Hole in Another Shoe

Harry returns from his job in England as a milkman and starts on another adventure. It involves some of the old characters, and some new, as events overtake him on another journey down the Rhine.

I never know what’s going to happen to him, so its as much a journey for you as it is for me!

Could this be an international best cellar - whoops - perhaps not?

All characters are fictional, and intentional harm was intended. It was written in film style so each page is a scene. Descriptive material is kept to a minimum - its up to your imagination!

Hole in another shoe -Episode 1

On the move again

Harry was on his milk round, a skill he had learned in the Netherlands. This time the ladies understood him completely when he passed the time with them. It was amazing how many seemed to be adorned in the latest chemise in the early morn, when collecting the milk from their doorsteps.

Agnes, at 42, seemed the most alluring in the early morn, and often it was necessary to go in to help with some domestic problem; often running into half an hour!

It seems he had got itchy feet of another kind until that day when two letters arrived. One marked SwissPost, and the other marked Posta Romana. 

The Swiss one knocked him flat; in the accounts of the Credit Suisse there was an account in the name of Harry Parker to the tune of 50,000 Swiss francs, some 38,000 pounds! It would appear that this had been deposited by an unknown benefactor.

Meure Parker was requested to go to their London branch to identify himself, and give instruction on the management of the account. The second letter, marked Post Romana, had nothing more than a note in it, headed 'Bucharest; your help needed, come soonest,' signed Lasta Beograd. He new immediately who that was from.

He handed in his notice straight away and headed for London. Agnes at No 42 was bitterly disappointed!

Harry presented himself at Credit Suisse, Canary Wharf. He was taken to the offices of the International section.

A smooth banking type greeted him.

‘Welcome to Credit Suisse, what can I do for you? ‘

Harry passed the letter over.

‘Ah, I see. You are Harry Parker?' 

‘Can I see some identification?’

Harry handed over his passport, which he’d had the good sense to obtain.

The smooth banker type tapped a few keys on his computer. He looked surprised.

‘My instructions are to issue you with account number, and a Suisse bank card which will give you access to your funds anywhere in the world.’

Harry was well pleased. He took the morning flight to Schiphol airport the following morning. His new shoes fitted very well!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 2

A Master Bluff

On the flight from Heathrow to Schiphol, Harry realised he had no plan - nothing unusual in that! Indeed he had chosen Schiphol as a direct link into Amsterdam where he knew people who might help, but maybe not after they had shunned him when he left the last time! Captain Vandeloute was the best bet, but wait, why not go to Isabella’s bolt hole; worth a try!

Harry took the train from Schiphol to Amsterdam central, and from there to the Isabella Castillo - Isabella’s old town house. He stood outside looking at the heavy double doors wondering what to do when who should come out but Captain Vandeloute! ‘Hello,’ thought Harry, ‘what have we here?’

‘Why, Captain Vandeloute, how nice to see you, you live here now?’

Vandeloute was shocked, but held his police presence.

‘Harry, you back in Amsterdam? Are you here on business?’

‘Of a sort.’ said Harry.

‘Well I hope its not to cause trouble!’ The Captain said.

‘Well there is some unfinished business; I think you might call it that.’

‘Well if you are looking for Isabella she is not here.’

‘Funny that, I was with her when was not here, as you put it!’

‘I don’t know what you intend but you are not welcome here.’

Harry chanced his arm here, but he had nothing to lose. 

‘My intention is simple. I am taking over the Castillo!’ 

Vandeloute looked at him suspiciously.

’I have taken it over now.’

‘I think not,’ said Harry. ’Isabella bequeathed it to me on her death bed. I am here to claim it now!’

Vandaloute took on the policeman’s air.

‘And you have the paperwork to prove this?’

‘Better still, I have a witness.’

‘Witness, rubbish’

Harry had a brainwave.

‘I have two as a matter of fact. Captain Rika, and a senior officer of the Romanian Security.’

Then his master card.

‘And this key to her private papers; and safe! Which she entrusted to me! So Captain, I think you have no right to be here. If you wish to contend this you must contact my Swiss advisors.’

With that Harry pushed open the doors and entered the holy of holies. They swung to behind him and leaned on it to prevent him feinting.

He heaved a big sigh of relieve.

His shoes never felt better!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 3

Who’s with the Dagger 

It was strangely quiet in the Castillo! Harry sat in Isabella’s chair in the very office that he had been summarily dismissed; it seemed so long a go! He was still recovering from his bombast in obtaining entry; surely there is something odd there? Then it occurred to him that he got away with it because Vandeloute shouldn’t be here anyway!

As he was pondering this he heard the sound of an outboard motor; looking out the window he saw a speed boat scything away from the back quay. Hello, he thought the plot thickens; was Vandeloute meeting someone here? Then he smiled; the situation gave him some leverage over Vandeloute! But who was he meeting?

He thought it was time for a tour of inspection; where was everybody; what had happened here; had Isabella’s empire collapsed? There were no staff in the kitchens, wait, was that the smell of coffee? He felt the coffee pot; still warm, well, well, he thought, who can it be that Vandeloute had an assignation with? He continued his tour; no one in the offices; where were Isabella’s henchmen; had another crime lord taken over? He continued on.

He opened the door to her boudoir; was that a familiar scent he detected; no surely not! He ventured further in; he felt he was intruding on Isabella’s privacy. Everything seemed in order, the bed was unruffled, and yet there was that scent in the air. Slowly it dawned on him; that day in the park! He had it; Maroussia, that spoke of the Cossacks! Olga! He sat on the bed as if stunned! What did this mean?

As he lay there a door was silently opened, a shadowy figure approached the bed with a Yemini dagger in hand. Harry turned to see it raised ready to strike, he rolled off the bed and sprang onto his assailant; Jasmine! With a cross blow his forearm knocked the dagger from her hand, he swung her round and pinioned her arm behind her back and plunged her face down on the bed! (he had been taking self defence lessons!)

‘Now my little Lotus flower, what is your game?’

She brought her left leg behind her into Harry’s groin. Harry laughed as he clenched it between his knees and delivered a rabbit punch to he neck, knocking her out cold!

‘You’ll have to do better than that, my love!’

She came too, stripped naked and lying in a bath of water just round her knees.

‘ Now we will see what’s what?’

Harry had returned, and they were going to know it! His shoes positively glowed!

Hole in another shoe - Epidode 4

A badly handled knife

Harry sat on a stool, by the bath in which Jasmine was lying. He idly flicked the knife in his hand, coming near to her bosoms!

‘Now my pretty, we are going to have little tete-a-tete.’

Her eyes glowed with hatred.

Harry’s hand lingered over the taps.

‘Now what is to be, a hot bath or a cold bath?’ 

Jasmine spit at him.

‘Now, now, my lovely.’

He turned the tap and nothing came out. He burst out laughing. The water had been turned off !

‘Jasmine my precious, this is your lucky day!’ ‘Or,’ as he heard a gurgling, ’maybe not!’

He looked at her, was this the girl who nursed him after his run in with Boris? He felt he owed her something after that, but, she had tried to knife him! Playing with the knife it slipped and sliced across her breast.

She cried out in pain.

‘Well,’ he said, mockingly, ‘what have I done; it just slipped?’

He spun the knife up into the air catching it as it went down.

‘Now we don’t want anther accident do we.’

Suddenly Jasmine seemed to crumble.

‘I was ordered to it.’ she hesitated.

‘Of course,’ said Harry.

‘But it was not to be you.’

Here we go thought Harry, what is she going to come out with now?

‘Well who then?'

‘Vandeloute.’

Harry had a flash of anger. He turned the cold tap on full.

‘You want me to believe that. He was leaving as I came in.’

Another voice chimed in.

‘Harry enough, she just a messenger!’

He turned and who should be but Eva! She had Snub nosed automatic in her hand.

He played his nonchalant card.

‘Well, well who have we here. You don’t look like regular security to me!’ pointing to the gun in her hand.

In the time it took to blink the game changed. The dagger flew through the air ad struck Eva’s arm as she fired the gun. The bullets trajectory was down and it struck Jasmine full in the chest; the bath flooded with blood!

Harry was gone, leaving the authorities to sort out the mess!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 5

Back in the Galley

Harry had the wit to telephone the Dutch/English newspaper to alert them of a shooting at che Isabella; he did not want the repeat of disappearing bodies and a cover up that had happened in the past. Also he wanted to put Vandeloute on the spot, so he added that a witness had seen Captain Vandeloute leaving Isabella Castille after the incident! That will keep the pot stirring, he thought.

He was aware of the danger he was in; forensic evidence and the like, so he had to skip town as fast as possible. Why not take a cruise trip down the Rhine; as a passenger, this time. He made his way to the Western docks to see what he could board immediate, and there, moored up, was the Rhine Edelweiss! What a surprise! And there, coming ashore was an old acquaintance, none other than Rika, the ships captain!

Harry was sitting at a café table directly opposite the quay. Rika saw him and did a double take. She stopped, hesitated, as if weighing up the dangers, or opportunities, of consorting with Harry; a man who seemed to evoke trouble, and death; she remembered Bucharest! Her curiosity got the better of her!

‘Harry? Harry?’ she queried, surprise and puzzlement in her voice!

He waived in a deprecating manner.

‘The same.’ 

He beckoned her over to his table.

‘Coffee?’ he offered as she sat down.

She looked at him with discerning eyes.

‘What brings you to Amsterdam, bearing in mind you’re persona non grata, so to speak!’

He gazed back at her with, ‘frank and innocent eyes‘.

‘I think that has been fixed, anyway I am a tourist.’

She laughed.

‘Pull the other one.’

Then more directly.

‘What is you want, you are hardly here by accident.’

He shrugged.

‘I thought it would be nice to have a cruise down the Rhine; for my health you know!’

She caught the drift of that.

’Ah, its unhealthy to be in Amsterdam you mean?’

He held his hands out and shrugged, as if to say, what can I say.

She looked at him with some concern.

‘This is not to do with a problem at the Castilla?’

He raised his coffee cup to his lips, and saluted her with it.

‘ How can you entertain such and idea?’

‘Harry!, she warned, ‘if you are in trouble don’t come on board as a passenger, the list easily checked! You can have your old job - in the kitchens!’

And so Harry left Amsterdam working in the galley, at which he was very experienced! His shoes quite shone1

Hole another shoe - Episode 6

Sink or Swim

The first day on the Edelweiss passed easy like, as Harry got in to the kitchen routine. But a little storm was on the horizon! Rika call Harry to her office! ’What’s this,’ he thought, he was hoping for something more intimate! She was in full Captain mode. Without so much as a word she handed Harry the Amsterdam Dutch/English newspaper.

Murder in the Castille

Police and security involvement.

In the early hours of yesterday morning an Asian girl found lying naked in a bath was presumably killed by a female security office. It would appear that the Asian (named as Jasmine) fought for her life by aiming a dagger at the security officer which pierced her shoulder. An unidentified witness claims to have seen chief of police leaving the Bastille on or around the time of the incident! The police and Security service refuse to comment on this killing - was this a love triangle gone wrong or is there a more sinister motive. Jasmine was the personal maid to the late Isabella Bloancamp, a well known figure in Amsterdam’s criminal fraternity. On further investigation Jasmine was also a call girl at the Pleasure Dome which Isabella also had a controlling interest!

Harry read this slowly, taking it with increasing satisfaction that his ploy had produced such a reaction; the press must have moved fast, and naturally making it into a lurid story; he could hardly stop smirking. He handed the paper back with, ‘what ever next!’

Rika was very angry.

‘Harry, did you have anything to do with this?’

He adopted the insular tone.

’No I did not. What made you think that?’

‘Harry this is not a game. You, if it was you, have made some very serious enemies!'

 ‘I have had enemies before.’

‘Harry, you stupid man, you were being carried, you were part of a game, Isabella was your controller. That’s what saved you!’

That ruffled him.

He made the mistake of being indignant.

’Oh, so I was not shot at; twice! A lot of good it was having Isabella as, what, my guardian! Looked what happened to her?'

Rika looked at him reprovingly.

‘So you have returned to put things right. Regular shining night in armour!’

Before he could answer they were hailed by a police river boat.

‘Belay there; is there a Harry Parker on board?’

Rika looked at him panic.

‘Quick get below. Say nothing. I signed you on as Harry English.’

The hole in Harry’s shoe opened up!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 7

Lost and Alone

The Dutch newspaper report was picked up by Routers, and was soon on its way round the world. Nothing more salacious than a naked Asian girl shot in her bath. As say these days, it went viral. Reporters from all the major newspapers descended on Amsterdam. Every hotel was full, many, who had no knowledge of Amsterdam’s red light district and relaxed attitude to drugs were ’drugged’ by the experience!

