Chapter 32

Poised

"Tiger stood from the radio and quickly made her way down from the attic. "Where's Kirk?" she asked as she entered the kitchen.

"He's already left to meet Colonel Hogan's men. Is something wrong?" Otto asked.

"Oui, Schnitzer just relayed a message from his contact in Hammelburg. SS Headquarters was broken into and an office ransacked. An SS Captain is asking questions. He's been to Stalag 13 and is now at the hospital seeing Hochstetter. If Hogan's men were seen at the Stalag and run into him at the hospital they might be recognized. Schnitzer wanted us to warn them," Tiger explained urgently.

'It's too late; he's been gone about twenty minutes and should be at the pick up spot by now," Otto announced, looking at his watch.

Rudolph stood from the table and turned to face his brother, Otto, and Tiger. "Do you want us to try and catch up with them?"

The two brothers had been in hiding for the last two years staying invisible by moving between safe houses and occasionally staying in the woods or a cave. Both had, by necessity, become quite good at guerrilla warfare.

"No, we won't be able to warn them now. There is no time. We have been given another job to do."

cccccccccc

"I will get these pictures to you as soon as I get back to Berlin and develop them, Herr General," Brinker informed Kaltenbrunner.

"Excellent," Kaltenbrunner replied.

The photographer closed his notebook and walked to the table to slip his camera into his bag. Looking at Burkhalter and Klink he continued, "It has been a busy morning. Will the three of you join me in town for some lunch? Colonel Knefler and Colonel Hogan will be a little while. We may as well occupy ourselves with some good food."

Burkhalter smiled, "That is a good idea. Colonel Klink and I will be glad to accompany you."

Normally, rubbing elbows with the "brass" was high on Klink's list of priorities, but today his enthusiasm was lacking.

Not hearing the familiar boot-licking coming from Klink, Burkhalter turned and asked, "Isn't that right, Colonel Klink?"

"Huh? Oh, yes, Herr General, delighted." Klink answered without his usual enthusiasm.

"Is there something wrong with you, Klink? You don't look like you feel well."

"Nein, Herr General, I just didn't sleep well last night," Klink answered, his thoughts split between Burkhalter and the morning's activities.

"Mmm…" Burkhalter accepted the excuse warily. "Perhaps a good meal will make you feel better.

"Captain," Kaltenbrunner began, "tell Colonel Knefler that we are going into town."

"Jawohl, Herr General," Krantz saluted.

Brinker slung his camera bag over his shoulder and foursome headed out the door.

The SS Captain turned back to face the Gestapo Major, intent upon getting some answers.

cccccccccc

Carter, dressed as an Abwehr Colonel, inspected his cap before placing it on his head. Olsen stood beside him dressed as a Corporal and Carter's aide.

Kinch handed Carter his forged orders and continued his instructions, "Okay get in and get out. Don't pad your parts. London said the information would be included in a bundle of personal belongings that you are to be picking up, supposedly to be sent back to a dead soldier's family. Just ask for the personal effects of a Leutnant Hoffmeyer."

"Hoffmeyer, okay, I've got it." Carter repeated.

The word "Leedingham" played across Kinch's mind as he remembered one other time Carter had to remember a name. Shaking that thought away, Kinch looked at Carter, "Andrew, I don't know how much time we have before Krantz or Klink returns, so don't dawdle!"

"Don't worry Kinch, we'll get in and get out as quickly as we can."

Kinch looked the men over. They looked convincing. "Kirk will meet you a half mile down the road. He'll be in a staff car and in German uniform and will act as your driver. He'll wait outside the hospital with the car and be ready to get you out of there. Make the pickup in the hospital security office on the lower level. Don't hesitate in any one place any longer than you have to. We don't want Klink or Burkhalter to see you or anyone else to take notice of you, and be able to identify you later. Got it?"

"Got it," Carter answered still fidgeting with his overcoat.

"How about you, Olsen, any questions?" Kinch asked.

"Yeah, What if we do run into Klink or Burkhalter?

