“We’re going to the Schlosshotel, which is now a field grade officers’ facility. We’re going to get you a room. After lunch, we will have our little chat in the privacy of that room. Following that, I will go back to my office, and you will stay in the room, leaving it only for supper and breakfast. You will not, in other words, take advantage of the golf club, nor whoop it up tonight in the bar. Got it?”
“Yes, sir.”
“I will arrange for a car to take you from the hotel to the airport after you’ve had your breakfast.”
“Yes, sir.”
“The fewer people who see you in the hotel, the better. Questions would be asked. Understand?”
“Yes, sir.”
[ THREE ]
Schlosshotel Kronberg
Kronberg im Taunus, Hesse
American Zone of Occupation, Germany
1150 30 October 1945
Mattingly and Cronley had taken perhaps ten steps into the lobby when they were intercepted by an attractive American woman. Cronley noted that she had a shapely figure, a full head of black hair, and appeared to be in her early thirties.
“Well, I didn’t expect to see you here, Colonel,” she said. “But you’re very welcome!”
“Mrs. Schumann,” Mattingly said, turning on the charm. “What an unexpected pleasure.”
“And have you brought us a newly arrived?”
“Excuse me?”
“Well, he’s wearing the triangles,” she said. “And he doesn’t look old enough to be a major. And he’s with you. So I have leapt to the conclusion that he’s one of us.”
“Mrs. Schumann, this is Special Agent Cronley.”
She offered Cronley her hand. He took it. She didn’t let go.
“I’ve so wanted to meet you,” she
said.
“Excuse me?” Cronley said.
“You are the young man who shot the engine out of my husband’s car, right?”
“He told you about that?” Mattingly blurted.
“Well, Tony is pretty sure I’m neither a Nazi nor a member of the NKGB, and we are married. So why not?”
Mattingly gathered his thoughts.
“Well, are you or aren’t you?” she pursued, still hanging on to his hand and looking into Cronley’s eyes.
He thought she had very sad eyes, not consistent with her bubbly personality.
“There was a misunderstanding,” Cronley said.
“About which the less said, the better,” Mattingly said.