Reporters and camera crews were camped outside Isabella Castille hoping for some sort of action. And, as is their nature they started to dig; who was this Isabella, what was her role in Amsterdam; then they discovered she was dead; more newsworthy, killed in a shoot out in Rumania! Wow, what a story! There were rumblings in offices of Government.

The aid to the United Kingdom Foreign minister summoned the Commander of MI6 to his office to explain what he knew about this? The Dutch AIVD (security service) were potentially embarrassed by the global interest in the ‘Asian in the Bath’ story, as it came to be known; one of their operatives was involved. Eva had a lot of explaining to do! On the face of it Captain Vandloute’s career was finished. The Dutch Chief of police was not at all happy to open up his newspaper and read the about the incident in Amsterdam, where one of his officers was implicated!

The local Commander was immediately summoned to head office to explain what was happening, and what action was he taking? The Captain’s somewhat ‘live and let live’ approach to crime was not appreciated at the highest Government level. How did all this affect Harry?

In truth, at that moment in time he did not know; he was more concerned how to avoid being arrested by the Dutch police. The Police boat came along side the river cruiser as it pulled into a nearby towpath. Harry, who was well acquainted with disappearing acts, donned a long coat and a hat, stepped of the river cruiser on to the towpath. A little way along was a bench; he sat on it, produced a newspaper, and became a spectator of the confusion, and anger, of some 100 men having their identities checked!

Rika, looking from the bridge, saw him and waved her fist at him in anger. The Police launch pulled away, and so did the cruiser! Harry jumped up and ran after it, but it was moving too fast for him; there was no chance of getting back on board! As he watched it disappear he saw Rika looking back with a middle finger raised in the air - the well recognised as ‘up yours’ gesture! Harry sat back on the seat, deserted, and, lost! What next he thought?

The hole in his shoe got bigger!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 8

Change of State

Harry sat dejectedly on the seat, not knowing what to do. He wasn’t even sure where he was; in which country even! He felt in his pocked and pulled out his passport; wait just a minute, that was not his, it had a splayed eagle on the front; it read United Sates of America! He opened it up and there was his face staring at him, or near as made no difference.

He sat staring out across the Rhine his thoughts spinning; could he get away with this; just a minute, what happened to the guy whose this was; he felt the cruiser would be returning any minute; time to move! Being deep in thought he had not noticed the lady coming his way, walking a dog!

She stopped and looked down at him.

‘Sind sie OK?’

German then, he was in Germany; that settled that then.

‘Ya, danke.’

‘Sie mussen nicht her warten’

He looked up her.

‘Warum?’

She smiled.

‘Sie sind nicht Deutsche, wo cummen sie?’

He thought about the Passport.

He adopted what he thought was a passable American accent.

‘I’m American.’

‘Ah,’ she said, in a perfectly good English accent

‘I was in America once, I visit New York. Where do you come from?’

’ He stopped, he thought of the passport in his pocket, what was on that.

He said the first place that came into his head.

’Washington.’

'The White House?' she queried with a certain humour

He lifted his shoulders depreciatingly.

‘Warum bist due here?’

He misunderstood her.

‘I was left behind’

She looked at him enquiringly!

‘I was on a cruiser, I fell asleep and it left without me!’

‘Well,’ she said looking up at the sky, ‘you can’t wait here, es regen becommen.’

He shrugged, and pulled the coat around himself.

’Maybe it cummon zuruck!’ He meant the boat.

She looked at him quizzically

’Have you come from Amsterdam?’

‘Yes.’ he said, ’of course.’

‘Well,’ she said.’ there is a picture in the paper, just like you!’

He tried to look surprised without appearing guilty.

’Is that so!’

The rain came down in buckets.

‘Come,’ she said, ‘we must run.’

He followed her, and they turned in to what looked suspiciously like a police station! The hole in his shoe started to let the water in!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 9

Polite Police Conversation

Indeed it was a police station; ‘The Lady’ was a police officer! It slowly dawned on Harry that the arrival of ‘The Lady’ was not as innocent as it seemed. He thought back over her questions; it seemed obvious now that they were not the normal conversational comments that a stranger might make.

It started as always, friendly; would you like a cup of tea; relax we are just making sure you are OK, if, as you say, you have been left behind by a boat. At that point they smiled; as if! And so it started.

Coffee cups in hand;

‘What River cruiser was you on?’

Harry was nervous at this point, he saw no way out.

‘The Edelweiss.’

‘Oh that is a lovely boat, we see it come by here most weeks, but we’ve never seen it stop before. Do you know why that was?’

‘They were stopped by a river police boat, I believe!’

‘You don’t know why?’

‘No,’

Be careful he thought to himself, keep to the truth as near as possible.

‘I suppose they wanted to check on something - some technicality?’

‘But you got off; why was that?' 

‘No particular reason.’

‘How did you get off?’

Harry appeared puzzled.

‘What do you mean - how?’

‘Did you jump?’ they laughed at this point.

‘Jump! Don’t be ridiculous. I went down the gang plank.

‘The gang plank!’ In mocking tones. ‘

'Yes,’

Harry thought it was time to show some indignation.

‘How do you think the crew secured the boat?’ 

He continued

'And why are you asking me these questions. Surely I haven’t broken any law, I’m not an itinerant or anything. I am an American citizen.’ 

‘By the way,’ he adopted a James Stewart relaxed drawl. ‘If you look on my passport you will see I have diplomatic immunity.’

This kind of stopped them, they realised come what may they would not be able to press any charges!

They became conciliatory.

’Yes sir, we apologise for any distress we may have caused.’

‘Perhaps then you would direct me to a hotel.’

‘Of course, Officer Schmitt will take you to the nearest’

She dropped him off at the Europa hotel.

As he got out the car she put a hand on his shoulder,

’Good night Harry, take care!’

Harry turned and gave her a blank stare. My, those shoes hurt!

Hole in another shoe Episode 10

Consequences

In the happen-chance world we live in there is an incontrovertible rule -It will never work out as intended! It is called inconsequential consequences. Think of a game of cricket; the bowler bowls with the full intention of hitting the wicket, the minute it leaves his hand it comes under the influence of the rule; the batsman knocks it away, he then comes under the influence of the rule; there is a fielder attempting to catch it! It can go on ad infinitum!

Myrus G. Pendleton, senior American diplomat to the United Nations, was now subject to this rule. He had set off on a relaxing week, (with his mistress), down the Rhine. Instead, he was now residing in a cell in Police HQ, in Amsterdam. When subject to the identity check on the Edelweiss he could not prove who he said he was because he could not produce his Passport. He looked remarkably like Harry Parker; that was enough for Captain Vandeloute, who was fighting for his career!

Unbeknown to Harry, diplomatic Passports carry a chip that can be traced, and hence monitored by a covert Whitehouse agency. Due to the time difference between Amsterdam and Washington the consequences of where the chip was, at any moment in time, could not be deduced with certainty. The Washington system cannot monitor every chip at the same time, and match were it is supposed to be, (Comically known as Chips and Fish). Eventually it came up on the screen and it was in a hotel in a town in Germany called Emmerich am Rhein. The operator checked the logs - M.G.P. on Rhine (With Mistress). He smiled to himself; the lucky dog, he’s slipped away! Myrus G. Pendleton was effectively lost!

 Harry, who was by now a smart operator, walked in the front of the Hotel, and, through the kitchens, out the back. He made his way to the train station, looking up at time table there was an imminent train to KOLN (Cologne). Perfect, he could catch the Edelweiss there; He would avoid trying to be shot at!

He settled back in a first class seat, opposite an intellectual looking lady, grey eyes under nondescript glasses. She looked up at him, above her glasses, grey eyes somehow inviting him! He could see that the one and half hour journey might be fruitful - indeed she was a pole dancer from Finland!

The monitor in Washington now had M.G. Pendleton on a train going south through Germany. Harry could not have been safer, or so he thought.

He shoes felt very comfortable as they accidentally touched the shoes of Adelina, from Finland!

Hole in another shoe - Episode11

Bears love Honey

Cyrene Rofski, (MI6 field agent (Class 6)), was a very contained person; she saw things in a straight forward way and knew the value of research and preparation before rushing into anything!

So;  Myron G Pendleton, US Ambassador to the UN, wasn’t where he should be: so who was he? A call to the UN secretariat revealed very little, but a call to a ’friend’ in Washington was more revealing - Senator Pendleton was an upright god fearing Democrat, with a predilection for young girls; at this very moment he was travelling on the Rhine with a young lady, passed of as his assistant! He was too uptight to ever think of defecting!

It seemed straight forward, but Rofski always checked unrelated things that might occur in the same area! And so she came upon the events in Amsterdam - strange, to say the least. She had a second take when she saw ‘Isabella Castillle’, she immediately thought, ‘Harry’! No, surely not! She just stored that away, and caught the next flight direct to Cologne.

The air waves of the world are jammed with communication signals of all sorts; even so these are always being monitored. A signal detecting station located in Afghanistan, linked directly to Moscow Centre, picked up the message sent to Berlin; a wayward American Ambassador perhaps; too good a chance to miss; a team was put in place immediately! Harry was sublimely unaware of any of this!

Adelina, from Finland, was a pole dancer, which Harry thought of as very exotic. She had a small flat in the red light district of Cologne, which she shared with Harry. It was nice hideaway with sex thrown in, so to speak. It was in bed all afternoon and then a walk round the red light district in the evening, but life with the Finnish pole dancer was, to tell the truth, running a bit thin. You may not know this but a night with a pole up your crutch dose not encourage salivating sex; the meat was not as sweet as it once was!

Harry was ruminating on this as he sat in Josephs bar overlooking the Rhine, where the boats come in, when a charming lady at a table near bye knocked coffee over her dress. Harry stepped up and offered her his handkerchief in an attempt to mop it up. She was of Middle East extraction; smooth olive skin, brown smoky eyes enhanced with long dark lashes, raven black hair, and when she bent down to wipe her dress full bosoms were revealed.

She looked up at him with a grateful smile, and laid a hand on his.

‘Why, thank you so much, you are so kind.’

Harry was entranced.

In the trade it is known as a honey trap!

He should have taken more notice of his shoe's warning! 

Hole in another shoe - Episode 12

Plays the Ambassador

Harry knew it was a pickup, he had been there several times before, but this time he saw an advantage in it, he was after all a US Senator! He had thought it was about time to dump the Finnish pole dancer - in truth he was only waiting for the Edelweiss to come by. To take advantage of this ‘pickup’ needed some finesse.

He moved tables.

‘Ah, such a shame, such a lovely dress, I hope its not spoiled.’

She smiled an 'accepting the inevitable' smile.

’ It is of no consequence, it can be easily cleaned.’

Then the punch line.

‘Sadly at this moment it is all I have, I arrived so quickly (as indeed she had!) that my luggage has not caught up.’

She held her arms open as if to say ’’you know’

Harry thought now is the time to use his new persona. He shifted his voice to sound more American; the only one he was sure of was Jimmy Stewart drawl.

‘ I know, these airlines, you can't trust them.’

He needed a get out.

'I’d be happy to help. Where are you staying, my car could take you there, but I have a meeting to go to.’ 

He needed to go back to the flat get his things and scarper!

She looked at him with those soft brown eyes,

‘I have not located a hotel yet, that is what I was waiting for, I’m expecting to be picked by the Lebanese Embassy.’

Harry thought fast.

‘I’m sure there will be room in my little hotel, I’ll send the car for you.’

With that he kissed her had and stood up in that languid manner affected by James Stewart,. And touching his forelock walked a way.

When out of sight he hailed a taxi.

’Take me to the best Hotel in town!’

He was taken to the Hotel Dorint. He strolled in with the up right stance that sort of commanded attention. At the reception he asked for the best room they had. On showing his passport there was immediate action, an America Senator, no less!

His shoes positvely smiled. 

Hole in another shoe - Episode 13

A Game turns Serious

Unbeknown to him, Harry was playing a dangerous game. He was subject to a common human failing of self indulgent fantasy; children do it all the time, but for an adult to act on it is a recipe for disaster; Harry should have known better! In his new role he played the part of an American Ambassador in the Hotel, but had to cover a few things like: where was his luggage, did he travel without an assistant, or even a body guard?!

