“Be right down,” he said, and hung up.
Rachel was nowhere in sight.
What the hell did I expect?
She had to go home to her husband and the kiddies.
As he dressed, he tried to recall how well he had done in his attempt to get out of the affair as gracefully as possible.
If ending an affair means the cessation of sexual activity between the participants, I am still up to my ears—well over my ears—in this one.
Rachel had her tongue down my throat and her hand on my wang no more than sixty seconds after she appeared at the door.
But, despite that, she had not been as anxious to get nailed as she was to hear “finally” about the Russian. I had to tell her about Orlovsky before I could get her to take her underpants off.
Did I tell her too much?
Probably. Both before Nailing One, and before Nailing Two, as she was still interested in the Russian after Nailing One and brought the subject up again. Satisfying her female curiosity was the price of Nailing Two.
But what’s the difference? She can’t tell anybody, not even her husband. If she did that, he would want to know why I told her, and she certainly didn’t want to open that subject up for discussion.
I don’t remember much of what happened—anything that happened—after Nailing Two. I must have passed out.
Did I wake up later and see that she was gone? Did that happen, or am I just supposing it did?
What I am going to have to do is admit I failed to end the affair because I was a little drunk and thinking with my dick.
Ending the affair now goes on the Que Será Será list beside the FBI finally catching up with me.
Five minutes after his phone rang, he was on the sidewalk outside the hotel, getting into an ambulance.
[ THIRTEEN ]
Commanding Officer’s Quarters
Kloster Grünau
Schollbrunn, Bavaria
American Zone of Occupation, Germany
1920 10 November 1945
First Sergeant Dunwiddie pushed open the door to Cronley’s room without knocking. Cronley was asleep in bed and did not wake, although he was usually a very light sleeper.
Dunwiddie, none too gently, shook his shoulder.
“If that printout is to tell me Konstantin is safe in Buenos Aires, you are forgiven,” Cronley said when he opened his eyes.
“Not exactly, Jim,” Dunwiddie said as he handed the SIGABA printout to him.
“What the hell?” Jimmy said as he began to read:
PRIORITY
TOP SECRET LINDBERGH
DUPLICATION FORBIDDEN
FROM MOSES
VIA VINT HILL TANGO NET
1505 GREENWICH 10 NOVEMBER 1945
TO VATICAN ATTN ALTARBOY
SHARE WITH GEHLEN ONLY
1-CONVOY UNDER PROTECTION BIS CARRYING ORLOVSKY ATTACKED BY SOME KIND OF ROCKETS AND MACHINE GUN FIRE SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING JORGE FRADE FOR BUENOS AIRES.
2-THREE KNOWN DEAD INCLUDING ONE OF YOUR SERGEANTS AND SEVERAL OTHERS WOUNDED SOME SERIOUSLY.
3-TEX SENDS BEGIN QUOTE ALTARBOY THEY KNEW WHEN AND WHERE WE WOULD BE. WHOLE PLAN OBVIOUSLY KNOWN TO NKGB. ASK GEHLEN TO FIND OUT SOURCE OF BREACH AND DO NOT REPEAT DO NOT GET IN HIS WAY. END QUOTE
4-TEX PRESENTLY WITH WOUNDED IN ARGENTINE MILITARY HOSPITAL.
5-MORE TO FOLLOW.
MOSES
END
TOP SECRET LINDBERGH
—
“Who is Moses?” Dunwiddie asked.
“Sergeant Stein. Ashton’s Number Two. I guess he went to Buenos Aires after Ashton got himself run over. Rockets? What the hell?”
“And machine-gun fire.”
“Where’s the general?”
“Taking a walk. I sent a jeep after him.”
“What the hell is going on?”
“I don’t have a clue.”
—
General Gehlen and a second SIGABA printout arrived together about five minutes later. Cronley handed him the first message as he read the second:
PRIORITY
TOP SECRET LINDBERGH
DUPLICATION FORBIDDEN
FROM MOSES
VIA VINT HILL TANGO NET
1515 GREENWICH 10 NOVEMBER 1945
TO VATICAN ATTN ALTARBOY
SHARE WITH GEHLEN ONLY
1-TEX SENDS BEGIN QUOTE
A-REGRET INFORM YOU STAFF SERGEANT HAROLD LEWIS JR. DIED OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ATTACK AT 1405 THIS DATE.
