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“Lieutenant Cronley’s performance of duty.”
“It seems to me, Connell—he’s your lieutenant—that you should be answering that question, not asking it.”
“Yes, sir. Sir,
would you like me to bring Lieutenant Cronley to you?”
“Just put him and a sergeant—and maybe a map—in a jeep and have the sergeant drive him here. Got it? Or is that too complicated?”
“No, sir. I’ll get right on it, sir.”
—
“You took your sweet goddamn time getting here, Cronley,” Major Connell greeted Lieutenant James D. Cronley Jr. when the latter entered the former’s office thirty minutes later.
“Sir, I came as soon as I got word you wanted to see me.”
“Yesterday, I asked if anything . . . untoward . . . had happened when you were taking care of Frau von Wachtstein.”
“Yes, sir?”
“If you did anything that in any way displeased her, or made her uncomfortable, Cronley, goddamn it, now is the time to tell me.”
“Sir, I can think of nothing like that.”
“Well, I can only hope you’re telling me the truth.”
“I am, sir.”
“You better be. At zero seven hundred, I had a telephone call from Colonel Mattingly. He wants you at his headquarters immediately, with three days’ change of uniforms.”
“Yes, sir. Where is his headquarters?”
“Near Frankfurt. Sergeant O’Duff will drive you. He will have a map.”
Staff Sergeant Francis O’Duff was the motor sergeant.
“So one last time, Cronley—did anything happen between you and Frau von Wachtstein that I should know about?”
Well, we fucked our brains out for two days. Is that what you mean?
“No, sir.”
“If the subject comes up with Colonel Mattingly, Cronley, I want you to be sure to tell him that I ordered you to immediately bring to my attention any problems, any problems at all, that arose.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And that you did not bring any such problems to my attention.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Quickly pack a bag and get going, Cronley. O’Duff is waiting for you.”
“Yes, sir.”
[TWO]
Schlosshotel Kronberg
