**Sorry this chapter is a bit short. The next one will be longer.**
Chapter 23
It took hours during which other prisoners who eventually walked in and were caught off-guard by the chaos that met their eyes, helped to clean up the barracks and the Colonel's private quarters. The only time they paused in their cleanup was to fall out for evening roll call. Kinch, Carter and LeBeau caught Dietrich smirking at them the entire time during roll call, sensing they knew what he had done. They glared at the German in disdain. After dismissing the men, Dietrich reached out, grabbed Kinch's arm, and leaned close enough to whisper something in his ear before chuckling as he released him and walked away. He was soon joined by Carter and LeBeau who saw their friend's eyes blazing.
"What did he say to you, mon ami?" asked a concerned LeBeau.
Still glaring at the German's receding back, Kinch answered the Frenchman's question.
"He said he's biding his time until after Burkhalter leaves so we'd best enjoy the time we have left."
"Boy, what nerve," Carter said. "What are we gonna do?"
Kinch sighed. "First we're going to finish cleaning up the barracks and the Colonel's office, and then try and come up with a plan to prove Dietrich is responsible."
"Kinch, why didn't you tell Klink what Dietrich did to Wilson and our barracks?" asked Olsen who had approached them from behind. The radioman glanced over his shoulder at the Sergeant.
"With Klink being blackmailed by Dietrich he wouldn't believe us so what was the point. C'mon, let's get back inside and continue cleaning up."
It was well after lights out before barracks two was clean again and everything back where it should be; even Hogan's quarters was neat again. In addition, the men checked for listening devices and found nothing both in the common room nor in the Colonel's quarters. Kinch had Carter and LeBeau join him in the private room.
"So far all we have left is the bullet from Schultz's rifle and Schultz himself," said a grim Kinch.
"But the bullet will at least prove that Schultz didn't shoot Colonel Hogan," stated Carter.
"Not really," Kinch added with a shake of his head. "And while its true Burkhalter saw the bullet, without the medical files he could turn around and say we could've gotten that bullet anywhere."
"You're right, mon ami," LeBeau agreed. "And with Schultzie it'll be his word against Dietrich's, and you know who they'll believe especially with Klink backing Dietrich out of fear."
Carter sighed. "Well, what about Newkirk? He knows Dietrich beat him up. He could tell them."
"That won't work either," Kinch explained. "I mean, yeah Newkirk can tell Burkhalter it was Dietrich who beat him up, but the first thing Burkhalter's going to want to know is did anybody witness the attack, and the answer is no. Therefore, it'll be Newkirk's word against Dietrich's." Letting out a deep breath, Kinch leaned back in the chair rubbing the back of his neck at the same time. "I'm afraid unless we find something concrete to prove beyond a doubt Dietrich is guilty, we have a serious problem on our hands."
"Well we can't give up now," said Carter, trying to sound more encouraging than he felt. "There's too much at stake to give up now."
"We're not going to give up, Andrew," Kinch assured the demolitions expert. "All I'm saying is it's not going to be easy. Dietrich's covered his tracks well."
"What about his wife?" asked Carter. "She could tell Burkhalter about Dietrich."
"No good," said LeBeau. "She couldn't be trusted to tell the truth anyway. And besides, she knows something of our operation, and could expose us to the General. Also, she's already on her way to England even as we speak."
"I forgot," Carter said grimly. He rested his chin in both hands, elbows on the desk. "Boy, what a mess."
"You can say that again," LeBeau agreed reluctantly.
For the next several days the men of barracks two searched everyplace they could think of, and even places they wouldn't normally have considered looking in. The end result was nothing was found anywhere. But all the time they noticed Dietrich's eyes on them as they searched, grinning like a Cheshire cat who had three mice cornered with no escape in sight. They could tell the German didn't appear to be concerned whatsoever.
Dejected, the trio collapsed on the bench outside the barracks and gazed around the compound.
"I hate to admit it," said Kinch. "But I have no idea what else to do. I feel like I let Colonel Hogan and everybody down."
LeBeau squeezed the radioman's shoulder. "Don't feel that way. You have done everything a person can do. Dietrich is just extremely cunning, that's all."
"Thanks, LeBeau," Kinch answered looking over at the Frenchman. "But that's small consolation if Schultz is sent to the Russian front, we get stuck with Dietrich permanently, and he does who knows what to us and Colonel Hogan."
"It's too bad Colonel Hogan isn't here," Carter muttered. "I bet he'd take care of Dietrich."
Kinch's face suddenly brightened. "Carter, that's it."
"What's it? What'd I say?"
"That the Colonel could take care of Dietrich. We need to get Colonel Hogan back in camp."
"But mon ami, the Colonel isn't due to be discharged for another two days and two days is all we have left after today before Burkhalter comes back."
"If this works, two days will be plenty of time. C'mon." Kinch hurried to his feet followed by LeBeau and Carter.
"Where are we going?" asked Carter.
"Down into the tunnel and make contact with Prust. I have to find out if there's any conceivable way the Colonel can be discharged tomorrow instead." They followed Kinch inside the barracks and over to the false double bunk that concealed their hidden tunnel entrance. He ordered Olsen to stand watch at the door.
"But even if Prust agrees, Colonel Hogan won't be in any shape to take on Dietrich," LeBeau pointed out.
"Maybe," Kinch replied. "But it can't be helped. I have the beginning of an idea, but to pull it off we need the Colonel here if we're going to get rid of Dietrich and save Schultz. We have no choice." Kinch struck the hidden mechanism and waited for the lower bunk to rise and the ladder to drop.
"What's your idea?" asked Carter.
"To get Dietrich to confess to everything. But to do that we have to tell the Colonel everything that's been happening since he's been in the hospital, and I mean everything." The lower bunk rattled upward and the ladder dropped. As Kinch stepped onto the ladder, LeBeau grabbed his arm; Kinch looked at him.
"Just how are you going to get Dietrich to confess to everything, and what does Colonel Hogan have to do with it?" LeBeau asked.
"I'd rather not say until we speak with Prust and the Colonel, but believe me when I say I don't like having to do this. But the Colonel will play an important part in this if he agrees to do it. I don't know what else to do if he doesn't or if Prust refuses to release him ahead of time." He again started down the ladder but LeBeau refused to release his arm. Kinch again looked at the little Frenchman. "LeBeau, what's the problem now?"
"I need for you to tell us what part Colonel Hogan will play in this plan of yours, mon ami. It is important that we know. Will it be dangerous for the Colonel?"
Kinch let out a deep breath. "Hopefully not. As to what part the Colonel plays in this plan; he's going to hopefully agree to serve as bait to get Dietrich to confess."
"You can't do that!" LeBeau protested in shock. "You can't use the Colonel in his condition as bait to catch that maniac!"
"I agree with LeBeau," Carter added equally stunned. "He tried to kill Colonel Hogan for crying out loud."
"Exactly," Kinch knew the others would be upset just as he was with the idea, but he hoped to make them see there was no other way and they were running out of time. "Dietrich has been after the Colonel since he injured him, and Colonel Hogan's the only one who can establish the motive as to why Dietrich shot him and what he did to Corporal Sanger. Also, Burkhalter will believe the Colonel. What we have to do is make it easy for Dietrich to get to the Colonel but in conditions we set up where he'll be protected."