"Don't talk like that! If you're caught in a German uniform…" Kinch shook his head and then handed them their Lugers. "Try to get back to the car. The underground will delay any pursuers and give you a few minutes' head start." Kinch looked at his watch. "It's time to go. Just be careful, guys."

cccccccccc

"When do you think Krantz will be back?" LeBeau asked. The Frenchman sat on what passed for a bunk watching a cockroach scurry across the floor.

"That's hard to say. I don't know where he went in the first place. But wherever it is I hope he falls and breaks his…" Without finishing his remark, Newkirk carefully took a last drag off of his cigarette before throwing the inch long stub down and very deliberately grinding the remains of the cigarette into the ground with his foot.

Newkirk raised his voice and looked around at the ceiling and lights for any "bug" that may have been planted since their last inspection of the cells. "He has to know we had nothing to do with SS headquarters being broken into."

LeBeau stood and stretched, "Oui, how do they think we would have gotten out of here?" LeBeau, too, began glancing around trying to spy any hidden microphones. Looking back at Newkirk, he shrugged.

Peter shook his head, "no", and pointed at the light hanging in the corridor in front of them. Making a keep talking gesture with his hand, he said, "Belay that, mate! What makes them think we would come back?"

Louis nodded, placed his hands on his hips and turned toward the light. "Oui, only an idiot would do that!"

cccccccccc

Hochstetter looked coldly into the face of the young SS Captain, trying to read his intentions as he listened to his account.

"I've been looking at your files on Colonel Hogan and his men. You show a lot of activity around Stalag 13, bridges blowing up, German officers coming up missing. I see why you gravitate to the prisoners, but I see no solid evidence."

"What are you doing going through my files?" Hochstetter demanded.

Krantz normally would have ignored the question even though it was a Major asking it. The superior SS did not answer to the Gestapo. But he wanted information from the Major and so he indulged him. "As I said, SS Headquarters was broken into and the trail of the men we were following disappeared. I was hoping to find something in your files to support the probability that prisoners from Stalag 13 are capable of leaving and returning at will."

"If I had solid evidence, you would have had no reason to go through my files. It would be a closed case!"

"What do you know about this American Colonel? I mean, besides the fact that the Gestapo was unable to gain information from him during a lengthy interrogation." Krantz couldn't resist the "dig". "Why is he the focus of General Kaltenbrunner's attention? And what makes you think he is capable of leading a movement against the Third Reich from a prison camp?"

Hochstetter was irritated by this young know-it-all's innuendo that Gestapo interrogation techniques were ineffectual.

"How do you know we didn't gain information from him? The Gestapo does not always put all of our information into public record. We too have our classified files." I don't know what your game is, Captain, but I don't care for your attitude.

Hochstetter decided to play along for awhile and try to get a handle on Krantz's purpose. Looking away and pouring himself a glass of water, he casually answered "Two of those questions I can answer. The third, 'Why he is the focus of General Kaltenbrunner's attention?' is classified. You'll have to ask the General that one."

Hochstetter smirked, relishing the idea that he knew something the SS Captain didn't. Looking at Krantz he asked, "Do you remember the highly successful Allied daylight bombings occurring over Germany a little over a year ago and the resulting pressure the Fuhrer put on the Luftwaffe to put an end to them?"

"I heard of them. But as you said, they were a Luftwaffe matter and I gave them little notice. Krantz looked at Hochstetter with anticipation. "Perhaps you could fill me in, Herr Major."

Hochstetter paused to evaluate what benefit Krantz could be to him. "Captain, Colonel Hogan led those daylight bombings, and I have been after him for some time in connection with the local underground. While I am eager to gather evidence against him, I don't plan to turn him over to anyone else."

"Do not worry, Major. As I told your Leutnant at Gestapo headquarters, If he is more than a POW, my only goal is to reveal him for what he is. His dissection I leave to you."

These were terms the Gestapo Major could accept. "Sit down, Captain, this will take a few minutes."