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Canaris smiled and nodded his understanding.

And you knew, you slimy bastard, that there was virtually no chance of me going to the Bavarian corporal and saying, “Reichsführer Himmler never turned U-405 over to me; he’s lying.”

Having someone say anything against anyone in the inner circle really “excites” the Führer. He reserves that privilege to himself.

“Let us say, Admiral, that U-405 leaves its current position the day after tomorrow, to meet with a submarine which would depart the pens at Saint-Nazaire at about the same time. How much time would it take it to make the rendezvous, take on the senior person to be smuggled into Argentina, and then sail to wherever it is in Argentina where that would happen?”

“If you’re looking for an answer to give the Führer, Herr Reichsführer, I can give you a rough one off the top of my head, and in ten minutes I can have von und zu Waching come up with estimates accurate within an hour or so.”

“Off the top of your head?”

“Saint-Nazaire is—off the top of my head—about 6,000 nautical miles from Buenos Aires. Von Dattenberg and the U-405 are about 500 nautical miles from Buenos Aires. So we’re talking about splitting 5,500 nautical miles. Presuming fuel consumption is not a problem, and it can sail on the surface, a U-405-class U-boat can make fifteen knots in ordinary seas.

“Fifty-five hundred miles divided by fifteen is right at 370 hours. Say, two weeks, and a day or two to make the rendezvous. And that much, plus the extra 500 miles, back. Say thirty-two, thirty-three days from the order to go to put your imaginary very important officer on the beach.”

“Buenos Aires is that far?” Himmler asked incredulously.

“That far, Herr Reichsführer. As I said, von und zu Waching in ten minutes or so could come up with a more precise estimate.”

“I wonder if von Deitzberg will like his ocean voyage,” Himmler said, smiling.

This time Canaris did not—perhaps could not—suppress the look of surprise that crossed his face.

“Yes, von Deitzberg will make this voyage,” Himmler said. “For several reasons: One, I can report that to the Führer. I had hoped to be able to tell him ‘SS-Brigadeführer von Deitzberg has tested the transport mechanism,’ but now I suppose it will be, ‘My Führer, as we speak SS-Brigadeführer von Deitzberg is personally testing the transport mechanism.’

“The second reason is that once von Deitzberg has been smuggled into Argentina, he can straighten out the mess we both know exists there. We have to eliminate both the Froggers and that American OSS agent who’s causing us all the trouble. What’s his name?”

“Frade, Herr Reichsführer. Cletus Frade.”

“Yes, I’d forgotten. Frade has to be eliminated, and von Deitzberg is the man to do it, since no one else seems to be capable of doing it.”

“You’re absolutely right, Herr Reichsführer,” Canaris said. “More coffee?”

“I shouldn’t. What is it they say, Canaris? ‘The greatest pleasure is indulging one’s nasty habits’?”

“I’ve heard that, Herr Reichsführer. When do you plan to put this into action?”

“I’ll tell von Deitzberg when he comes to the office. Give him a day to pack, settle things, and another day to get to Saint-Nazaire. You can deal with the navy, can’t you, Canaris? I’d really hate to involve Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz in this unless I have to.”

“I can deal with the navy, Herr Reichsführer.”

Himmler nodded.

“And now, before you corrupt me completely with your smuggled coffee, I’d better get back to work. Don’t say anything to von Deitzberg, please. I want to see the look on his face when I tell him.”

[THREE]

The Embassy of the German Reich

Avenida Córdoba

Buenos Aires, Argentina

0910 25 August 1943

“Herr Cranz is here, Excellency,” Fräulein Ingeborg Hässell announced from the door.

“Ask him to come in, please,” Manfred Alois Graf von Lutzenberger said, not quite finishing the sentence before Karl Cranz shouldered past Fräulein Hässell into the room.