Curtain of Death (Clandestine Operations 3)

“Dette?” Cronley asked.

“Freddy’s right,” Claudette said. “You’ll have to weigh (a) how much damage that might cause, (b) how Major Wallace will react when he hears you have told him, and (c) if Mr. Hammersmith is a member of the team, or just a visitor.”

Cronley snorted, then asked, “What about our Pennsylvania Dutchman? Should Augie be in this loop?”

“Dette raised the significant question,” Hessinger said. “Are Augie and Mr. Hammersmith to be members of the team . . .”

“Augie has my vote,” Claudette said.

“. . . or just visitors?” Hessinger finished.

Hammersmith thought: Ziegler gets her vote and I don’t?

Does that mean she doesn’t know enough about me to give me a recommendation, or that she thinks she knows me well enough to think I’m not trustworthy?

And Hessinger calls Ziegler by his first name. But I’m “Mr. Hammersmith”?

How much weight does Cronley give to the opinion of either of them?

Cronley looked between Ziegler and Hammersmith.

“You two want in DCI all the way?” he asked. “Before you answer, this caveat. If you say you want in—and I admit we need you—if you say ‘yes,’ do so with that line from the oath of office we all took: Without any mental reservations whatsoever. If I find out later you wanted in because you wanted to learn something you can pass on to someone else, and I learn that you have passed something on, I’ll kill you.”

Ziegler thought: I think he means that.

Dette voted for me.

Do I want in?

Oh boy, do I!

Hammersmith thought: He doesn’t really think anyone is going to believe that melodramatic “I’ll kill you” threat, does he?

Or is he serious?

There are rumors of unmarked graves at that monastery.

Could they possibly be true?

“I’m in, Captain,” Ziegler said, and turned to Claudette. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Hammersmith, if you’re having trouble making up your mind with my conditions,” Cronley said, “you get a pass with regard to General Greene. He’s one of the good guys . . .”

Hammersmith thought: You approve of General Greene, do you?

How nice of you, Captain Cronley!

“. . . and he’s in the loop. The only reason I don’t keep him up to speed on everything is so he can look G-2 and the FBI in the eye and truthfully say, ‘I don’t know anything about that.’”

Hammersmith thought: Christ, he’s right.

He is smarter than I’ve been giving him credit for.

“Well, are you in or out?” Cronley asked.

Hammersmith thought: I owe it to Homer Greene to stay here.

“In, Captain Cronley,” Hammersmith said.