The three arrived in Zurich at about eight p.m. local time and Jennifer was exhausted. Even though they had slept most of the way there the time change and the hormones were taking their toll. They checked into their rooms and the desk clerk gave them an envelope which they assumed contained information on Olbermann from the informant who had been tailing his son. Max immediately got plugged into a poker game in the back room of the hotel. Jonathan and Jennifer decided to order room service and lie low until the next morning. Jennifer took a hot shower while they waited for their food and as she was standing there toweling off she inspected her appearance. She was only about 10 weeks so there weren't really any noticeable changes. She ran her hand over her abdomen and smiled slightly I promise you, little one, I'll protect you, your daddy and I both will, she thought to herself. She changed into the same negligee she had worn the other night. When she exited the bathroom the food had arrived and Jonathan was pouring the drinks, milk for her, a beer for him. Freeway had curled up on the loveseat and was out like a light.
She took a seat at the table, "It looks wonderful. I didn't realize how hungry I was."
"Well you are eating…" He began
She held her hand up, "Please don't say it."
They looked at each other and began to laugh, "It is a terrible cliché isn't it?" Jonathan said taking a bite of the fish he ordered
"Yes and according to Susan, not entirely accurate, at least not right now." Jennifer explained and took a bite of veal, "Did you look to see what was in the envelope?"
"No, I thought we could look at it together after we eat." He suggested
Jennifer nodded, taking a drink of milk, "You know I still can't quite understand why Olbermann would risk contacting his son when he has to know he'd be the first person we'd be watching."
"Maybe he thinks no one is looking for him anymore. It's been years since your father and Bellingham tried to find him. He could be getting too comfortable." Jonathan speculated
Jennifer sighed, "Anything is possible." She reasoned, "Darling?"
"Hmmm." He replied chewing his food
"Do you really think there's a mole in the organization?"
He wiped his mouth with his napkin and looked up from his plate, "I don't know but I find it more than a little curious that we keep missing the mark. I just wonder how much we can trust this informant."
"You think he could be in cahoots with Olbermann and purposely throwing us off the trail?" She asked buttering a piece of bread
"That's the risk we take with informants and we usually don't know who it is."
They finished eating and looked at the envelope and it was mainly a dossier from the informant following Olbermann's son and some pictures of the two of them supposedly right there in Zurich. There was a note for them to meet the informant at eight the next morning at a little café. After going through the papers they got into bed and lay there together in silence. Jennifer lay on her side and Jonathan had his arms around her resting his hand on her abdomen. They fell asleep holding each other just a little tighter than usual.
The next morning Jonathan awoke to the rather unpleasant sound of his wife vomiting in the bathroom. He glanced at the clock, it was almost seven a.m. He got out of bed and knocked on the bathroom door.
"Are you alright, Darling?"
He heard the toilet flush and Jennifer washing her hands. She opened the door looking quite pale and tired, "I'll be alright. It's morning sickness so maybe it will pass soon."
He put his hands on her shoulders, "You think you're up to meeting our little friend so early?"
"Darling, I'm alright. But I could use a ginger ale from the bar over there." She replied sitting back down on the bed
"One ginger ale coming up." He walked over and poured a ginger ale into a glass with ice and brought it over to her, "Here you are."
"Thank you, Darling." She took a sip
"You know we don't have much time to get ready. How about we save time and shower together?" He suggested
"Oh, I see, we need to save time." She quipped, "Well, if we must, we must."
They returned to the bathroom and turned on the water waiting for it to get hot. They got in and he stood behind her, got a washcloth and lathered it up and began to wash her back then reached around and washed her abdomen. She returned the favor and washed his back. A short time later they met Max downstairs looking a little worse for wear.
"What happened to you?" Jennifer asked knowing already what had probably happened
Max rubbed his forehead, "Don't ask, I polished off a bottle of cheap booze." He mumbled, "and I think I got hustled last night."
"You lost?" Jonathan asked
"Yeah but I can't be for sure if it was crooked." Max replied
"They were that slick?" Jonathan asked
"Slick, schmick, none of them spoke English." Max quipped, "They could have been talking about ripping me off right in front of my face."
"Sorry Max, maybe you should stick to English only games from now on." He slapped him on the back, "Let's get going."
The three of them walked to a little café down the street from the hotel and waited for the informant to arrive. His note said that he knew who they were and would approach them. Jonathan ordered coffee and Jennifer ordered another glass of milk, remembering what Susan had told her about the importance of calcium for her as well as the baby. Max ordered a tomato juice to help his hang over. After a few minutes a tall, thin, blond man approached their table.
"Mr. and Mrs. Hart?" He inquired
Jonathan eyed him suspiciously, "Ye and this is Max."
The man sat down in the empty chair not waiting for an invitation, "I am Roerich. I have been following Joseph Olbermann. He's hiding in a Swiss chalet just outside the city."
"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Jonathan asked
"You don't." He replied, "But what else do you have?"
"Well, it's just that we can never seem to catch him. It's like he knows how to stay ahead of us." Jennifer explained
"Careful, Mrs. Hart." He cautioned, "You don't want to go accusing someone of being a mole."
Jonathan's ire was rising, "Don't threaten my wife."
"Come now, Mr. Hart." He replied, "I'm not threatening but I take offense at the inference that I might not be telling the truth."
"Just tell us what you think his next movement is."
"He's using an alias, Johan Federkewicz. He's been using it for some time, posing as a renowned scholar on world history." Roerich explained, "He's planning on attending a party tonight at the embassy. The three of you will have invitations waiting for you at the hotel. You should be able to recognize him from the photographs."
Jennifer shook her head, "This doesn't sound right. Why would he be so public?"
"He thinks he's safe here. It's doubtful that anyone at this party would even know who he really is." He explained
"Will you be there?" Jonathan asked
"Ah, no I will not." He replied, "My work is done. I gave you the information for you to use as you will. Good luck, Mr. Hart, Mrs. Hart, Max." And he left as quickly as he came, blending in to the crowded street outside.
LATER THAT EVENING-AMERICAN EMBASSY
Jonathan, Jennifer and Max arrived about eight p.m. They truly made a handsome couple, he in his tux and she in a beautiful red dress with a slit up the side exposing one of her lovely legs.
"Would you like a club soda or something, Darling?" Jonathan offered
"Yes, that would be great." She responded with a smile
"Max?" He asked
"Scotch, if it's not some sissy European brand."
Jonathan smiled, "I'll be right back." He crossed the room to the bar and placed their order
After about an hour they were trying to mingle together and separately. They hadn't spotted Olbermann yet. Jonathan was talking to a German financier, making small talk as he spotted his wife across the room talking with the wife of one of the government officials. Jennifer was fluent in several languages and he had no doubt she was putting her talent to good use. It never ceased to amaze him how beautiful she was and it seemed pregnancy only enhanced it. He caught a glance of her turned to the side and he could have sworn he noticed a slight roundness to her abdomen under her dress that hadn't been there before. It made his heart swell and smile crept across his lips. As he excused himself to the German businessman to join his wife he noticed him. It was Olbermann. He quickly made his way to Jennifer's side.
"Excuse me." He said, "Darling can I speak to you a moment?"
By the look on his face she knew, "Yes, of course." She said then turned to the ambassador's wife, "Please excuse me, Myra."
Myra nodded and Jennifer and Jonathan caught Max's attention and the three slipped out of the room.
"Alright, are we clear on what we're each doing?" Jonathan asked
Jennifer and Max nodded
"Alright, let's go."
TBC