Chapter 22

Dietrich was fuming as he walked his post after General Burkhalter had departed. At first his plan was to permanently get rid of Kinch, Carter, and LeBeau one by one, then take care of Newkirk in the infirmary which he knew wouldn't be much of a problem considering the condition the Englander was in. And after that, he would find a way to eliminate Hogan. That was the plan at least. But Burkhalter's visit changed his thinking. If Hogan and his men were to die now, it would look very suspicious not only to Klink but to Burkhalter, and would bring unwanted attention to him; attention he did not and could not afford. So, Dietrich came up with another idea.

He would first find and destroy any and all proof Hogan's men had presented to Burkhalter already and make sure there was nothing else that could be used against him. That way, he figured, when Burkhalter came back only to find the men not only had no proof but that the previous evidence was gone, the General would have no choice but to close the case and Schultz would be on his way to the Russian front. But more than that, he, Karl Dietrich, would be the new permanent Sergeant-of-the-Guard. Then, and only then, he would see about disposing of Hogan and his men. He smirked at the thought knowing that in ten more days all his problems would be over except for one. He continued patrolling, watching the men who, when they saw him, gave him a wide berth which he found amusing. First place he'd go would be the infirmary, and once there, nobody would stop him form taking what he wanted. He quickened his pace. Then, his eyes fell on Sergeant Derrick who was sitting on a bench outside his barracks.

Derrick met the Sergeant's stare with one of his own. In fact, his eyes followed the German as he passed by his barracks and continued on his patrol. Derrick, still carrying the pistol in his pocket, was tempted at this moment to pull it out and shoot the German in the back. But he knew there were too many prisoners in the compound and he might accidentally hit one of them, plus, the other guards would gun him down before he had a chance to fire. So, he would just continue to bide his time until he found the right moment.

Kinch sat at the table with Carter, Olsen and LeBeau drinking coffee and talking.

"So mon ami, what do you think will be Dietrich's next move?" asked LeBeau.

Kinch let out a deep breath. "I doubt seriously if our lives are in danger right now."

Carter looked up in surprise. "What makes you say that? You saw how he looked at us."

"Yeah, I saw him," said Kinch. "But he'd be crazy to kill any of us at this point." He held up a hand before continuing. "Think about it. We've already presented our evidence to Burkhalter who gave us ten days to find more evidence. Don't you think it would look very suspicious if, during that time, all of us suddenly turned up dead?"

"I see your point," Olsen agreed. "He'd be bringing unwanted attention to himself and I don't think he wants to do that."

"Exactly," Kinch said. "My guess, he'll wait until after Burkhalter finishes his inspection of Stalag 13 and leaves before trying to do away with us and probably the Colonel."

"Boy," said Carter with a lopsided grin. "It's a good think he didn't know we had the proof we had. He might've tried to take it from us." He took a drink of coffee and suddenly noticed the others staring at him. "What did I say?" he asked with arched eyebrows.

"You said Dietrich might have tried to take the proof we had away if he knew we had it. If I was him, that's exactly what I would do."

"What?" asked Carter, still confused.

"Dietrich will probably try and steal the evidence we have so that if we can't find anything new, we won't have anything at all on him. That's what I would do."

"Sacre chat!" LeBeau explained jumping to his feet. "We should warn Wilson. He has the files he brought to Klink's office."

Carter suddenly jumped up. "Newkirk's in there! He can't defend himself!"

Kinch and Olsen hurriedly got to their feet and left the barracks.

"Let's go!" said Kinch.

"Where are we going?" asked LeBeau.

"To the infirmary," Kinch answered. "Hopefully Dietrich hasn't gone there yet." The others followed him out the barracks door and raced in the direction of the infirmary. Reaching it, they entered and looked around quickly. They saw Newkirk laying in his bed, but there was no sign of Wilson who the guys knew was on duty during the day.

"Carter, check Newkirk and make sure he's all right," Kinch ordered without turning.

"Gotcha," the young Sergeant replied jogging forward. Reaching his friend's cot Carter knelt down and pressed two fingers against Newkirk's neck. A faint smile appeared. "He's alive," he said looking up. "Must be sleeping."

