“Issues, I can deal with.” Not a chance he was staying behind to let Leopold take possession of the treasure. “I’ll make the flight arrangements.”
66
While Sam and Remi waited on the jet, Remi received a message from Selma. “Apparently, Brand and Karl found records that Ludwig Strassmair had a sister who arrived in Buenos Aires with her family a few years before the war ended. She suggests we begin our search there.”
“I’ll have the pilot update the flight plan,” Sam said. When he returned from the cockpit a few minutes later, he took a seat across from Remi at the table, watching as she spread several documents in front of her. “What’s all this?” he asked.
“Speculation on what might be in the Romanov Ransom. Selma did a little research for me.”
“Counting the chicks before they hatch?”
Remi’s brows arched. “Knowing what it consisted of could tell us the size, which could help us figure out where it’s hidden.”
“You’re not still holding out hope it’s the Amber Room, are you?”
“The possibility always exists. But, no,” she said, giving a sigh of disappointment. “I think that if the treasure made its way from Europe to South America in the possession of Nazi war criminals, it would have to be small enough to be smuggled in luggage. Something like this,” she said, sliding one of the papers toward him.
He picked it up, looking at the list. “Missing Fabergé eggs . . . ? That would be a find. Aren’t some of these in private collections?”
“Most, yes. But according to Selma’s research, out of all the eggs owned by the various Romanovs, there are only four that haven’t surfaced, at one time or another, between the Bolshevik Revolution and World War Two. Not surprisingly, all four belonged to Maria Feodorovna.” She nodded toward the paper.
He scanned the names of the eggs. Hen with Sapphire Pendant Egg, the Royal Danish Egg, the Empire Nephrite Egg, and the Alexander III Commemorative Egg.
“And what else have you determined?”
“That if it really is treasure that the Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna turned over to the Bolsheviks, the possibilities of what else might be included are . . . big. The missing Romanov fortune in totality is worth billions.” She slid over several more pages, showing paintings and photographs of the empress wearing bejeweled tiaras and necklaces. “It’s possible that when she fled the Bolsheviks, she managed to take everything with her, including the four eggs.”
“How is it that history paints her as having died a relatively poor woman?”
“Even more reason to believe that everything she owned was paid in a ransom, don’t you think? When her son and the royal family were executed, the Romanov women had a fortune of jewels sewn into their clothing. And this was while they were being held prisoner. Unlike her son and his family, Maria was living in the Crimea, far from the revolution. The royals tended to keep their prized possessions close by whenever they traveled. Certainly if they feared they might be in danger. My feeling? If this ransom truly exists, it contains her personal wealth.”
“That’s a pretty big assumption.”
“Not really. I may not have children of my own, but if I did, there’s no price I wouldn’t pay for their freedom. I’d do the same if it were you.”
“Good to know,” Sam said, when his phone suddenly rang. He looked at t
he screen. “Tatiana.” He put the call on speaker. “Everything okay?”
“With us, yes,” Tatiana said. “But there’ve been a couple of developments since our . . . incident with Nika.”
“Speaking of,” Sam said, “what’s going on with her?”
“She’s in protective custody while the investigation is being conducted. The bigger question is, will she serve time?”
“Custody?” Remi asked. “So she’s been arrested? But her family was being threatened.”
“Which they’ll take into consideration, Mrs. Fargo,” Tatiana replied. “Her actions have endangered everyone in this investigation, including you. Which is why I’m calling. Hold on one second . . .” There was a muffled noise in the background, and then she returned. “Sorry. Felix just walked in. He just found out that Viktor is going to be discharged from the hospital this afternoon.”
“Glad to hear it,” Sam replied. “You were saying something about ‘developments’?”
“Yes. Our sources have informed us that Rolfe and Leopold are—or will soon be—on their way to South America. Argentina to be exact.”
Definitely not good news, Sam thought. “No chance of taking them into custody?”
“If they were flying out of any of the major airports, I wouldn’t be calling. But they’re probably traveling in a private jet. Under assumed names, probably. Worse, and the main reason for my call, is that our sources are telling us that the Guard is active in South America. No doubt Rolfe and Leopold will be receiving help from them.”
“Thanks for the information.”