"Brad Thor - Harvath 01 -The Lions Of Lucerne" - читать интересную книгу автора (Thor Brad)

war crimes tribunal at the United Nations Court. This meant that the missing
weapons case was being led by the very disagreeable Deputy Federal Attorney, Urs
Schnell. This was SchnellтАЩs first case and he wanted it wrapped up with a ribbon
ASAP. He had placed a very high priority on this, and the weight rode chafingly on
ClaudiaтАЩs shoulders. The problem was that she had not made any progress and was
quickly running out of leads.
тАЬLetтАЩs meet for lunch here. Is that convenient for you?тАЭ Without even waiting for a
reply, Miner continued, тАЬWeтАЩll meet at the restaurant in the Hotel des Balances in the
Old Town. Say, twelve-thirty?тАЭ
No, it wouldnтАЩt be convenient for her to travel to Lucerne, but Claudia needed to
speak with Miner, so she agreed and hung up the phone. That evening, she agonized
over what to wear. She wanted to appear professional, but knowing MinerтАЩs
penchant for women, she couldnтАЩt help but want to play her good looks for all they
were worth. She was scraping the bottom of the ethical barrel and she knew it, but
she was desperate. She chose an attractive, tight-fitting navy blue skirt that rode just
above the knee and a form-fitting navy blue blazer with a funky silver blouse. She left
one button undone and then undid the second upon entering the lobby of the hotel at
twelve-twenty-five the following day.
Miner had been considerate enough to select one of the restaurantтАЩs quieter tables.
The booth was framed at one end by a window facing onto the Reuss River.
Beyond a clutch of empty iron patio tables, a group of LucerneтАЩs swans paddled
slowly past the cityтАЩs historic, covered Kapellbr├╝cke bridge. Miner appeared to be
watching them as they up-ended their snow white tails, plumbing the depths of the
quickly flowing current in search of food. In reality, he was using the reflection of
the window to observe Investigative Affairs Agent MuellerтАЩs entrance, as well as the
rest of the lunch patrons who had entered the restaurant in the last twenty minutes.
Miner watched Claudia walk almost the length of the dining room, then feigned
surprise when she finally reached the table.
тАЬHerr Miner, good afternoon. Sorry to startle you.тАЭ Claudia leaned over to shake his
hand, certain that he had seen her entrance.
The game was on.


Two hours later, dissatisfied and angry, she left the Hotel des Balances. She needed
to walk a little and clear her head. Claudia made her way up the hotelтАЩs short
cobblestone driveway toward the Weinmarkt, in LucerneтАЩs Old Town.
The Old Town, on LucerneтАЩs right bank, was a pedestrianized area of aging
cobblestone streets and buildings from the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries.
Many of the facades were decorated with frescoes depicting Swiss life. The ground
floors of the buildings housed boutiques, restaurants, and small shops. One couldnтАЩt
walk two meters in this part of town without seeing displays of watches or cuckoo
clocks. There was no question that it was geared heavily toward tourists, but its
beauty always had a soothing effect on Claudia.
She wandered aimlessly past the shops along the Kapellgasse trying to make some
sense of her meeting with Miner. He had been cordial, but cordial to the point of
condescension. It hadnтАЩt taken Claudia long to realize that Miner wasnтАЩt going to
reveal anything, at least not willingly. He was extremely uncooperative, choosing to
shroud himself in the cloak of national security whenever Claudia put a direct
question to him.
тАЬWhere were you on the night the weapons were stolen?тАЭ