"Not anymore," a sleepy voice said as Newkirk opened his eyes a crack and looked, with annoyance, at Carter. "Blimey, Andrew, what the bloody hell are you natterin' about? I was dreamin' I was with this gorgeous redhead in her flat. All I gotta say is she better still be there when I go back to sleep or you're in for it." His eyes shifted when he saw the others come near. "A little early for visiting hours, isn't it?"

"Newkirk, are you here alone?" asked Kinch, concerned. "Where's Wilson or his assistant, Sergeant Paul Anderson?"

"Wilson's sittin' right over…" Newkirk's eyes narrowed as he looked at Wilson's desk and saw it empty. "Huh. Last I saw he was sittin' at his desk."

Olsen looked at Kinch. "Wilson wouldn't leave a patient alone. We all know if he had to leave he would have someone get Paul to either relieve him, or to fill in for him with whatever it was that required his services."

"I don't like the looks of this," LeBeau uttered nervously.

"Neither do I," Kinch replied. His eyes scanned the seemingly empty infirmary. "Joe! It's Kinch! Are you all right?"

The sound of moaning could be heard. "Carter, stay with Newkirk," Kinch ordered as he and the others hurried forward and found the medic stuffed under his desk holding the back of his head, struggling to regain consciousness.

"Kinch? Is that you?" he asked feebly looking up. He winced from the motion. Olsen and Kinch helped Wilson get shakily to his feet and sat him down in his chair. Kneeling down in front of him, Kinch looked over his shoulder.

"LeBeau, get me a basin of cool water and a clean cloth. Then go find Paul Anderson or Steve Callahan. I don't care which one but come back with one of them."

"Oui, right away."

"You okay, Joe? What happened?" Kinch asked as LeBeau handed him a basin of cool water and a clean cloth before leaving to find one of Wilson's two assistants. Soaking the cloth in the water and ringing it out, Kinch pressed it against the back of the medic's head; Wilson winced. "Sorry," was all the radioman could say.

"Thanks," Wilson said as he held the cloth against the back of his head. "Dietrich was here," he said. "He wanted to go through my files. I told him over my dead body, but made the mistake of turning my back on him to check on my patient. That must've been when he hit me from behind because the next thing I knew I woke up shoved up under my desk." He pulled the cloth away and looked at it. "No blood, thank heavens. How's Newkirk? Is he all right?"

"He's fine," Carter said with a smile. "Just grouchy because I took him away from a redhead."

Olsen looked at Wilson's file cabinet. "You said he wanted to look in your file cabinet? What the hell for?"

"I have a good idea," Kinch said getting to his feet and walking over to the file cabinet. He rummaged through the drawer containing the letters G-L and then the drawer R-W. Letting out a deep breath he turned and looked grimly at Olsen and Wilson. "Just as I suspected. The files on Corporal Sanger and Colonel Hogan are both missing. Dietrich must have taken them."

"But why?" asked Wilson wiping his forehead with the damp cloth. "I mean, what would be his reason?"

"Simple," Olsen explained. "He's removing the proof we showed Burkhalter at the meeting. He's making what we have disappear so we have nothing."

Just then the door opened, and LeBeau strode in followed by Sergeant Paul Anderson. "Joe, you all right?" he asked deeply concerned. "LeBeau told me you'd been attacked."

"I'm all right except for a fierce headache," Wilson replied with a grimace. "Dietrich struck me from behind and stole the files on Corporal Sanger and Colonel Hogan."

Anderson stood beside the medic and examined the lump on the back of his head. "You don't look any worse for wear. But I bet you have one whale of a headache."

"I do," Wilson replied massaging his forehead with his fingertips. Anderson quickly poured a glass of cold water and handed it to the medic, then taking a bottle of aspirin, shook two tablets into Wilson's outstretched hand.

"Take these and then I want you to lie down and rest. I'll look after Newkirk for you."

Wilson popped the aspirin in his mouth and washed them down with the water. Anderson and Kinch helped the medic to his feet and over to the bed across from Newkirk. Wilson eased himself down onto the bed and closed his eyes. Anderson covered his boss with the blanket, then motioned with his head for Kinch to follow him so they could talk. They joined LeBeau, Carter and Olsen who were sitting beside Newkirk's bed.

