The Honor of Spies

"I would suggest, Colonel, that keeping the Russians from getting the atomic bomb is also in the interests of the United States."

"Well, we've found something to agree on," Graham said sarcastically. "Let's see if we can build on that. So you know there are Russian spies at Oak Ridge. Why didn't you just give their names to the FBI?"

Von und zu Waching did not reply.

Graham went off on a tangent: "As Admiral Canaris's Number Two, I presume that you are privy to most of his communications with others?"

The question surprised both Dulles and von und zu Waching.

"I would say that I am privy to just about all," von und zu Waching said, more than a little arrogantly.

"If I wasn't clear about this, Colonel Graham," Allen Dulles said, "I have it on good authority--from the admiral himself--that the fregattenkapitan is indeed Vice Admiral Canaris's deputy."

I don't really know, Graham thought, if that remark was intended for von und zu Waching or me.

Is he trying to convince von und zu Waching that he has a friend?

No!

What he's doing is more or less politely suggesting that he doesn't approve of the way I'm dealing with von und zu Waching.

Allen, you're wrong!

Von und zu Waching is a sailor, a navy officer, and I know how to deal with navy officers.

You think like a diplomat, Allen, and a diplomat is the last thing I need right now!

"I'm going to show you one of those communications, Captain," Graham said, "and ask you to explain what it means. If I like your answers, that means you have told me the truth. That will be another step in our blossoming relationship. Fair enough?"

Von und zu Waching nodded.

Graham went into his briefcase, pulled out a manila envelope, and took from it two photographs of a message--obviously pages one and two of the message--which he handed to von und zu Waching.

"May I ask what that is?" Dulles asked.

"You may, but I'm frankly shocked that you would ask. Have you forgotten what Secretary of State Stimson said?"

Dulles shook his head in disbelief.

"'Gentlemen do not read each other's mail,'" von und zu Waching said, smiling after he quoted Henry Stimson's 1931 justification for shutting down the government's small--and only--cryptographic office.

"Listen to the Captain, Allen," Graham said.

"Would that we were all still living in such an age of innocence," von und zu Waching said.

"Amen, brother!" Graham said.

"Actually, I wrote this," von und zu Waching said, holding up the message. "And frankly, I'm amazed . . ."

He stopped in midsentence.

"That it was compromised so quickly?" Graham finished for him.

Von und zu Waching nodded.

"Show it to Mr. Dulles, Captain. Curiosity is about to consume him." He gave him just enough time to do so before asking, "So who's the senior officer?"

Von und zu Waching looked into Graham's eyes for a long moment.

"SS-Brigadefuhrer Ritter Manfred von Deitzberg," von und zu Waching said. "He is de facto, if not de jure, Himmler's deputy."

"But he was just in Argentina--wearing the uniform of a Wehrmacht general."

Von und zu Waching knew it was more of a question than a statement. He began: "There are three reasons why he's going to Argentina--"

"On U-405?"

"You even know the number?"

"And the name of her skipper," Graham said. "Kapitanleutnant Wilhelm von Dattenberg."

"Yes, on the U-405. For three reasons. The Bavarian corporal inquired of Himmler if the 'mechanism for the transport of senior officers' to South America was in place. The admiral told me Hitler had a half-formed idea that Il Duce, once he's freed, might be the first senior officer to seek asylum under Operation Phoenix."

"My God! Really?" Dulles asked incredulously.

"According to the admiral, Himmler said he had disabused the Fuhrer of that notion. But Hitler wanted to know, as I said, if the mechanism is in place."

"I want to hear about freeing Mussolini," Graham said. "But first, let's get to the other two reasons von Deitzberg is being sent to Argentina."

Von und zu Waching looked at him, nodded, and went on: "Himmler told Hitler that he had turned over control of U-405 to Admiral Canaris--this was not true--and that Canaris was in the process of seeing if 'the mechanism was in place'; that von Deitzberg was en route to Argentina is the test of the mechanism."

"So von Deitzberg had to go," Graham said. "Reason Two?"

"Himmler wants your man there, Frade, eliminated. Apparently, Cranz has been unable to accomplish this. Von Deitzberg is very good at that sort of thing. And he's close to Colonel Peron."

"And Three?"