*Hectic couple of days-posting two chapters to make up for it. The usual disclaimers apply. Special thanks to Ermintrude for being such a fantastic beta, and for all of her time and patience with this. Enjoy ?

New FF: A Dangerous Vintage-Part Seven

Wednesday, October 10, 2013

"I hope you don't mind my telling Ellison that you were visiting relatives." Auggie unlocked the door to his flat. "It was the only thing that came into my head right then."

"It's fine," Lee said. Though personally the idea of anyone thinking he was related to Auggie Swann didn't exactly thrill him. "Just show us the coins, all right?"

"Right. I've been keeping it in here in the closet for a few days now." Auggie's hands shook slightly as he moved the books that he'd been using to barricade the door. He pulled out the box. "I haven't even looked at it—I guess I was hoping that if I didn't see it I wouldn't keep thinking about it. Hasn't really worked out too well."

No, it hadn't been working out, Amanda realized. Now that she really looked at Auggie she could see the faint hollows under his eyes—signs that he hadn't been sleeping too well. "And this all was packed just like a normal wine would be?"

"Just like normal," Auggie said. "I didn't know anything was wrong until I unpacked them."

"They were probably about the same weight—25 coins, 25 fluid ounces." Lee knelt down beside the box, noting the red 'x' on the side. Just like Auggie had said there would be, though he still wasn't completely convinced that this was accidental. He opened the box, seeing the bottles and the coins—he picked up one of the coins, turning it over in his hands. It looked genuine, as far as he could tell. He looked at one of the bottles. "The bottom was tampered with?"

"Yeah, it came apart when I ran it under some hot water," Auggie replied.

"Some kind of special glue that dissolves with heat." Amanda knelt down beside her husband, examining the coins. "And since wine is usually kept pretty cool, there would be less chance of accidental discovery."

"Do you know who the deliveryman was?"Lee asked.

"No. I've been trying but I can't remember his name."

"Think hard," Amanda urged. "Isn't there anything else you can tell us?"

Auggie shook his head. "I wish there was, but that's really all I know. "

"Auggie, if you're lying or keeping anything from us—" Lee said.

"I'm not, I swear I'm not." Auggie replied. "Isn't there anything you can do anything to help me?"

Amanda stood, brushing off her slacks. "Well the first thing we need to do is take this gold out of here—someplace where we can keep it safe."

"Where is that?" Auggie asked.

"We have a contact who works as a liaison with Interpol," Amanda told him. "She may be able to help us out on this one. We're going to arrange to have the gold turned over to them."

"Interpol?" Auggie 's face was even paler than before. "Now wait a minute. No one said anything about Interpol being involved—I never agreed to that."

"It's either that or take your chances with the smugglers alone," Lee said. "Is that really what you want to do?"

"No, of course not," Auggie said. "But Interpol—look, there's gotta some other way we can handle this, right?"

Amanda shook her head. "There isn't any other way."

"But if they find out about the relabeling—"

"The relabeling is small potatoes compared to the smuggling," Lee added. "Face it, Auggie. You're going to have to play this thing our way. That means no questions and no games. Is it a deal?"

A long silence—finally Auggie nodded resignedly. "Yeah—yeah, it's a deal." He let out a sigh. "Guess I don't really have much of a choice at this point."

"No you don't." Lee replied. "And the sooner we can get this out of the way, the better. Let's get this stuff together and get it out to the car."

SMK SMK SMK SMK

Financial Action Task Force Headquarters

Esslingen, Germany

3:00 PM

"It's good to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Stetson—and of course Mr. Swann." Agent Dawn MacInnes shook each of their hands in turn. She was a tall, slender woman, with shoulder-length red hair and startlingly blue eyes. "I'd also like to introduce Inspector Acker from the Bundeskriminalamt—the BKA—which acts as the Interpol National Central Bureau for Germany."

"Good to meet you all." The inspector smiled thinly. He was short and stocky, with thinning grey hair and a bushy mustache.

"Please, take a seat." Agent MacInnes indicated the chairs in front of her. "May I get you anyone some tea? Coffee?"

"No thank you, not now," Amanda told her.

The woman nodded. "On to business, then. I've already spoken to your Section Chief, Ms. Desmond—she informed me that you have evidence of possible smuggling and money laundering?"

Lee nodded. "That's right. We have reason to believe that a company called Rhinehassen Wholesalers is smuggling gold bullion inside certain shipments, one of which was sent to Mr. Swann by mistake."

"And you have this shipment with you?" Inspector Acker asked.

"Yes we do," Amanda said. "Three hundred Gold Pandas stored inside twelve wine bottles. Our guess is that it's part of a much larger shipment."

"Was there any sort of label on this box when you received it, Mr. Swann?" Agent MacInnes asked. "Anything at all to indicate the sender or the recipient?"

Auggie shook his head. "No, just the 'x' marked on the side."

"According to you, you received this box last Friday." Inspector Acker looked at Auggie sternly. "Yet you're only coming forward with it now?"

