The Assassins by Alan Bardos (read novel full .TXT) 📕

Count Gallas had even drafted a report on the subject in the previous year, which Breitner had contributed to. Dr Gerde, the Chief of the Sarajevo Police, had tried to advise both Potiorek and the military committee about the incendiary nature of the Heir visiting on Serbia's Patron Saint's Day. All of these warnings were ignored.

The person who created the biggest stir was Dr Sunaric, the Croat vice-president of the Bosnian Parliament, who'd urged Potiorek to cancel the Archduke's visit because of possible Young Bosnia activity. He'd even attempted to go over the Governor's head and telegraphed Count Bilinski directly, which caused a certain degree of indignation, but ultimately, like all of the other warnings, this had been dismissed as being the pessimism of doom and gloom merchants. Unlike other areas of the Empire, there had been no violence specifically attributed to nationalism in Bosnia.

Some concessions had been made to security: all of Sarajevo's schools had been closed since the middle of June and any student who wasn't a resident of Sarajevo had been expelled. The border controls were also more strictly enforced and strangers coming into Sarajevo were to be monitored. However, Breitner knew that that hadn't stopped Gavrilo and his cell from crossing the border or organising their plot.

The police were also allowed to face the crowd, rather than the Heir, during the visit, to scan for any potential assassins lurking in the shadows. That didn't change the fact that there were only one hundred and twenty gendarmes to provide security for a city of over fifty thousand people. Bringing in additional policeman from Budapest was deemed to be too expensive, as all of the budget had gone on building a chapel for the Royal couple in their hotel.

There was talk of bringing additional police from the surrounding area but even so there was still a lot of ground to cover, unless of course Breitner could tell them exactly who the assassins were and where they were likely to be - which he couldn't do if Johnny didn't turn up. Breitner flipped open his pocket watch again.

Chapter 31

Johnny rhythmically turned his last crown over. He was loath to spend it, but he had to show that he wasn't a vagrant. A waiter was coming to his table for the third time, expecting to take his order. Johnny made a performance of looking embarrassed and eventually shrugging, he told the man that he was waiting for a girl, who was late, and that he didn't want to order until she arrived.

The waiter wasn't particularly sympathetic, but went away. Johnny glanced through a gap in the café's picket fence. Ilic was still sitting in the garden, reading 'The Seven to be Hanged'.

He'd finished his briefing next to the Mostar Cafe, which Johnny thought was curious. It would have made more sense to start at the café, where the first in line would be standing and then to work his way up along the route the Archduke would take. Ilic would then have finished his instructions nearer to the boarding house.

When Ilic dismissed the cell, Johnny stayed back and discreetly followed him into the café and found a table, partly hidden by the cafe's picket fence. He was banking that Ilic would be meeting the third member of the cell, so that he could tell him where to stand for the attack on the Archduke.

Although Johnny couldn't account for Ilic's eccentricities (he might just have been enjoying the sunshine), he had no choice other than to wait and watch him make notes in his book. Johnny put the coin back in his pocket and hoped the waiter would think he looked suitably desperate to be waiting for a girl - who would never turn up.

*

Breitner was eventually summoned by Lieutenant Colonel Erich von Merizzi, Governor Potiorek's aide-de-camp. 'I understand you wish to see His Excellency, the Governor.' Von Merizzi spoke without looking up from his work.

'Yes, sir.' Breitner stood to attention and adopted a brisk, military tone.

'You may not be aware of this, Breitner, but we are currently hosting the heir to the throne. The Governor is extremely busy attending to his needs.'

'It is a matter of the utmost urgency, sir.'

The Colonel slowly looked up from his desk, trying to understand how a junior bureaucrat could possibly have anything of interest to say to the Governor.

'Oh come now - aren't you being a little over dramatic, Herr Breitner?'

'It concerns his Imperial and Royal Highness, sir.'

'You're the fellow who was friends with Redl?' Von Merizzi made it sound as if Breitner was guilty of all manner of corruption and treachery.

'Colonel Redl was my superior in the Intelligence Bureau,' Breitner said flatly. Along with his fall from grace he'd come to accept that people would be suspicious of him. Breitner had worked closely with Redl for years and like everyone else in the Intelligence Bureau had had no idea that he spied for the Russians, or that he entertained young officers in a lavish boudoir.

Breitner had resigned his commission in the army at the first hint of scandal, but the disgrace to the Kaisersrock, the Imperial uniform, would always be there. Nothing Breitner could do would wash the stain from that most revered symbol of Imperial honour and duty.

'Don't you just fetch and carry for the Joint Ministry of Finance?' Von Merizzi was stunned that Breitner, of all people, had the gall to seek an interview with the Governor.

'I believe the Governor is personally supervising every detail of the Archduke's visit, sir, including tonight's official dinner for the Heir Apparent at the Hotel Bosnia.'

'That is correct.'

'I've been approached by an intermediary from one of the dignitaries attending tonight's evening meal. He raised some concerns about the menu, which I urgently need to discuss with His Excellency.'

'Good God man, what are