Page 49
“So that’s why it took you so long to get back here: You were waiting for permission from your superiors.”
Cronley nodded.
I didn’t say, “That’s it.”
But I nodded. And he thinks I said, “Yes.”
The reason I didn’t get back here before this is because Wallace told me to let Odessa lie.
Which makes my nod a lie.
And I didn’t think it through before I lied. My mouth went on automatic.
As it tends to do.
“Sergent Deladier’s over there with my car,” Fortin said, pointing. “I suggest we get in it, go to the DST photo lab, tell them to Leica everything in here, and while they’re doing that, go have our lunch. I am so pleased that DCI’s going to work on Odessa with me that I will even pay for the lunch.”
[ FOUR ]
Gurtlerhoft
13 Place de la Cathédrale
Strasbourg, France
1215 25 January 1946
“The cellar is about the only part of the building that wasn’t torn up in the war,” Commandant Jean-Paul Fortin said as he led them through the basement of the building. He pointed to the high arched ceiling. “Those held up is why. I requisitioned it for DST. I’m still wondering why.”
“Excuse me?” Cronley asked.
“Perhaps it was because my mother used to bring me here as a child, and later, I used to bring my wife here. Or maybe because it was the favorite p
lace for SS officers when les Boches were here. Anyway, I requisitioned it for DST, and it’s proved quite useful.”
As they entered a small alcove, Fortin pointed again to the arched ceiling and to the walls.
“It’s impossible to hide a microphone in the masonry, and when Sergent Deladier puts the heavy felt drape in place—which he is about to do . . .”
“Oui, Mon Commandant,” the sergeant, who looked to be in his fifties, said.
“. . . one could set off a bomb in here, and it wouldn’t be heard on the other side. So no one—save Sergent Deladier, who is one of the DST people I hope you will learn to trust as I do—will overhear our conversation.”
There was one table, set for six, in the alcove. A waiter immediately appeared.
Fortin turned to Winters and said, “I don’t know if Captain Cronley has told you this, Lieutenant—”
“I thought we were now pals,” Cronley interrupted, “on a first-name basis.”
“And so we are,” Fortin said. “I will call the lieutenant by his Christian name. Which is?”
“Thomas, sir,” Winters said. “Or Tom. Whichever you prefer.”
“Thomas. And the both of you may call me either ‘sir’ or ‘commandant,’ whichever you prefer.”
Winters wondered, Is he kidding, or does he mean that?
“Don’t hold your breath, Jean-Paul, waiting for me to call you ‘sir,’” Cronley said. “Our relationship is that of partners, equal partners.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49 (Reading here)
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189