Right, he thought; he ordered a car to go to Joseph’s café and pick up his assistant. He was travelling incognito, and he expected the hotel to keep his visit confidential; he was travelling light but he hoped the Hotel would provide any necessities, this also applied to security, could rely entirely on the Hotel’s. The manager assured him they could provide anything he needed. Harry did not realise it, but inconsequential consequences where about to come into play.

Cyrene arrived on the 10.30 flight from Heathrow, and went directly to a small hotel backing on the railway station, where, by coincidence, an American female CIA operative was arriving by train from Berlin! She naturally went to higher class hotel opening onto the Promenade where the boats come in!

Not many miles up the Rhine the Edelweiss was making her stately way to Cologne!

In a flat, occupied by a Finnish pole dancer, someone had had entered and taken the room apart! She suspected foul play and informed the police that her boy friend was missing!

Since the Ambassador had essentially broadcast his position in Cologne, Cyrene knew where to find him. She sat in the luxurious bar awaiting events, when to her astonishment who should walk in, but Harry, with a glamorous Mediterranean lady! She picked up a menu, closely studying it in order to hide her face. As it stood this seemed inexplicable. As an experience field agent she simply observed, and waited.

Then someone else she knew entered the bar; the female CIA agent! To Cyrene’s surprise she stopped in her tracks, and turned to back out, then swerved aside and sat at a table away from the bar! Then Cyrene remembered this agent also knew Harry of old; what was going on? Then she had a thought, had the CIA agent recognised the women next to Harry?

Then Cyrene did the obvious, and asked a barman who the man was with the lady at the bar.

‘Why, that’s an American Ambassador, he’s staying here.’

‘Is he indeed!’

How had Harry become an American ambassador? Clearly she had to wait events;

Harry always did the unexpected!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 14

The New Ambassador

‘The shoe does not fit, send a cobbler.’

This innocent message sent via phone to Langley brought immediate response. ‘Cobbler on his way’.

Then; ’Make the shoe fit’.

This meant continue with the deception; Target is to continue as the Ambassador. It had been decided at the highest level that a Russian sting was in operation; what an opportunity to let a dummy take the Ambassador’s role! What to do with the real Ambassador raised a bit of a problem; termination was rejected; appeal to his honour as an American citizen seemed more appropriate, to disappear for the time being was to be acted on when he was released from Amsterdam police custody!

What do with Harry; inform, or keep him ignorant; Ethel, CIA operative, decided on inform; she new he would relish the role!

In the morning Harry received a telephone call; your limousine is available.

‘Hi up’, he thought, ‘what’s all this, sounds familiar.’

And low and behold there was the black limousine, the door held open by one of the American ladies cohorts.

‘Morning Ambassador, will you be needing me today!’

He actually winked.

‘Your secretary is in reception.’

Whilst there was confusion and suspicion in Harry’s mind he played his role to a T.

‘Not this morning James, perhaps later.’

He returned to the reception area. 

‘Good morning sir.’ 

Ethel, now his secretary, greeted him, with yet another wink!

’I have arranged a sight seeing tour of Cologne this morning, if you so wish!’

Harry entered into the swing of things, although he was not sure what all this about,

‘I’ll let you know later,’ he said, in that courteous but superior southern style voice. 

Ethel frowned at him as if to say ‘don’t over do it’.

Harry walked into the breakfast room and joined Rashida at a table by the window. Remembering what had happened the last time, he asked if she wouldn’t mind moving to one near the wall; the morning sun was straining his eyes.

Cyrene watched this pantomime with amusement and ever growing suspicion; what on earth was going on? Her report was brief;

‘Harry Ambassador? CIA active? Arabian Lady? Brief?’

Harry realised that a game was being played, but not the danger, as yet!

That nipping shoe should have warned him!

Rashida Adaya’s controller was well pleased.

The next step was to be activated!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 15

A narrow Escape

This farrago, this house of cards, was about to come crashing down. Harry was about to learn harder rules - consequential consequences, and, you are only an asset if you are worth something. Harry was letting the idea of an American Ambassador go to his head. He was lording it up, with his glamorous girlfriend, in the Mittelstrasse, where there are seventy high class shops, when several pivotal points came together.

‘Harry, there you are, where have you been?’

A cry from Adelina, his Finnish pole dancer. This caused a policeman to look up and see that it was the reported missing Harry, and a detective, shopping in the same area, hearing the name, recognised Harry from a previous shoot up in Café near the Quays. Harry’s minder, who was shadowing him, melted away. Ethel, his erstwhile secretary, caught the evening plane back to Berlin.

The policeman was ordered to detain Harry for questioning. Harry’s interview at police HQ was short but revealing.

A police inspector opened a file;

‘Well Harry Parker we have met before; you escaped a shooting in Cologne some years back!’

He looked up at Harry.

‘Now you are parading as an American Ambassador, with it, seems his passport.’

He held out his hand for the passport.

Harry gave it without a word.

’I have here a report from our station in Emmet; you were left behind by a river cruiser; the Edelweiss, to be correct. I have a report that Dutch are also looking for you!’

He looked up Harry, somewhat quizzically.

‘It seems a whore was shot; in a bath! Also I see there’s a note about CIA involvement!’

He leaned back in his chair as if to say, ‘give me strength!’

Then he looked at Harry with some awe.

’There is another note here, from our political division, that we are to take no action!’ Harry smiled to himself, ‘well it must have been written in the stars‘.

The Inspector looked at him askance.

‘Well Harry, the Edelweiss is moored by the promenade; get aboard before I change my mind!’

Rika reluctantly allowed him back on board, and he continued on his quest to Bucharest, as a kitchen assistant.

Rashida Achaya got on board as a fare paying passenger!

The Russians, it seemed, continued to take an interest in Harry!

The hole in his shoe was gasping for air!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 16

Taken

Cyrene followed all these events with interest, and some humour, what was it all about? Harry parading as an American Ambassador was clearly farcical, but none the less, the CIA had taken in interest, and, if she was not mistaken, the Lebanese beauty was a plant! She sat back in her chair, in coffee shop by the Quay, and gave it some thought.

She had watched Harry go aboard, followed by the Lebanese, who she had learned, was named Rashida Achaya. She pondered on this; the CIA had left the scene in some haste, and yet the Russians, if it was them, still took some interest in Harry’s movements; maybe she should! Why not; the Edelweiss was going all the way to Bucharest, she rather fancied that! She composed a careful message for transmitting to SIS in London;

Target addressed. Moving east. R/P in ground. Will follow.

She studied the time table of the Edelweiss; its next town of call was Koblenz; she would join it there. She took the 2 o’clock train to Koblenze, arrived at 3.30, and finding a suitable drinking hole, awaited the arrival of the Edelweiss. 

*

Harry lay on his bunk ‘reviewing the situation’; he had been subjected again to the usual uncoordinated sequence of events. He acted on a call to return to Bucharest for whatever reason- he could only think Olga! In the Isabella Castille he was sure he detected her perfume, then Jasmine tried to kill him; trying to extract the reason Eva turned up and accidentally shot Jasmine. He leaned over and took a drink of water, he felt a headache coming on!

What Harry did not know that his influence on things in Amsterdam was nothing short of dramatic. Under the skirts of a well run contented city, policing and crime was in a changing flux; Captain Vadeloupe had taken early retirement, the new appointee was ordered to take a more aggressive line with the criminal fraternity, gone was the live and let live style. This did not delight the criminal fraternity, although they were now able to move into the vacuum left by Isabella’s departure; may her soul rest in peace! The net result was Harry was disliked and liked in equal order!

The Edelweiss pulled into the quay at Koblenze; passengers poured ashore to the waiting buses to go on sight seeing tours. Cyrene sat at the famous Deutsches Eck, the junction of the Moselle and the Rhine watching this, and saw Harry come ashore and he was bundled into a waiting car; Rashida Achaya followed and jumped into seat beside him.

Cyrene, watching, signalled; Target taken by unknown perps!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 17

Old friend reunited

Cyrene jumped from her seat and raced across the esplanade in attempt to see where the car was taking Harry. She did not have far to go because the car pulled up at the cable car station; she literally skidded to a holt behind some overhanging trees and watched Harry being bundled out of the car up into one of the Gondolas. It swung away before she had time to think; what was this, where were they going? She ran over to the lift Station and read; Cablecar to the Fortress.

She followed the line of the moving Gondolas swinging out across the Rhine, up to the Fortress she could see on the hill top. She sat down on seat waiting for the cable car, breathing heavily; what a neat way to escape she thought! Then should she follow; she was not her usual contained state! Common sense returned; she signalled SIS;

Target at Fortress. AWS (await instructions) 

Harry remained calm; he was swinging across the Rhine to an unknown destination. ’What now?’ he thought.

He had not been abducted under force exactly, just bundle out, ‘for his own good!’. ‘God’ he thought, ’they are not going to blow up the Edelweiss!’

The view across the Rhine was picturesque, ‘that’s something’ anyway, crossed his mind. Raschida Achaya sad nothing, although she kept looking behind at the following cable cars suspicialy, as if expecting someone to follow!The mighty Ehrenbreitstein Fortress loomed ahead. 400 ft above the river; what awaited Harry there?

They crossed the courtyard to the restaurant and entered a panelled room with dark tables. In a recess a table was laid out for four guests; one of the seats was already occupied. Harry knew who it was before she turned, he caught the feint smell of a perfume he recognised; Maroussia; it could only …………..‘Hello, Harry.’ She turned; of course it was Olga!

His heart skipped a beat; complete surprise, or something else, memories flooded back, some good and some not so good. She waved him to a seat, he sat down as if flummoxed, she laid a hand on his.

’Harry its good to see, its been a long time.’

She snapped her fingers, a waiter appeared with wine.

‘You did not come to Bucharest; I needed you’ She said with some sadness,

‘So I have come to you. You are in grave danger!’

He recovered some of his confidence

‘I was delayed’

‘I know,’ she said, ‘you have played a silly game - you have upset some people. But let us eat, we can talk about it later.’

Raschida Achaya joined then at the table, heavies sat a another table.

‘Relax, Olga said,’ you are among friends.’

Harry doubted that!

His shoes gave hima warning nip.

Hole in another shoe - Episode 18

Gone sick and alone

It was afternoon; the quay and the Edelweiss were deserted. It was a time for rest; Rika lay in her cabin relaxing; there is a lot of responsibility in being captain, even on a river cruiser. There were a few deck hands aboard, and generator engines were running to provide essential services; security was lax, and then two men, in ‘suites‘, boarded then vessel.

She had dozed and did not notice that one of the ‘suites’ had surreptitiously entered her cabin, she came too seeing a man sitting casually opposite her with one leg over the other, and a Glock pistol resting across his lap! Her first reaction was astonishment, followed by anger; how dare this stranger enter her cabin, her cabin, and sit there as if he owned the place.

It took a moment or two to recognise what the intrusion might mean; she certainly recognised the threat of the weapon in his hand. He sat as if immobile with no reaction in his eyes; she knew a killer when she saw one. He spoke;

‘We have come for Harry.’

She swung out of bed, she was at a disadvantage only having pants and bra on, not the attire to make a challenge, but she looked up puzzled;

‘Harry?’

The ’suit’ moved with casual speed and rested the pistol between her legs - a big mistake!

*

It was a sumptuous lunch; Foie gras, beef medallions, Brandy-Mascarpone, followed by coffee and Cognac, with Montecristo cigars. It took over two hours. Harry, truth to tell, brought up on an English menu of fish and chips, felt slightly queasy! 

As the Marcophone was being served a waiter brought a message to Olga, she briefly looked at and smiled.

The conversation meandered all over the place; past events when Olga picked up Harry in the park, the special delights on the house boat, the Bar in Budapest, the sad time when Isabella was killed.

Then Harry had had enough.

'What about the Sanatorium, and more importantly; what was you doing in the Isabella Castille?'

Olga smiled;

'What do you mean?' 

'The scent of Maruoae perfume,' 

Olga smiled knowingly.

'Harry, all will be revealed in Bucharest.'

With that she rose from the tables, bid adue to her guests, thanked the waiters, and left.

Harry, looking down on the Rhine, could see the Edelweiss; there seemed to a disturbance of some kind. Passengers standing about as if not knowing what to do. He could also see green and silver police cars; were they after him!

He felt ill , and, leaning over a chair, was violently sick! All over his shoes!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 19

Breaks free to die

The ‘suit’ was not aware of Rika’s training in unarmed combat; he was about to find out. With the side of her right hand she chopped down on the wrist pointing the gun to her soft spot, at the same time her legs came up and performed the kick twist; only skilled martial arts aficionados can perform this; one foot in front, and one behind the head, and kick twist; its possible to break a persons neck! The gun went off and fired a bullet down through the cabin floor; the ‘suit’ twisted from his chair, partly nullifying the effect of the twist kick.

