The Gemini Agenda

by Michael McMenamin

  “Ted was only trying to help. He just misconstrued what I wanted him to do. Ted would never do anything to cause me harm. I’m sure his intentions were good.”

  “Bullshit! The next time Ted Hudson has a good intention will be his first.” He was really pissed, his face cold and unforgiving. He had barely saved her life. He should never have let her come here alone. He wasn’t making that mistake again. Not until this was all over.

  “Bourke?” Mattie said in a small voice, obviously sensing the extent of his emotions.

  “Yes?”

  “Thank you,” Mattie said softly, her voice barely above a whisper

  “For what?”

  “Saving my life. I don’t want you to think I’m not grateful. I am. Really.” She paused, wiping a tear from the corner of her eye. She pulled her Walther from the small of her back and chambered a round. “I’m glad you were here. But this isn’t over.”

  “I know it’s not. It’s only beginning.” Cockran replied, his face still cold. “I also know you won’t walk away from this story and I won’t try and talk you out of it. But until this is really over, I’m going to do whatever I think is necessary to keep you safe.” He looked up at her profile bathed in the moonlight. “Are we agreed?”

  “Yes. Thank you again. I love you.”

  Cockran’s face softened at last and he grinned. “You’d better.”

  “Forever.” Mattie said and blew him a kiss as she headed her mare away.

  43.

  How Could She Blame Ted?

  The Cedars

  Sands Point, Long Island

  Wednesday, 25 May 1932

  MATTIE and Cockran ate breakfast in the Cedars’ sun-dappled kitchen. She was surprised at how hungry she was after her late night adventure and Cockran had cooked her a second helping of eggs and bacon. Then they brought each other up to date on what he had discovered about Waterman and what she had found at the Eugenics Record office.

  Well, almost up to date. She had stopped by Stanhope Hall on her ride home to check on Ted Hudson and ended up spending half an hour there. It was almost beyond belief. Cockran hadn’t been exaggerating. He had given Ted a savage beating. His lips were puffy, there were cuts above both his eyebrows. His eyes were beginning to blacken and one of them was almost closed, a mere slit. And he definitely needed dental work. Thankfully, Cockran hadn’t asked why it had taken her so long to ride home and she wasn’t about to volunteer where she had been.

  What was it with those two? Ted’s answer had been plausible enough and Mattie felt guilty. She had told Ted of Cockran’s lawyerly aversion to her nighttime trespass at the Carnegie Institution’s campus. Maybe she shouldn’t have. Just like she shouldn’t have told Ted the year before about the tensions in her and Cockran’s relationship. So Ted had overreacted last night. He had genuinely believed that Cockran was there to keep her out of the building; to keep her from covering her story; to keep her from doing her job. How could she blame Ted for that? That had been as much her fault as his, just like that last night in Findlay.

  “Okay, so they destroyed your camera and exposed all your film,” Cockran said. “But what about that file you lifted? What does it show?”

  Mattie looked up at Cockran, guilty that she had been thinking about Ted, and passed over a manila folder. “This is the original correspondence file for Project Gemini. On the left is a list of all 22 twins. On the right are letters between Harry Laughlin and Charles Davenport of the ERO and Dr. Otmar Verschuer of the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute in Berlin. The letters are harmless enough, full of scientific and eugenics mumbo jumbo. Nothing incriminating. But the last item in the file, right on top, is scary. It’s a telegram from someone with the initials JM. Talks about ten subjects arriving safely in Bremen. It also mentions their efforts to locate an additional two. Something called experimental evolution tests beginning on 20 May. What’s worse is it mentions “autopsy protocols” at some clinic in Bavaria on 3 June. Here, look for yourself,” Mattie said, handing him the folder.

  Cockran took the folder and opened it. “Mattie. There’s no telegram here.”

  Mattie grabbed the folder out of Cockran’s hands. “What do you mean? Of course there is.…oh my God! It’s gone! I swear, Bourke, there was a telegram here.”

  “I believe you,” Cockran replied. “But that’s not going to help. If your interpretation of the telegram is correct, more twins are going to die. And soon.”

  “But where? Bavaria is a big place. Where in Bavaria is this clinic? Do you think we should go to the authorities here with what we’ve found?”

