Blowback

With both Harvath and Horst to watch out for her, Claudia wasn’t worried at all, at least not for her own safety. What she was worried about was whether or not the plan was possible to pull off. Harvath had been right to invoke the memory of Otto Skorzeny, because in every one of his greatest missions his superiors had seriously doubted the man had even the slightest chance for success.

Claudia studied her watch, and after the final few minutes had ticked away, she emerged from between two buildings at the far end of the square and headed straight toward the funicular. She took her time, strolling casually, letting the four policemen who were leaning against their squad cars get a good long look at her as she approached.

Harvath watched from beneath the overhang of a nearby building and couldn’t help but notice how the men had stopping talking among themselves and how their eyes were glued to Claudia. She really was incredible. Not only was she extremely gorgeous, she was smart and could hold her own without help from anybody else. Harvath was about to berate himself again for having lost her when he saw her flip her hair over her shoulder, turn on her megawattage smile, and cover the last several yards to where the police were standing. It was show time.

Though Jillian easily could have delivered the bracelet, Claudia understood why Harvath had wanted her to do it. Alcott wasn’t an operator, and though according to Harvath’s account of their time together she had more than proven herself, they needed to be as cautious as possible baiting their trap. Rayburn was already going to be extremely apprehensive, but if he smelled anything, especially Harvath coming, he’d bolt and they’d lose their chance.

Claudia kept the smile coming as she approached the officers at the base of the funicular. After she flirted with them for several moments, Harvath watched her finger the bracelet and then remove from her purse the note he had dictated in the car. She then slid the bracelet off, placed it in a small bag along with the note, and handed it to one of the policemen. After a little more flirting, she turned, walked back across the square, and disappeared.

Fifteen minutes later, they all met back at the car and headed back to Sion.

“How did it go?” asked Jillian.

“Perfectly,” replied Claudia. “They reacted just the way Scot said they would.”

Harvath adjusted the rearview mirror so he could see her better as he drove. “Tell me everything that happened.”

“When they saw me coming, I think they thought I was a tourist interested in the Aga Khan. I had the feeling they get that a lot. But when I mentioned Tim Rayburn, everything changed.”

“How so?”

“They knew exactly who I was talking about. That was for sure. But when I asked them if they could give something to him, they told me they weren’t allowed to receive packages for the Aga Khan or anyone on his staff. That’s when I pulled the note and the paper sack from my purse. One of the policemen made a joke about why a nice girl like me would want anything to do with a man like Tim Rayburn. That was the man I focused in on.

“Knowing that the Aga Khan spends a lot of time in Geneva, I told him that I had met Rayburn there and that he had told me if I was ever in Le Râleur, that I should look him up. I slid off the bracelet, dropped it in the bag, and told the officer that if my note didn’t jog his memory the bracelet surely would.”

“And were they convinced?”

“They seemed to be, “Claudia replied. “I wouldn’t be surprised if the minute I left, they were ringing him up at Aiglemont.”

“She’s good, eh, Horst?” said Harvath.

Schroeder didn’t seem very happy with his fiancée playing the role of the sexy single woman back for a little more action with Tim Rayburn, even if it was for the good of the mission. In response, the commando simply nodded his head and looked out the window into the night sky.

“So we’ve got about three hours until the rendezvous,” continued Harvath, “but I can guarantee you that Rayburn and some of his men will arrive early to try and position themselves with the advantage.”

“In the note you told him to come alone,” said Claudia. “How can you be so sure he’ll bring reinforcements?”

“Because it’s exactly what I would do.”

SIXTY-EIGHT

Though it cost Harvath several hundred dollars to convince the manager of Sion’s hottest nightspot, the Baroque Café at 24 avenue de France, to go along with his request, it was money well spent. The only thing the manager was going to remember from this night was an American with the largest bankroll he had ever seen in his life. The careers of Claudia, Horst Schroeder, and his commandos would remain totally unaffected. At a few hundred bucks, Harvath figured he was getting off cheap. Though the club claimed to have been created in the grand tradition of hot French brasseries such as la Coupole, les Grandes Capucines, le Chien Qui Fume, le Train Bleu, and Chez Flo, its manager had a lot to learn about holding out for more money.