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“Okay, I’ll take you at your word. When Major Wallace told me about you, he said you and Greene are pals. That’s good enough for me. If Greene trusts you, I will.”
“Captain, can you give me a minute in private?”
“To tell me something you don’t think Freddy and Dette—and now Augie—should know? No. It would be a waste of time,
because as soon as you told me I’d have to tell them. What were you going to tell me?”
Hammersmith thought: If I tell him, am I betraying Homer Greene?
What’s that line? “In for a penny, in for a pound . . .”
“What do you know about Operation Paperclip?” Hammersmith asked.
“Never heard of it. Dette? Freddy?”
“It has something to do with German scientists,” Claudette said.
“German rocket people,” Hessinger clarified.
“What about it, Jack?” Cronley asked.
Hammersmith thought: Now I’m Jack?
Is he trying to be nice?
Should I be pissed off or pleased?
“When I started looking into Odessa, I suspected the Stars and Stripes trucks were being used. I figured out—much as you did just now—how difficult it would be to catch them in the act. And that even if I got lucky and did, that I wouldn’t have much, if anything.
“So I went to General Greene and explained where I was. He said not to worry about it, and specifically told me to leave it alone.”
“Why?” Cronley asked.
“He . . . I have to tell you this is classified Top Secret–Paperclip,” Hammersmith said. “I’m reluctant to—”
“Tell us anything classified Top Secret–Paperclip?” Cronley asked softly.
“Yes, sir,” Hammersmith said simply.
“Well, Jack, none of us have a Top Secret–Paperclip clearance. But not to worry, we’ve got something just as good. Actually, a lot better. Miss Colbert, will you go in the safe and get the Twenty Commandments?”
Hammersmith thought: Twenty Commandments?
Now what the hell?
Claudette went to the safe, worked the combination, and then took from the safe a business-sized envelope.
When she started to hand it to Cronley, he shook his head and pointed to Hammersmith.
“Jack,” he said, “the first couple of pages deal with not making graven images, honoring your parents, not committing adultery, and such, so why don’t you just read the last page? When you’re finished, hand it to the Dutchman.”
Hammersmith opened the envelope, turned to the last page, and read the document:
TOP SECRET–PRESIDENTIAL Page 3 of 3
17. The director is, and subordinate directors are, authorized to investigate anything he believes, or subordinate directors believe, would be of interest to the President. In this connection, the director and subordinate directors, and any DCI personnel they designate, are authorized access to any and all classified files, without exception, generated by any agency of the United States government.
18. If the director initiates any investigation on his own authority he will notify the President by the most expedient means, classified Top Secret–Presidential, that he has initiated such an investigation, and his reason for so doing.
