Top Secret Part 36

"No," she said, chuckling, "of course you don't. Need to Know and all that."

She looked at his face and then changed the subject.

"Maybe Tony will be called away somewhere and we can have a little time together in Munich."

"That would be nice. Rachel, what if your husband starts looking for you and can't find you?"

"That would be a disaster, wouldn't it?"

She put her clothes back on as quickly as she-they-had taken them off, and left.

VIII.

[ ONE ].

Kloster Grnau Schollbrunn, Bavaria American Zone of Occupation, Germany 1005 2 November 1945 First Sergeant Chauncey Dunwiddie and Technical Sergeant Abraham L. Tedworth had heard the Storch approaching and were waiting next to the former monastery chapel when Cronley taxied up to it.

They spotted Frade and curiosity was all over their faces.

Frade and Cronley climbed down from the airplane.

Dunwiddie softly ordered, "Ten-hut!" Both non-coms popped to attention and crisply raised their hands to their eyebrows.

"Good morning, Colonel," Dunwiddie barked. "Good morning, Captain. Welcome home."

Frade and Cronley returned the salute. Dunwiddie and Tedworth crisply lowered their arms and popped to parade rest.

"As you were," Frade said. "Good morning."

"Colonel," Cronley said. "This is First Sergeant Dunwiddie and his field first sergeant, Technical Sergeant Tedworth."

Frade offered them his hand.

"My name is Frade."

"Yes, sir," the two non-coms said in unison.

"Command of Operation Ost has been given to me," Frade said. "So you now work for me."

"Yes, sir," they again said in unison.

"For the moment, Captain Cronley remains in command of the monastery. How long he will retain command depends in large measure on how much damage to our relations with General Gehlen has been caused by his taking over the interrogation of the NKGB agent.

"As you may have surmised from this odd uniform I'm wearing, I'm a Marine. In the Marine Corps, when you want the real story behind what looks like a FUBAR situation-you do know what FUBAR means, right?"

"Yes, sir," Dunwiddie said.

"f.u.c.ked Up Beyond All Repair, sir," Tedworth helpfully furnished.

"Correct," Frade said. "What you do is rustle up a couple of senior non-coms and ask them what the h.e.l.l's going on, what went wrong, and what they think should be done about it. If you're lucky, you'll get the truth as opposed to them telling you what they think you want to hear."

Frade pointed at Tedworth.

"You first, Sergeant. Be advised I will tolerate no bulls.h.i.+t."

Tedworth, visibly uncomfortable, looked as if he was carefully considering his reply. Finally, just perceptibly, he gave a f.u.c.k it! shrug.

"Colonel, maybe Captain Cronley should have talked it over first with Colonel Mattingly and he probably should have been more tactful with Bischoff when he told him to b.u.t.t out, but other than that, he was right."

"Captain Cronley isn't famous for his tact, is he?" Frade said, and then pointed at Dunwiddie.

"Sir, I agree with Sergeant Tedworth," Tiny said.

"Why doesn't that surprise me?" Frade asked. "What is your a.s.sessment, Sergeant, of the damage Captain Cronley's actions have had on his-which are of course our-relations with General Gehlen?"

"Sir, I don't know."

"What is your a.s.sessment of General Gehlen?"

"Sir, do you mean do I like him?"

"Try that."

"Yes, sir, I do."

"But?"

"He's a general, sir. And a German. Generals, and maybe especially German generals, don't like having their decisions, their orders, questioned. Particularly by junior officers."

"But?"

"That's it, Colonel."

"Where is the Russian?"

"In his cell, sir."

"And General Gehlen?"

"He's in his office, sir."

Frade pointed at Tedworth.

"You will take me to the Russian."

"Yes, sir."

He pointed to Dunwiddie.

"You will present my compliments to General Gehlen. You will ask him if it will be convenient for him to meet with me in Captain Cronley's office after I've spoken to the Russian."

"Yes, sir."

Frade pointed to Cronley.

"You will go to your quarters and await my pleasure."

"Yes, sir."

[ TWO ].

Office of the Commanding Officer XXIIIrd CIC Detachment Kloster Grnau Schollbrunn, Bavaria American Zone of Occupation, Germany 1025 2 November 1945 The office was furnished with a desk, on which sat two telephones-an ornate German instrument and a U.S. Army EE-8 field telephone-a typewriter, an ashtray made from a bent Planters peanuts can, a White Owl cigar box, and a box of large wooden matches.

There was a wooden office chair on wheels behind the desk. Two similar chairs without wheels were in front of it.

Former Generalmajor Reinhard Gehlen, who had on an ill-fitting, well-worn gray tweed suit, sat in one of the latter. He rose to his feet as Frade walked through the door that Sergeant Tedworth held open for him.

"General Gehlen?" Frade asked.

"I am Gehlen."

"My name is Frade, General," he said, offering the slight man his hand. "Sorry to have kept you waiting."

"I am pleased to finally meet you, Colonel Frade."

"Sergeant, please rustle up some coffee and maybe a couple of doughnuts for myself and the general, and then leave us alone."

"Coming right up, sir," Tedworth said.

Frade went behind the desk and sat down.

"We have a problem, General. But I think before we get into that, I should tell you why I said 'we.' For a number of reasons, including credible deniability, it has been decided to transfer command of Operation Ost to me. That's effective this morning."

Gehlen nodded but didn't speak.

An inner door opened. Cronley was standing in it.

"Colonel, I thought I should tell you that when I'm in my quarters I can hear whatever is said in here."

Frade considered his options for a moment and then said, "Take a seat."

"Yes, sir," Cronley said, and then sat in the chair across from Gehlen.

"Guten Morgen, Herr General."

"Guten Morgen, Jim."

"One might get the idea from that cordial, informal exchange, General," Frade said, "that you and Captain Cronley have developed a personal as well as a professional relations.h.i.+p."

"I think we have," Gehlen said. "Wouldn't you agree, Jim?"

Before Cronley could reply, Frade went on: "And that hasn't changed in the last couple of days?"

"Because of Major Bischoff, you mean?"

"That's your interrogation expert?"

"Yes."

"Then because of what happened between Captain Cronley and your major."

"I think, Colonel, that when I hear Captain Cronley's version of the dispute, and weigh it against Bischoff's, Bischoff's far greater experience in these matters will be evident. But that certainly won't cause me to dislike Jim."

"You haven't heard Cronley's version?"

"I was going to ask him about it today."

"Tell the general what you have been thinking, Captain Cronley," Frade ordered.

"I offered Major Orlovsky a deal, General," Cronley began.

"Based on his extensive experience in these matters, of course," Frade said sarcastically. "And his very fertile imagination."

The appearance of Sergeant Tedworth, carrying two coffee mugs and a plate of doughnuts, caused Cronley, at the last possible split second, not to say what had leapt to his lips.

Thank G.o.d!

Telling Clete to go f.u.c.k himself would have been really stupid. He couldn't let me get away with it in front of Gehlen, and Gehlen wouldn't like it either.