Death at Nuremberg (Clandestine Operations 4)

Cronley pointed to Dunwiddie.

“Captain Chauncey Dunwiddie, my deputy, who for reasons I can’t imagine, is often called ‘Tiny.’”

“How do you do, Colonel?” Dunwiddie said, as they shook hands.

“And Mr. Maksymilian Ostrowski,” Cronley said.

Serov offered his hand. Ostrowski didn’t take it.

Ostrowski asked in Russian, “How do you do, Colonel?”

“You speak Russian?” Serov asked, speaking English.

“I’m a Pole,” Ostrowski continued, this time in English. “A great many Poles speak Russian.”

“You sound English . . . British.”

“Probably because I spent five years in Great Britain as an officer in the Free Polish Army.”

“Well, that explains, doesn’t it, why James recruited you for the DCI?”

“I suppose it does. And I accepted as it would have been unwise for me to return to Poland now that you Russians have taken it over.”

“I don’t suppose you would believe me if I said I understood.”

“No, I don’t think I would.”

“Before this gets out of hand, why don’t we order dinner?” Janice asked.

“I would be honored to have you all as my guests,” Serov said.

“What is it that they say? ‘Beware of Russians bearing gifts’?” Cronley said.

“I rather like what they say about ‘Never turn down a free meal,’” Cohen said. “I know not what course others might take, Colonel, but as for me, I accept your kind offer.”

What the hell is Cohen up to?

“I go along with Morty,” Janice said. “Thank you, handsome.”

“As for me,” Cronley said, “I’ll have a Jack Daniel’s on the rocks, water on the side, followed by a New York strip, pink in the middle, with a baked potato. Max, what about you?”

“I’ll have the same. Except vodka, Russian if you have it, instead of whisky.”

“And the same for me,” Serov said.

“Why don’t we have the same all around?” Cohen asked. “That will produce our dinner quicker, and I will be saved from starvation.”

—

“So what brings you to Nuremberg, Miss Johansen?” Serov said, as they were having a post-dinner cognac. “If I may ask?”

“You may ask, handsome. And since you’re buying, you can call me Janice.”

“And I would be pleased if you were to call me Ivan.”

Janice didn’t reply.

After a moment, Serov asked, “Well?”