Rika sprang on him to perform an arm lock, but he was too strong for her, and, standing up, brought the full force of his hand chop on her neck; she slumped to the ground. He was not finished; he lifted her up with one hand;

‘Where is Harry?’

His voice was ice cold, he wasn’t even breathing heavily! The gun this time was held against her head.

‘The last time of asking!’

Rika tried one last desperate action, practiced so often but never connected; the hand finger thrust to the throat! Rika delivered this with as much force as she could muster, the ‘suite’ gasped for breath; she followed a twin finger to the eyes, the ‘suit’ gasped out in pain, this gave Rika the moment to break free, but as she lunged through the cabin doorway the ‘suit’ fired, and she was cut down, plumb dead!

The gunfire in the enclosed space of the cabin set off the fire alarms all over the boat. Already the sound of gunfire had alerted the police, and their sirens could be heard approaching the quay. The ‘suit’ stumbled over Rika’s body as he tried to get out the door, the gun dropped from his hand, he was now desperate, he was on his knees, but with a supreme effort made for ships rails, plunged over, and was swept away by the fast flowing river.

Hole in another shoe - Episode 20

New acquaintance for old

Harry stepped off the cable car into a situation in disarray, crowds of passengers milling about with expectation of returning to the boat for dinner; not being allowed on by police, who seemed to always to be communicating with someone on their warlkie talkies; there was no semblance of order; no one seemed to be in command; what on earth had happened? His instinct, and Olga’s warning, was to stay out of the way, in the background!

A lady bystander spoke, as if to herself.

‘What a shambles, we’ll never get on tonight by the look of it!’

Harry looked round, he saw an ordinary middle aged lady.

‘I’ve only just come down from the fort. What has happened?’

‘Well, some say they heard shooting. All the alarms went off!’

‘Alarms?’

‘Fire alarms! Now the police won’t let us on. We are waiting for the fire brigade, I think.’ ‘Are you a passenger?’ asked Harry.

‘I will be, if they let me on, I’ve just arrived; from Amsterdam.’

‘Shooting?’ mooted Harry. ‘That sounds bad, is anyone hurt?’

‘I’ve no idea.’ She sounded despondent.

‘I doubt we will ever get on this boat; they’ll never get another one today, what am I going to do, that’s my worry? I must be in Bucharest before the weekend!’

Harry, always quick to see an opportunity.

‘Yes, I am going to Bucharest, but not on this boat.’

She looked at him.

‘Are you a passenger as well?’

‘Watch your step,’ he thought.

‘No, I stopped off here on an earlier boat, but I thought I might find a birth on this one.’ ‘A birth?’ she queried, looking up at him.

‘Yes, I’m a cook; Harry’s my name by the way.’

‘Mine’s Gertrude, nice to meet you, I looks like I shall have to go back to the hotel I was in last night!’

Harry saw another chance opening up.

‘Is it very expensive? Looks like I’ll need a bed; this boat’s going nowhere.’

She smiled to herself; she knew a pick up line when she heard one.

‘Well if you can stretch to the Altstadt Hotel, not far from here, it’s probably as cheap as any you can get.’

Harry smiled. ‘Well, any port in a storm.’

‘Yes my love,’ she thought, ‘I bet you do!’

At that moment a stretcher was being carefully taken off the boat. There was a murmur in the crowd.

‘It’s the captain.’-’Yes, I think it is, that’s what a policeman said.’- ‘you know captain, Rika, a lady!’

Harry slumped to the ground in a dead feint! His shoe really nipped!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 21 

 Shark in the Water

Gertrude Eisenstein, from Golders Green, boarded the Edelweiss in Amsterdam, travelling under the name of Gertrude Lawrence. She had a British passport, and was dressed in what may be called a Marks and Spencer’s style, cardigan and sensible skirt. She passed herself off as a school teacher, she was travelling down the Rhine to view the architecture and ancient quarters of towns that bordered it. She spoke fluent German and a smattering of other languages; she taught history at a girls school, and hence her interest in the Rhine, passing through several countries en route.

In truth she was a Mossad agent, tasked with reporting on anti Jewish movements! For those who took the trouble to look behind the glasses would have seen a classic beauty; she had a predilection for sexy black underwear! Harry knew none of this!

Gertrude had travelled on the Edelweiss, and she new more about Harry’s little adventures than she let on. She sent out a message to the local Collection Department, a prosaic name for Mossad cells in cities around the word. The reply came - Stay with cover. Hotel arranged. Harry was now in the hands of the most ruthless secret service in the world. Assassination was their stock in trade!

As the pair of them got into a taxi, Cyrene was surreptitiously photographing them as fast she go. She had a distinctly uneasy feel about this new liaison. She followed them to the Altdstadt Hotel, where the lady was welcomed in as an old friend. Cyrene looked for postbox and posted the data card with the pictures on to her home address. This method is one of the safest ways to sent info, it does not have the vulnerability of electronic messaging!

Rashide Achaya also watched this seemingly simple meeting and pondered on it. He brief was to keep with Harry - to watch over him in a way. Her instructions were the same - keep with it.

Harry was now in a pond surrounded by sharks - were they defending him, or, waiting to bite? He didn’t know it, but he needed help, and help would soon be on its way.

The Hungarian secret service do not take kindly to one of their operatives being shot by seemingly unconnected assassins. The wires were alive with messages, and is if a beast was waking up; Harry’s name became a person to watch, and look for connections. It was not long before his escapades in Amsterdam came to light. Who was this man, no one could identify him with any agency; a milkman acting as a cardboard James Bond!

Harry mean while was enjoying an evening with Gertrude; his shoes felt quite comfortable!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 22

Rika shot!

Harry lay on his bed mortified; Rika shot; in the back! This thought occupied his mind; he should have been there, he could have done something, anything; but wait. say they were after him! There was some logical in that; Olga had appeared to invite to the Fort on a whim, but she had warned of danger! There were plenty of people who would like him out of the way! Unbeknown to him he was safe, for the moment.

The problem was nobody saw anything, and when they came to check the passenger list many had just gone home. Harry, of course, was not listed, he simply worked in the kitchen, so there was no record of him in the boat; he was safe for the time being.

He awoke to the sound of a garbage truck in the street outside. ‘God, its morning!’ he thought. He looked at his watch; it was ten o’clock. He got up quick, he looked down, he was still dressed! Heavens anything could have happened; he had decisions to make, but, as usual he had no plan. Failing all else he thought he might as well have breakfast.

He entered the breakfast room he looked around and saw the lady who had brought him to this hotel.

‘May I join you?’ he asked.

‘Of course,’ she waved him to a seat opposite.

‘I hope I was not an embarrassment yesterday.’

She looked at him closely.

‘Did you know somebody on the boat?

He hesitated, lifting a cup of coffee to his lips.

‘No…..I was not very well, I had too rich a lunch……..up at the fort; what happened?’ ‘Apparently the Captain of the boat, a lady, was shot!’

‘Is she alright?’

He felt the coffee cup tremble in his hand!

‘No, its terrible, she is dead!’ Then. ‘Did you know her?’

She laid a hand on his in sympathy. He was about answer when he saw a black limousine pass the dining room window. He felt the hairs on the back of his head rise; Jeese, had they located him? The Cologne shooting passed through his mind. He sat tensed, he moved his chair so that he was facing the doorway, he gripped the hand that was gently laid on his

‘Harry!’ There is no need to get tensed up over this.’

He saw the tall stranger enter the dining room, he had a cold menacing look about him; was that a holster he could see? The stranger advanced toward him, Harry pulled Gertrudes arm toward him, swung the other arm across her breast and swept them both to the floor!

‘Harry, what are you doing. That’s no way to treat a lady!’

He looked up and there stood Ethel!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 23

A change of plan

They had righted the chairs and got Gertrude back on her seat; She affected to be overcome by it all and could only be revived by some smelling salts. Ethel was her usual wholesome self, as only Americans can be.

‘So Harry, who’s your companion?’ she smiled, knowingly.

Harry got the implication.

‘No…we just met, yesterday actually, I was not very well, I came over dizzy, we couldn’t get on the boat, because…you know the shooting, and this lady brought me to this hotel.’

Gertrude adjusted her glasses and smoothed down he Marks and Spencer’s skirt. ’Thank you,’ she said, handing the smelling salts to Harry.

‘My name is Gertrude, I was travelling the Edelweiss, from Amsterdam. I had been ashore and then there was this shooting; its terrible, we heard it was the Captain.’

She laid her on Harry’s hand,

'This gentleman was quite overcome, he was just standing next to me, so we just came to this hotel to recover.’

Ethel looked at Harry.

’I hope you are recovered. By the way what are you doing here?’

There was an implication in this enquiry.

He looked at her meaningfully.

’I’m looking for a birth.’

‘A birth?’

‘As a cook.’

‘A cook?’

‘I’m trying to work my passage.’

Ethel suppress a laugh.

’Well good luck to you on that!’ 

Harry looked up at Ethel with an enquiring look.

‘Well Harry we will be on our way,' she looked at Gertrude. ‘My sincere apologies for our…my intrusion. I hope you are none the worse for Harry’s rough handling, I don’t know what got into him.‘

With that she gave a mock salute and left. Harry watched the black limousine draw smoothly away wondering what they were after? He turned to Gertrude but she was gone! Harry sat perplexed; what next? From past experience he knew he must move on, and fast. Rika, gone, shot! He remembered her as a friend and someone he could rely on.

He was on his own now, and, by the look of it, someone was trying to rub him out! Hide or move; he knew he could hide out as a crew member, but he had already done that and it had come unstuck. So he had to look for another kind of birth, he would give it some thought tomorrow.

The hole in his shoe was uncertain what to do!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 24

Old friend ?

Harry was no fool, he knew what was what, he had lots of experience in dodgy situations, but he recognised it happened by happenchance, and in the past there had always been ‘a force’; he needed one badly right now. And so it worked out. Run or hide? He decided hide, he heard of hiding in full view was best, so why not! So he got a job in the Mecure Hotel, as a cook!

He had previous experience on the boat, but this time he had to up his game, this was a 5 star hotel; customers expected the best, at any time of the day or night; he came under the influence of Italian chef named Juseppio, and he got the idea that he might end up working here;. until, until…………until!

The Meridian Hotel is only a few minute from the Alstadt (Old Town), which is the red light area. One night, after completing his shift, he was walking along the Amplan street passed the Blue Heaven strip bar when;

‘Harry, Harry, what are you doing here?’

He looked round and there in the doorway was Blonde Van de Dome; he nearly fell over in surprise.

‘Oh Harry,’ she laughed. ‘You still owe me; remember, ‘nothing for free’. Then, rather more coyly, ’pity about Isabella!’

Then he remembered, she had seduced him, and left him to the Amsterdam police! ‘Yes,’ he said, ‘I have a bone to pick with you!’

‘Harry, water under the bridge.’

She beckoned him over. 

‘Come in.’

He entered the gaudy world of the strip club. Blonde van de Dome led him through to a the more intimate members bar.

‘They were good times Harry.’

‘I’m glad you think so; I can still feel pain!’

‘I hear on the grape vine you kinda got your revenge.’

‘Yer, well, that as maybe, but I’m a marked man now!’

‘Marked man! Pooph, how’s that?’

‘You’ve hear about the killing on the boat, that was meant for me!’

‘Harry, you safe here, I am top Madam! You come work for me.’

‘But I have to go to Bucharest….I was requested!’

Blonde studied him for a long time, as if hesitating to say something.

‘Would this be to do with Olga?’

Harry thought about that.

‘Maybe’

‘Have nothing to do with Olga, she bad news! You stay here, we celebrate old times!’ And so they did.

Four other ladies registered his visit - they pondered his contact!

Hole in another shoe - Episode25

A Quick Exit

Harry lay on the bed in the cupboard room he had in the Mecure and considered the situation. He was secure, safety wise, in the Mecure, but, although he had a good night with Blonde, he did not trust her, she was to close to threatening elements in Amsterdam! Her being here was pure coincidence, surely; he had hit on the Blue Heaven by accident, but was she waiting for him? Once again he needed an escape plan!