  Cockran shook his head. “Nope. We can’t. We left behind three dead bodies in Cold Spring Harbor last night and we don’t want the authorities knowing we were anywhere near that place. It was self-defense but we were both inside that building illegally. In fact, it would be wise if you simply burned that correspondence file you lifted last night. Your fingerprints are probably all over it.”

  “But.…” Mattie began and then stopped as she saw Cockran’s face. This was no longer the lawyer of yesterday lecturing her on trespass. This was a man who had killed in cold blood telling her how best to cover her own ass. “Okay. I’ll do that.”

  “Next, call Hearst. Have him put his correspondents in Europe to work and see if they can track down any facility in Bavaria where Verschuer has a connection. Also, have him put together a file on everything his people can uncover on the E.R.O., Davenport, Laughlin and Verschuer. And especially anything they can find on eugenics and twins. I don’t see how killing them fits together with anything I know about eugenics. Also, track down Winston. Tell him about the clinic. See if he’s managed to find out anything more.”

  “Fine,” Mattie said. “It’s only 6:00 a.m. in California. I’ll call Winston first.”

  “One more thing. See if Hearst’s New York office can book us passage to Germany.”

  “Us? Germany?” Mattie asked. She had known she was going to Germany — Bavaria — ever since she read the telegram. But …

  “Us,” Cockran reiterated. “It’s like I told you last night, I know you’re not going to rest until you run this story to ground. So I’m not going to try and talk you out of it. But until this is over, I’m going to keep you safe and I’m not letting you out of my sight. In fact, have Hearst put me on the payroll. A dollar a year. I want to know who your source is and anything else you’re still keeping in confidence from me. Understood?”

  Mattie stood up, walked over to Cockran and kissed him on the cheek. “You bet,” she said. Telling him about Helen Talbot was fine with her but Cockran didn’t need to know about her visit last night to Stanhope Hall. It might be misinterpreted.

  “WINSTON!” Mattie said, “How lovely to hear your voice again. I wanted to tell you about some surprising new developments in the story since last we talked and see if you’ve learned anything new yourself.” Mattie proceeded to brief Churchill on all that had happened since they talked on Sunday.

  There was a long pause before Churchill spoke, “This is a dangerous business, Mattie, and you should proceed with caution. Whatever this monstrous scheme may turn out to be, whoever is behind it will stop at nothing to preserve its secrecy. I recently learned my original source committed suicide two weeks ago. His wife doesn’t believe it but the authorities refuse to do anything more. The case is closed she was told.”

  “Do you have other sources in Germany who might help us find this clinic in Bavaria?”

  “Possibly. I’ll ask the Prof to see what he can find. He’s already checking some other things out based on your story. This Verschuer fellow you mentioned is one of the names he’s come across. Seems he’s done a lot of studies and written papers on twins and their eye color,” Churchill said and paused before continuing, “What’s worse is he’s a Nazi,” he said in a low growl, pronouncing the last word as “Narzi.”

  “Really? That’s interesting. I’ll ring you up once our ship docks whether it’s Southhampton or Hamburg. We’re taking
the first available liner.”

  Mattie then placed a call to Hearst in California and, fifteen minutes later, was back in Cockran’s study. “You are not going to believe this,” she said.

  “Try me,” Cockran replied.

  “While we were talking, Hearst had one of his reporters check out last night’s shoot-out at Cold Spring Harbor with local law enforcement. It’s all very odd.”

  “What’s odd about that? It will be interesting to know how the story’s being played. Three murders must be big news for a small town like that.”

  “That’s just it. That’s what’s odd. Neither the sheriff nor the local police chief knew anything about it. So the reporter called the Eugenics Record Office directly and was told there were no shootings last night on their campus.”

  “Interesting. Not even the mob cleans up so well,” Cockran replied. “I wonder if the Schmidt brothers or that ex-MID guy Hudson shot are temporarily on active duty. It would explain the Black Drape on their MID files.” He stood up and walked to the window where he looked out at Long Island Sound. “What’s the status on our travel to Europe?”

  “The Chief’s taken care of it. He’s booked us passage. We’ll be in Germany Saturday.”

  “To be in Germany Saturday we would have had to have sailed yesterday.”

