Джон Болл - The First Team

“If Scott is on the wrong side of the railroad tracks, we think that he will try to get in touch with you again. If he does, then you are to tell him that you have heard that there is an organization such as ours and imply — no more than that — that you might be able to put him in touch. This will be sticking your own neck out, of course. If he takes the bait, we believe that he will waste no time in going to that house to report. If he attempts to do that, then he will be dealt with.”

“It sounds grim.”

“It is; you were there when Bob Landers died.”

“Then Scott…”

Percival nodded. “Yes.”

“On the other hand,” Hewlitt reasoned aloud, “if he is all right, then there is no harm done. We could probably use him.”

“We considered that too.”

Hewlitt thought of Bob Landers. “All right,” he said, “I’m your man. When do you think that this will happen?”

Percival stood up. “If you’re ready to go,” he said, “we have it set up for tonight.”

The first thing that came into Hewlitt’s mind after that was an all but forgotten incident of his boyhood. He had been complaining about a pain in one of his teeth; he was told that there was a cavity and it would have to be repaired. That would require an appointment with the dentist. After he had accepted all that, and was ready to prepare himself during the next few days for the ordeal that lay ahead, he had been told that the appointment was slightly less than a half hour away. He had had no chance for psychological adjustment before he had found himself seated in the chair. It was like that now.

“You see,” Percival said, “if Scott is as dangerous as we believe he might be, we don’t want him on the loose an hour longer than is necessary.”

“I can understand that,” Hewlitt replied. “You had me off balance for a moment, that’s all. I think you’d better brief me.”

“Obviously. Your part, actually, is quite simple, though not completely so. I understand that there is a bar you visit fairly frequently when you have been out for an evening.”

Hewlitt was impressed that this detail of his private life was known, but he made a successful effort not to let it show. “That’s right, it’s only a block from my place. I stop there for a draft beer now and then; there’s a piano player I like.”

“Good. What I’d like you to do is to go there tonight when you leave here, just as you might ordinarily. Have a beer or two in your usual manner, but try to stay at least forty minutes if you can without being obvious about it.”

“No problem,” Hewlitt said.

“I can’t give you any odds on this,” Percival continued, “but we consider it possible^that Captain Scott might drop in there. Have you ever seen him there before?”

“No, not to my knowledge. Of course I only really met him recently.”

“Understood. If your movements are as well known to the other side as they are to us, with certain exceptions, then they will know about this habit of yours. If Scott should turn up, you can take it as pretty fair indication that he was sent.”

“I’d certainly think so,” Hewlitt agreed.

“In case he does, of course you will talk to him. Now listen carefully: if he stays off the subject of this organization, don’t you bring it up in any way. Follow his lead. If he does show up, and does get onto that subject, then you understand what that means.” “Yes.” Hewlitt had not moved in his chair for some minutes, he was almost afraid to do so now.

“Assuming that both of these things take place, then you are to tell Scott that you don’t know if you can be of any help to him or not, but you will ask around discreetly. I don’t want you to commit yourself; no good agent ever does that except in an extreme emergency.”

“I understand.”

“Now, if possible we want Scott, again assuming that he is our man, to go to the enemy’s house to report. He wouldn’t dare to use the telephone. So you are to tell him, in confidence, that you have heard a wild rumor that because of the amount of enemy traffic that is passing through the Baltimore Bay Tunnel, an effort is going to be made very soon to blow it up. Treat this very carefully, act like you don’t believe it yourself.” For a moment Percival relented and a half quirk touched the corners of his mouth. “Don’t, incidentally,” he added, “because there’s no truth to it at all.”

He became totally serious once more. “The hardest part of your assignment will be to make him believe that you just picked this up, that you believe it to be a wild rumor, but that it just might be true. In our right minds we would never do anything like that, but they don’t credit us with too much sense in that way. Whatever you do, don’t overdo it — don’t repeat the story, for instance, to be sure that he got it. Then break it up and part as warm friends. Put yourself in that frame of mind — if you don’t, there’s a good chance that he might read you out and that would blow the whole thing. Keep it in the forefront of your consciousness that he is your close and trusted friend, your comrade in arms. Believe it, and you’ll convince him.”

Hewlitt drew in a deep breath. “And then what?” he asked.

“Go home in your usual way. Shortly thereafter your phone will ring and someone will ask for Roger Samuels, who has a telephone number closely similar to yours, by the way. If Scott did not show, simply tell the caller that he has the wrong number and hang up immediately. If Scott did show, but if the conversation did not go as I have outlined here, stay on the line. Your caller will apologize for disturbing you. Say, ‘That’s quite all right,’ and then hang up.” “Hang up immediately if Scott did not show,” Hewlitt repeated. “If he did, but if the conversation remained neutral, wait for an apology and then say, ‘That’s quite all right.’ ”

“Correct; with your memory you won’t have any trouble. Now if Scott did show, and if you planted the story as directed and feel confident that he bought it, in answer to the apology you are to say, ‘That’s quite all right. You didn’t disturb me.’ In that event, wait ten minutes and then go out the back door of your building, turn right, and walk toward the corner. There’s an all-night store there in case anyone notices you going that way. There will be a cab parked near to the corner. Get in and tell the driver to take you to the Hot Shoppe just across the bridge on the Virginia side. If he does, eat something and then go home. If he doesn’t, then go where he takes you.”

Hewlitt had all but forgotten that Frank was still present; he turned and looked up, but received a negative shake of the head in reply. “You and me shouldn’t be seen together too much except for the regular times,” Frank said.

Hewlitt turned back to Percival. “Then what?” he asked.

Percival stood up. “You’ll be told. Just follow instructions and don’t attempt to improvise. That’s all.”

From downstairs there came a small stir of noise indicating that the show was either over or in an intermission period. Once more Hewlitt shook hands with Percival and then followed Frank out the door. He felt a certain confidence that he could carry off the role that had been assigned to him, because he instinctively liked Phil Scott anyway.

Frank dropped him off in front of the bar and then wished him good night. As the cab retreated down the street he stood on the pavement for a moment as though he was deciding whether or not to go inside, then, holding himself at a casual emotional level as far as he was able, he opened the door and stepped through.

His first thought was to look around carefully to see if Scott was already there, but before he had finished closing the door behind him he realized the mistake that would be. Instead he headed toward the rear of the narrow room so that if he was to have a visitor, the resulting conversation could be held in relative privacy. He looked straight ahead and avoided even glancing at the bar patrons. He rubbed his chin as he walked, and then massaged the muscles in his throat. It was the gesture of a man who has just engaged in an activity he would rather not publicize, a self-conscious covering up of inner embarrassment.