For some reason, he felt better after seeing a glimpse of them. He donned his sunglasses and picked up the remnants of an abandoned newspaper to conceal his face. He had no idea how he would react until this moment, and he was disappointed with his frailty. Time crawled by, and his eyes never left the bank entrance. He vowed to himself this was the last time he would let the cover out of his sight. His apprehension was as elevated as when he dug the damn thing up!
Just as his mind began to wander, he was jolted back into reality when the revolving bank door moved, and the four men left the building. They stood outside for a few moments; one man used his cell for a short call. A town car rolled up and whisked them away.
Michael leapt to his feet and walked across the street. He regained his composure as he entered the bank. Sven was nowhere to be seen; Yossi was still by the door. As he came closer, Yossi nodded and stepped aside.
“Sven is inside, Mr. Evans.”
Michael entered the room with his eyes glued on Sven. “Well, how did it go?”
“Let us get this treasure back in the safe, and we will take a walk.”
The cover was replaced, and they walked out to the street.
“Well?”
“They said precious little, Michael. The appraiser was thorough. He did read the letters of appraisal from our sources. They poured over the cover with a magnifying glass. They used dental tools as our fellows did. There was one spokesperson; it was the gentleman from Trinity’s fund raising group. It was very hard to read them. They certainly took their time. They wanted to know exactly how long they had to respond before the offer was open to other interested parties. I gave them three weeks to consider our offer. They did express gratitude for having the head start.”
Michael muttered, “Little
do they know.”
“I expect them to get back to us before the deadline. They did say a curious thing. They wanted to know if we would be fully committed if we accepted their bid. I told them if the price was agreeable, accompanied by a reasonable deposit, we would be committed. I implied we would respond to their offer within twenty-four hours. I also indicated the greater the offer, the more likely the deal would be consummated immediately.”
Michael was pensive. “I need some time to collect my thoughts. Thank Yossi for me. I’ll see you later, Sven. Thanks again.” He walked away; his brain was foggy—too much excitement.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE
Michael called Sara with the latest information. He let her know he would call her the minute he received news from Ireland.
“When I get back, we’ll paint the town.”
“I’ll look forward to it, Michael; do take care.”
“We’ll talk soon, Sara.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX
Michael needed to get away for a while. He called Sven to let him know his plans. “Good morning, Sven. I have decided to visit Prague and Krakow; perhaps Vienna, if time permits.”
“Excellent choices; their history goes back thousands of years.”
Michael boarded the train to Krakow; the city was touted as a tourist Mecca, dating back to 1038—the era in which the cover was stolen.
He settled into a modest hotel and planned his visit. He was reluctant, but felt that he really couldn’t leave before visiting Auschwitz; he scheduled the tour for the next day.
Auschwitz was bone-numbing. The symbols of the horror were so unbearable; he distanced himself from the guide’s descriptive narrative. The enormity of what had taken place wrenched his soul.
As Krakow was such a beautiful city, he didn’t want to leave on such a dismal note. He checked out the exhibits and galleries and left the following morning for Prague. There appeared to be plenty of attractions to keep him occupied; it was considered the Paris of Eastern Europe. He attended a violin concert that evening in the renowned St. Vitus Church.
Day two began with a call from Sven. “Hey, Sven!”
“I have news. Our proposal was accepted with no caveats.”
Michael was dumbstruck. After a protracted silence, he found his voice. “You mean it’s done—we’re done?”
“We are in the home stretch.”
“Unbelievable!”
“Due to your unique situation, this is most excellent. I would suggest you return tomorrow. Take the train back in the morning; we will have significant paperwork at this juncture.”
“This is going to take a minute to sink in, Sven. I can’t find the words to express my feelings.”
“Understandable. Please call when you arrive at your hotel.”
*******
Michael called New York. “Sara? Are you alone?”
“Yes…”
“Things are happening; I’m heading back to Zurich. There is no debate on any part of the proposal.”
“This is beyond belief; I anticipated some sort of hang-up.”
“You speak for both of us. I’ll call you as soon as I have more details.”
“This is such wonderful news, Michael! Goodbye for now.”
As he ended the call, a tear rolled down his cheek. Brushing it aside, he wondered what had moved him at this point. Was it the deal being accepted? The relief of the final placement being in Ireland? Or, was it the pure essence of Sara and her unending enthusiasm and support? It was probably a combination of all three.
The trip back to Zurich was a blur. He was filled with fantasies of what he would do with such a huge sum of money. He wanted to buy a little apartment—Mrs. D’s place would be perfect.
Nothing needed to be decided immediately, perhaps not for quite a while. He certainly needed time to sort out the different scenarios that would confront him in the next year. He arrived in Zurich, headed to his hotel, and placed a call.
