W E B Griffin - Men at War 1 - The Last Heroes

by The Last Heroes(Lit)

  Then he jerked the sheet off Whittaker's body, bent over the bed, and hoisted it onto his shoulders.

  Douglass glanced at Cynthia Chenowith. She was looking at the body, biting her lower lip.

  "Anytime you're ready, miss," Ellis said.

  He carried Whittaker's body down the stairs and across the driveway to the house. Upstairs, he arranged the body against the file wall of the shower in the master bedroom.

  Cynthia Chenowith put Whittaker's clothing over an armchair, and his underwear in a hamper.

  Then they left the house as they had entered it, through the kitchen. Cynthia opened the gate for them, and Ellis drove the Plym-outh through, made a twelve-block circle through back streets, and returned. he stopped in front of the small gate, and Captain Dougl, (ut and rang the bell. A moment later, the driveway gates ol and Cynthia Chenowith's La Salle convertible drove through pulled up on the wrong side of the street, nose to nose with the Plymouth, and then unlocked the gate for Captain Douglass her key- Five minutes later, sirens screaming, a police car and an an ce arrived.

  Ian By then, Cynthia Chenowith had telephoned Summer Place, gently broken the news to Barbara Whittaker-The White House Washington, D.C.

  9:25 pm., December Ty 1941

  After he left the President, Colonel William Donovan found Cap tain Peter Douglass in the staff cafeteria drinking coffee with boatswain's mate Ellis.

  Both stood up when he approached the table.

  "Colonel," Douglass said, "this is Boatswain Ellis. I've learned he can be counted on in a pinch, and I've told him I'm going to have him reassigned to US."

  Donovan gave Ellis a quick but penetrating look. It had obviously been necessary to bring this enlisted man into whatever was going on. Douglass would have done that only if he found it necessary, and then only if he believed Ellis could be trusted. Donovan put out his hand.

  "Welcome aboard," he said.

  "Thank you, sir," Ellis said.

  "You can tell me what's happened on the way to the office," Donovan said. "You have a Navy car?"

  "Yes, sir," Ellis said.

  Donovan led the way out of the cafeteria to the parking lot.

  "I don't know where to go, sir," Ellis said after he'd gotten behind the wheel.

  "The office is at Twenty-fifth and E, the National Institute of Health," Donovan said. "But what happened in the house (D Q Street?"

  "Mr. Whittaker died of a stroke," Douglass said, "in the bedroom of the garage apartment."

  "What was he doing in the garage apartment?" Donovan asked curiously.

  "The police believe that when I went to pick him up to bring him to the White House, I rang the bell in the gate in the wall. There was no response. But Miss Chenowith, who was leaving to have dinner with friends, stopped and asked if she could help. I told her why I was there, and she let me into the house. We found Mr. Whittaker in his shower. He had apparently suffered a stroke an hour before, shortly after you called to tell him when I would pick him up."

  Donovan thought that over for a moment. The story was credible. It was unlikely that anyone would challenge it.

  "What shape is she in?" Donovan asked. "The girl, I mean?"

  "Miss Chenowith telephoned Mrs. Whittaker and broke the news to her," Douglass said. "And then made the arrangements for the funeral director to pick up Mr. Whittaker's body from the morgue. I took it upon myself to ask Dr. Grubb to go to the morgue, examine the body, and sign the death certificate."

  "And he did?"

  "Ellis took him there, and then home. Dr. Grubb felt there was no need for an autopsy; the cause of death was obvious to him."

  "Does Dr. Grubb know where the body was found?" Donovan asked.

  "He knows we found the body in Mr. Whittaker's shower," Douglass said.

  "Then the one weak link in this is Cynthia Chenowith?" Donovan asked.

  ISSIMORS ror JJTS Colonel," Ellis volunteered. "That's t ,She's no weak link, tough little lady" house on 6Take us to the there.

