Kurhotel Marburg
Marburg an der Lahn, Germany
0925 8 October 1945
There were four men in the enormous Horch touring car but only a driver in the Opel Admiral that followed the Horch up to the entrance of the Kurhotel.
Enrico Rodríguez was driving the Horch. Von Wachtstein sat beside him. Frade and Mattingly were in the back.
The driver of the Opel Admiral, Harold N. Wallace, was wearing an insignia-less uniform. Wallace was in fact a major of the Signal Corps, but functioning as a field officer of the Office of Strategic Services. He was present because Colonel Mattingly thought it possible that he or the car or both might prove useful in some unforeseeable circumstance.
The cars stopped before the entrance of the Kurhotel and everybody got out and marched inside.
“Harry, go in there,” Colonel Mattingly ordered, gesturing toward the dining room, “and order up breakfast for everybody plus two. Frau von Wachtstein has a CIC lieutenant sitting on her, and they’ll have to be fed, too. Tell the waiter to snap it up. We’re pressed for time.”
“Yes, sir,” Major Wallace said.
Mattingly marched to the reception desk, picked up the telephone, and ordered in perfect German that he be connected with Frau von Wachtstein.
—
Elsa picked up the telephone on the third ring, and to do so she had to lean across Jimmy, which movement caused her breast to brush his face. Jimmy took advantage of the situation by taking her nipple in his mouth.
“Hello?” she said.
“Frau von Wachtstein?”
“Yes.”
“This is Colonel Robert Mattingly, Frau von Wachtstein. I hope I didn’t wake you.”
Jimmy could hear the conversation, and let go of Elsa’s nipple.
“No, I was awake,” she said, meeting Jimmy’s eyes.
“I’m downstairs in the lobby, Frau von Wachtstein,” Mattingly said. “I realize this is rude, but we’re really pressed for time. How soon do you think you could come down?”
“Ten minutes.”
“Fine. I’ll explain what’s going to happen over breakfast.”
“That would be nice of you.”
“I don’t suppose you know where Lieutenant Cronley is at this hour?”
“Probably in his room. Next door.”
“Well, I’ll call him there.”
“I’ll call him. I can just knock on the connecting door. He’s a sound sleeper.”
“That would be fine,” Mattingly said. “I’ll expect you in ten minutes.”
Mattingly hung up and Elsa followed suit.
“Oh, shit!” Jimmy said.
“You knew this was going to happen,” Elsa said.