“Sven, I’m back. Everything still on track?”
“We are poised and on track. Lunch tomorrow?”
“Same place; one p.m.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN
Michael made his way to the café a few minutes early. It was a quiet setting; as the two men enjoyed an appetizer, Sven produced the papers from his briefcase.
Michael read the document: one hundred million! There were no amendments requested. He was stunned; his eyes froze on Sven’s face. “My God, Sven, I thought it would be seventy million!”
“You never know, Michael.”
Michael slowly shook his head; several moments went by in silence. “This is incomprehensible to me.”
“My guess is that Trinity was afraid of losing out.”
“No wonder you didn’t give me the details over the phone.”
“To tell you the truth, I wanted to observe your reaction firsthand.”
Michael chuckled, “I don’t blame you—this is incredible! Absolutely incredible! If you knew my recent situation, you would be stunned.”
“Actually, Michael, through this whole thing, I have been amazed at how down-to-earth you have been. I must say, the fact that your first concern is setting up a charitable organization is commendable.”
“When all is said and done, I may feel like sharing some of the particular details of my life with you. We’ve gone through much of this process together. By the way, where are we with the Irish cottage?”
“The property is yours. I have the final paperwork for you to sign.”
Michael looked over the paperwork. “I see it is owned by my Aislinn Foundation. I’m happy about this purchase. This is perfect—I hope that no one can follow the trail to me.”
“We can go back to my office after lunch and go over all the papers and Trinity’s offer. I wanted you to see their signatures.”
“This is the perfect place to raise our glass.”
The duo toasted to the occasion with a split of champagne. Michael saw another side to Sven during lunch. The hard, stern lines had left his face, and his eyes lit up with enthusiasm.
*******
They headed back to Sven’s office on foot. Michael felt the need to understand every line of the various contracts and papers. The entire meeting was recorded; he wanted Sara to hear the recording of the meeting, not his interpretation.
The adventure had started out so unhurried; now it seemed as if things were going a mile a minute. Mistakes could be costly.
When he returned to the States, he would need to meet the Los Angeles firm in person.
Sven interrupted Michael’s thoughts. “You appear pensive, Michael.”
“Just mulling the whole thing over in my mind. At what point do we hand over the cover?”
“The exchange will take place at the bank. Trinity will arrange for their security detail to be present.”
“Do we have a date of transfer?”
“One week from today.”
“How can that be?”
Sven replied, “Perhaps the government is covering the funds. I think they are anxious to get this deal completed and have the cover back on Irish soil.”
“I’ll be ecstatic to have it out of my hands.”
Sven ruminated in a low voice, “I wonder what price it would have brought on the open market.”
“I don’t even want to think about it. The correct decision was made.”
“After reading the letters, I realize what an exceptional tale this is.”
“That it is—it borders on unbelievable. By the way, did Trinity give us a deposit?”
“Yes, they wired three million; it has been deposited into the foundation’s account. The papers you sign today have you named as the official CFO and CEO.”
“We will give Sara DiNapoli power of attorney in the event you are unable to continue for any reason. A backup is paramount.”
“I also want to buy an apartment in New York. Is it possible to make the same financial arrangement?”
Sven ga
ve Michael a knowing nod. “Consider it done, my friend!”
Michael continued, “I know of a little apartment in Brooklyn that’s for sale. I would like to purchase it for my home and New York office. I have an emotional attachment to the place; a dear friend lived there.”
“I believe we are able to buy it through the foundation and deed it to you. If not, we can grant you use for you and any marital partner for a lifetime.”
Michael gave Sven a thumbnail description of the property in Ireland.
“I am assuming this is the property that housed the cover for many years?”
“Yes, it is. Who is able to view the papers and contracts we’re setting up?”
“This is a privately held company; therefore, no outsiders—as long as the taxes are paid. We will do everything we can to keep your name anonymous. Also, the only address on these records will be our office address. Your New York address will not be in the picture.”
The two men agreed to meet in a few days before the exchange of the cover in order to resolve any lingering questions.
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
Michael took advantage of the next few days to visit Edinburgh.
He returned to Zurich the day before the final meeting to prepare himself for the exchange. He dined at a familiar restaurant; he would enjoy spending some time in Zurich each year. It was a beautiful city. His thoughts returned to Sara. He hoped she could cope with travelling. He had no idea how incapacitated she was for personal matters. There was no problem when they went to Manhattan. She seemed quite enthusiastic when he suggested a trip; it would mean a lot to re-live his journey with her.
The day the Trinity representatives arrived, he initiated his technique of distancing himself from the situation. He would observe his motions from outside his body. He was not sure he could describe this tactic, but it worked for him. He had perfected the technique when his former life fell apart. He supposed military men did the same thing.