“Inge will be glad for your company,” von Tresmarck said. “Especially if things don’t go as quickly here as I hope they will.”
Ingebord von Tresmarck was waiting for them in the foyer of the embassy.
“Take Peter to the house, please, Inge, and make him comfortable,” von Tresmarck said. “I may be here awhile, so don’t hold dinner for me.”
She nodded. “What’s going on, Werner?” she asked.
“I don’t think it should be discussed in the lobby of the embassy,” he said. “Peter will tell you what he can.”
“I am not sure, Herr Sturmbannführer, if I am permitted—”
“She will have to be told something, Peter,” von Tresmarck said. “Tell her what you think you can, on my authority.”
“Jawohl, Herr Sturmbannführer.”
Von Tresmarck turned on his heel and walked out of the lobby.
When they reached the Chevrolet, Inge asked Peter to drive. He got behind the wheel and drove toward Carr
asco.
“What don’t you think you are permitted to tell me?”
“I didn’t want you telling him I told you everything,” he said.
“You know there are some things I don’t tell him,” she said. “I don’t want to get off the subject, but I am really glad to see you, darling.” She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. Her right hand moved to his upper leg and squeezed him playfully but almost painfully.
“Hey!” he said in surprise and protest.
“So tell me,” she said, squeezing him one more time, then moving away from him.
“We’ve been ordered to Berlin,” he said.
“Oh, my God!”
“I don’t think there’s anything to be worried about,” he said.
“You don’t think there’s anything to be worried about,” she parroted sarcastically.
“Considering what happened, it was to be expected that somebody in Berlin would want to talk to both of us, and since they wouldn’t want to come here…”
“Are you going?” she asked.
“Of course I’m going. I think we’ll be back within a month.”
“You have the airplane. We could be in Brazil in three hours.”
“Inge, calm down,” he said.
“Calm down?” she snorted sarcastically. “What kind of a fool are you? What kind of a fool do you think I am?”
“Calm down, Inge,” he repeated.
She snorted again but didn’t say anything more in the car.
The von Tresmarck house was a medium-size, two-story, red-tile-roofed building two blocks from the casino. When they reached it, he stopped before the closed steel gate to the driveway.
“Leave it,” Inge said. “I’ll have someone park it and put your bag in your room. What I need is a drink.”