  Mattie grinned. “But we’re not sailing, we’re flying. The Graf Zeppelin. Tomorrow. It was delayed two days because of high winds. Isn’t that great? Your first airship voyage.” She could could see from the look on his face that he didn’t share her enthusiasm.

  “How was Hearst able to do that? Aren’t seats on the Graf Zeppelin hard to come by?”

  “Yes,” Mattie replied. “But when Hearst sponsored the round-the-world voyage back in ‘29, he made a side deal with Hugo Eckener that he could have a cabin whenever he asked so long as he put displaced passengers on the next available ocean liner. First Class. And we’re the lucky ones who reap the benefit.”

  Mattie wondered why Cockran didn’t reply. Then, it hit her. It was on the Graf where she met the man who became her lover last year. No wonder Bourke wasn’t excited about a trip on that airship.

  44.

  It’s Still Ted’s Story Too

  The Cedars

  Sands Point, Long Island

  Wednesday, 25 May 1932

  MATTIE was in a state of high excitement as she usually was when starting on a journey, especially a trip on the Graf Zeppelin, not alone this time but, rather, with the man she loved. Her thoughts were interrupted by the loud ringing of the telephone. Cockran picked it up.

  “Bourke Cockran,” he said. A few seconds later, “Yes, she’s here. It’s for you,” Cockran said, the expression on his face cold and hard as he handed the receiver to Mattie.

  Uh oh, Mattie thought as she took the phone from Cockran. This can’t be good. When she put the receiver to her ear, she knew why as the baritone voice of Ted Hudson filled her ear.

  “What?” Mattie said and then gasped. “Oh, my God … When did it happen?”

  Mattie listened silently for nearly three full minutes, tears welling in her eyes. Finally she spoke, wiping the tears from her face with the back of her hand. “Look, Ted, Bourke and I are leaving for Germany tomorrow on the Graf Zeppelin to try and find the clinic where the autopsy protocols will take place. Churchill is checking with his contacts. So is Hearst.”

  Mattie paused to catch her breath. She took a sip of tea. “No, Ted. You don’t need to come to Germany.” Mattie paused. “That’s not a bad idea. I agree with you.”

  Mattie listened and then spoke again. “Bourke and I are booked at the Hotel Rose in Friedrichschafen for Saturday night. After that, Munich will be our base of operations and we’ll be at the Bayerische Hof. Fine. We’ll see you there,” she said and then hung up the receiver.

  Mattie turned to Cockran with tears in her eyes. “My confidential source—her name is Helen Talbot—has been killed. It’s too horrible. They tortured her. Cigar burns on her body. Ted was tipped off by a friend in the police department. He went to the crime scene. Oh, my God, Bourke, he saw her body.” She shook her head and hugged herself with her arms, her voice small and quiet. “They cut out her tongue, Bourke, they cut out that poor woman’s tongue.”

  Cockran reached out for her, his big arms warm and comforting as Mattie let herself cry, horrified at the unintended consequences of her story and her visit to the ERO offices. They had been on to Helen and her. Probably followed one or both of them. Oh, God, why didn’t she warn Helen? When she barely escaped with her life, she should have known they’d come after Helen. They must have known about the file Mattie took. She should have warned her!

  Mattie closed her eyes, drew a deep breath and exhaled. She had to refocus. She pulled away from Cockran’s embrace. Too many people had died. They had to get to Germany and the bottom of this before any more people died.

  “Bourke, we ought to return to Manhattan now. The Graf lifts off as soon as the ground fog clears tomorrow morning. We can’t be late,” Mattie said and then stopped. “Is something the matter?” Cockran’s face was as hard as it had been when he first handed her the phone.

  “Yes,” Cockran replied. “but we don’t need to talk about it now.”

  “No, something’s bothering you. You can tell me. What is it?”

  Cockran hesitated and continued cautiously. “Why did you give Hudson our itinerary?”

  “Why not?” Mattie replied. “It’s still Ted’s story, too. Just because he thought you were trying to stop me last night and you two got into a fight doesn’t change that.”

  Cockran shook his head but said nothing. Finally he spoke again and Mattie was relieved as he changed the subject. “What idea of Ted’s did you agree was ‘not bad’?”

  “He knows the military attaches in Berlin and Munich. They might help find the clinic.”

  “Damn it, Mattie, I still have good friends in military intelligence. They would have put me in touch with the military attachés in Germany. We don’t need Ted for that.”