  ,ye sir'i Doug lass said. "She thought se you might want her to do thing el V@hen they passed through the gate in the wall, Chesley Ha) wood Whittaker's Packard was parked on the brick drive. Donova found Edward, the chauffeur, with Cynthia Chenowith in tht d ther kitchen of the main house. She had made something to eat, an g iven him several drinks. Edward had been close to Chesty Whit-taker, and there were signs that he had wept.

  "Edward," Donovan asked, ,bow is the Packard fixed for gas?"

  "I'll see if I can find a station open@" Edward said, obviously welcoming the chance to make himself useful.

  1 think that would be a good idea " Donovan said- "Thank YOU."

  I Edward found his chauffeur's cap and went out tile kitchen door. aim, although Donovan saw that Cynthia Chenowith was still c her face remained pale and there was a strange look in her eyes.

  "The thing to do, Cynthia, is to decide how we're going to handle this," Donovan said, "before I call Barbara."

  She looked at him and met his eyes and nodded.

  "I think the thing to do is send Chesty home as soon as we can The way to do it is see if we can get a hearse somewhere tonight."

  "Or a panel truck from Hertz," Ellis said. "Getting a hearse might be difficult this time of night. people would wonder Why We couldn't wait until tomorrow, or send the body on the train."

  "Baker has a station wagon," Douglass said. "Will a casket fit in a station wagon?"

  "What kind of a station wagon, Captain?" Ellis asked.

  "Ford I " Douglass said. "Four-door. A '41."

  "You'll probably have to run the seat all the way forwards" Ellis said with certainty. "But it'll take a casket."

  Street," Donovan ordered. "Sh, there might be som : "I B. GRIFF Donovan believed him. It was extraordinary that Ellis had S obscure knowledge at his fingertips , but he was not surprised.

  "The question is," Donovan said, "whether we want to bring Baker in on this."

  "I think it might be a good idea," Douglass said. "I'm not very experienced in such matters. Baker might be able to see if we',ve made any mistakes."

  "The duty officer should know where he is."

  Douglass called the office. Baker was there.

  "Are you driving your station wagon?" Douglass as I would like to borrow it," Douglass said. "Could you drop wh4 you're doing and come right away?"

  He gave the address and hung up. A "He'll be right here ' " he said.

  "What's he doing in the office?" Donovan asked.

  "I guess he feels that he should be doing something besides i S ting in his apartment listening to the radio," Douglass said.

  "Presuming," Donovan said, getting back to the problem at hand, "that we can find a casket that fits in Baker's station wagon, we'll have Edward drive the body to New Jersey."

  "I'll go with him," Cynthia Chenowith said.

  "You think that's necessary?" Donovan asked after a moment.

  "Mr. Whittaker," she said levelly, "was very good to me. It's least I can do. I want to. I can probably be helpful."

  Donovan nodded.

  "Get on the phone, Pete," he said. "Arrange with the fun, home for a casket. Tell them we'll pick it up in an hour," Eldon C. Baker arrived a few minutes later. He did not sc very surprised to find Colonel Donovan, a sailor, and an attractive young woman in the kitchen of a mansion; and he asked no questions.

  "We have something of a problem here," Douglass said.

  "What were you doing at the office?" Donovan asked somewhat abruptly. ked. "Good.". all IXST Ranous Colonel to see either you Or Captain Douglass had hoped 13aker said. "There has been an interesting development in the Mo-Toccan business' "

  Do'ovan didn't reply to that. t, pete he saiddidn't mean to interrup @,As I was saying " Douglass began, "we have a difficult situanote here, and need your help. Specificallyl we need to use your sta-tion wagon for a couple of days."

  ,Certainly " Baker said. tol olice had been told. He Douglass d Baker the Story the P at Cynth had the feeling fro
m looks Baker directed ia Cheno ked no queswith that Baker knew he was being lied to, but Baker as tions, help, of course " he said when Douglass -whatever I can do to had finished. -When can we pick up the body?" _five minutes ,I, 11 do that" Donovan said, "in fortycan matter?

