to form as he walked toward the river bridge.
If I can get this Mr. Brunstein to show me the emerald, why not just steal it then and there. If I have to kill him, so be it. Probably would be simple just to walk out of the bank and disappear before anyone would notice. Let’s not be too hasty. We need to check the layout of the bank first
.
He pulled his hat down further and turned to look in a jewelry store window as a police man walked toward him and passed without notice. Hans trudged on. As he crossed the Mont-Blanc Bridge he marveled at the towering plume of water in the lake to his right. Stopping to read the bronze plaque on the wall of the bridge he read that it was called the Jet d’ Eau and it was the highest fountain in the world, reaching almost 500 feet into the air.
At the end of the bridge he turned right and walked along a street bordering the river. Facing the river were tall granite buildings, similar in size yet each scratching its own character with different columns, arches, cantilevers and massive windows. Each bank had a quite similar brass name plaque, polished to a dazzling shine. Their windows shaded to block the sun and glare from the water, yet indicating a careful guarding of assets within. The second building indicated Han’s destination and he walked up the granite steps where a uniformed doorman pushed open the massive bronze door and ushered him inside.
He walked across the highly polished marble floor to a desk beside a sign “ Informations .” A middle aged, balding man in a dark pin-striped suit, black tie tightly knotted, took off his glasses and asked, “May I help you sir?”
“I would like to speak with Herr Brunstein please.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, I have been sent here by Christies to talk about one of their auctions.”
“If you would have a seat there, I will ring Herr Brunstein and see if he is free. Who should say is calling?”
Lifting his head slightly Hans replied with a slight accent, “Klaus Dohring.”
While the clerk picked up the telephone on his desk, Hans sat in the stiff-backed chair and took careful note of the interior of the bank and noticed that the doorman constituted the only observable guard, if you could call him that, he could see.
“Sir, Mr. Brunstein will have just a few minutes to see you now. If you would take the elevator over there to the second floor, Mr. Brunstein’s secretary will be waiting for you.”
The heavy-set man looked up from his ornate desk, put his glasses down and said, “Herr Dohring, I presume. Won’t you please to sit down? How may I help you?”
“I am a collector of fine jewels, a hobby and an investment, I might add. I have just been told by fräulein Muller, of Christies, that there is to be an auction soon of a rather well known Emerald that I have had my eye on for some time now. I was wondering if you could tell me when this emerald is to go up for auction, and if I might see this gem in person, just to make sure you understand that it is the stone I am interested in.”
“And which emerald is it you are interested in, Herr Dohring?”
“It has been known as the Wittelsbach Emerald ever since the 17 th century when Philip IV of Spain gave it to Margareta Teresa as part of her dowry when she married Leopold I of Austria. I have loved this magnificent gem ever since I first saw it and not that it may be on the auction block - - - well, I would move heaven and earth to have it in my collection.”
“I understand your desire to purchase this emerald for your collection, but Sir, we have a problem. It has been brought to my attention by the authorities that the owners of this gem have tragedy died, and so the courts must determine if there are any heirs for their estate. Until these legal matters have been decided this Wittelsbach emerald will have to remain in our custody until it is released by the courts. I hope you understand?”
Trying to reign in his anger, Hans said sharply,
If I can get this Mr. Brunstein to show me the emerald, why not just steal it then and there. If I have to kill him, so be it. Probably would be simple just to walk out of the bank and disappear before anyone would notice. Let’s not be too hasty. We need to check the layout of the bank first
.
He pulled his hat down further and turned to look in a jewelry store window as a police man walked toward him and passed without notice. Hans trudged on. As he crossed the Mont-Blanc Bridge he marveled at the towering plume of water in the lake to his right. Stopping to read the bronze plaque on the wall of the bridge he read that it was called the Jet d’ Eau and it was the highest fountain in the world, reaching almost 500 feet into the air.
At the end of the bridge he turned right and walked along a street bordering the river. Facing the river were tall granite buildings, similar in size yet each scratching its own character with different columns, arches, cantilevers and massive windows. Each bank had a quite similar brass name plaque, polished to a dazzling shine. Their windows shaded to block the sun and glare from the water, yet indicating a careful guarding of assets within. The second building indicated Han’s destination and he walked up the granite steps where a uniformed doorman pushed open the massive bronze door and ushered him inside.
He walked across the highly polished marble floor to a desk beside a sign “ Informations .” A middle aged, balding man in a dark pin-striped suit, black tie tightly knotted, took off his glasses and asked, “May I help you sir?”
“I would like to speak with Herr Brunstein please.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“No, I have been sent here by Christies to talk about one of their auctions.”
“If you would have a seat there, I will ring Herr Brunstein and see if he is free. Who should say is calling?”
Lifting his head slightly Hans replied with a slight accent, “Klaus Dohring.”
While the clerk picked up the telephone on his desk, Hans sat in the stiff-backed chair and took careful note of the interior of the bank and noticed that the doorman constituted the only observable guard, if you could call him that, he could see.
“Sir, Mr. Brunstein will have just a few minutes to see you now. If you would take the elevator over there to the second floor, Mr. Brunstein’s secretary will be waiting for you.”
The heavy-set man looked up from his ornate desk, put his glasses down and said, “Herr Dohring, I presume. Won’t you please to sit down? How may I help you?”
“I am a collector of fine jewels, a hobby and an investment, I might add. I have just been told by fräulein Muller, of Christies, that there is to be an auction soon of a rather well known Emerald that I have had my eye on for some time now. I was wondering if you could tell me when this emerald is to go up for auction, and if I might see this gem in person, just to make sure you understand that it is the stone I am interested in.”
“And which emerald is it you are interested in, Herr Dohring?”
“It has been known as the Wittelsbach Emerald ever since the 17 th century when Philip IV of Spain gave it to Margareta Teresa as part of her dowry when she married Leopold I of Austria. I have loved this magnificent gem ever since I first saw it and not that it may be on the auction block - - - well, I would move heaven and earth to have it in my collection.”
“I understand your desire to purchase this emerald for your collection, but Sir, we have a problem. It has been brought to my attention by the authorities that the owners of this gem have tragedy died, and so the courts must determine if there are any heirs for their estate. Until these legal matters have been decided this Wittelsbach emerald will have to remain in our custody until it is released by the courts. I hope you understand?”
Trying to reign in his anger, Hans said sharply,
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