"Will Joe be all right?" asked Olsen, concerned.

"I think so. There doesn't seem to be any fracture. He'll have a headache for a few days but he should be all right."

"Blimey," Newkirk said in a low voice. "What the bloody hell's goin' on?"

"Newkirk, are you sure when Dietrich was here he didn't touch you in any way or do anything to you?" asked Kinch resting a hand on the Englander's shoulder.

"Positive, mate. I didn't realize he was even here. I was half asleep. I mean, I heard somebody come into the infirmary and heard voices. But by then, I was sorta out of it, y'know?"

"I was really worried about you, Newkirk," Carter explained. "I mean, with you not able to defend yourself and all, you'd be a sitting duck for Dietrich. And I said to myself, Andrew, if Newkirk is…."

"Andrew, shut up," Newkirk said. "Now, somebody tell me what's goin' on? Why would that bleedin' Kraut take the files of the Gov'nor and Corporal Sanger?"

As briefly as possible, Kinch explained everything that took place in Klink's office with Burkhalter and that they had a ten day reprieve to find definite proof of Dietrich's guilt by the time the General returned to Stalag 13 for his inspection.

"Blimey," Newkirk muttered softly. "Sounds like he's gettin' rid of whatever evidence you had." He licked his lips. "What about the Gov'nor?"

"With any luck Colonel Hogan should be back by the end of the week," Carter said enthusiastically. "They just wanted to keep him an extra week to get the sedative out of his system."

"But he's all right? I mean, he's really all right?" asked Newkirk.

Olsen chuckled. "Michael says he should be fine. He just has to take it easy for another week after he's brought back to camp."

"Really?" asked the Englander trying to raise his head, and winced at the sudden movement.

Anderson, placing a hand on the Englander's chest gently eased him back down on the bed. "That's enough for now, Newkirk," he said. "I want you to rest." He then turned to the others. "Sorry, fellas, but I think he's had enough excitement for today. You can come back later and visit."

Reluctantly, the guys said their goodbyes and quietly left the infirmary, heading back in the direction of their barracks.

"What are we going to do about Dietrich, Kinch?" asked Olsen. "Once he gets rid of the evidence we have we're going to have nothing except Schultz, and it'll be his word against Dietrich's."

"I know," Kinch replied. "And if I know Burkhalter, it'll be bye-bye Schultz."

"But why take the files on Colonel Hogan and Corporal Sanger?" asked Carter, hands stuffed in pockets.

"Destroy the evidence we have for one thing," Kinch explained. "The other is make sure nobody sees the seriousness of what it was he did to both of them." He suddenly stopped, a hand on Olsen's arm. "Look."

The others looked in the direction Kinch was looking. They were a few yards from barracks two but close enough to see it. They noticed Dietrich and another guard exiting the barracks with Dietrich pulling the door closed behind him. Neither guard noticed them as they walked away. But Dietrich looked angry.

"Come on," Kinch said as he quickened his pace with the others right behind him. Reaching the barracks he gripped the doorknob but looked over his shoulder and put a finger to his lips indicating silence and then opened the door. The sight that met their eyes shocked the four men.

"Mon Dieu!" LeBeau exclaimed surveying the room.

"Holy hell!" said Kinch.

The interior of the barracks had been ransacked; prisoners' personal items strewn everywhere. Footlockers opened and their contents tossed about. Mattresses and pillows pulled off bunks. The men stepped carefully into the room, mindful not to step on anything. Kinch made his way to Hogan's quarters and opened the door; the same destruction was present.

"What a mess," Olsen muttered looking over Kinch's shoulder into Hogan's private quarters. "What do you suppose Dietrich was looking for?"

Kinch reached into his jacket pocket and held up the bullet for Olsen to see. "This," was all he said. He then indicated quiet. He and Olsen returned to the common room. "Okay, LeBeau, Carter, you both clean up out here while Olsen and I clean up Colonel Hogan's quarters. Oh, and guys…" The radioman waited for Carter and LeBeau to look into his face. He pointed to his ear while mouthing the words 'check for listening devices.' With heavy sighs, the men went about their grim tasks.