“Yes, sir.”
Frade pointed to Cronley.
“You will go to your quarters and await my pleasure.”
“Yes, sir.”
[ TWO ]
Office of the Commanding Officer
XXIIIrd CIC Detachment
Kloster Grünau
Schollbrunn, Bavaria
American Zone of Occupation, Germany
1025 2 November 1945
The office was furnished with a desk, on which sat two telephones—an ornate German instrument and a U.S. Army EE-8 field telephone—a typewriter, an ashtray made from a bent Planters peanuts can, a White Owl cigar box, and a box of large wooden matches.
There was a wooden office chair on wheels behind the desk. Two similar chairs without wheels were in front of it.
Former Generalmajor Reinhard Gehlen, who had on an ill-fitting, well-worn gray tweed suit, sat in one of the latter. He rose to his feet as Frade walked through the door that Sergeant Tedworth held open for him.
“General Gehlen?” Frade asked.
“I am Gehlen.”
“My name is Frade, General,” he said, offering the slight man his hand. “Sorry to have kept you waiting.”
“I am pleased to finally meet you, Colonel Frade.”
“Sergeant, please rustle up some coffee and maybe a couple of doughnuts for myself and the general, and then leave us alone.”
“Coming right up, sir,” Tedworth said.
Frade went behind the desk and sat down.
“We have a problem, General. But I think before we get into that, I should tell you why I said ‘we.’ For a number of reasons, including credible deniability, it has been decided to transfer command of Operation Ost to me. That’s effective this morning.”
Gehlen nodded but didn’t speak.
An inner door opened. Cronley was standing in it.
“Colonel, I thought I should tell you that when I’m in my quarters I can hear whatever is said in here.”
Frade considered his options for a moment and then said, “Take a seat.”
“Yes, sir,” Cronley said, and then sat in the chair across from Gehlen.
“Guten Morgen, Herr General.”
“Guten Morgen, Jim.”
“One might get the idea from that cordial, informal exchange, General,” Frade said, “that you and Captain Cronley have developed a personal as well as a professional relationship.”