  "Then, Sir, may I get "'to the Moroc 4@you think it's important?" Donovan said.

  Ayes, Sir," Baker said. "I do." this is rather confidential-,Cynthia Donovan said, &I'm afraid to leave us alone for a few minutes?"

  Could I ask you the library?" Cynthia asked. "It'd be more "Why don't you 90 in comfortable in there."

  "You'll be all right?" Donovan asked.

  "Yes," she said simply. into the library-"All right ' 11

  Donovan said, and led the way "OK, Baker," Donovan said. "What's so important?"

  "I don't know how deeply Captain Douglass has gone into this with you' "

  Baker began. 4,so you'll have to start at the begin-"Not at all," Douglass said. ning."

  ',This came into my hand about One-thirty this afternoon, Baker said, handing Donovan a sheet of yellow Teletype paper, SO blurry that Donovan : thought it must be fifth or sixth carbon E GENERAL RABAT MOROCCO FOR G2 WAR DEPARTMENT WASHINGTON DC COPY TO DEPARTMENT OF STATE WASHING9

  6:50 PM DECEMBER 6 1941

  PASHA OF KSAR ES S6UK ASSASSINATED 2: ])EC By uny-KNOWN PARTIES STOP SIDI Fi, F@ BELIEVED ALJVE STOP J. ROBERT BERRY MAJOR Donovan read it, shook his head, and handed it to Douglass.

  "Who the hell is the pasha of Ksar es Souk?" Donovan asked tiredly. "And why is it classified secret? The pasha knows he's dead, and so do the people who shot him." He gave Baker a look of impatience. "I have no idea what any of this is all about."

  "I have been working under certain constrictions," Baker said. "Starting with Captain Douglass's inability to tell me why we are interested in Louis Albert Grunier."

  "Who the hell is he?" Donovan asked.

  "He's a mining engineer," Douglass furnished, "who worked in the Union Mini6re mines in Katanga Province of the Belgian Congo J before the war."

  "OK," Donovan said. Now he had an idea what was going on. "You've found him?"

  "When the war started, he tried to return to France," Baker said, 64 and got as far as Casablanca. He was not permitted to return to France. The French need engineers in the Atlas Mountain phosphate mines. Phosphates, of course, are essential to the manufacture of various kinds of explosives and gunpowder."

  "Good work," Donovan said.

  I have also found out that it is unlikely he would willingly help us," Baker said. "Not only does he still hope to return to his family in France, but there is the additional possibility of reprisals against them if he does not walk the straight and narrow. With that in mind, I have gone into the area of bringing him here involuntarily."

  He had captured Donovan's attention.

  ,And?" Donovan asked. Captain Douglass made it quite clear that there is an extraordiment for secrecy in this matter," Baker said. "Inasmuch ,my require as I don't know the reason for that, this makes matters difficult." ou just don't have the need to know," Donovan said. "Baker, y Bakernodded.

  ,flow do you propose to get Grunier out of Morocco wit iout the help of the consul general?" Donovan asked. "I really hate to use him, or any of those control officers, but if necessary..."

  "There is a way, I think, to do this without Robert Murphy. He'd have to be told, of course, but neither he nor the control officers would be directly involved."

  "Let's hear it," Donovan said.

  "I've discussed it with Captain Douglass, who I'm afraid thinks I have let my imagination run away with me."

  "Let's hear it," Donovan repeated impatiently.

  "There is an interesting young American in Morocco, a fellow named Eric Fulmar," Baker said.

  "Some friends of mine, as it happens, are friends of young Mr. Fulmar," Donovan said. "What's he doing now?"

  "Making a good deal of money as a smuggler."

  "From what I know of him, that's not surprising. Is he working with the locals?"

