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“Those details can wait,” Beck said, reaching into his jacket and coming out with a folded thin sheet of paper. “This takes absolute priority.”
Kappler’s pulse began to race as he took the sheet and immediately recognized the now-familiar routing head:
* * *
HIGHEST SECRECY
TO—
SS-OBERSTURMBANNFUHRER OSKAR KAPPLER
SS PROVISIONAL HEADQUARTERS SICILY
THROUGH—
HERR ERNST BECK, DIRECTOR
GERMAN TRADE MINISTRY, MESSINA, SICILY
BEGIN MESSAGE
MAY 31ST, IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD, 1943
DEAR OSKAR,
AS I FIRST WROTE, MY KARLCHEN, THE TIME HAS NOW COME TO PERFORM EXTRAORDINARY TASKS THAT OUR ALMIGHTY GOD HAS CHOSEN FOR ME.
WHILE THESE ARE DANGEROUS, I HAVE EVERY CONVICTION THAT I WILL BE SUCCESSFUL AND THAT OUR FAMILY SOON SHALL BE TOGETHER AGAIN.
FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU AND YOUR MOTHER AND SISTER IMMEDIATELY PUT YOURSELVES IN THE CAPABLE HANDS OF AGENTS ACTING ON MY BEHALF WHO WILL SEE YOU TO SAFETY.
AS YOU READ THIS, AMERICAN AGENTS ARE IN THE PROCESS OF TAKING YOUR MOTHER AND SISTER INTO SAFE HIDING. KNOW THAT, WITH THE GESTAPO KEEPING REGULAR TRACK OF THEM, YOU PROBABLY HAVE A WINDOW OF 24 TO 36 HOURS BEFORE THE GESTAPO DECIDES THAT THEY ARE MISSING AND/OR ON THE RUN AND SENDS A MESSAGE TO SICILY ORDERING YOUR ARREST.
THIS IS THE REASON IT IS CRITICAL THAT YOU MAKE YOURSELF AVAILABLE TO THE AGENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
IF YOU FAIL, THEN WE ALL FAIL. AND AFTER OUR ARREST AND INTERROGATION, I DO NOT BELIEVE WE WILL BE ALLOWED THE LUXURY OF FRITZ THYSSEN -- THAT IS TO SAY, SPENDING THE REST OF THE WAR IN A KONZENTRATIONSLAGER -- BUT INSTEAD FACE SUMMARY EXECUTION.
THE AGENT WHO WILL ASSIST YOU HAS THE CODE NAME JUPITER.
YOU WILL EVENTUALLY BE REUNITED WITH YOUR MOTHER AND SISTER, THEN APPROACHED BY THE POWERFUL AMERICAN GENTLEMAN WHO HAS UNIQUE KNOWLEDGE OF OUR KAPPLER FAMILY BUSINESSES AND INVESTMENTS IN THE AMERICAS THAT I TOLD YOU NOW CONSTITUTE OUR FAMILY’S ENTIRE WEALTH.
IT IS IMPORTANT YOU ASSUME CONTROL OF THESE UNTIL SUCH TIME AS I CAN JOIN YOU. AS YOU KNOW, OUR COMPANIES EMPLOY MANY PEOPLE AND THEY ARE COUNTING ON US, NOW AND AFTER THIS MADNESS ENDS.
I PRAY WE ALL SEE EACH OTHER SOON. GODSPEED.
YOUR FATHER
END MESSAGE
HIGHEST SECRECY
* * *
“You have read the letter and are satisfied that you understand its content?” Beck said.
Satisfied?
Perhaps terrified is a more appropriate word. . . .
