The Second Objective

When Pearson failed to answer, the chief of security inserted his pass key with trembling hands and pushed open the door. Gra

“He was here,” said Gra

“I know him,” said the manager, grateful for a reason to leave.

“He killed him with an injection,” said Gra

Out of the corner of his eye Gra

“Don’t touch that!”

Gra

“Flashlight.”

Bernie handed him the flashlight off his belt. Gra

“He left something for us,” said Gra

When he saw the grenade, the hotel’s chief of security turned pale and backed out the door. A moment later they heard him ru

“You go

“Maybe,” said Gra

“Want me to do it?”

“You could find some tape.”

Bernie turned for the door, then stopped. “If I was go

“I can’t argue with that,” he said.

“I’ll get the tape,” Bernie said.

Just after Bernie left the room, the phone on the bedside table rang. Gra

“Want me to get that?” asked Bernie.

Gra

“Four-seventeen,” he said.

“I was asked to call,” said the voice. “This is Inspector Massou.”

“Inspector, this is Lieutenant Gra

“When?”

“Earlier today, just after lunch.”

In a Montmartre apartment, Inspector Massou turned with the phone in his hand and looked out the window, into the passageway of the boarding house.

“We’ve got him here now,” he said. “Get downstairs. I’ll send a car.”

34

Montmartre

DECEMBER 21, 9:20 P.M.

The police car deposited Gra

“Two dead,” said Massou. “This is one of the men you’re seeking?”

He handed Gra

“Yes,” said Gra

“He died before they could get him in the ambulance.”

“Where’s Von Leinsdorf?”

“Army Counter Intelligence arrived ten minutes ago. They’ve got him in the car.”

Massou nodded toward the first of two black sedans with U.S. plates. The back door of the first car was open, blocked by a man leaning down to talk to someone inside.

Gra

“Whoa, whoa, what’s your hurry, soldier?” asked the CIC man.

“I need to see that man,” said Gra

“CIC’s taking this, Lieutenant,” said the man, showing his credentials. “Major Whiting. Special detail to SHAEF Command.”

Gra

Bernie ran up alongside the sedan as it pulled away and saw Von Leinsdorf in the backseat. Von Leinsdorf met his eye for a moment, staring at him blankly, without emotion, then looked away before they drove out of sight.

Maybe he doesn’t feel anything. Maybe he can’t. Even when they line him up to shoot him in the heart. Somewhere in his sick soul he’ll welcome the bullet.

Bernie signaled to Gra

“We’ve been tracking him for a week,” said Gra

“I’m aware of that, Lieutenant,” said Whiting, gesturing to his assistant to make a note. “You’ll feature prominently in our report.”

“Where you taking him?” asked Gra

“He’ll be processed and questioned at SHAEF headquarters. After that it’s up to the G2. We’d like your report, come in tomorrow morning, eight o’clock. Where do you think he was headed?”

“The Trianon Palace at Versailles. Where General Eisenhower’s holed up.”

“We’ll let ’ em know Ike can get back to business, thanks to you. Good work, Lieutenant.”

Whiting shook Gra

Massou joined Gra

“An MP came on them here in the middle of a dispute,” said Massou. “Between your two men and a Paris patrolman, from the local precinct. He’s the other body. I’m told he has been under investigation for corruption. The MP says he drew a gun. They had officers here within fifteen minutes of the shootings.”

“The MP that just left with them?”

“They wanted to get his statement,” said Massou.

Gra

“Did you question him first?” asked Gra

“I did, briefly.”

Massou borrowed a flashlight and walked Gra

“How do you read it?”

Massou shrugged. “The patrolman waited for them here, under the stairs.” With the end of his umbrella he pointed to a couple of cigarette butts near the back wall. “A robbery, or something more complex. The MP hears raised voices, walks into it. Our patrolman panics, shots are fired. Two men die. There’s blood on the wall, on the ground. But the monster you’re after is in hand, so does the rest really matter?”