B-STAFF SERGEANT PETRONIUS J. CLARK SUFFERED SEVERE INJURIES AND BURNS AND IS IN CRITICAL CONDITION.
C-REV KURT WELNER, SJ, SUFFERED BROKEN SHOULDER AND SOME BURNS BUT WILL SHORTLY BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE HOSPITAL.
D-MAJOR KONSTANTIN ORLOVSKY SUFFERED MULTIPLE INJURIES AND BURNS AND IS NOT EXPECTED TO LIVE.
E-MORE TO FOLLOW.
END QUOTE
MOSES
END
TOP SECRET LINDBERGH
—
“Who is Moses?” General Gehlen asked.
Cronley told him.
“Does that ‘share with Gehlen’ line mean Tiny is to be excluded from our conversations?”
“Well, if that’s what Colonel Frade meant, fuck him. Tiny is not going to be excluded from anything.”
“Good,” Gehlen said. “Then I suggest, while we’re waiting to hear more from Colonel Frade, how our security has been so completely breached.”
[ FOURTEEN ]
1920 10 November 1945
PRIORITY
TOP SECRET LINDBERGH
DUPLICATION FORBIDDEN
FROM TEX
VIA VINT HILL TANGO NET
1705 GREENWICH 10 NOVEMBER 1945
TO VATICAN ATTN ALTARBOY
SHARE WITH GEHLEN ONLY
1-GENERAL MARTIN, TWO OF WHOSE MEN DIED IN THE ATTACK AND SEVEN OF WHOSE MEN WERE INJURED IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, OFFERS THE FOLLOWING SCENARIO WITH WHICH I CONCUR:
A-THE ATTACK WAS PROFESSIONALLY PLANNED AND EXECUTED BY PERSONS FULLY FAMILIAR WITH THE FACTS, IE, THAT ORLOVSKY WAS THE SICK MAN ON THE AIRCRAFT.
B-IDENTIFICATION OF TWO OF THE FOUR ATTACKER CORPSES AS PARAGUAYAN CRIMINALS IS CONSISTENT WITH KNOWN PRACTICES OF NAZIS DURING AND AFTER THE WAR TO USE CONTRACT ASSASSINS, WITH ONE IMPORTANT EXCEPTION. NAZIS ALWAYS LEFT SOME INDICATION AT CRIME SCENE THAT THEY WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRIME. NO SUCH MARKER WITH THIS ATTACK.
C-CONSIDERING THIS, AND NATIONALITY OF SICK MAN ON THE AIRCRAFT, THIS POINTS TO THE SOVIET UNION. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT USE OF GERMAN PANZERFAUST 60-MM ROCKETS ALSO SUGGESTS IT WAS HOPED THE GERMANS WOULD BE BLAMED FOR THE ASSAULT. IT IS NOTED THAT SOVIET UNION IS IN TALKS WITH THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT REGARDING RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS.
D-IT IS UNLIKELY PERPETRATORS WILL EVER BE KNOWN TO THE POINT WHERE CHARGES COULD BE DRAWN.
2-FOREGOING MAKES DISCOVERY OF THE CAUSE OF BREACH IN OUR SECURITY EVEN MORE IMPORTANT. EXPEND ALL EFFORTS TO FIND THE SOURCE OF LEAK.
TEX
END
TOP SECRET LINDBERGH
—
Cronley suddenly felt clammy and sick to his stomach, and it took a great effort not to throw up. He knew who the source of the leak was. He did not mention this to either Gehlen or Dunwiddie. He was far too deeply shamed.
He waited until after the next message came in. That was two hours later.
He was later to recall that those two hours were the worst in his life.
PRIORITY
TOP SECRET LINDBERGH
DUPLICATION FORBIDDEN
FROM TEX
VIA VINT HILL TANGO NET
1910 GREENWICH 10 NOVEMBER 1945
TO VATICAN ATTN ALTARBOY
SHARE WITH GEHLEN ONLY
1. AT THE SUGGESTION OF FATHER WELNER, ORLOVSKY WAS LED TO BELIEVE THAT HIS INJURIES WERE PROBABLY FATAL. FATHER WELNER ARRANGED FOR A PRIEST OF THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX FAITH, WHOM HE KNOWS TO BE ANTI-COMMUNIST, TO VISIT ORLOVSKY ON HIS DEATHBED TO ADMINISTER THE LAST RITES.