The Mecure became host to Personal Security conference. It was advertised as protection for the stars. This ensured that plenty of august people turn up, and lectures would given by experts in the field of security, but also, espionage! Harry was intrigued by this, and kept a close eye on who was going to turn up, and give lectures. One of them, to his astonishment, was Eva Bloancamp, late, it seemed, of the Dutch Security Service (AIVD).

That evening, in the bar, Harry spotted Eva, sitting on a stool drinking a beer. He walked over.

‘Hi, Eva, what a surprise seeing you here?’

He was in his casual James Bond persona! Eva nearly choked on her drink.

He continued.

‘We had a close encounter the last time,’ then, smiling, ‘how’s that arm of yours!’

Eva had spilt part of the drink down her dress.

Harry handed her a handkerchief to wipe herself down.

‘Your nerves seem a bit roky, old gal!’

Then, to upside her.

‘How’s your milk round doing!!'

Eva recovered.

’ Same old Harry, I’m surprised you are alive and kicking.’

Then.

’Sorry about Rika, collateral damage you know!’

Harry turned stone cold. 

'I’ll give you collateral sweetheart.'

With a knuckle punch, he jabbed her just under her side jaw. She fell forward as if pole axed. Harry turned away and casually sat at a nearby table and awaited events. Eva slumped down and slid to the floor.

At first no one seemed to notice, then a woman exclaimed.

’There’s a woman on the floor.’

Harry stepped forward to pick Eva up.

He turned.

‘I think she just had too much to drink.’

The hotel security guy came over to help.

‘It looks as if she has hit her head, there’s bruise on her neck!’

Harry saw that this was his cue to exit. He made his way to the Blue Heaven, but stopped short; that looked suspiciously like Captain Van de Laupe at the door! Harry activated his nonexistent escape plan! He ran!

The hole in his shoe opened wider! .

Hole in another shoe-Episode  26

Saved?

Harry ran - well metaphorically speaking. He thought it would be a good idea to activate the escape plane that had been forced on him! Returning to the Mecure was out of the question, at least for the moment, it might be a good idea to lay low, at least until the Conference was over! He thought it unwise to just disappear; it would raise suspicions, so he went to the Adeali hotel and booked in under the name of Harry English.

The management of the Mecure liked to keep embarrassing events in their hotel under wraps, especially during this conference. Luckily for them so did Eva Blanca,, so police were not called. Eva, herself, was pissed off; she was in hospital with a possible ruptured vein. This was the second time Harry had laid her low - she swore revenge - next time would be the last time!

Blonde van der Dome was not happy. She thought she was secure, but Vandeloute turning up changed things; he represented a threatening presence. The fiasco on the Edelweiss did not help matters, because this brought the police and other agencies sniffing round where they were not wanted!

Harry was resting up at the Adel….when who should turn up the lady on the quay who had saved him.

‘Hello Harry, are you alright! Our last meeting was a bit dramatic, ‘I’m not used to being manhandled in that manner!’

She adjusted her glasses over those grey eyes, and looked at him as a school mam might!

He looked her; here was somebody he could trust.

‘I made a mistake; I thought, well, I thought……..’

She laid a hand on his.

‘You thought I was in danger; you, know like in a film. Afterwards I thought that was what was happening; a film.’

‘It was a natural reaction; I would never let you get hurt.’

She smiled; something in her eye gleamed a little.

‘You always seem to where there is trouble.’

He looked at her with a questioning turn of the head.

‘In the Mecure; a lady passed out! And you saved her!'

Harry hesitated but kept his peace.

‘You were there and then you weren’t. I’m told the police are looking for the Good Samaritan.’

He held out his deprecatingly as if to say all in a days work.

‘And now you are here!’

She smiled.

‘Perhaps I can help you!’

He looked at her questioningly.

‘I leave tomorrow, I think it would be better if we went together, for my safety, you know!’

Harry leaned over and held her close.’

Good idea!’

The hole in his shoe positively glowed!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 27

Love on the Run

Harry was in difficulty; which way to turn, who to trust! He plumped for the stranger; Gertrude; she seemed least scheming than others. MI6 were not impressed, Harry’s file showed a man caught up in events, also dangerous, but none the less he might lead to activities that MI6 were interested. Their message to Gertrude (code name Primrose) was simple; ‘proceed with care’. She received that with a wry smile - I will indeed, she thought!

Well, she had spent the night cementing good will, now was the time to use some of it. She turned over in bed.

‘Harry what are we going to do, we can’t stay here any longer.’

‘Oh, I don’t know about that,’ he said, moving his leg exploratively across the bed.

She pushed him away.

‘Harry, be sensible, we must move on.’

‘Yes,’ he said, ‘the faster the better, it will soon be breakfast.’

‘Harry!’ she let out a sigh, all for King and Country she thought!

Harry sat up in bed.

’I’ve been thinking about that.’

You do surprise me, she thought.

‘What is untraceable?’

‘Surprise me!’

‘A bus! Well well, you are a tactician.’ 

‘Think about; we simply get on a local bus to anywhere.’

That’ll please my controller, she thought.

‘We have breakfast, check out, and get on bus. Oh, and act like a loving old couple.’

She punched him lightly in the ribs for that and laughed.

’Well see how loving you can be?’

So they arose, went down to breakfast with sleepy love in their eyes - just in case anyone was watching!

She poured his tea and put the sugar in as any loving wife might. He kissed her cheek as got up, gathered their sparse belongings together and checked out. They caught the 9.35 bus to Frankfort: from there they could get a bus to Mainz, and join a river cruiser there.

Watching eyes missed this trick, and they appeared to be safe from detection. Gertrude’s controller smiled when he got the message that simply said,

‘Sausage for lunch’

In two and a half hours they were at Frankfort station; from there they could go any where!

Harry’s shoes were quite enjoying this!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 28

An invitation

Frankfurt am Main, (Main being the river that runs through it), is a huge town of some 5.5 million inhabitants, and coincidentally, the Main connects to the Rhine at Mainz. This gave them an alternative route back to the Rhine if they needed it. But Harry felt they should stay for a while; there was a lot to see. Gertrude was not so keen, she was on a mission, and this did not fit with the business in hand,( her business), but she let Harry have his way and they checked in to the Townhouse Hotel; a kind of ‘this is it’ design, catering for the average traveller.

This was a mistake! In Germany every hotel registration is automatically recorded on their central computer. This then compares it with known suspects or persons of interest, which Harry certainly was! A flag was raised instantly in the security head quarters of Interstadt Polizei and Hanna Gussman was dispatched to interview Harry Parker, as a person of interest!

She arrived at breakfast time as Harry and Gertrude were playing their lovey dovey part in the dining room. They heard Harry Parker being asked for at reception. Gertrude recognised a security person at first sight, and she was gone, leaving Harry to face the music.

The girl at reception pointed to Harry in the dining room, who was unaware of what was to come. He saw a tall lady with short cropped blond hair a approaching.

‘Guten morgen, sind sie Herr Parker?’

Harry immediately moved in to his James Bond persona, and answered,

’Ya wol, wos merchden sie harben.’

She smiled and said in perfect English.

’Oh, just a little chat.’

Harry waved her to sit down.

’Would you like some coffee, I can recommend this, it is very good.’

He leaned over, holding the coffee jug in his hand, and looking up at those diamond blue eyes, and asked, ’and what would this little chat be about?‘

‘Well this and that. You like it here in Frankfurt?’

She raised the coffee cup to her lips, appraising him over the edge.

‘Well we…..,’he looked round, ‘I have only just arrived. It’s a big city, it would be nice if someone gave me a tour round.’

She smiled, she was warming to this little game,

‘Well I could, but it would probably be in Police car!’

Harry was unruffled. ’You know I could do with a lift to the bus station, I was hoping to get to Mainze today.’

‘Perhaps not today,’ she replied, laying her Polizei card on the table.

Harry’s shoe tightened a bit.

‘Dinner then,’ he offered! She smiled.

Hole in anothe shoe - Episode 29

Hot Stuff

They sat in the garden room of the hotel, if that is what it could be called, a few potted plants, and some creeping Ivy.

She looked him.

‘Harry, if I may call you that………..’

He nodded his head in acquiescence.

’This is not a formal interview; there are certain people we like to check out.’

Harry had heard all this before, but he played the James Bond hand.

’If there’s anything I can help you with, I’m only too happy. But wouldn’t this be better over dinner, you know it would be far more comfortable than here!

‘Harry please, I looked at your file before I came; it’s a long one you know!

‘Ah, well if you must, but I’d rather talk about you.’

He looked away.

’Are you married for instance?’

Hanna stiffened.

’I don’t think that is any of your business. But if you must know I’m not!’

‘I apologise.’

He looked humbled.

‘Ok, shoot.’

‘Why are you in Frankfurt,’ and, ‘it has been reported that you was with a women?’

‘We met on the boat and couldn’t get back on so we came here just for a change.’

‘You mean after there was a killing on the Edelweiss?’

‘Yes,’ he said, ‘that was a terrible business.’

‘You were not there when it happened?’

`No, I was having lunch up in the Fort.’

‘Lucky for you then.’

‘Lucky? No, that’s how things work out.’

‘Like the last time you was in Germany, in Cologne.’

‘Ah, you heard about that. So unfortunate, for the girl.’

‘So you don’t think someone is after you’

He opened his arms deprecatingly. At that moment there was the sound of gunshots; as quick as lightening he swept her to the floor, and they lay there in a mock embrace. She managed to get her phone out, she listened intently.

She pushed Harry aside.

‘There has been a terrorist attack, I must go!’

‘Wait!’

Harry held her down!

He thought, ‘not again, someone has certainly got in for me……..but how?’

Hanna struggled up, Glock pistol in her hand. Harry pulled her back! There was the sound of automatic fire as glass smashed around them. Suddenly there was the screech of tyres and the welcome sound of police sirens.

As they lay together, he breathed in he ear;

‘Dinner then, is it!’

His shoe nipped and then softened!

Hole in another shoe – Episode 30

A Sad Goodbye

Much to Harry’s surprise, and embarrassment, he had become the hero of the Frankfurt Interstadt Polizei, he had, on good evidence, saved the life of one of their own; Police Inspector Hanna Gusman!

The shooting outside, and it seemed inside, the Townhouse was more to do with rival gangs over the control of one of the districts of the Red Light area that surrounded the hotel! Harry suspected otherwise, but he held his council. Hanna had described the events with some dramatic touches, not mentioning the closeness of his body which through the event, lasting 30 seconds had inflamed a strange desire!

As Harry helped her up she leaned against him, he body all of a tremble, clearly this was her first brush with death, whereas Harry, a surrogate special agent, as you might say, this was routine. It is true that certain older Polizeis who attended the scene viewed this with some suspicion. Civilians caught up in it were impressed by his sang-froud as this tall handsome man helped a lady from the debris of the shattered glass out on to the street!

Later, in Frau Gussman’s flat over looking the Albermaim Park, she was able to express her thank in a more appreciative manner.

‘Harry, I owe my life to you.’

‘Hanna,’ they were now on more intimate terms,

‘I only did what any man would do.’

‘You held me back from making a fool of myself. I have never been in that situation before. I’ve never fired a gun in anger.’

He laid his hand on hers.

‘Please you did well, that was a good reaction. We did not know what was happening.’

They were sitting close together on a small settee; she laid her hand upon his cheek,

‘I would like you to stay awhile.’

Harry smiled, ‘Of course I would like that.’

And so, what might have adversaries became friends on more intimate terms. As she laid her head on his shoulder and fell asleep he had a lot to think about.

Should he dally or be away at the crack of dawn so to speak. He saw the danger in staying, there is always someone to suss him out, and he was in their records. He realised that what-ever he could not stay for long.

They went dancing; Harry naturally had a bent for this. They had dinner in the best restaurants, they saw the lights, but, the danger came when they were with her Polizie friends; he became a sort of sidekick.

He caught the same bus as Gertrude to Mainze; it was a sad but inevitable goodbye. Harry had regrets, but he was glad to be back on the mission whatever that was!

The hole in his shoe felt quite comfortable!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 31

Hello and Goodbye

The bus crossed the Theeodore bridge in Mainz on to the Bhanhof where Harry got off. He was now in a quandary, checking into a hotel would undoughtedly warn the authorities, and he did not want that trouble again. He could hardly sleep on the station, so what to do? He has to get onto a river boat. Alternatively sea-mans mission would do, usually one in a major port.

He asked the way to the Rhine waterfront; a short walk he was told. Half an hour later, having lost his way he arrived at the Quay where the cruise ships docked and there, to his amazement, was the Edelweiss, but it seemed strangely deserted!

He asked a grizzled matlot was happening.

