Griffin W.E.B. - Honor Bound 02 - Blood and Honor

"The special materiel is intact?" von Lutzenberger asked. "Berlin will want to know about that."

"It is safe in my hold," de Banderano said.

"Well, Anton, what do you think?" von Lutzenberger asked after de Banderano had left.

"I think we have a spy in our office, a traitor. The Americans knew where that boat was going to land."

"And you think it's von Wachtstein? Is that it?"

"Herr Ambassador Graf, I said nothing of the kind."

"You gave me that impression, I'm afraid."

"That was not my intention. I mean, after all, Herr Ambassador Graf, one does not quickly question the courage or loyalty of a holder of the Knight's Cross. And then we have Captain de Banderano's testimony to von Wachtstein's courage under fire."

"Well, that may be. I find it quite difficult to even wonder if the traitor is von Wachtstein, but you're right, Anton, we have one."

"We will smoke him out. Or her out."

"You really think it could be Fraulein Hassell?"

"As you yourself said, Herr Ambassador Graf, until we know for sure, everyone is suspect."

"Yes, that's so."

"I wonder what Berlin's going to say?" Gradny-Sawz asked.

"I suppose, Anton, they will most likely name you to replace Standartenf?hrer Goltz in carrying out this project. They'll probably send in another military Attach?—"

"Do you really think so?" Gradny-Sawz interrupted. "Place me in charge of this operation?"

"Yes, I do," von Lutzenberger said.

"They'd almost certainly ask for your recommendation about that."

"And I would certainly give it."

Praying, meanwhile, that they would be so stupid as to actually do it.

What they will do, probably, is send in someone to take Gr?ner's place as Attach?, and someone else to be the security officer, and keep an eye on Gradny-Sawz. And, of course, on me and von Wachtstein.

[FIVE]

Estancia San Pedro y San Pablo

Near Pila, Buenos Aires Province

1730 19 April 1943

Colonel A. F. Graham replaced the telephone handset in the cradle and turned to Major Cletus Frade and the Legal Attach? of the United States Embassy, Mr. Milton Leibermann.

"The Ambassador—that was his Excellency himself—has been given an appointment to see the Foreign Minister at nine-thirty tomorrow morning," he said. "He was unofficially given to understand that the Foreign Minister has seen some photographs in the possession of Colonel Mart?n of the BIS, and was led to believe that the Foreign Minister wishes to personally inform him that the new government of Argentina intends to scrupulously observe the provisions of neutrality."

"Which means, of course," Leibermann said, "that the Oceano Pacifico will sail off into the sunset with all that money on board."

"Which they will find another way to bring into the country," Clete said.

"Having a lot of money on board does not give us the right to sink her, unfortunately," Graham said. "And I think—I know—they will bring it in some other way. I think when I go back to Washington I can get Milton some more money, some more people, to keep track of it. We're that much ahead.

"And if the Oceano Pacifico is ordered out of Argentine waters, she won't be able to supply any submarines. It'll take the Germans another six weeks, maybe longer, to get another replacement here. So we won, maybe."

"Dave Ettinger is dead," Clete said. "How's that winning?"

"So are Standartenf?hrer Goltz and Colonel Gr?ner," Leibermann said.

"And my father and Enrico's sister. That makes it three to two. Does that mean I can send Enrico out to even up the score?"

"Don't do that, please," Graham said. "I wouldn't want him to shoot von Wachtstein—excuse me, Galahad—by mistake."

Clete looked at him coldly.

"Relax," Graham said. "That goes no further than this room. I have decided that since Milt and I know who Galahad is, and can guess at his motives, Donovan doesn't have to know. I won't tell him."

"Thank you," Clete said sincerely.

"There's a hook in that," Graham said.

"I should have known," Clete said, his relief instantly replaced with bitter anger.

"If something happens to you, Clete, the deal is off. So don't do anything dangerous—like falling out of your wedding bed—or anything else risky down here. Go on the canap?-and-small-talk circuit. Keep your ears open. Say a kind word for our side when you get the chance."

"Get rid of Delojo," Clete said.

"We have enough on an Argentine in Washington to persona non grata him," Graham said. "We will. They will tit for tat, and Commander Delojo gets sent home from here. I think Ashton's the man to replace him, but I'm going to have to sell that to Donovan."

The door opened and a maid put her head in the door.

"Excuse me, Patron," she said. "But the Se?ora insists on seeing you this very moment."

"Jumping the gun a little, isn't she?" Graham said.

"What's the word for that?" Leibermann chuckled. "Hen-pecked?"

"Tell Se?orita Mallin I am occupied and will be with her directly," Clete said.

"Patron, the lady says her name is Se?ora Howell."

"And that's what it is," Martha Williamson Howell said, pushing into the room, "Nice spread you have here, Clete. How are you, honey?"

"I'll be goddamned!"

"Watch your mouth!"

He ran to her and put his arms around her.

"God, I'm glad to see you!" Clete said.

"Where is she?" Martha asked.

"Where's who?"

"Who do you think?"

"Would you ask Se?orita Mallin to come in here, please?" Clete said to the maid.

"Well, look who's here," Martha said, spotting Graham. "What brings you down here?"

"Clete's wedding, what else? How nice to see you, Mrs. Howell."

The door opened again and the Misses Howell passed through it, followed by Cletus Marcus Howell.

He spotted Graham.

"God, what are you doing here? What the hell's going on around here?"

"Not much," Graham said. "How are you, Mr. Howell?"

"I've spent thirty-six hours on an airplane without sleep and four hours in a twenty-year-old Ford taxi driving here. How do you think I am?"

He looked at Cletus.

"Have you nothing to say to your grandfather, Cletus?"

"That depends on what you're doing down here."

Dorotea Mallin entered the room.

"This must be her," the Old Man said.

"That's her."

The Old Man fished in his pocket.

"This is what I'm doing here," he said to Clete, and then turned to Dorotea. "Miss Mallin, I am Cletus Marcus Howell."

"I know who you are," Dorotea said. "Cletus has told me all about you, and so has my father."

"This is now properly yours," the Old Man said, and handed her a square of folded tissue.

She unfolded it. It was an engagement ring, with what looked like a four-carat emerald-cut diamond.

"I don't understand," Dorotea said.

"What the hell is that?" Clete asked suspiciously.

"It's your mother's engagement ring," the Old Man said. "Jorge Guillermo Frade gave it to your mother, and now I'm giving it to this young lady. What she sees in you is beyond me, but if she's going to marry you, she damned well deserves it, and a lot more."

"Thank you," Dorotea said, and then kissed him.

The Old Man looked embarrassed. But pleased.

A HALF CENTURY LATER WE HAVE YET

TO COME TO THE END OF THE STORY

Priebke Extradited to Italy Today

San Carlos De Bariloche

On the eve of his extradition to Italy to stand trial for allegedly participating in a massacre of 335 civilians, former SS Captain Erich Priebke said in an interview yesterday the Vatican had tried to stop the killings.

"The Vatican requested clemency in every way possible and even appealed to the German Embassy," Priebke told the La Mariana del Sur daily.

Priebke, 82, will be extradited to Rome today to await trial. The massacre, in the Ardeatine Caves outside Rome in 1944, was ordered by Hitler to avenge the killing of 32 German soldiers in an ambush.