“And who do you think was the assassin?”
“Obviously a mole in the Compound. General Gehlen thinks it’s probably one of his people, but it’s possible it’s one of the Polish guards.”
“His people?”
“One or more of them may be under pressure from either Odessa or the NKGB who may have their families.”
“And the Poles?”
“Same thing, sir. And, sir, that’s why we’re here.”
“Tell me.”
“The commanding officer of the 26th Infantry, who has the guards on the prisoners at Nuremberg—”
“So I’ve heard. Get to it, Cronley.”
“Colonel Rasberry thinks the same thing is happening to his guards. He went to Colonel Cohen, and Cohen came to me.”
“To do what?”
“We want to send Wagner to the 26th undercover, to see what he can find out.”
“What’s that got to do with me?” White asked. Before Cronley could reply, White raised his voice. “Sergeant Major!”
Then he turned to Cronley.
“Sergeant Major Charles Whaley has a Top Secret clearance, but not a Top Secret–Presidential. Despite that, I think he should hear what you are about to tell me. Objections?”
“No, sir.”
“General?” Whaley asked from the door.
“Mr. Cronley is about to ask the Constabulary to do something I suspect will be legally questionable. I think you should hear what that is.”
“Yes, sir,” Whaley said, and came into the room, and then leaned on the wall beside the door.
“Okay, Mr. Cronley. What probably illegal act, or acts, can the Constabulary do for you?” White asked.
“Sir, replacements to the 26th Infantry—”
“Which is charged, Charley,” White interrupted, “with guarding Hermann Göring and his former underlings at Nuremberg. Continue, Cronley.”
“Yes, sir. Replacements to the 26th don’t come from the repple depple at Marburg—”
“I know,” Sergeant Major Whaley interrupted. “Once a month we get a TWX from USFET, levying on us for sometimes as many as six troopers, pay grades E-3 through E-5, with six months in the theater and with Secret security clearances. No MOS requirements. To be transferred to the 26th. There’s one on my desk now for four men. Weird.”
“Mr. Cronley will now explain that to us,” White said.
“The idea is that Colonel Rasberry doesn’t want the guards to be fresh out of basic training and just off the troop ship from Camp Kilmer,” Cronley explained.
“Let me take a wild guess,” General White said. “You want Casey Wagner sent to the 26th as if he’s been levied from us.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Did you volunteer for this, Casey? Or did Mr. Cronley just tell you this is what’s going to happen?”
“I’m all right with it, sir. I’m a DCI special agent. This is what we do.”