‘Kernen sie mich sagen was ist mit die shiffen machen!’

‘Sorry mate,’ was the reply, ’ me non comprede, I am from Liverpool!’

‘Well, nice to meet you,’ said Harry, ‘I’m from Hull,’ and he shook him by the hand.

’Do know what’s happening to that river cruiser, I used to serve on her as a cook?’

‘Well I don’t rightly know. Someone got killed on it! It looks as if they are refurbishing it, probably to wipe out the past, if you see what I mean.'

Harry felt feint and had to sit down on the seat next to the old sailor.

‘You all right mate?’

‘Thanks, I’m alright. Bit of a shock hearing that. I wonder who it was?’

‘I heard someone say it were the Captain. A lady one at that.’

Harry said nothing.

‘They say it were a contract job, you know, like in the films!’

Harry felt a stab to the heart, it was probably meant for me, he thought. 

Harry turned to the old sailor.

‘Is there somewhere I can lay my head, I was hoping to get a birth on a cruiser, but there doesn’t seem to be any in.’

‘Yerse, ’ said the old sailor ‘Kenworth house will do ya, I’m going back there myself. Come on, they can fit you up.’

After some thick soup, and thicker wedges of bread, Harry settled down for the night, where, in an eight bunk room he was serenaded by a cacophony of snores an coughing.

He went to sleep hoping for better things in the morning. When he awoke, his erstwhile companion had gone and so had his money!

The hole in his shoe had opened wider!

Hole in another shoe Episode 31

Food for the weary goes up in smoke

Harry thankfully still had his Swiss bank card, (cunningly concealed about his person), so he was not destitute, although stateless. He was at a loss what to do, as always, he was planless. It was still early morn, so no banks would be open, so he fell on the goodwill of the Mission manager, who just at that moment was short of a cook. So Harry took up his old trade of cooking, this time for the hopeless. The unsuspecting Liverpool matelot was later admitted to hospital with severe burns from a hot pan!

So days went by and he was quite happy dishing up an endless supply of porridge, soup, egg and chips, and, wedges of bread and butter. He occasionally made a shepherds pie, which went down well. His fame spread and more and more hopeless arrived at the mission, then one day a certain lady turned up, none other than Gertrude Eisenstein!

‘I’ve heard that there is a new chef in town, at che Mission, who is introducing its denizens to the joys of English cuisine!’

Harry, in his usual way smiled deprecatingly.

‘But I am puzzled. Why have you chosen this as your cover, assuming you need one?’ 

Harry considered that for a minute or two, then decided Gertrude might just help him. ‘Well, there is the small matter that I am stateless, someone has purloined my passport.’

Gertrude smiled as if this was small matter.

‘I just fell into this little job helping the poor in this world.’

Harry then spoke as if on his high horse.

’And, you left me high and dry in Frankfurt to face the music!’ 

It was Gertrude’s turn to adopt incredulation.

‘Oh, I suppose you mean your dalliance with a lady detective of the police. I heard you were a hero, in and out of bed!’

Harry adopted his languid laid back pose and waved his hand as if to accept that as norm for his way of life.

He smiled. 

‘You are welcome to stay the night if you wish, your company would be most welcome.’ ‘Harry enough of this larking about, you must be on the move, you have stayed to long, unsavoury types are looking for you.’

At that moment there was shouting in the kitchen.

Harry looked round and already there was smoke billowing through the door. The fire extinguishers did not work.

The Mission, a flimsy building was soon engulfed in flames. Accident or arson Harry and Gertrude did not wait. They fled to the quay where the Edelweiss was getting ready to sail!

Hole in another shoe Edition 32

Taken Again

They arrived at the Quay, Harry’s first reaction was that the Edelweiss had sailed, but there was something about the cruiser that was moored there that made him realise they had changed the name; it was now the Blumenwaltd (flower meadow)!

Vans stood alongside the quay as stores were being unloaded and taken aboard, it looked as if they were preparing to sail. Maybe there was a chance to get a birth as a cook?

Gertrude put her hand on Harry’s arm.

’I think its time to part. You go your way and I go mine.’

He turned. ‘But what will I do without you?’

‘Pretty well, if you’re past is anything to go by!’

‘But surely you were travelling as a passenger on the Edelweiss?’ He smiled.

’I would be cooking some lovely English dishes for you!’

‘Something I couldo without. But I was only joining the ship in Cologne, and since then my plans have changed’

‘But you could travel on this with its new name. And look,’ he pointed to men an women boarding carry musical instruments, ’you would be able to dance the night away!’ ‘I think not.’ 

Gertrude seemed to revert to her librarian look.

‘That is not my forte.’ 

With that she kissed him lightly on his cheek and walked away.

Harry felt suddenly depressed, remembering Frankfurt he had hoped…..ah well san faire rean. OK here we go let’s see if we can get a birth on this reincarnation, when looking up at who was leaning over the deck rails, non other than Eva! Was this happenchance, or had they somehow tracked him. He was soon to learn. 

One of the vans came up beside him and he was hustled inside by strong arms! Jeese was Eva to get her revenge!

Gertrude, who had mounted the steps up from the quay had turned for a last look and saw what had happened. She sighed to herself, as if to say ‘can he ever keep out of trouble.’

She opened her cell phone and punched in ‘target taken’, and true agent that she was, noted the van number and punched it in. She signalled a passing taxi and set off in pursuit!

Hole in another shoe -Episode 33 

Amongst Friends?

The van raced through the streets of Mainz, Harry had no idea what was happening, he had not been restrained or anything, sack over his head, for example. Was this friend or foe; was he being transported to meet the wrath of Eva, or, a more comforting thought, CIA, but, didn’t they usually have a black limousine?

The van stopped further down, at the shipping docks, beside a gang plank that lead up to a container ship, he noticed San Pedro on the side of the ship. Jeese, was he being transported to South America?

He was frog marched up the gang plank and who was there waiting for him, non other than Olga!

‘Harry you are becoming something of a nuisance, I have to keep rescuing from danger!’

Olga wore a type of sailors uniform vaguely Russian.

‘I set you a simple task, come to Bucharest, and what do you do, get yourself into all sorts of trouble, and, I am very concerned with the company you are keeping!’

She led him to a cabin below the bridge, and there seated in casual comfort was Ethel, from the CIA! She smiled and waved for him to seat himself. Harry tried to match her casual attitude as he lounged down in the chair.

He smiled.

‘Well it’s nice to be amongst friends.’ he said with some sarcasm.

’What can I do for you?’

‘It seems as if you are doing things for us, in your usual haphazard way. We are rather interested in your new friend.’

Harry adopted a puzzled look.

‘The one you skipped with to Frankfurt.’

Harry smiled as if to say ’Yes?’.

’What do you know about her?’

He laid his arm across the table, opening his hand as if in innocence.

‘She’s a librarian; we…..err just met after that little incident on the Edelweiss. She’s interested in churches and things,’ he added as if to confirm her ordinariness.

‘Well,’ said Ethel,’ we have got news for you; she is an Israeli agent, Mossad to be more precise. Tell me why should she take an interest in you?’

At that moment Olga burst in.

‘There’s trouble on the quay side; it looks as if special police are coming aboard. The speed dingy is on the other side. We should go.’

Harry was left to face the music, so to speak, when he spotted a way out. He picked up a rope that was hanging on a nearby hook. He quickly secured himself to his chair and waited; a smile on his face!

Hole in another shoe  - Episode 34

Escape and Retained

The police burst into the cabin. Harry lay with head on one side as if in anguish. The police quickly unwrapped the rope, rubbing his hands as if to revive him.

He came to with a groan

,’Where am I?’ he muttered.

‘Sie sind in sicherer hand nun meine herr.’

Harry looked up with dazed eyes ( he was something of an actor)

‘Danke, danke. Sie comme so schnell.’

The policeman smiled.

‘Alles ist nun Ok, nicht!’

Harry nearly overplayed his hand.

‘Meine Kopf ist sehr schlect, Bitte, kan ich wasser haben.’

‘Ya vol, eine moment.’

A more senior policeman then came in. His rank was a Chief Constable and from an older generation. He viewed what he saw with some suspicion.

‘Guten morgen meine Herr. Is alles klare?’

Harry recovered somewhat and groggily stood up.

‘Ich denke so.’’

‘Sagen mehr was ist deine namen?’

Harry hesitated, at this moment it could all come unstuck, but hell lets go for it. He wiped his forehead as if remembering.

’Harry Parker.’

He was amazed at the response.

The policemen who had untied him exclaimed,

‘ Herr Parker von Frankfurt, sie sind eine Held. Ich musse shake hand schutteln.’

he Chief Constable spoke in English. ‘We a report had you was taken from your will and on this ship loaded.’

Pretty good English Harry thought.

‘Who you take.’

‘Ich weiss nicht. Da wier neimand heir.’

‘Please Herr Parker, the rope?’ he lifted it up with a questioning expression on his face.

Harry was tired of his fractured German.

’Someone came from behind, I was hit and then tied up.’

Then another voice.

’I might believe you, but others wouldn’t.’

Harry turned. It was Inspector Hanna Gussman.

’Surprised to see me? Thought you had got away, a person of interest, I have been tracking you. And here you are on an non-registered container ship. What are you up to Harry?’

Harry left the ship in a black limousine, this time flanked by well built police constables.

His shoe began to hurt distinctly!

Hole in another shoe Episode 35 

Interrogation

They sped along the Rhineallie swinging round to the Electoral Palace. Hi, hi, thought Harry, this does not look like a police station, what next? A triumphal arch lead to a courtyard, they drew to a halt opposite tall studded oak doors. Harry was hustled out of the car and passed through a small access door into a wide wood panelled hall. From there they entered a large room built to impress.

An upright military figure with a hard face and hair greying at the temples, sat at an impressive desk. He waved Harry to a seat. He smiled - the smile of a hangman! ‘So……….,’

He raised a cigarette to his lips, and, as if on second thoughts laid it down in an ash tray,

’So, you are the famous Harry Parker that seems to cause trouble where ever he goes!’ he looked down at open file, ‘mainly in Deutschland.’

Harry felt he aught stand to attention!

His interlocutor smoothed down his hair with one hand as he idly flicked through the pages of the dossier.

‘You have travelled the Fatherland before, I see, leaving death and destruction behind you. Also it seems you have a charmed live, evading death on several occasions. How do you explain all this?’

Several quips came to Harry’s mind, but this was not the time for levity, how could he reply in kind, he thought.

‘Well…..’ he started, looking up at the man inquisitively?

The man waved a hand,

‘you may call me Heinrich.’ 

Harry didn’t like the sound of that; it had a too familiar ring.

'I am only travelling down the Rhine to visit friends in Bucharest. It seems that I am caught up in these events quite innocently. It is not my intention to cause you any trouble.’

Unfortunately the last bit sounded like a veiled threat.

Heinrich stiffened.

‘I see you from England.’ he pronounced the word as if he was a bomber pilot, ’I haf been often there.'

‘I bet you have thought Harry.

’But,’ Heinrich continued, ‘you appear to be stateless!’

‘No………,’ said Harry, he stopped.

Heinrich smiled like the cat tormenting the mouse

’It says here that you applied for political asylum Romania! So you have been to Romania,’ he looked down at the dossier, ’and there was, how you say, a shoot out!’

There was a pregnant silence in the room. Harry said nothing. Hienrich looked over the top of the glasses he had been wearing.

‘And, who is this Olga?’

He looked at Harry quizzically.

‘Is she your woman, or,’ He laid his glasses aside, ‘an agent provocateur,’ he waited again for effect, ‘or Russian NKVD!

Harry heart sank, it looked as if was going to a long night.

Hole in another shoe Epidode 36

Harry wriggles out of it

Harry was not under arrest, but he was being held for questioning it seemed. Harry was in a foreign country, albeit part of the European Union, and hence, not being conversant with the subtleties of their laws was at a disadvantage.

He considered the old response used in so many TV dramas; ‘No Comment‘, but he considered it unwise under the circumstances. The golden rule is never use a direct lie, but modify the truth.

He waited to get control and sound honest.

‘Olga remains an enigma to me.’

Heinrich stopped him.

’Enigma; the code machine?’

Harry allowed a smile.

‘No, but just as difficult to understand.’

Heinrich waved him on.

‘We were lovers.’

This raised an eyebrow.

‘Once!’  Then, ‘She claimed to be the daughter of a Bulgarian Prince.’

This brought a real smile to Heinrich’s lips.

