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“He further reported that another attempt by unknown persons on the life of Cletus Frade, who many believe is the OSS man in Argentina, failed, resulting in the death of three Argentines.

“And finally, I learned from my man in Mexico City that U.S. Border Patrol posts have been alerted to look for Oberstleutnant Wilhelm Frogger, who has apparently escaped from his POW enclosure and may be trying to get into Mexico.”

He paused and looked around the table again.

“Otto, it has just occurred to me that, inexcusably—the fact that I was summoned to Wolfsschanze is not a valid excuse—I failed to notify either Parteileiter Bormann or the Reichsführer of what I learned from Argentina. Will you please remember to remind me to do so first thing in the morning?”

“Jawohl, Herr Admiral,” von und zu Waching said.

“A toast, gentlemen,” Canaris said as he rose from the table.

“Our Führer and the Final Victory,” Canaris said.

The others raised their glasses and there was a chorus repeating the toast.

And if you have been listening to this, Herr Reichsführer, despite Egon’s skilled sweep of the place for listening devices—never underestimate one’s enemy—then I hope you are satisfied that I am not only one of the faithful, but always willing to defer to your superior judgment.

And after we have our supper and von und zu Waching goes home and the rest of us “go to bed,” we’ll have another chat in my bomb shelter.

Getting a listening device through the eight-inch concrete walls of that is simply impossible.

That was not to happen.

They had just sat down to their sauerbraten and carrots when Egon came into the dining room. He took a telephone from a sideboard, set it on the table in front of Canaris, and announced, “Von Deitzberg.”

Canaris nodded and picked up the telephone.

“What can I do for you, Herr Brigadeführer?”

“Won’t it wait until the morning?”

“In fifteen minutes, we’ll be having dinner. Can you give us thirty minutes for that?”

“I understand.”

He put the handset in its cradle and stood up.

“Von Deitzberg wants to see me before the morning meeting,” he said. “He will be here in thirty minutes, probably less than that.”

He pointed at the floor, then turned to Egon.

“In twenty minutes, Egon, I want this table to look as if you’ve just served.”

Egon nodded.

The bomb shelter was illuminated with American Coleman gas lanterns hanging from the low ceiling. It was furnished with three steel cots, a desk with a typewriter, four small armchairs, and a portable toilet.

“It is always best for people involved in something like we are to know nothing they don’t absolutely have to know,” Canaris began. He was sitting far back in one of the armchairs, tapping the balls of his spread fingers together. “In this case, however, I think we have to ignore that wisdom.”

Admiral Canaris glanced at General von Wachtstein, Oberstleutnant Gehlen, and Fregattenkapitän von und zu Waching. Gehlen and von und zu Waching nodded. Von Wachtstein grunted.

Carnaris went on: “In light of the recent events in Argentina, both the Führer’s sudden interest in Operation Phoenix and because what I think von Deitzberg wants is my assistance, or at least my acquiescence, in his going to Argentina.

“He will most likely tell me that he is concerned with dangers posed to Operation Phoenix by the defection of the Froggers. What he is really concerned about is the possibility that the Americans, now that they have learned about it from Herr Frogger, will make the ransoming operation public.

“If they should do so, von Deitzberg reasons, it would come to the attention of Himmler. So far as I have been able to determine, Himmler is unaware of the ransoming operation. If it came out, the best scenario vis-à-vis von Deitzberg would be Himmler’s displeasure with him for failing to discover the operation; the worst scenario for him, of course, being that Himmler would learn that von Deitzberg was the brains behind it.

“These factors apply. The Americans knew all about the ransoming operation long before the Froggers deserted. President Roosevelt has decided that exposing the operation would serve only to ensure that no other Jews escaped the ovens. Aside from collecting data—evidence—to be introduced at the trials of these scum after the war, the Americans will do nothing to interfere with the ransoming operation.