by Ward Wagher
Rainer stood up. “At once, Herr Reich Chancellor.” He motioned to the guards. “Come, we need to take the admiral into custody.”
“I think we are done for the day,” Schloss said.
He turned and walked back to his office, and hoped the unsteadiness in his legs did not show. He collapsed into his chair and thought furiously. What had Canaris discovered? Was this merely a coincidence, or had he seen some of the inconsistencies in Schloss’s life? How was he caught? For the first time in the year and a few months since he landed in this place, he was truly frightened.
“Are you all right, Herr Reich Chancellor?” Kirche asked.
Schloss looked up to see him standing in the center of the office. “No, no, I am not. I’m just completely shocked at Canaris. I don’t understand what set him off.”
“I have never seen him act that way,” Kirche said. “I wonder if he has simply broken his mind from the overwork. It has been known to happen.”
Schloss spun around in his chair and opened the credenza behind him. He pulled out a bottle of brandy and a snifter. “I don’t know about you, Willem, but this imposter needs fortifying.”
Kirche snorted. “I must say, Sir, that this event was unexpected.”
“For whatever reason, Canaris has ended his usefulness to the government. I must think about where to go next. Leave me, now.”
“Of course, Herr Reich Chancellor.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
July 20, 1942; 8 AM
Reich Chancellery
Berlin, Germany
Schloss looked across his desk at Peter Schreiber and Karl Rainer. After two frantic days of investigation, they had come to report on Canaris’ mysterious, sudden treason.
“Well, here we are, meine Herren,” Schloss said. “What can you tell me at this point?”
Kirche had distributed coffee and pastries, and then quietly withdrew. Schloss had ordered him not to take notes for this meeting.
“We have uncovered a conspiracy against the government, in general, and you in particular,” Rainer said.
“And Canaris is responsible?” Schloss asked.
“He did not start it,” Rainer answered, “but, once he became aware of it, he actively organized it and guided it.”
“So, who started it?”
“Dr. Morell, apparently.”
Okay, Hennie, Schloss thought to himself, this name rings a bell, but I cannot place him.
Schloss made a give me more gesture to Rainer.
“Morell was unhappy when you forced him out as the Führer’s personal physician two years ago. He became convinced that you were an impostor and has been looking for evidence. He somehow acquired your dental records and noted the inconsistencies from your last visit.”
Mein Gott. How did he ever find that? I remember now – Morell was the quack who basically kept Hitler drugged half the time with his crackpot remedies.
“Morell and your dentist apparently confided with others in the medical community,” Schreiber said. “We have them in custody, as also is Dr. Brandt. Brandt is apparently convinced you are simply mentally ill.”
“And how did Canaris happen on to this?”
“We are not sure,” Rainer said. “Tearing apart our intelligence gathering organization during a war is risky.”
Schloss snorted. “That is probably the understatement of the day. But we need to find out how far the rot has gone.”
Rainer nodded. “We are proceeding along that line. I have several trusted people, who are investigating. The Abwehr headquarters is very rattled, though. We need to conclude the investigation quickly, and replace the leadership before the organization falls apart.”
“So, how many people are implicated?” Schloss asked.
“Less than a dozen,” Rainer said immediately. “Fortunately, the reputation of Morell has worked against the plotters. Nobody really takes him seriously. And, frankly, Canaris has the reputation of being only marginally competent. Several people we interviewed at Abwehr Headquarters thought he had gone crazy because of this. And, they are generally very loyal to him.”
“That’s the good news, I guess,” Peter sighed. “It looks like we caught it early.”
“I think we did,” Rainer agreed.
“But, we have a fearful mess to clean up. What else has Canaris done that we need to shovel up?”
Rainer grimaced. “That we are still looking at, but there was one thing you should know. He instructed Colonel Boetzel to stop working on the upgrades to the Enigma machine.”
“He did what?” Schloss stood up. “I ought to have him shot, just for that! Is he working for the English? I had told Boetzel to contact me personally if he encountered resistance to upgrading the machines. I think you need to arrest him, too, Karl.”
Rainer and Schreiber both looked shocked at the outburst.
“Hennie, I know that this was something you were concerned about, but absent evidence, are we really at risk?”
Schloss took a deep breath and sat down. “I’m sorry. And, Peter, the answer is yes. When your enemy has his back to the wall, he is looking at anything and everything to gain an edge. That includes coded traffic. I know an absence of evidence is not really a good argument, but if I had broken your codes, would I not be doing everything possible to avoid calling attention to it? If we do not regularly upgrade our communications equipment we are criminally negligent. Karl, I need you to assign somebody specifically to that. We must update the Enigma machines.”
“Yes, Herr Reich Chancellor,” he responded.
“And don’t go all formal on me, Karl. I depend on you two to tell me if I’m being an idiot.”
“In the politest way possible,” Peter commented.
Schloss transferred his glare over to his brother-in-law. “You aren’t helping.”