  “Well, that’s news to me. Why the hell didn’t you mention it before?”

  “You didn’t ask. And I wasn’t working on your story until now. Look, don’t you understand? Your old boyfriend almost got you killed. He tried to kill me. For all you know, he could be working hand-in-glove with the people responsible for the twins’ disappearance. After all, the guys who tried to kill you last night and in Ohio were ex-MID. So is Hudson.”

  “Come on, Cockran! So are you! That means nothing. And Ted was never my bloody boyfriend! Regardless of your fight last night, he saved my life in Ohio. I’m in no danger from him.” In fact, Mattie thought, the only thing in danger from Ted was her virtue and she wasn’t about to ever give him another opportunity like she had that night in Ohio.

  “I’m sorry. Whatever was once between you is not my point. My point is he can’t be trusted. And your dates with him are part of it. Don’t kid yourself that he doesn’t still have a thing for you. He does. Big time. He made that clear to me right before our fight. He can’t stand the fact that you and I are together. He’s actually told people at Hearst and friends in MID that I stole you from him. Hell, he even mailed me hotel bills and room service chits claiming you registered at hotels as man and wife on your recent trip.”

  Cockran paused, his voice more calm. “Look Mattie, there’s a lot I can’t tell you about Ted but we were always rivals, even in MID training. And, yeah, we once got into a helluva fight over a girl. We busted each other up pretty bad too. That you and I are together means he’s lost another round to me and it didn’t help I had to beat him up last night. Getting you in the sack would be a real trophy for him. Trust me, that guy would be all over you if I weren’t around.”

  You got that right, Mattie thought, hoping the guilt she was feeling wasn’t showing. Cockran wasn’t there that night in Findlay and Hudson had been all over her. Damn it, Hudson! A gentleman would have kept quiet about that hotel mix-up in Cleveland yet
Hudson had actually tried to mislead Cockran into thinking it was more than it was. She had misjudged Hudson. She knew Ted had feelings for her but had their wrestling match really been more about Cockran than her? Well, Ted had said he never finished second to Cockran in anything except for her. At the time, Mattie thought that Ted misread the brief exposure of her breasts as a come-on. Unflattering to think that trophy-hunting and not his feelings for her had been Ted’s motive.

  “He lied,” Mattie said, “We never shared a hotel room in Ohio.”

  “Again, that’s not my point. I’m working with you on this story now and that’s another reason why Ted can’t be a partner whom you can trust any longer. Look, based on some really bad things he did in one case we handled together at MID, I filed charges against him. He beat the rap. The brass swept it under the rug. I was so disgusted I resigned my commission. Score one for Ted. But I’m still ahead on points in his mind both because of you and now that fight last night. You don’t know him like I do. He can be a dangerous man. I want to say more but I can’t. Please trust me.”

  Mattie was more angry with herself than she was with either Cockran or, especially, Hudson but clear-headed enough to realize a good offense was sometimes the best defense. Cockran was half-right. Ted was a dangerous man. The two thugs he killed were proof of that. But twice in Ohio he had come to her rescue. She wasn’t in any danger from him.

  “Look Cockran, you can’t have it both ways. Yes, ex-MID guys are somehow involved in this mystery and Ted is ex-MID. But so are you. If Ted really is involved, then he might be a threat to me. But if you’re right and he just has a thing for me, then he can’t be in league with Verschuer. The fact he saved me twice from that ex-MID guy in Ohio proves that. How many of their men does he have to kill to persuade you? He killed two in Ohio; you got three last night. Does he have to kill two more? Is it a ball game with you two where you keep score? You and Ted have a history. I understand that. Whatever Ted said about me last night was intended to get your goat and it’s clear to me that he succeeded. But even if he considers me a trophy in a contest with you doesn’t make him a threat to me. If there ever were a contest like that—and I don’t think there was and there bloody well better not have been on your part—it’s over and you’ve won. For the record, I have never in my life spent the night in a hotel room with Ted,” she said, the half-truth coming easily. “I’m going upstairs to pack. Lives are at stake, damn it, and if your paranoia about Ted keeps you from joining me now that I’ve told him our travel plans, that’s your problem. I don’t care. I’m going to Germany with or without you!”