Chapter 2
Captain Roy Montgomery stood at the window of the arrival lounge at the airport staring across the tarmac to the distant runway. He glanced at his watch and frowned. He had been waiting for an hour and a half for the plane with the VIP to arrive. There could have been a number of things he could have been doing rather than cooling his heels waiting for a plane to land. He hated having to come and greet VIPs at the best of times, usually finding it a waste of time. Yet his high position required his presence at these occasions and orders were orders so there was nothing he could do except wait for that damnable plane to show up.
Standing behind him was a small group of dignitaries who were here to greet the plane and in particular the VIP it was carrying. A man dressed in a grey three piece suit broke away from the group and approached Captain Montgomery. Captain Montgomery glanced at the man offering him an amused grin.
"It doesn't say much for the much vaunted German efficiency, does it Herr Heinze?" Captain Montgomery said with some amusement in his tone.
Helmut Heinze the German consul visibly winced at the barbed remark. He recovered quickly and forced a smile to his face.
"I'm sure it wont be long." Heinze assured him.
"We shall see."
Captain Montgomery nodded his head. The Consul was aged in his mid to late forties with light brown hair and of average height. He was only a recent arrival to Casablanca as his complexion had not taken on the burnish that the African sun could provide. A man who preferred the indoors than the outdoors. Montgomery had figured him for a long serving bureaucrat in the German Foreign Ministry who had been rewarded for his service and loyalty with this posting to exotic Casablanca.
Captain Montgomery had dined with Heinz on a handful of occasions but he found the man conservative, almost prudish. As for conversation the man had almost bored the Prefect to death with the endless crowing of how Germany would win the war and install a new world order based on Aryan principles. How Adolf Hitler was the greatest leader that the Fatherland had ever produced. Being bored to death was not Montgomery's idea of a pleasant dining experience. Montgomery now kept the social interaction with the German consul to a minimum as much as possible.
Sergeant Esposito strode over to where the Captain was standing and saluted. Captain Montgomery turned his attention to his aide. Sergeant Esposito held out a folded piece of paper. Captain Montgomery took the paper and unfolded it. He read it quickly.
"Would you excuse me, Herr Hienze?" Captain Montgomery said to the consul. "Police business."
"Yes of course, Captain."
Heinze watched as the captain and his aide moved to a spot in the lounge away from everyone. They huddled close together as they talked. It was not a long conversation. The captain spoke quickly and the sergeant nodded his head and straightened up. Heinze turned his attention back to the window and scanned the sky as Captain Montgomery returned pocketing the note that Sergeant Esposito had given him.
"I think I see the plane." Heinze announced excitedly. He pointed to the sky.
Captain Montgomery looked in the direction of where the consul was pointing and saw the outline of the approaching plane as it turned for its final approach to the runway. He saw the plane sweeping over Casablanca as it descended. He turned from the window and motioned to the officer in charge of the native soldiers who were to form the guard of honour. The officer saluted and then issued orders. The soldiers came to life and all but ran for the door that led onto the airport tarmac.
The Captain was impressed at how quickly the soldiers quickly lined up in two rows fifty feet from the terminal. This squad was specially drilled for guard of honour duties. Several dignitaries also headed outside but Captain Montgomery remained where he was standing. He did not see the need to stand around in the hot African sun any longer than was necessary.
Captain Montgomery watched as the Fokker Trimotor plane touched down on the runway sending up a cloud of burnt rubber. It ran down the length of the runway before it began to slow down. He turned to the consul who had remained standing beside him. He smiled at Heinz.
"Better late than never, eh?" he said with a grin. "Shall we, Herr Heinz?"
The German consul nodded his head. The two men made their way outside into the heat.
The plane taxied towards the apron its three engines roaring. One member of the ground crew pointed to where the pilot should come to a stop. As soon as the plane rolled to a stop the engines were cut allowing for relative silence to return. Another member of the ground crew rolled a small stairway up to the rear door of the aircraft. The door of the aircraft opened.
