Wilde hung back in the doorway until she had finished, then approached the bed. ‘Well, Lieutenant, looks like you’re out of commission for a while.’

‘I’ll be up in no time.’

‘That was one hell of a ride back from Schwarzenkirche. You were so out of it, I was worried you’d fall off the bike.’

‘Then you don’t know me very well, Professor.’

‘Anyway, I’m glad you’re alive.’

‘Any word on Boden?’

Wilde shook his head. ‘Our friend Colonel Appache won’t spare me any troops. I don’t think it’s too advisable to go there alone.’

‘Appache’s no friend of mine. Bloody pen-pusher. As an army colonel he’d make a great shipping clerk.’

Wilde didn’t disagree. ‘I came to tell you that I’ve got an idea. We’ve spent all this time trying to find Boden and watching the Frenchwoman, but maybe there’s another way to find Hitler. It’s possible Jaeger’s map holds the key.’

‘Go on.’

‘I’ve been studying it with great care and there’s a place that interests me. A place called the Hidden Meadow, slotted into a high mountain bowl between Almrosen and Schwarzenkirche. There’s some sort of mountain hut there. I’m going to take a look at it.’

‘Then I’m coming with you.’

‘Uh-uh, no chance.’ He indicated the wounded arm. ‘It’ll be a difficult trek through high, treacherous terrain.’

‘There’s nothing wrong with my legs.’

‘You’ll need both arms. And you’re weak. You lost a lot of blood.’

‘It’s nothing. It’s been stitched up. Come on, show me the map – point out this place. You think Hitler’s there?’

‘I don’t think that for a moment. If I’m honest, I came into this operation thinking he was probably still alive. Now, I have no idea. Let’s face it, the bastard probably shot himself in the bunker. But I’ve got to take a look.’

He pulled the map from his bag and spread it on the bed in front of Heck, then pointed out the hidden meadow – Die versteckte Alm.

‘He’s there,’ Heck said.

Wilde simply shrugged.

‘Fucking Hitler is there, Wilde. Why didn’t we see this before?’

‘Because we didn’t know where to look.’

‘I’m coming with you.’

‘I’ll give you twenty-four hours. If the doctors say yes, we’ll give it a go. If not, then you’re staying here.’

Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Twenty-four hours kicking his heels. He was like a wild cat in a cage. The only relief was getting a telephone call placed home to Lydia, but even that didn’t go as smoothly as he had hoped.

‘Tom, where are you?’

‘Counter Intelligence Corps, Garmisch. There’s too much to tell you. How’s Johnny? How are you?’