“Let’s get the hell out of here and go home,” Cronley said.
[THREE]
The Duchess Suite
Farber Palast
Stein, near Nuremberg
American Zone of Occupation, Germany
0805 3 March 1946
Lieutenant Tom Winters knocked at the door of the Duchess Suite, the expression on his face making it clear that he wished he could be doing something—anything—else.
He had to knock three times before there was a response.
“What?” Cronley called, not at all pleasantly.
“Lieutenant Winters, sir. May I come in?”
Cronley called, “Wait a minute,” and then turned to Miss Janice Johansen, with whom he was sharing the enormous bed.
“You can either make a dash for the bathroom or hide under the covers.”
“Why?” she asked. “Tom already suspects—hell, knows damned well—that I’m in here.”
She rolled onto her back and pulled the sheet up under her chin.
“Come!” Cronley called.
Winters entered the room, carefully keeping his eyes away from the bed.
“You can say hello to Janice, she thinks you already know our shameful secret.”
“Hi, Tom,” Janice said. “How’s every little thing?”
“This better be important,” Cronley said. “I had a very bad day yesterday, from which I have by no means recovered.”
Winters crossed the room and handed Cronley an envelope.
“What’s this?” Cronley asked, then took a closer look at the envelope. It was
postmarked Vienna, with the name and address of the sender, neither of which Cronley recognized. It was addressed to Herr J. D. Cronley, Offenbach Platz 101, München, which was the address of the Mansion.
“It came first thing this morning,” Winters said.
“You didn’t open it?”
“It’s addressed to you.”
“But you decided I should have it right away?”
“I had one of those ‘go with your gut’ feelings you’re always talking about.”
Cronley opened the envelope. It contained a single sheet of paper.
“Typewritten,” he said. “Unsigned. In English.” And then he read it: “‘Inasmuch as I believe I have found what you’re looking for, I strongly suggest you join me as soon as possible, letting as few people as possible know you’re doing so.’ No signature.”