“Jesus,” Tiny breathed.
“And now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to find Konrad Bischoff and suggest he have a chat with Boss and von Plat.”
As a Pavlovian reflex, both Cronley and Dunwiddie popped to their feet and came to attention when Gehlen stood.
When he had left the room, Dunwiddie said: “You know he’s going to whack those two.”
“And Colonel and Mrs. Schumann.”
“Does that bother you?”
“Her, no. She’s responsible for Lewis and the others getting killed. Him, I don’t know.”
“They call what he is ‘an accessory before the fact.’”
“I wonder how he’s going to do it,” Cronley said.
“Wonder, but don’t ask.”
“I brought a bottle of Haig & Haig from Frankfurt. I don’t suppose you’d be interested in a little taste?”
“I thought you would never ask,” Dunwiddie said.
[FIFTEEN]
On December 21, 1945, the front page of the Stars and Stripes, the Army of Occupation’s newspaper, reported with black borders the tragic death of General George S. Patton. He had been injured in an automobile accident on December 9.
A short article on page eleven of the same edition reported the tragic death in Hoechst, outside Frankfurt, of Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs. Anthony Schumann. A fiery explosion, apparently caused by a cooking gas leak, had totally destroyed their home. Fortunately, the story concluded, the Schumanns’ two children were not at home when the explosion occurred.
[SIXTEEN]
On December 28, 1945, First Sergeant Chauncey L. Dunwiddie, Company C, 203rd Tank Destroyer Battalion, duty station with XXIIIrd CIC Detachment, was discharged for the convenience of the government for the purpose of accepting a commission.
On December 29, 1945, Captain Chauncey L. Dunwiddie, Cavalry, Detail Military Intelligence, having reported upon active duty, was assigned to the XXIIIrd CIC Detachment. No travel involved.
[SEVENTEEN]
On January 1, 1946, President Harry S Truman signed an Executive Order that established the United States Central Intelligence Directorate, and named Rear Admiral Sidney W. Souers, USN, as director.
[EIGHTEEN]
On January 2, 1946, Paragraph 3, General Order #1 Headquarters War Department (Classified Secret) ordered that Captains J. D. Cronley Jr. and C. L. Dunwiddie be transferred from XXIIIrd CIC Detachment to the United States Central Intelligence Directorate with duty station Pullach, Germany. No travel involved.