"Well I did contact the Agency, about two days ago," Auggie explained. "The truth of the matter is that I was frightened—I was worried that I might be in danger and I wasn't sure who I could go to."

"Yes, that is understandable," the inspector agreed. "However—"

"Inspector Acker, Auggie contacted us because he's worked with us in the past," Amanda interjected. "He's provided us with valuable information in several key cases. And yes, I agree that he should've contacted you sooner, but he's coming forward now—that should make a difference."

"That does make a difference." Agent MacInnes agreed. "Unfortunately, Germany has become a favorite for money laundering and terrorist financing, mostly due to our large economy and strong ties with the rest of the world."

"I thought the Banking Act and the Money Laundering Directive were supposed to put an end to that," Lee said. "And weren't those acts strengthened in 2008?"

"Yes, they were," Agent MacInnes said. "And financial institutions are required to report all suspicious transactions. The FATF has recommended that they be amended further, but so far the lawmakers have refused to do so."

"Even with these acts in place, things like gold bullion are almost impossible to trace," the inspector replied. "That's why it is important to put a stop to the activities of Mr. Schadel and his associates. So if Herr Swann is willing to cooperate with us, we're also willing to work with him."

"What about the shipment that was sent to me?" Auggie asked. "Isn't that enough evidence to bring him in?"

Agent MacInnes sighed. "Unfortunately not. Proof of smuggling is not proof of Schadel's direct involvement—and as you've already told us, the box had no other markings or labels. Mr. Swann, is there anything else you can tell us about Schadel or his business?"

"I can't think—no wait, there is something," Auggie replied. "Their winery—they told me that they've been in business for about seven years before they started supplying, but whenever I mention Rhinehassen no one seems to have heard of it. Sorry, I don't know whether that's important."

"That is odd, but it's possible that they simply changed the name. However we will look into that." The inspector leaned forward slightly. "Do you have any other evidence that might tie Schadel to these activities?"

Auggie shook his head. "No, nothing at all."

"Does he know that you were the one who received the shipment?"

"We believe that he does," Amanda said. "In fact, a group of men sent by Schadel came to the restaurant, looking for Auggie."

"Did they mention the shipment?" The inspector asked Auggie.

Any mention—Auggie tried to think back. "No," he said finally. "Just that Mr. Schadel wanted to discuss something with me and that it was important."

Agent MacInnes sighed. "I was afraid of that. Mr. Schadel has appeared on our radar twice before in connection with smuggling and money laundering, but each time we found ourselves without sufficient evidence to bring charges."

"What happened?" Amanda wanted to know.

"It's always the same," the inspector said. "A disappearing witness, lack of evidence, and Schadel is careful never to dirty his own hands. I believe that your organization ran into the same problems?"

"We did, yeah." Lee said. "Two witnesses disappeared right before the trial and there wasn't enough evidence to carry the case forward."

"What we need is evidence that will directly tie Schadel in with the gold smuggling and money laundering," Agent MacInnes told them. "For that we need proof of where the money is coming from, where the gold is being purchased and who is receiving the shipment. To that end my department and Interpol are willing to do whatever we can to help you."

"We will need access to your previous case files on Schadel," Lee replied. "That might help us in pinpointing any associates along with any possible recipients."

The inspector gave another nod. "We can provide those, yes. There is also the matter of protection for Herr Swann. Does Schadel know where you live?"

Auggie shook his head. "I don't think he does."

"He may easily find out. In any case, I don't believe that you should go back home. Perhaps a safe house should be arranged?"

"Actually, I think it might be best if Mr. Swann stays at our hotel," Amanda said. "Especially since we're supposed to be visiting relatives from out of town. It will also give him an excuse to take time off work to show us around."

"Good idea," Agent MacInnes said. "It's important that Schadel doesn't suspect that Herr Swann is working with us—the last thing we want to do at this point is spook him."

"I can also arrange for men to keep the hotel and restaurant under surveillance." The inspector added. "Hopefully this time we'll be able to close this operation down and finally bring Schadel to justice."

SMK SMK SMK SMK

"He has not yet returned to the restaurant?" Schadel asked.

"Not yet." The man's voice was slightly muffled over the phone. "He has not been back since this morning. We were able to find out where he lives, however. A boarding house over on Berliner, about fifteen minutes from the restaurant. "

"Has he been back there?"

"Not since this afternoon, according to his landlady. I have people watching."

"Good idea," Schadel replied. "And what about this Lee and Amanda? Any news?"

"All I was found out was that their last name was Stetson."

Stetson. Schadel's grip tightened on the receiver—there was definitely something very familiar about the name, though at the moment he couldn't recall what it was. "You're sure that was the name?"

"That's what I was given—I spoke with someone in the kitchen staff. Why—is something wrong?"

"No—nothing that can't be dealt with," Schadel told him. "Is there a chance that you can get in there and have a look around?"

"Not with the landlady there," the man replied. "But we are continuing to keep watch. We'll move in when we get a chance."

"You do that. Remember, the quicker we can recover the shipment, the better."

"What would you like us to do if Herr Swann turns up?"