‘We simply met from time to time, until finally, she disappeared, in Bucharest. She seemed to have contacts she would not reveal to me; I thought at one time she was some sort of agent for the state.’

Heinrich raise a questioning eyebrow?

Harry thought, here’s one to stir the pot.

‘Maybe Russian!’

Heinrich wrote a note in the folder, lifted his cigarette as if to smoke, and again lay in the ash tray. It seemed a gesture as if to ponder.

‘Russian, maybe? And you meet her on the ship?’

He lifted his cigarette again as if to give effect.

‘And the CIA? A strange combination, denken sie ?’

He laid the cigarette down again.

‘And what do you think they are up to?'

Harry had to bring this to an end somehow.

‘Perhaps to abduct me….to South America!’

Heinrich actually burst out laughing.

‘Harry meine Herr, bitte, das ist unmoglich, komisch, nicht!’

He then took on a the air of and uncle.

‘You have been a great service my Komrad.’

He pointed to Inspector Gussman, who had been waiting in the wings, so to speak.

‘The Inspector will ensure you leave the Deutschland safely, no abduction, and avoid coming again.’

And with that he actually lit his cigarette and waived them away as if they were of no more concern. Harry and Inspector Gussmann left with a sigh of relief!

Hole in anothershoe Episode 37

A Scare and a Kiss

Harry and Hanna sat together in oak beamed Kneipe, a typical local bar, in a secluded bystreet. There was a lot to discuss, but they were both seemingly deep in thought.

Eventually Hanna could hold back no longer.

‘Harry you appear to have the luck of the devil, that was Heinrich von Ritter head of BND, our counter agency in Southern Germany, it is the first time I have ever seen him, let alone be in the same office! I can’t believe he has let you go, there is more to this than meets the eye!’

Harry took a sip of pilsner beer and stared across the bar; how much could he say, or tell. He had adventures which somehow just happened but he felt Hanna deserved some explanation.

‘Yes, it does seem that way. It seems to be a continuation of what happens to me as I travel down the Rhine.’

‘Come on Harry there is more to it than that!’

‘Well,’ he began, ‘It all happened by mistake, I just came to Amsterdam, there I worked for Isabella and got caught up in the criminal world, it was there that I met Olga, the mysterious Olga! She has appeared again and she wants me to go to Bucharest, I don’t know why.’

They both took a sip of their drinks.

‘Harry there is something funny going on. I was detailed to follow and look after you, but I can’t help if I don’t know anymore!’

Harry moved uneasily in his seat, he was keeping a close watch on the door.

‘It’s too dangerous for you to be seen with me; please go back to Frankfurt.’

‘Don’t be silly, I am a Police Inspector.’

‘Yes I know. But what happened in Frankfurt was not, I think accidental; serious types have tried to kill before.’

The door opened and a couple came in; he made sure he was sitting back to the wall. They laughed together and sat at a nearby table; Harry viewed them suspiciously. He leaned over to Hanna as if to kiss her. He whispered in her ear, ‘have you got your sidearm, have it ready; we must go.’

He got up, half lifted Hanna out of her seat, and keeping his head away from the couple made for door. Looking back he caught sight of someone who, it seemed, had got him in her sights, could it be Eva, if so how had she tracked him here?

A car backfired and Harry pulled Hanna close to him in adjacent alcove, she looked up him and said,

‘Harry, you are so caring,’ and gave him a big kiss!'

It took a few days to leave Mainz; they had a lot to discuss !

Hole in another shoe Episode 38

Lovers and Leavers

Harry was becoming overwhelmed by events, he felt he couldn’t take any more, what he needed was a bit of R&D. He lay comfortably in the arms of Hanna in a soft feather bed, a speciality of the region; her legs were wound round his and felt the softness of her breath upon his cheek. He turned his head and nuzzled into the softness of her hair. He wondered, could this last?

As always the same question came to mind, why go to Bucharest? He sort of wished he was still a milkman with Hanna as his milkmaid. His thoughts were interrupted by a soft tap on the bedroom door.

‘Bitte mein Herr, eine Anruf vor Madam.’

Harry nearly answered, then, coming out of his mental perambulations he realised there was a phone by the bed; he went on to high alert! He slid out of bed, took Hanna’s Glock from its holster, stood back to the wall, opened the door and let it swing inwards. Nothing happened, so he turned across the opening and a maid standing there nearly fainted at the sight of a naked man with a gun in his hand! The police were called and Hanna had a lot of explaining to do; it signalled the end to their dalliance!

Harry sat in café just opposite the cruise boat quay keeping watch on their comings and goings, in particular who was boarding them. Hanna was still helping the local police with their enquiries, and was probably going back to Frankfurt. Harry needed a birth to carry on his mission to get to Bucharest. In particular he was on the watch out for Eva! She had been to close for comfort.

‘You looking for someone Harry?’

Harry looked round and there was Gertrude, his erstwhile lover in Frankfurt. He motioned her to sit down. He stirred his coffee slowly as if expecting it to reveal some secret.

‘Well,’ he said, with a slight touch of sarcasm, ‘nice to see you again. To what do I owe this pleasure?‘

‘Harry, don’t be so touchy. I didn’t abduct you.’

She hesitated.

‘What was that all about on the container ship?’

Harry heard a different tone of voice in the question.

‘Well as it turned out just some old friends, just wanted a chat.’

‘Harry, some sort of friends, they strong armed you on board!’ 

‘They were concerned for my safety…..,’ he froze, through the window he saw Eva!

It was over in a moment. Harry threw himself to the floor. Two shots were fired. One hit Gertrude dead in the chest, the other missed Harry by a hairs breadth. The sound of a Glock pistol signalled that Hanna was still around. Hammad would not be well pleased!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 39

A pickup in a bar

The scene was mayhem, smashed windows, body on the floor, oddly very little blood, ashen faced customers, children screaming, passers by puzzled by the sound of gun fire, many thought it was a car backfiring, a lone policeman hearing the sound not certain what to do, cars passing by with unconcerned passengers. No one was certain what had happened.

Harry slipped away. Hanna’s nerves were trembling, she was not sure who she had shot at; a woman, dressed in long gown, perhaps to keep a gun hidden? Hanna had reacted spontaneously. She had been looking for Harry, and there he was, and then gun fire and breaking glass; over in a second. She realised she was in trouble; a police Inspector discharging a firearm in a street would immediately go on suspension. She began to wish she had never set eyes on Harry!

Harry turned into a side street and straight into an adjacent bar. Get off the streets at all cost. He ordered a schnapps and downed it in one go. He slumped down, all pretence at his James Bond persona gone; it was Harry the milkman! He had a thought; God, was that Hanna who fired the third shot? Was Eva shot? He ordered another schnapps. He had no idea what to do, getting out of town, he smiled to himself, ’take a powder’. Who could he turn to? For the moment he would just wait!

The killing of a Mossad agent meant that death and destruction was on the way to the perpetrator within the hour! A signal goes out that simply reads RED. Agents employed by Mossad immediately identified Harry and made the connection to Eva. Within minutes her full history was known. Harry’s connection was known but what agency he worked for was not. The best information they had was Milkman, and being spies they immediately assumed that this was some International Agency! The order went out to pick him up!

The International Agent, Milkman, was on his fourth Schnapps and feeling decidedly dizzy. He looked up across the bar and saw that they let rooms. That was a very attractive idea but he shook his head; no good, he had to get to the quay. He stumbled from the bar in a drunken daze.

‘Where do you want to go to sailor?’

Through a haze he saw a tall red headed girl.

‘You want a good time!’

He leaned on her. ‘No, No,’ he slurred.

Then. ‘You should go, I am in ttrouble.’

She laughed.

‘Trouble is my middle name, you come with me.’

He came too on a ship not of his choosing. His shoes nipped hard.

Hole in another shoe - Episode 40  

Red Haired Escape

'Ships that pass in the night.'

This probably saved Harry from a lot of aggravation, if not his life; he awoke in a seedy bordello. It was early morning, his head felt like a bucket, and every time he moved pain shot across the back of his eyes. The bed he was lying on was not a soft feather one but a hard flock pack thing.

As his eyes grew accustomed to the light he saw worn out wall paper, mirrors with cracked gold surrounds, and then, feeling a body beside him, he turned, the red haired beauty turned out to be a worn out woman, not very old, whose red head was now hanging on the end of the bed! He heard street cleaners in the street outside and he realised it was time to go.

Through the haze of his mind the realisation of what happened came back to him; Gertrude, Hanna, then, Eva! Of course at that moment he did not know that Gertrude was a Hassad agent, and they would certainly be looking for him. Thoughts of James Bond occurred to him. He got his pants and shirt on quick, took the red haired wig off the bed post and made his way to the quay, impersonating a very dodgy transvestite.

As if the gods were smiling on him there was a working riverboat, which he knew, from Amsterdam.

He walked up the gang plank, and, to the small crew that were having their breakfast saluted them. ‘Clop, clip clop clop clip.’ His version of good morning in Dutch. The crew looked up as one, opened mouthed in astonishment at this apparition addressing them in the tongue of Klingon’s from Star Trek.

The captain slapped his leg and burst out laughing.

‘Harry, is het u? Kom ann boord. U wilt ontbijt?'

The rest of the crew continued to look at Harry in astonishment.

‘Het is Harry, Kijken.’ and with that he whipped the wig off.

There was laughter all round, they jumped and slapped his back, they invited him to breakfast. For Harry the smell of eggs and bacon was overwhelming, and he wolfed it down, after which he was immediately sick, thankfully over the side! Harry lay back looking distinctly ill, his face was white and sweaty and his legs were unsteady beneath him.

The captain took pity on him, tucked him up in a bunk, and smiled at him as comrade might, wishing him, ’Sweet dreams’ The captain went up on deck, lit his pipe, pulled down his woolly hat. Ordered ‘cast off‘, and the Overject continued its journey down the Rhine. Harry had escaped, he could not be in better hands. Except Captain Vandeloute was in contact with all barges!!!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 41

Security Agencies and Flight

Whilst Harry slept, and the Overject continued on its way down the Rhine there was scrambled action by various agencies in Mainz. It was scrambled because no one was sure what had happened and who was involved.

Inspector Hanna Schmitt from Frankfurt was easily identified, and she was currently sitting uneasily in the Mainz Police Head Quarters waiting to be interviewed by an officer of the Police Disciplinary Division, and waiting in the wings the Inland Security Agents who were suspicious that this involved an outside agency operating in Deutschland; if this went wrong she could soon be directing traffic as a constable!

Several agencies were keeping a close watch on things and trying to bring together the actions that had occurred with one Harry Parker over the past months and make sense of them; what bearing did he have on the current situation, and, more mysteriously where was he? The vacuum was being filled by Hassad; they act directly with no concern for national integrity. The RED alert was downgraded because their agent, Gertrude Lawrence (Heisenstien) was not DOA, she sensibly had been wearing a bullet proof vest. That in its self raised the question as to what she knew to take such action!

In the underground defence HQ near Mount Hebron the situation was reviewed by senior security analysts; they saw no direct threat to Israel security, but recommended agents be put in place to identify and secure the placement of the person Eva and Harry Parker and their connection to UK and Russian agencies, if any. However they saw it as a low priority. They would monitor what happens to Hanna Schmitt. They also considered Harry Parker might be useful to them under the right circumstances.

The Overject riverboat moved slowly on, approaching the flights of locks of the Mainz canal that connects the Rhine to the Danube. It has 16 locks and rises up to 400 metres over the Swabian Alps. It runs from Bamburg on the Rhine to Kelheim on the Danube. Harry having slept the best part of twenty four hours awoke to this wonder. The sun was shining, and all was right in the world as he came out on deck.

A young girl was at the wheel, the Captains daughter, she was steadying the barge into the first lock, an important responsibility for one so young. She waved Harry to a seat in the stern whist she concentrated on the job on hand! The crew assemble with ‘Goedemorgen’ all round, and steaming cups of coffee in the hands. It was case of all hands on deck!

Where would this carry Harry - to Bucharest perhaps?

Hole in another shoe - Episode 42

Heroics Love and Goodbye

The first lock negotiated without a problem, 15 to go, this was going to be a long day. Thankfully everything was automatic, but heaven help a boat that breaks down or gets stuck through some wayward seamanship.

Nadia, the captain’s daughter was an expert, but, sometimes, sometimes, things go wrong. It was to do with sun; the rays from the sun struck Nadia’s eyes, she was blinded for a moment, and the swirling water filling the lock caught her by surprise. The boat hit the side, more a nudge really, but 200 tons makes all the difference and Nadia was over the side; certain death. The gap was less than a metre, being crushed seemed inevitable. With out thinking Harry was over the side holding her up above the swirling water. As chance would have it there were ladder steps set in the lock wall; with seeming super human effort Harry dragged her up the steps, they emerged at the top almost drowned.