“May I suggest,” Peter replied, “that the Enigma machines are not our biggest problem right now.”
“My biggest problem is a group of people who do not feel the need to follow my directives, and the Enigma is a part of it. Now, I am not intentionally being difficult, here, but we need to find a way forward so we do not have people imperiling the Fatherland because of some nut of a doctor didn’t like my dental records. And, by the way, was this the only thing that set him off?”
“Oh, he had a number of items in his bag of proofs,” Rainer said. “First of all you publicly mentioned King George as current monarch in England. This was at a dinner in the fall.”
“I honestly do not remember that,” Schloss replied. “I would say that was a bit more than a slip of the tongue – sort of a slip of the whole mind.”
And, a close call on my part, he thought.
George VI, his wife, and the crown princess were killed during the blitzkrieg in September of 1940, placing Margaret on the throne. Schloss had stumbled upon a reference to Queen Margaret in an intelligence report the previous fall and had quickly done the research to bring himself up to date on a key difference between this universe, and the one he had come from.
“He mentioned several occasions where you clearly were not familiar with people who you should have known well,” Rainer continued.
“And he concluded I was an impostor?” Schloss asked. “How did he ever manage to convince Canaris of that?”
Rainer straightened himself in his chair and cleared his throat. “Canaris claims to have known you for years, and was convinced you had changed dramatically sometime during the past year.”
Schloss rubbed his chin as he thought. How do I respond to something like this? I have undoubtedly given myself away to several people over the past year.
“You two know me better than anyone else… except for my wife and sister, of course. What do you think? I mean, if I were an impostor, how would it have been even possible to do something like this?”
“There is more,” Rainer said. “Morell claims the gods were angry because Germany was not sufficiently obeisant to Hitler, took him away as punishment. You were supposedly pla
ced here to make sure Germany went down to ruin. The gods brought you from another universe.”
“What?” Schloss yelled involuntarily. How could Morell have ever figured something like that out? And, how did he manage to convince Canaris to believe him?
“You’re right,” Rainer replied, misunderstanding his reaction. “It’s like the group was seized with collective insanity.”
“What have you done about this, so far?”
“I have Canaris, Morell, Brandt, and five others under house arrest. They were planning to approach the Reichsmarshall about their concerns.”
“Did Hermann know about this?” Schloss asked.
“We don’t think so.”
“Can we find out definitively?”
“My feeling is that Goering was completely in the dark,” Rainer said. “The fact that Canaris blurted this out in the council meeting confirms that. Apparently, Canaris had not yet the chance to speak with Goering about it.”
“That’s the good news, I guess,” Schloss said. “Has he been helping in the investigation?
“He has been investigating any possible links between the Abwehr and the OKW,” Rainer said. “He borrowed an investigator from me.”
“That shows he is taking this seriously,” Schloss commented. “The bad news is we are going to have to bring him in on your findings, and sooner rather than later. He’s going to resent it, otherwise.”
“Also,” Peter interjected, “the Press has gotten wind of this. I have received some queries about Canaris’ disappearance.”
“Which indicates Canaris has probably talked to somebody in one of the papers,” Rainer added. “It means we probably simply make him disappear. I suppose we could arrange an accident for him.”
“I really do not want to go down that road,” Schloss said. “I guess we have some time to think about that. The main issue is getting control of Canaris’ organization.”
“And, he has picked departmental leaders who are personally loyal to him,” Rainer commented. “We may end up with a deep purge after all.”
Schloss picked up his coffee cup and tasted it to find the coffee had grown cold. He stood up and carried it over to the small side table where Kirche kept an extra thermos of coffee. He poured some into a fresh cup and carried back to his desk. When he sat down again, he took a sip of the coffee.
“Ahh. That is much better. Now, I see several items on our list of things to do:”
He picked up his pencil to scribble on the notebook in front of him. “Let’s see, we need to appoint a new leader of the Abwehr. Secondly, we need to make sure Goering is in the loop. Thirdly, Peter, you are going to have to figure out a way to finesse this from a public perspective.”
“I have already been working on that,” Peter said. “I think it will be a curiosity and then it will fade away. It depends upon how smoothly we can manage the transition.”
“Does anyone have a replacement in mind?” Schloss asked.
“Actually, I have somebody waiting in the hallway,” Rainer said. “Lieutenant-Colonel Reinhard Gehlen. He was the staff intelligence officer to Field Marshall Brauschitsch. Since we retired the Field Marshall, Gehlen has been at loose ends.”
I know about this man, Schloss thought. He is definitely his own man. I wonder where his loyalties lie.
“Can we trust Gehlen?” Schloss asked.
“Do you know something, Hennie?” Peter asked.
Yes, but I cannot tell you about it. “I’ve been pushing Goering into reorganizing the OKW. There’s been resistance.”
“I’m comfortable with Gehlen,” Rainer said. “The man is a professional soldier and a competent intelligence officer.”
“If you’re comfortable with him, then I am,” Schloss said.