Captain Montgomery watched as the first passenger emerged from the aircraft and step down. He was a tall middle aged man with straw coloured hair, with a stern looking face that did not seem to smile all that often. He held himself with an air of superiority and confidence as he surveyed his surroundings. He was dressed in a crisp grey uniform of the Wermacht. Over the left pocket was a single row of ribbons and around his neck he wore the Iron Cross medal. So this was Major Christian Dahl, Montgomery thought to himself. Not a man to be trifled with, he added as an after thought.
The Gerrman consul walked over to the approaching Major Dahl. He raised his right arm up and out in salute.
"Heil Hitler."
Major Dahl returned the salute before he shook the consul's hand.
"It is very good to see you, Major Dahl." Heinz said effusively.
"Thank you."
The major's ice blue eyes moved to settle upon Captain Montgomery.
"Major Dahl, may I present Captain Montgomery, Police Prefect of Casablanca." Heinz said.
Captain Montgomery snapped a smart salute. Major Dahl regarded the police prefect a moment before he returned the salute.
"Unoccupied France welcomes you to Casablanca, Major Dahl." Captain Montgomery said with a smile.
"Thank you, Captain." Major Dahl replied. "It's very good to be here."
Captain Montgomery half turned and motioned to his aide. "Major Dahl, my aide, Sergeant Esposito."
Sergeant Esposito saluted which the major acknowledged. At that moment an officer dressed in a sand coloured uniform festooned with numerous medals and ribbons stepped right up to Major Dahl and saluted.
"Captain Salvatore Tennor, the Italian service, at your command." Captain Tenor announced.
Major Dahl looked at the Italian officer with a disdainful look on his face.
"That is kind of you." Major Dahl said coldly, almost dismissively.
It was obvious to everyone that the major did not hold his Italian comrade in arms in very high regard. The reputation of the Italian Army had taken a hammering in the deserts of North Africa and in the Balkans requiring the assistance of their German allies to save them from total defeat.
Captain Tenor was about to say something more to the major but Major Dahl ignored him by turning his attention to the consul who had stepped up to him.
"Your quarters at the consulate are all ready for your arrival, and if you should need anything you only have to ask, Major Dahl."
"Thank you, Herr Heinz."
Major Dahl moved up to Captain Montgomery. By silent agreement the two men started walking toward the terminal. The others quickly formed up behind the police prefect and the major.
"You may find the climate of Casablanca a trifle warm, Major." Captain Montgomery remarked.
"Oh we Germans must get used to climates," Major Dahl replied smugly. "From Russia to the Sahara. But perhaps you were not referring to the weather?"
Captain Montgomery did not miss the full implications of the major's remarks. He chose not to bite, instead he smiled at the other man.
"What else, Major?" He said.
Major Dahl stopped walking and looked over to Captain Montgomery.
"By the way, the murder of the couriers, what has been done?"
Word had travelled fast, Captain Montgomery thought to himself. He should not have been surprised. Casablanca was full of spies and informants, some he knew of and some he did not. He smiled evenly at the major.
"Knowing the seriousness of the case, my men have rounded up twice usual number of suspects." Montgomery informed him.
Major Dahl smiled and nodded his head.
"We all ready know who the murderer is." Montgomery added.
"That is good to hear." Major Dahl said, looking pleased. "Is he in custody?"
"There is no hurry, Major." Montgomery shrugged.
The smile vanished from the Major's face. A cold hard look appeared on his face which he directed at Captain Montgomery. Montgomery almost shuddered visibly at the look he was given. He continued smiling at the other man as they resumed walking. He definitely would not like to be on the receiving of any of the major's interrogations.
"Tonight the murderer will be at Rick's."
Major Dahl shot the police prefect a questioning eyebrow.
"Everybody comes to Rick's." Montgomery explained.
A thin smile appeared on Major Dahl's face as he nodded his head in understanding.
"Yes I have heard of this café." Major Dahl said. "And also of this Rick Castle. I am very much looking forward to making his acquaintance."
The two men entered the airport terminal followed by the small retinue of dignitaries.
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