2. AFTER A BRIEF CONVERSATION WITH THIS CLERIC, ORLOVSKY DECLARED THAT
A. HIS REAL NAME IS SERGIE LIKHAREV AND HE HOLDS RANK OF COLONEL IN NKGB.
B. HIS WIFE, NATALIA, AND SONS, SERGIE AND PAVEL, RESIDE AT NEVSKY PROSPEKT 114 LENINGRAD.
C. HE FURTHER STATED THAT WHEN HE ENTERED KLOSTER GRUNAU HE WAS IN CONTACT WITH FORMER OBERSTLEUTNANT GUNTHER VON PLAT AND FORMER MAJOR KURT BOSS, AND THAT HE WISHED THIS INFORMATION RELAYED VIA CAPTAIN CRONLEY TO GENERAL GEHLEN.
3. NONE OF THE FOREGOING SHOULD DIMINISH IN ANY WAY ANY OF YOUR EFFORTS TO UNCOVER THE LEAKER.
TEX
END
TOP SECRET LINDBERGH
—
After reading the SIGABA printout, Cronley decided that the time to confess had arrived.
He struggled to find his voice, then in a quiet monotone said, “Tiny, would you mind leaving me alone with the general for a couple of minutes?”
“Why? I thought you said I wasn’t going to be excluded from anything.” He paused. “Wait. You sonofabitch! You think I’m the one with the loose mouth?”
“No. I know you’re not. I am.”
“What?”
“After the plane left yesterday, I went to the Park Hotel. Mrs. Rachel Schumann joined me there.”
“You’re referring to Colonel Schumann’s wife? The IG’s wife?” Gehlen asked.
Cronley nodded.
“What was that all about? Her camera?” Tiny asked.
“At the time, I thought she came there to get laid . . .”
“By you?” Tiny asked incredulously.
“By me. I have been fucking her ever since I came back from the States. Until about an hour ago, I thought it was my manly charm. Now I think she’s a fucking Russian spy.”
“You’re really out of your mind, you know that? That woman a Russian spy? Maybe the colonel’s one, too, huh? Maybe they work as a team. Jesus, Jimmy! What the hell have you been drinking? Or smoking?”
“Did it ever strike you as a little odd, Tiny,” Gehlen asked, “that Colonel Schumann, the day Jim shot up his car, was here at all? What was the inspector general of Counterintelligence doing here, on this back road in the country? Why was he so insistent on coming in, when it would have been so much easier for him to return to Frankfurt and have General Greene order that he be admitted? That happened, you might recall, not before, but a day or two after Sergeant Tedworth arrested Colonel Likharev.”
“Who?” Tiny asked. “Oh.”
“We will soon know if that is actually his name. He fooled us for a while. I have the feeling he has not fooled Father Welner or Colonel Frade.”
“Sir, you’re saying that you believe Cronley?”
“Let’s hear the rest of the story of his romance with Mrs. Schumann, and then we can ask ourselves the question again.”
—
“You are one dumb sonofabitch, Captain, sir,” Dunwiddie said, shaking his head, when Cronley had finished relating the romance.
“Everything fits, Tiny,” Gehlen said. And then chuckled. “It destroys poor Jim’s picture of himself as being as irresistible as Errol Flynn. But it all makes sense.”
“So, what happens now?” Tiny asked.
“In the morning, I fly to Frankfurt and tell Colonel Mattingly,” Cronley said.
“No. That’s out of the question,” Gehlen said.
“Excuse me, General?”
“Think that through, Jim. If you are correct, and I think you are, the Schumanns have thought their exposure through and come up with a plan to deal with it. Those plans range from outright denial to flight. The latter we cannot afford.”
“And the alternative?” Cronley asked.
“You’re under orders from Colonel Frade not to get in my way,” Gehlen said. “Why don’t you just follow them?”
“What are your plans for your officers, the ones Likharev says are the ones he turned?” Tiny asked. “Actually, how do you know those are the real traitors, that from his deathbed Likharev isn’t going to get two Good Germans whacked, and get us to do it?”
“‘Us to do it’?” Gehlen said. “They’re my responsibility, Tiny. Not yours.”
“Ours, General,” Dunwiddie insisted. “I wouldn’t mind whacking them myself, but I’d have to be sure they are indeed trying to sink everybody else.”
“And I would like to shoot Colonel Schumann and his wife,” Cronley said. “So why don’t I do that first, and then go tell Mattingly why I did it?”
