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“It’s okay with Tedworth. He said we’ve been overworking Freddy. Miller’s a good man.”
“That raises the question in my mind whether Sergeant Miller is anxious to solve our personnel problem, or whether Abraham Lincoln Tedworth pointed his finger at him and said, ‘Get your ass over to Hessinger’s office and do what you’re told.’”
“He came to me asking if I could use him,” Hessinger said.
“I would like to hear that he’s a volunteer from his lips,” Cronley said. “And now that I think about it, I would like to hear from Claudette Colbert’s ruby-red lips that she, too, is really a volunteer. But Sergeant Miller first. Where is he, Freddy?”
“Outside, in the ambulance.”
“Outside, in the ambulance”? What the hell is that all about?
“Go get him.”
When the door had closed on Hessinger, Dunwiddie said, “Don’t let this go to your head, Captain, sir, but I thought you handled that pretty well.”
“Me, too,” El Jefe said.
The door opened and one of Gehlen’s men, a tall, gaunt blond man whose name Cronley couldn’t recall but he remembered had been a major, came in.
He marched up to Mannberg, came to attention, clicked his heels, and handed him a sheet of paper. Mannberg read it, handed it to General Gehlen, and then ordered, “There will probably be a reply. Wait outside.”
The former major bobbed his head, clicked his heels again, turned on his heels, and marched out of the room.
“We have heard from Seven-K,” Gehlen said. “Quote, ‘Herr Weitz expects his friend to pay him not later than the fourteenth.’ End quote.”
“Today’s the eighth,” Cronley said. “That gives us six days to get to Vienna.”
“Vienna’s not the other side of the world,” Dunwiddie said. “That shouldn’t be a problem.”
The door opened again.
Hessinger and Staff Sergeant Miller came in.
Miller was as coal black as Tiny Dunwiddie, but where Dunwiddie was massive, Miller was thin, almost gaunt. He towered over Hessinger.
Christ, Tiny’s six-four and this guy is six, seven inches taller than that. He has to be close to seven feet tall.
Sergeant Miller marched up to Cronley, came to attention, and crisply saluted.
“Sir, Staff Sergeant Miller, Taddeus L., reporting to the captain as ordered, sir!”
Cronley returned the salute.
“At ease, Sergeant,” Cronley ordered.
“Captain Cronley,” Gehlen said. “Excuse me?”
“Sir?”
“Before we get into this, I think we should reply to Seven-K.”
“Sure.”
“And what should I say?”
“Say ‘Ludwig always pays his debts on time,’” Hessinger said.
Gehlen looked at him in mingled disbelief and annoyance.
