Augie replied, without thinking: “Berks County. Outside Reading.”
“When I heard your Hessian accent, I should have put it all together.”
The conversation was interrupted when the door opened and a tall, blond, muscular young man in his early twenties came into the room. He was wearing a bathrobe with the logotype of Texas A&M University on its breast and battered Western boots.
“What’s up?”
“He’s from the CID,” Hessinger replied. “He says somebody shot Claudette.”
“Jesus H. Christ! Is she all right?”
“Who are you, sir?” Augie asked.
“I asked if Claudette is all right. What the hell happened?”
“The woman—”
“Her name is Claudette Colbert,” the young man said.
“Sir, who are you?” Augie asked.
“Freddy, show him your DCI credentials. Mine’s in my room.”
“Yes, sir,” Hessinger said.
He walked to the wall, moved an oil painting out of the way, and began to work a combination lock.
“My name is Cronley,” the young man said to Augie. “I’m the big cheese around here and I asked about Claudette. You would be ill-advised to fuck with me.”
Augie decided not to do so.
He said: “A woman carrying the identification card of Technical Sergeant Claudette Colbert is being detained for interrogation in connection with a shooting in the WAC NCO club parking lot just after midnight.”
“For the last fucking time, is she all right?”
“She is uninjured, sir.”
Hessinger held out an open leather folder before Augie’s eyes.
Office of the President of the United States
Central Intelligence Directorate
Washington, D.C.
The Bearer Of This Identity Document
Friedrich Hessinger
Is an officer of the Central Intelligence Directorate acting with the authority of the President of the United States. Any questions regarding him or his activities should be addressed to the undersigned only.
Sidney W. Souers
Sidney W. Souers,
Rear Admiral, USN
Director, DCI