"Had better days," he whispered hoarsely.
Colonel MacNamara stepped forward, speaking sharply, his back rigid, his face set with furious demand.
"I want this man attended to immediately! His wounds are serious, as you can easily see. Under the Geneva Convention, he is entitled to proper medical care! I warn you, commandant, this situation is of critical importance. We will tolerate no further delays " Von Reiter held up his palm.
"Lieutenant Hart will receive the best of care. I have made the necessary arrangements. I apologize for the delay, but these are delicate matters."
"Well, every minute we delay further endangers this officer!"
Von Reiter nodded.
"Yes, yes, colonel, this I can see. But much has happened and while we are eager to be efficient, there are some questions that remain. Mr.
Hart? You are perhaps capable of answering a few questions? So that the paperwork I send to my superiors will be complete."
Tommy tried to shrug.
"He doesn't have to answer anything," Major Clark blurted.
Von Reiter sighed.
"Major, please, indulge me. You have not heard the questions yet."
The commandant allowed a second or two of silence to penetrate the room. Then he turned back to Tommy Hart.
"Lieutenant, do you know who murdered Captain Vincent Bedford of the United States Army Air Corps?"
Tommy smiled. He nodded and replied weakly, "Yes, I do."
"It was not Lieutenant Scott?"
Before Tommy could reply to this. Colonel MacNamara interrupted.
"Commandant Von Reiter! As you are well aware, Lieutenant Scott was acquitted of this crime by the unanimous verdict of a military tribunal sitting in court-martial!
While Lieutenant Scott was imprisoned in your cooler, the tribunal concluded that there was not evidence beyond and to the exclusion of a reasonable doubt concerning this killing, and Lieutenant Scott was declared not guilty! I fail to see why " "Please, colonel, I have not completed my examination."
"Acquitted?" Scott asked, with a short laugh.
"It might have been nice if someone had told me."
"The camp knows," MacNamara said.
"We made an announcement at Appell the morning after the escape."
Scott smiled. He placed a hand on Tommy's shoulder and gave him a congratulatory squeeze.
MacNamara quieted. Von Reiter paused, looked from face to face, then continued to ask questions.
"Lieutenant Hart, let me put this another way. Your investigation determined the identity of the real killer, did it not?"
"It did," Tommy answered as strongly as possible.
Von Reiter smiled.
"I thought it would." The German shook his head slightly.
"I thought some people might have underestimated you, Mr. Hart. But that, of course, concerns us little now. To continue, lieutenant, this murderer… he was not a member of the Luftwaffe, was he?"
"No sir."
"Nor was he a member of any other German armed force, correct?"
"That is correct, commandant," Tommy replied.
"In other words. Captain Bedford's assassin was a member of the Allied forces imprisoned here at Stalag Luft Thirteen?"
"Yes."
"You will be willing to sign a statement confirming this fact?"
"As long as I am not required to identify the actual murderer."
Von Reiter laughed briefly.
"That, of course, lieutenant, is a matter for your own authorities to discuss with you at some later, more convenient point. My superiors have declared that the purposes of the Luftwaffe will be served by merely swearing that the killer does not belong to our service, thereby relieving us from any lingering culpability in this unfortunate matter.
You can do that?"
"Yes, commandant."
Von Reiter seemed pleased.
"I have taken the liberty of having this document prepared. You will have to have trust that the German language reflects what I have just stated and you have confirmed. Unless your own officers would like to supply a translator…"
Von Reiter grinned wickedly at MacNamara, before adding, "But I suspect they would not wish to do that, for they prefer that we do not know the names of the American officers fluent in German."
"I'll take your word for it," Tommy whispered.
"I thought as much," Von Reiter said. He retreated behind his desk, opened the center drawer, and removed a piece of paper with typing on it. There was a large embossed black eagle at the head of the page.
The German gestured at the spot where Tommy's name was already written in. He offered Tommy a fountain pen. Struggling with the pain that constantly sent rivets of hot agony through his arm and into his chest.
Tommy bent forward and signed the paper. It was exhausting.
Von Reiter took the paper, held it up, examined it, blew once on the ink to dry it, then returned the paper to his desk drawer. Then he barked out a quick command in German and a side door immediately opened. Fritz Number One entered and saluted.
"Sergeant! Bring Herr Blucher, please. And that other item that we discussed."
Von Reiter turned to Tommy as the mole like Swiss entered the office.
He wore the same black homburg and carried the same worn black briefcase that he'd had with him on the day Phillip Pryce had been turned over to his care. Von Reiter smiled again.
"This, Mr. Hart, is Herr Blucher of the Swiss Red Cross. He will accompany you to a hospital in his country. Alas, German facilities are inadequate, I believe, for your needs at this time." The German commandant lifted an eyebrow.
"You have met Herr Blucher, I understand? And mistakenly assumed him to be a member of our esteemed state police? Gestapo? I assure you, he is not."
Von Reiter hesitated again, before adding, "And he carries with him a small gift from a friend of yours, Mr. Hart. Wing Commander Pryce managed to send these items through diplomatic courier. I believe he obtained them at the hospital in Geneva where he currently resides.
Lieutenant Fenelli, perhaps your assistance at this point?"
"Phillip!" Hugh Renaday burst out.
"How did he learn…"
Von Reiter shrugged.
"We are not beasts, flying officer.
At least not all of us. Lieutenant Fenelli, if you would be so kind…"
Fenelli stepped forward, and Herr Blucher handed him a small parcel wrapped in string and brown paper. The medic from Cleveland swiftly tore it open and gasped out a sudden, heartfelt, "Jesus Christ! Thank
God, thank God…"
He turned and the others could see that inside the parcel was sulfa, disinfectant, sterile wraps, several syringes, and a half-dozen precious vials of penicillin and a similar amount of morphine "Penicillin, first!" Fenelli said. Without hesitating, he was filling a syringe.