The Spymasters (Men at War 7)

“Müller,” Kappler said.

“Müller!” Palasota repeated, his tone one of obvious surprise. He looked at Canidy. “Dick, I had no idea about this. I’ve been trying to find Francisco, too, you know.”

Canidy nodded.

“You’re sure it’s Müller?” Beck then said.

Kappler nodded. “He showed me a wireless that has its labels written in English. It’s in a locked room on the top floor of the SS field office. Müller’s scharführer was working it.”

Absolutely no surprise there.

John Craig has been convinced from the start that the station was compromised.

“Did Müller say what he did with the operator?” Canidy said. “That sonofabitch has a nasty habit of summarily shooting people point-blank.”

“He said he had him quote locked up as insurance unquote. He did not tell me where. And he did not mention the other man.”

Then Tubes is alive!

And if he is, maybe Nola, too.

“Can’t you order Müller to turn him over to you, his superior?” Canidy said.

Kappler shook his head.

“If I did, he would ignore me, or kill your man, or possibly both.”

“Then I go see Müller,” Canidy said.

“If you do, then Müller will shoot him point-blank before you get past the front door.”

Ernst Beck held up his hand, palm out.

“I think that we can get Müller to bring him to us.”

“Well, then, what the hell are you waiting for?” Canidy gestured impatiently with his hand. “Tell us how.”

Beck raised his eyebrows in question as he looked at Palasota.

Jimmy Skinny clearly nodded his agreement.

“Müller can be coerced,” Beck said.

“I don’t understand,” Kappler said. “You mentioned that earlier.”

Beck studied him a moment, then said, “Jimmy and I found Müller’s Achilles’ heel. Ol’ Hans doesn’t like the girls he beats up.”

Kappler grunted.

“That is obvious. He’s a mean drunk. That I have seen too many times.”

“Oskar, he does not like girls. Period.”

“He’s a poofter?” Kappler blurted.

Beck nodded. “He tries to have sex with the girls here, but it rarely happens. He gets frustrated and drunk, then humiliates them . . . and worse. It’s all a beard, because he lives in fear of having to wear a rosa winkel in a konzentrationslager.”

That, Canidy thought, explains why Palasota was so quick to say no when I said why not just whack the bastard now.