“Should we not bring the Reichsmarshall into this?” Peter asked. “This is definitely in his sphere of responsibility.”
“I’ve been fobbing of repeated phone calls from him,” Schloss said. “I suppose I am going to have to pour on the salve.”
He stood up again, walked over to the door, and opened it. “Willem, please telephone the Reichsmarshall and request his presence here.”
He walked back over and sat down. “We should have determined Hermann’s loyalties first of all, and then included him in the discussion. My fault. I will have to deal with it. While we are waiting on him, please fill me in on the rest of the plotters.”
“Of course,” Rainer replied.
§ § §
July 20, 1942; 4 PM
United States Consulate
Blucher Palace
Pariser Platz
Berlin, Germany
Misty Simpson struggled through the mounds of paper on her desk. She wondered, once again, how a consulate could generate so much work. With a staff of only fifteen, including ten marines, it just was not that big of an operation. When William Donovan, the Director of the Office of Strategic Services had assigned her to the position in Berlin, he told her she was expected to fulfill her duties as First Secretary in addition to being the OSS Chief of Station in the consulate.
She suspected H. Gordon Smoke, the Chargé d'affaires and general annoyance, was somehow shifting his paperwork off to her. She and Smoke both had personal secretaries, and both were very busy. As she paused to consider her general disgust at the world, Smoke came bounding into her office. The man couldn’t simply walk, she thought. He seemed to bound everywhere he went.
“What do you want Gordie?” She was always sure to address him with the diminutive. She knew he hated it.
He waved a flimsy in her face. Apparently, he had received a communication from Washington. “The president has decided to upgrade us to a full embassy. State is preparing a communique to the Germans proposing we mutually upgrade our diplomatic status.”
“That is significant,” she said.
“And Secretary Hull said the president will nominate me for the ambassadorship,” he continued, overriding her.
“Congratulations, Gordie. I know we have our differences, but I really think you are the best person for the job.”
“Uh, thank you, Miss Simpson. This will mean a large increase in our funding and personnel.”
“And more responsibility,” she added.
“That, too. Honestly, Dear Girl, I never really expected this to happen. I knew the knives were out for me around Foggy Bottom. I figured Secretary Hull would find somebody to shove past me.”
“Just so you understand, Gordie,” she pushed back. “Those knives have not been put away. This appointment means that you will be running with the big dogs. Have you considered that? And I am not your Dear Girl.”
“Yes, yes, I understand that. This is an important appointment.”
“Right, Gordie. But, one of those big dogs could take your head off, if you are not careful.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“Fine. Have you heard of anything going on in the German government the past couple of days?”
“No,” he answered. “Why do you ask.”
“The Reichsprotektor canceled our weekly luncheon this morning. He usually leaves an explanation. There was none.”
Smoke sighed. “I do not understand why the secretary and Director Donovan allow you to continue these luncheons with the Germans.”
“And if it were your business, Gordie, they would tell you.”
“Right. Let me go shake the trees, and see if there is something going on.”
She watched him bound out of the office and turned back to her typewriter. Placing her pencil between her teeth, she picked up where she left off typing the report on German employment trends.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
July 20, 1942; 10 PM
Reich Chancellor’s Apartments
Reich Chancellery
Berlin, Germany
Schloss shut the door to the apartment and leaned back against it with a sigh. The accumulated stress and fear of the previous three days now caught up with him.
�
�Is that you, Hennie?” Gisela walked into the foyer. When she saw him, she quickly moved close to him and embraced him. “Oh, my poor Hennie. What a week it has been for you.”
She led him into the sitting room and eased him on to the sofa. “Can I get you something to drink?”
“I would kill for something to drink,” he said. “A lager.”
Frau Marsden rumbled into the room like a piece of heavy construction equipment, carrying a tray. The glass and bottles made clinking sounds as she arranged it on the table in front of him.
“Here you go, Herr Schloss. Please take the opportunity to relax. I will have a light meal prepared for you, shortly.”
Gisela watched the old woman leave the room and turned back to smile at Schloss. “Frau Marsden always seems to know what you need.”
“Come sit by me, Liebchen,” he said. “All the day I wanted nothing more than to come back here and be with you.”
He put his arm around her, and then reached out with his other, and poured some of the lager from the open bottle into the glass. He then took a deep pull from the glass, and set it down. Leaning back, he hugged Gisela close.
“I worry about you, Hennie,” she said as she nuzzled him. “There seems to be so much going on that I do not understand.”
“I do not really understand it either,” he said as he shook his head. “Several people I had a lot of confidence in suddenly seemed to develop insanity.” And there is no other way I can explain it to her.
“What are you going to do?”
“Well, we put Reinhard Gehlen in charge of the Abwehr. Karl has a high opinion of him. I hope that will settle them down. Karl continues a quiet investigation, but it seems this a small group, and they had barely begun. I do not understand Canaris, though. Of all people, he would have kept things quiet until it was too big to stop. It was like he pulled the house down upon himself.”