“Maybe she’s not there,” Cronley said after a moment. “Maybe she got tired of waiting for me.”
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Schumann. This is Special Agent Hessinger. I have found Captain Cronley for you. One moment, please.”
He put his hand over the microphone, said, “Be charming,” then extended the receiver to Cronley.
“Good afternoon, Mrs. Schumann. This is Captain Cronley. How are you? Special Agent Hessinger tells me you’re all alone in Munich.”
“The colonel had to go to Vienna,” Rachel said.
“So Hessinger told me. I was wondering if you’re free for dinner.”
“As a matter of fact, yes, Captain Cronley, I am.”
“When would you like me to call for you?”
“Actually, I’d be open to an invitation for cocktails, too.”
“You mean right now?”
“Could you fit me into your busy schedule?”
“With pleasure. The thing is, I’ve been flying just about all day . . .”
“Flying? Where?”
“. . . and I need a shower and a fresh uniform. Could you meet me in the bar in, say, thirty minutes?”
“I’ll be waiting. Thank you so much, Captain Cronley.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Cronley stood and put the receiver back in its cradle.
“How’d I do?”
“You’re no Cary Grant, more like Humphrey Bogart. Anyway, all you have to do is keep her happy.”
“How do I do that?”
“By doing whatever she wants you to do.”
“You going to be here when I’ve fed her?”
“No. I get off at five. It’s now five-fifteen. How about I meet you in the dining room for breakfast at seven?”
“I’ll be there.”
[ FIVE ]
As he went into his room, after a moment’s indecision, Cronley dropped a matchbook in the doorjamb so it wouldn’t close.
He didn’t know if Rachel would come to his room instead of waiting for him in the bar. He hoped she wouldn’t. But she might. She seemed oblivious to the risks of their getting caught. And he didn’t want her to be seen knocking at his door. By Freddy Hessinger, for example, who might be leaving his down-the-corridor office as she did so.
After thinking about this, too, he laid an Ike jacket with the insignia of captain of Cavalry on the bed before going in the shower. That would enable him
to play the role of the nice captain entertaining the colonel’s lady at dinner in the colonel’s absence. Colonels’ ladies do not fool around with young captains. They just might fool around with CIC special agents.
What stupid games am I playing?