“Now you’re acting immaturely,” Gehlen said. “Think that through, Jim. For one thing, Colonel Mattingly doesn’t like you. He would be prone to think you shot her after a lovers’ quarrel. We have no proof—”
“Except what happened just now in Buenos Aires,” Cronley interrupted.
“Not only have we no proof of what happened there, but we couldn’t tell anybody about it if we did,” Gehlen said patiently, and then asked, “What good would it do anybody for you to go to the stockade or the hangman?”
Cronley didn’t reply.
“Insofar as whether von Plat and Boss are traitors—and I think they are—Konrad Bischoff can determine that. Actually, he’s proposed their names to me already. And I think we should be able to learn what we need to know about Mrs. Likharev and the children in Leningrad in no more than a week or so. I want to be very careful. Getting them out is going to be risky.”
“You’re still going to try that?” Tiny asked.
“I think it would be very useful to everybody if Sergei Likharev felt indebted to us because we reunited him with his family.”
“Yeah,” Tiny said.
“I’m a big boy . . .” Cronley began.
“I wouldn’t take a vote on that right now, Captain, sir,” Tiny said.
“. . . I know I fucked up big time. And I’m willing to take my lumps for that. But . . .”
“But what, Jim?” Gehlen asked.
“The way I’m hearing this, I’m not going to get any lumps. I’m not to tell Clete or Mattingly, not even, for Christ’s sake, Fat Freddy. It doesn’t seem fair.”
“I’m going to say this just once, so pay close attention,” Gehlen said. “I regard the greatest threat to what we’re trying to do here as coming not from the Soviets but from those intelligence types from the Pentagon who will shortly be moving into the Pullach compound.
“I know how to deal with the Reds. I do not know how to deal with your Pentagon. You, Tiny, are close to General White. Jim had those captain’s bars he rarely wears pinned on his shoulders by President Truman. You two, with friends in high places, and who believe in what we’re doing here, are going to be my defense against the Pentagon. I need the both of you.”
“Jesus,” Tiny breathed.
“And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to find Konrad Bischoff and suggest he have a chat with Boss and von Plat.”
As a Pavlovian reflex, both Cronley and Dunwiddie popped to their feet and came to attention when Gehlen stood.
When he had left the room, Dunwiddie said: “You know he’s going to whack those two.”
“And Colonel and Mrs. Schumann.”
“Does that bother you?”
“Her, no. She’s responsible for Lewis and the others getting killed. Him, I don’t know.”
“They call what he is ‘an accessory before the fact.’”
“I wonder how he’s going to do it,” Cronley said.
“Wonder, but don’t ask.”
“I brought a bottle of Haig & Haig from Frankfurt. I don’t suppose you’d be interested in a little taste?”
“I thought you would never ask,” Dunwiddie said.
[ FIFTEEN ]
On December 21, 1945, the front page of the Stars and Stripes, the Army of Occupation’s newspaper, reported with black borders the tragic death of General George S. Patton. He had been injured in an automobile accident on December 9.
A short article on page eleven of the same edition reported the tragic death in Hoechst, outside Frankfurt, of Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs. Anthony Schumann. A fiery explosion, apparently caused by a cooking gas leak, had totally destroyed their home. Fortunately, the story concluded, the Schumanns’ two children were not at home when the explosion occurred.
[ SIXTEEN ]
On December 28, 1945, First Sergeant Chauncey L. Dunwiddie, Company C, 203rd Tank Destroyer Battalion, duty station with XXIIIrd CIC Detachment, was discharged for the convenience of the government for the purpose of accepting a commission.
On December 29, 1945, Captain Chauncey L. Dunwiddie, Cavalry, Detail Military Intelligence, having reported upon active duty, was assigned to the XXIIIrd CIC Detachment. No travel involved.
[ SEVENTEEN ]
On January 1, 1946, President Harry S Truman signed an Executive Order that established the United States Central Intelligence Directorate, and named Rear Admiral Sidney W. Souers, USN, as director.
[ EIGHTEEN ]
On January 2, 1946, Paragraph 3, General Order #1 Headquarters War Department (Classified Secret) ordered that Captains J. D. Cronley Jr. and C. L. Dunwiddie be transferred from XXIIIrd CIC Detachment to the United States Central Intelligence Directorate with duty station Pullach, Germany. No travel involved.
—
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Top Secret Page 43
