Franklin paused for a moment of reverential reflection before draining his glass in one long swallow. His pencil-thin lips formed a poisonous smirk. “John, we know the right of the party and the white supremacists are already on board and they’ll prove to be useful allies down the road but, right now, we need to shore up the regular conservative voters, especially the soft ones, and not scare the horses. The polls are telling us that swing voters can’t get enough of the healthcare initiative, as well as the tough stance on law and order. They love strong, charismatic leaders, who they foolishly believe are on their side. Look at Putin – the thug’s a dictator, yet the Russian people believe he runs a democratic government. The truth is, once he achieved absolute power, there was no way he was ever going to give it up through democratic means. So, remember, keep your grandfather’s strategy in mind. When he first took control of the Weimar Republic, no one really knew what was coming down the line. Just like people today don’t realise that reuniting the Americas is our ultimate goal. All those failed states in South America are absolutely ripe for takeover. We’ll create our own Lebensraum, a massive living space that gives us the largest and most powerful country in the world.”

John smiled as he poured them both another glass of champagne, downing his in one. “Yes, and eventually Mexico will become our massive dumping ground for dissidents and enemies of the state. One gigantic prison.”

Richard nodded his approval and toasted his son. “John, Martin would be so proud of you. As you know, he planned everything meticulously and now we’re almost there. I can taste it. And, while we’re celebrating, I have some more good news.”

“You’ve got the box back?”

“Not quite, but the men who stole it are all dead, so no one knows where it is hidden and the trail for the police has gone cold. Cold as ice.”

John sat his glass down on the make-up table. “But, Dad, it’s still out there.”

“Yes, it is, and don’t worry, our guys are on it. If it’s findable, believe me, they will find it. If it’s not, then the secrets stay with us.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

1 May 1960

El Calafate

Bormann was feeling agitated. He had been sitting in Hitler’s study for over an hour waiting for the Führer to join him for their scheduled weekly afternoon meeting. In recent months, Hitler had drifted into a routine that included an afternoon nap in his bedroom, and sometimes he didn’t surface again for the rest of the day. Even his daily drug intake seemed to be having little effect, and his behaviour was becoming increasingly erratic.