  "With the son of the late pasha of Ksar es Souk Baker said. "He and the son, known as Sidi el Ferruch, were in school in Ger-many together-Fulmar's father is German, as you may know. El Ferruch runs a very efficient intelligence operation for the pasha of Marrakech!

  "Your idea is to have Eric Fulmar smuggle Grunier out of the Country' @5

  "Yes, sir," Baker said. "He and the Moroccan."

  "You think they would?"

  " There is a chance they would, if we paid them enough," Baker said.

  : amoS. a R I 1, II#

  "How much is enough?"

  "A great deal. I proposed an amount that shocked Captain lass." oug-"What was that figure?" Donovan asked.

  "One hundred thousand dollars," Baker said.

  "That's an awful lot of money," Donovan said. "Try offering him fifty."

  "You think this idea has merit, Colonel?" Douglass asked, ge.uinely surprised.

  "If it fails, they would believe that Grunier went to a smuggler. Not to the United States government ' " Donovan said.

  "Or that he was involved with Sidi Hassan el Ferruch," Baker said.

  "Yes," Donovan said thoughtfully. He nodded at Baker. "Go ahead with this. Come with something definite."

  "I have more, sir," Baker said.

  "Something to do with the assassination?"

  "And the fact that we are now at war. The Possibility exists that France will enter the war on the side of Germany. If that happens, we could just about forget Grunio'r- And for that matter whatever is so vital in the Congo."

  Donovan realized, astonished, that he had forgotten that there was now a war on.

  "Fulmar could not participate in any operation to remove Grunier from Morocco without the permission of Sidi Hassan el Ferruch," Baker said. "And then I think we have to consider the possibility the Germans are also likely to go looking or Grunier."

  "Why would they do that?" Douglass asked innocently.

  "To put him to work in the mines at Joachimsthal in Saxony," Baker said.

  "Why would they want to do that?" Donovan asked.

  "Because that is the only other source of uranian, the other being in Katanga in the Belgian Congo," Baker said.

  There was no response from either Donovan or Baker for a mo- d then Donovan chuckled. ent, an "Douglass has been worried about your unfettered imagination, Baker. I see he has cause. Why do you think we or the Germans are so interested in a... what did you say, uranium?... mining engi-Beer?" ,11 said 'uranian,' which is the source of uranium. All I know is that it is radioactive-it actually glows in the dark. I don't know yet why we want it, but I rather doubt we're going to make a lot of luminescent watch faces."

  "OK Donovan said, "you really are dangerous, Baker. This whole thing has something to do with uranium."

  "That will help' " Baker said. "But to get back on the track. I believe that if we're going to do anything about Grunier, we're going to have to do it as soon as possible."

  "OK, go on."

  "I had the FBI do a check on Fulmar," Baker said. "It seems his mother is the actress Monica Carlisle."

  "As it happens, I know about Fulmar's mother, too. Are you suggesting she would be helpful?"

  "No, I don't think she would " Baker said. If he was surprised that Donovan knew the name Fu'lmar, or that he was the son of Monica Carlisle, it did not register on his face.

  "The worst possible scenario," Baker said, "is that I approach Fulmar after he has decided he is at bottom a German and he turns me over to the SS."

  "You think he'd do that?"

  "I think we have to consider the possibility," Baker said.

  "Go on " Donovan said.

  "I think' Fulmar could turn me over to the Germans and get a good night9s sleep the same night," Baker said. "But he does have a couple of American friends, whom he's very close to. I don't think he'd turn them in."

  "Who are they? How do you know?"

  "I talked to the father of one
of them," Baker said, "the Reverend Dr. Canidy, headmaster of St. Paul's School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa."

  "You're talking about Dick Canidy and Jimmy Whittaker," Donovan said.

  Now genuine surprise registered on Baker's face.

  "Is somebody else working on this?" he blurted, and then answered his own question. "I don't know why I didn't think about that. Is there some reason we can't compare notes?"