“They are well, but they could be better. They did fight their interrogations and were, well, damaged. Their fighting did not last long because we were in a great hurry to get what timely information they might have had. As it was, they really didn’t know much that was new. For instance, we’ve known all about Captain Janek, his career as a pilot, and his tendency to beat up German soldiers.”
Ernie had been given specific instructions to be seen and not heard. He looked at Dulles who smiled and nodded. “General, I distinctly recall being attacked by your soldiers on at least two occasions.”
“Of course,” said Hahn who turned to Dulles. “And I’m also aware that the young lady who works with you is the same one who tripped me on one of her spying excursions, thus causing a great deal of hilarity at my expense.”
Dulles answered. “If I recall, you were trying to assault her.”
Hahn smiled. “Thus proving that there are many sides to each story. But let’s get back to the point. Are you interested in a trade? And before you make that decision, were you aware that Marie Leroux held dual citizenship? Yes, she is also an American citizen.”
Dulles took a deep breath. “Yes, we are interested. But first I would like to see them.”
Hahn shook his head. “That is not possible. However, I do have some photographs that might interest you.”
He handed over a manila folder. Two pictures spilled out. They showed Marie and Sven standing against a wall. Both were naked and their bodies were masses of bruises and burns. Their faces were badly bruised and swollen. Ernie had to restrain himself.
Hahn handed over two more pictures. “These photos were taken yesterday. You will see a vast improvement.”
Their bruises were largely gone and Marie in particular looked fairly healthy. “One of the conditions for letting Sven live was that Marie would become my mistress. She services me whenever I wish, although without great enthusiasm. If she does not improve, or if I tire of her, she will be handed over to the troops for their enjoyment. She has also serviced Captain Diehl, again without passion.”
Ernie found himself gripping the arms of his chair and wishing he could break off an arm and use it as a club to bash Hahn’s brains in.
Hahn ignored their discomfort. “Captain Diehl and I wish to exit Germanica through Switzerland and from there to a place of our choosing. We will depart with some luggage, of course. You are a man of honor, so we will require your word that you won’t even think of chasing us for three months.”
“What about Magda Goebbels?”
Hahn shrugged. “Who the devil cares, and, besides, she left for Switzerland this afternoon. Like Captain Diehl and me, she will have various identities she can use. Women are so fortunate. They can change their looks simply by dyeing their hair and having it cut.”
“Well then, what about Josef Goebbels?”
Hahn smiled. “The Reichminister and new Fuhrer has determined that he will stay in Bregenz to the last, thus emulating his hero, Adolf Hitler. Of course, he could change his mind at any time. But no, you will not have to worry about Josef Goebbels.”
“Good,” said Dulles. “That would have been too much to promise.”
“Then we have a deal?”
“Yes,” said Dulles.
“Then I will sweeten it for you. I will give you the names, account numbers, and passwords to several hundred Swiss bank accounts currently in the name of members of the Nazi hierarchy, most of them dead or captured, and others that had once belonged to Jews. I will also suggest that you take notice of the camps that are being built throughout the area. Several thousand criminals will be housed there. Since your country considers them victims of Nazi oppression rather than the lawbreakers that they are, they will be insurance against your planes bombing Bregenz or any other area close to it. We are confident that Truman would not like to add another massacre of civilians to his list of crimes. After all, aren’t Hiroshima and Nagasaki enough?”
The meeting ended. Again, they did not shake hands. Nor did they speak until they got back to Switzerland. “I want to throw up,” said Ernie.
“Be my guest, but not while you’re driving. Don’t be angry and don’t envy Hahn and Diehl. We get our people back and those two will be chased for the rest of their lives. Someday, somewhere, I am confident that justice will be served. Now all we have to do is get the rest of the rats to leave their sinking ship. And as to what Truman will do about the camp inmates, I have no idea. I’m just thrilled that I am not in his shoes.”
“You’re right, sir.”
Dulles yawned. He was exhausted, but he couldn’t help but smile wickedly. “By the way, do you have any idea why Winnie had me send a slightly stained Nazi bedspread back to her father via diplomatic pouch?”
CHAPTER 18
Lena sat primly in a chair beside Tanner’s desk. He had to fight the urge to reach out and grab her and, judging from the smile on her face, she was thinking the same thing. They lived in a world with little privacy, which meant few opportunities to carry their relationship farther than a few swift, almost stolen, kisses. Her tent mates had offered to rent their tent for a couple of hours or simply look the other way while they made love, but the offers had been laughingly rejected.
Lena shook her head. “I have interviewed all of the women you rescued. There were sixteen of them and two of them actually were prostitutes. The rest were kidnapped and forced into it. Where they were being kept in the compound actually wasn’t a brothel. They were taken to places where there were GIs and were used there. Their captors kept all the money, of course. The girls were poorly fed and several had venereal diseases.”
“Which didn’t slow down a bunch of horny GIs, did it?”
“Of course not. Nothing would.”
Tanner shook his head, then smiled warmly. “So you’ve absolutely decided to come to the States?”
“Yes. And as I’ve said before, I will continue my search for my father from there. Who knows, if he’s survived, maybe he’s headed to America as well. And yes, I will be following you, so make room wherever you plan on being.”
Lena winked at him and walked away.
Almost immediately, Cullen came and took her seat. He looked stricken. “What’s your problem, Cullen?”
“Maybe a big one, Tanner. Would you kindly tell me why we’re being issued brand new gas masks?”
* * *
Harry Truman clenched the edge of his desk. He was so shocked and angry that he could scarcely speak. The idea that the Nazis would use innocent people as human shields was beyond repugnant. The report from Allen Dulles had reached him within hours after he had met with Hahn and had been confirmed by camera-carrying airplanes flying over the area.
General Marshall put down a copy of one of the photos. The quality was poor since it had been sent by wire. Better copies were coming, but would take at least a day. These showed the outlines of camps and barracks just as Hahn had said. There was no way that Bregenz could be bombed without the slaughter of great numbers of innocents. Already he was catching hell for using the atomic bomb on Japan despite the fact that destroying those two cities had effectively ended the war and likely saved hundreds of thousands of American lives. That millions of Japanese had been saved from slow, awful deaths from starvation was also forgotten or ignored by many people.
“How many options are left, General?”
“Not that many. We keep nibbling at them, but it’s your decision whether or not to continue planning on a massive attack.”
“Keep planning. The bleeding hearts who don’t seem to recognize that war means killing people will accept civilian battle casualties rather than bombing casualties. Well, that’s too bad. If the innocent people in Bregenz are harmed, it will be on Goebbels’ head.”