The Assassination Option (Clandestine Operations 2)

“Well, we encourage the people in the hotel to report suspicious activity, and one of the assistant managers did.”

“Did he tell you what I did that was suspicious?” El Jefe asked.

“Well, he said he heard your men speaking Russian.”

“Guilty as charged,” Ostrowski said. “He must have overheard Ludwig and me.”

He nodded toward Mannberg.

“You sound English,” the older CIC agent said.

“Guilty as charged,” Max repeated, and showed him his DCI credentials.

“Gentlemen, I’m sorry,” the older agent said, “but you’re in the business, and you know how these things happen.”

“Not a problem,” Schultz said. “You were just doing your job.”

“You going to be in town for a while, Cronley?” Agent Spurgeon asked.

“We’re leaving tomorrow,” Schultz answered for him.

“Pity,” Spurgeon said. “I was hoping we could have a drink and swap tales about Terrible Tommy Derwin and other strange members of the faculty of Holabird High.”

“Sorry, we have to go,” Schultz said.

“I guess you know that Derwin is here,” Cronley said.

“He’s here?”

“He’s the new CIC/ASA inspector general for EUCOM,” Cronley said.

“Oh, yeah,” the senior agent said. “The old one, Colonel Schumann, blew himself up, didn’t he?”

“Him and his wife,” Cronley confirmed.

“Well, we’ll get out of here,” the senior agent said. “I’m really sorry about this, Mr. Schultz.”

“You were just doing your job,” El Jefe repeated.

“If there’s ever anything we can do for you, just give us a yell.”

“Can’t think of a thing, but thanks.”

Hands were shaken all around, and the Vienna CIC team left.

When they had, Cronley asked, “What the hell was that all about?”

El Jefe shrugged, then looked at his wristwatch and said, “We’d better get going.”

[SIX]

Café Weitz

Gumpendorferstrasse 74

Vienna, Austria

1650 14 January 1946