"Take him alone if you can. The most important thing is to retrieve the shipment and get it to the buyer—at this point we don't need complications or witnesses."

"Understood, Herr Schadel."

"I'm glad to hear it." In the meantime he would check out those names, Schadel thought—figure out why they sparked something on the edges of his memory. "Let me know when you have more news—Auf Wiedersehen."

SMK SMK SMK SMK

Hotel Miramar Golden Mile

9:00 PM

"It's good that we were able to get Auggie a room with an adjoining door." Amanda sat in the hotel bed, glasses on, the laptop resting on her knees, looking over the files from Interpol. "That'll make it easier to keep an eye on him."

"As long as he realizes that door is only for emergencies." Lee came out of the bathroom wearing a blue robe, his hair still slightly damp from the shower. "The idea of sharing a hotel with Auggie doesn't exactly thrill me."

"I think the inspector was right, though—he does need protection."

"Yeah, I guess he does." Lee sat on the bed beside his wife. "I don't know, Amanda—maybe it's because I've known him too long, but I just can't shake the feeling that he's playing us somehow."

"So far he's been pretty straightforward with us," Amanda said.

"Amanda, Auggie and straightforward do not go together."

"Well they might this time. He's given us lots of useful information— plus, not to mention the fact that he's agreed to cooperate with Interpol."

"Only because he's scared stiff."

"Maybe," Amanda agreed. "But maybe this time he deserves the benefit of a doubt."

Lee gave a faint snort. "I'll believe that when I see it. Do you have anything so far?"

Amanda shook her head. "Not a lot yet. The past cases are interesting, though. In 2007 he was suspected of trying to smuggle drugs in through Salzberg airport—they were hidden in containers of coffee."

"Sounds a lot like the Agency's case," Lee replied. "What happened?"

"The person who picked up the shipment at the airport," Amanda said. "According to this, he was arrested and offered immunity in return for testifying against Schadel."

"Only they never made it to trial."

"Exactly." Amanda took off her glasses, rubbing her eyes briefly before putting them back on again. "The witness disappeared and has never been found—that case is still open. But with nothing to link Schadel to the coffee or the disappearance, there was nothing they could hold him on."

"What about the second time?"

"That's a little more unusual," Amanda said. "Apparently Schadel was one of five people arrested in Estoccia for attempted money laundering. About three years ago."

"Oh yeah, I remember hearing about that. Didn't they approach the bank about making some kind of a foreign exchange transaction?"

Amanda nodded. "Exactly—according to this they contacted the Royal Estoccian Bank about exchanging five-hundred million in US Currency. The bank was suspicious, they contacted the Financial Crimes Unit and all five were arrested and interrogated—their belongings and rooms were searched."

"No evidence was found?"

"Nothing—they had to release them all."

Lee ran his hand back through his hair. "Kind of makes you wonder where all that money went, huh?"

"That's what I was thinking too," Amanda said. "I was also looking into the background of Rhinehassen Wholesale and Rhinehassen Winery."

"And?"

"And they've only existed under that name since 2011. Originally it was just one part of much larger vineyard, owned by the Stefen Kampf estate and inherited by one Lukas Wissinger—Kampf's nephew."

"Well that explains how he fits in," Lee said. "Sounds like Schadel must be a silent partner of sorts."

"That's my guess too," Amanda agreed. "According to news stories, Wissinger was quite bitter about inheriting so little—even talked about contesting the will at one point. Schadel must have made him quite an offer."

"Yeah, though I'd be willing to bet that his name doesn't appear on any ownership documents—like the inspector said, the man doesn't want to get his hands dirty." Lee let out a sigh. "None of this gets us any closer to figuring out where the bullion is coming from."

"Let's say he uses electronic transfers of cash to purchase the bullion—maybe from somewhere like Switzerland?"

"That's a good guess," Lee said, "though we'd need direct proof. Our best bet right now is to figure out who the recipient is and work from there. The only question is how—if we could get our hands on a delivery schedule this would be a piece of cake, and I don't see how we can do that."

"Maybe we don't need to," Amanda replied. "Not when we have Auggie."

"What do you mean?"

"Well all the evidence so far points to this being a local delivery," Amanda said. "The box had no address labels—no stamps or stickers—chances are that the delivery is being made to a place here in Frankfurt or somewhere nearby."

"That's probably right," Lee admitted. "What we're looking for is a place that's pretty much like the winery—basically operating as a front."

"So probably a business that's doing the bare minimum, and not much else," Amanda said. Lee nodded. "You know, I bet that Auggie knows a more than a few places that are supplied by Rhinehassen."

"And those places know even more," Lee added. "It's a good starting point, but it'll mean a lot of legwork."

"Well hopefully with a little research we'll be able narrow our prospects down. Does that sound like a plan?"

"Sounds like an excellent plan to me, Mrs. Stetson." Lee smiled as he took his wife's hand. "We'll start first thing in the morning." And hopefully they could wrap this up quickly and easily, he thought to himself—though part of him doubted that.

When it came to August Reilly Swann, nothing was ever simple.

TBC