Lock keepers rushed to their aid; Harry was a hero! Harry was feted; the Captain hugged him and smiled interminably, the crew plied him with schnapps and any other comfort that they thought fitted a hero! Sadly it turned out to be Harry’s undoing. He had effectively escaped his previous escapades but the Rhine bush telegraph was at work, and soon all knew of this handsome Englishman who had risked his life to save the captains daughter, who, it must be said, enthusiastically rewarded her knight gallant!

And so the Oveject sailed merrily on, all was bonhomie, laughter and joking all round. Mornings in the early sun as the Rhineland passed by, vineyards, castles, sweeping meadows, high cliffs, scenery that many happily paid for.

All was well until that fateful day when the captain found Nadia in bed with Harry; he was forcibly ejected from the ship at the next stop; the small town of Verda; this certainly saved him from being picked by various agencies who would be delighted to hear his side of events in Mainz! Nadia wept and refused to leave him, she demanded that she go with him, Harry sensibly saw the danger in this; a seventeen year old girl on a barge is one thing, but in a big city quite another. She promised undying love; Harry felt a heel!! But saw the wisdom in a quick departure!

As if by fate, he was going to meet up again with Gertrude Lawrence ( Heisenstein). Naturally he thought she was dead, but after a light interrogation by her spy masters she had been posted to Nuremberg where there was anti-Jewish feeling. Harry, unbeknown to him, was escaping one enticement for another. His shoe did nothing!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 43

A port in a storm

Vach is nothing more than village only eleven miles from Nuremburg but it might have been a million miles away. There was nothing it seemed, no shop, and certainly no hotel; Harry was bereft, what to do? He had been unceremoniously been put ashore, 100 Euros in his pocket and effectively lost.

He walked up the street, nothing, where was everybody, it was still evening but night would soon be coming in. He relied on pure luck, he knocked a typical German house, modern but still with that Germanic look about it; clean and tidy, well kept.

A well preserved lady opened the door, dressed as if she was going out. She spoke before Harry could say a word.

‘Ah, welommen, commene sie hereine. Ich habe sei warten son.’

Harry doffed the hat he was not wearing and smiled.

She continued,

‘Es ist so good von Ihenen. So sie kernen hre warten. Ich wille comme Zurich heute Morgan.’

With that she put on a coat and swept out the door into a waiting Taxi! Harry was dumfounded, he actually stood at the door and waved. What to do next? He really had no idea what to do next, he certainly could not stay here as tempting as it may seem; anyway the proper person might turn up any minute. He waited outside.

A man approached with much the same build as Harry but older.

‘Guten Arben mein Herr,’ said Harry.

The man looked at him quizzically.

‘So, was machen sie?’ he asked.

‘Die Damme von diese housa denken das ist ware sie. Sie gehe…

The man put his hand up.

’Wo commen sie?’

This flummoxed Harry, it would be impossible to explain.

The man continued,

‘Kernen sie meine schwester?’

Before Harry could say anything the Taxi returned and the lady got out. ’Da,da,da, Ich vergesse miene Kopf…..

She stopped looking at Harry and the other man.

What followed was a swift exchange in German.

They both looked at Harry with puzzled concern.

He spoke in English.

‘There was a problem on a river boat. I came ashore to look for a or a hotel that could put me up but there isn’t one, a hotel I mean, so I am looking for directions’

The man spoke in passable English.

’There is nothing here, you to Nuremburg go must.’

His sister smiled at looking at Harry.

‘Sie sind glycolic, Ich gehen zum Nuremburg. Sie must mich kommen.’

As they got into the taxi she snuggled up to Harry.

There’s a piece of luck then, he thought!

Hole in another shoe - Episode44

Taken and Wrapped

The short taxi ride to Nuremberg was something of a revelation. This lady, Rochelle Schroeder, had a warmth and scent about her that brought back memories of a previous encounter with a lady. She seemed to envelope Harry simply by being, she held him tightly by her arm and turned toward him.

She spoke in English with a soft German accent.

‘I am pleased that you have come, I didn’t expect you!’

Harry went into Bond mode.

He laid his hand across hers.

‘It was my pleasure.’

‘You will be great assistant to me!’

‘I always help where I can.’

‘You have perfect figure for what I want.’

Then turning Harry’s head with her hand,

’the perfect profile.’

Harry smiled his enigmatic smile and said nothing.

‘When hotel get how I say you?’

‘How indeed’ thought Harry Harry Parker? No, time for a change.

‘Reynard Harper,’ he said, a slight twist on his real name.

‘Reynard, I you a star make.’

The taxi drew up outside the Hilton Hotel; Rochelle got out and entered the foyer as if she owned the place. On a placard Harry read Bruno Banani Sales Conference. At a desk sat a typical swish receptionist, perfectly coiffed. She rose on seeing Rochelle, and standing at a perfect figure of attention summoned a flunky to get Madam’s case from the Taxi.

A man carrying the personage of a superior hotel came over and bowing slightly welcomed Frau Schroeder to the Hotel.

‘Your usual room Madam.’

‘Nein, Ich harbe eine Freund, Herr Reynard,’ she turned indicating Harry.

‘Ich musse Eine dopple verbindin zimmer.’ 

The manager looked a Harry, he raised his eyebrows as if to say, ’what’s this?’ and then, ’of course madam, the Sky suite.’

A hotel flunkey took the case and escorted them to the lift where they ascended to the suite. Rochelle was CEO of Bruno Banani a purveyor of underwear (men’s and ladies) and funky perfumes, and a sales conference was being held in the Hilton Hotel. It seemed Harry was invited as her guest, or maybe more. He prepared himself for the worse!

His shoe nipped a warning and an expectation of pleasure!

Hole in another sho - Episode 45

Hello and Goodbye

Harry was wondering at the opulence of the room, the view from the balcony across the town when Richelle entered from the other room. She had changed to a flowing nightgown. ’Hi, up,’ thought Harry, a bit early in the day, but so what. She sat on a chair swinging one leg over the other, showing a surprisingly shapely leg.

‘Reynard,’ she began, smoothing the gown down over her thigh,

‘Huete arben ist sere,’ she stopped as if searching for a word, ’important; so sie mussen habe grande,’ she stopped again.

She stood up.

’ pha, have a suit proper.’ 

She reached into a small purse,

’ here, the company card, you yes, Armani.’

With that she turned and left.

Harry realised what she was saying; ’he was scruffy and ought to be dressed to match her.’ Without more ado he took the lift down to the foyer and asked the conference rep where to go for an Armani suit. She smiled.

‘Madam as asked me to accompany you.’

Harry began to feel like a dog on a lead, and the thought occurred to him that perhaps this was the time to scarper! However a new suit wouldn’t come amiss!

They went by taxi to Simon Optic on Konigstrasse and he left with 500 Euro suit, shirt and underwear to match, socks and shoes, and an Armani watch suitable for James bond; 1000 Euros in all. He’d teach her, he thought!

Later that evening they met, so to speak, at the connecting door. Richelle affected a swoon.

‘Reynard, Reynard. Sie sind film star.’

Harry himself felt a tremor; Richelle was wearing a smooth blue dress cut to show off her curves and her ample bosom. She indeed was beauty! And so they entered the dinning room of the Hilton Hotel like a presidential pair bestowing their presence on all and sundry.

Harry knew the business of dining up to the hilt; he commented on the quality of the dishes and showed considerable knowledge of recipes and wines, in short he was a hit! Later in bed he demonstrated another one of his skills. He found Richelle was a tiger and he matched her claw for claw.

The next morning, before dawn, he gathered his loot and left the hotel. He was smart enough to leave the Armani watch behind with a little note, Aufwiedersehen - time to say goodbye.

The night manager watched him go; he lifted the telephone and called the Sky suite. Her heard a cry of anger and anguish and smiled that knowing smile of all hotel managers! Richelle tried to sue the escort agency, but they had never heard of Reynard Harpey! Harry was away with a clean pair of heals!

Hole in another shoe - Episode 46

Identified?

Harry walked away from the hotel, there was very little traffic about, street cleaners, paper shops opening up, and the grey of the dawn was turning red in the sky. He crossed the park surrounding the hotel and their, to his amazement and relief, was a Kentucky Fried Chicken, not his favourite but any port in a storm.

He stood at the counter looking up at the menu, thankfully in here his 100Euro would go a long way. He picked up his order of Chicken and Chips and sat at the counter looking out across the park eating them. Not as tasty as the night before, but very welcome none the less, and it gave him somewhere to sit and think.

He was woken from his reverie by a young girl parking herself next to him, obviously a backpacker. She tucked into a chicken barf and her can of coke with gusto.

She turned and spoke to him.

‘Sprachen sie English, ‘she asked.

Harry thought about it, was this a scam?

Cautiously he said,

‘a little.’

She smiled up at him, where those baby blue eyes playing a trick?

‘I’ve just got here and I don’t know where to go.’

‘How,’ he queried.

She looked puzzled.

‘Here get,’ he explained.

‘Oh, I hitchhiked; I’ve been on the road for days.’

‘Yes,’ Harry thought, ’you smell like it.’

’Where come you from?’

He wondered how long he could keep this up.

‘Oh, from Amsterdam.’

‘Nice city.’ offered Harry.

‘Not when I was there. An Asian girl was murdered; they were looking for the killer. Look I have photo, in this paper!’

She showed Harry the paper and he saw he was looking at himself.

She leaned back a bit.

‘Look, it looks like you!’

Harry’s heart sank a bit.

He took the paper from the girl to study it more closely.

‘Handsome, ha, like me, yes,’

‘Go on!’ She said, ’you can keep the paper, I am going.’

At that moment a police car drew into the parking lot and two policemen got out. Harry watched as the girl approached them and pointed in his direction. Time to make a quick getaway he thought. He went out through the kitchens over to the railway station and got on an S-Bahn going to the terminus at Altsdorf.

He sat in the compartment not knowing where he would get off, but he had to find some where to hide.

The girl was simply asking the police the way to the Youth Hostel. In the end they offered her a lift, she never mentioned Harry!

Hole in another shoe – Episode 47

Makes his mark

As the S-bahn swung along it lulled Harry to sleep, the next thing he knew was the Zug stopped and he heard the shout ‘Terminus’, which he clearly understood; he was in the town of Altdorf, (Old village). He alighted from the train and once again had no idea what to do! He stepped out of the station onto a typical Bavarian town, otherwise known as old-fashioned, and there in front of him was a Stube; he went in and ordered a beer.

He sat in a corner seat contemplating his future and what to do next. Looking round the bar he saw a notice fixed to a board; Mitarbeiter Gesucht, he guessed what that meant, so he got up and approached the bar. They were clearly desperate because that evening he was washing up and cleaning the bar.

Oddly enough, at least to the management, more and more ladies came into the bar, it had got around that a handsome Englishman was working there. In Altdorf this was unique, and they began to enjoy quipping little comments in English and laughing at his in German, since they were Bavarian and a spoke different dialect. Then one day they heard him singing, in a seductive baritone voice, and they were hooked. He even attempted a well known German song; ‘Sie sind meine ganzes Hertz.’ The ladies swooned; German men were not so impressed!

One lady lingered at the bar longer than others and soon a liaison was established. Ingrid was her name, she invited Harry to her home one evening and he did not return to the Stube. She was in fact the Lady Mayor of this small town and lived in a grand house near the river. It turned out that she also owned the main restaurant in the town centre!

On the face of it Harry was set for life. He enjoyed all the home comforts, for Frau Schultz, who was a woman with a greedy sexual appetite which Harry was happy to satisfy. But there was peril.

The German men who frequented the bar were jealous of this usurper and asked the Chief of Police to investigate their suspicions. The Chief of Police opened the Deutche police search programme on his computer and nearly fell of his chair. Herr Braun was a local Bavarian who was really a farmer and a policed a town where there was no crime. What he read overwhelmed him. Harry Parker had a long list of police contacts, some dubious but some where he was a hero; he hurried to the Lady Mayors office. In reality the Frau Schulz was nothing more than a rural lady who had inherited her well-being. She had the countryman’s cunning but not a wider appreciation of the world outside Altdorf .

Harry was a hot potato! How to handle him?

Maybe Harry’s future was hanging in the balance!

Go to Harry Parker Continued