“And one more, if you please, Frau von Wachtstein. Major Hans-Peter von Wachtstein?”
“He was my brother-in-law—my late husband’s brother.”
“Is your brother-in-law, Frau von Wachtstein,” Mattingly said.
“Hansel survived?” Elsa said after another moment’s hesitation. With the back of her hand, she began wiping away the tears starting to roll down her cheeks.
“I saw Hansel last week,” Mattingly said. “I’ll explain everything when I see you, Frau von Wachtstein, which will be in the next three or four days.”
Elsa was now sobbing.
Without realizing that he was doing it, Cronley put his arm around her shoulder. She leaned against him, now dabbing at her eyes with a rag of a handkerchief.
“Put the major back on the phone, please, Frau von Wachtstein,” Mattingly said.
Elsa wasn’t listening.
Cronley gently pried the handset from her fingers and ha
nded it to Major Connell.
“Yes, sir?”
“What was your name?”
“Connell, sir. Major John Connell. I’m the Twenty-second’s exec.”
“Is the commanding officer there?”
“No, sir. The colonel’s in Kassel.”
“Okay, then, you’re elected,” Mattingly said. “Listen carefully to me, Connell.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Frau von Wachtstein is not a prisoner, but an honored guest.”
“Excuse me?”
“Her father and father-in-law were brutally exterminated for their role in the July 1944 attempt to assassinate Hitler at Wolfsschanze—Wolf’s Lair, his headquarters—in East Prussia. Getting the picture?”
“Yes, sir.”
“If the SS had been able to find her, she would now be dead,” Mattingly went on. “God only knows how she managed to stay out of their hands.”
“I understand, sir.”
“As much as I would like to drive up there right now, that’s out of the question. It’ll be three, four days before I can get away.”
“Yes, sir.”
“In the meantime, you are to provide her with whatever she needs.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I mean whatever she wishes, Major. Put her in the BOQ. If she needs clothing, get it for her. See that she has every creature comfort within your means to provide. Make sure she is not left alone. Got that?”
“Yes, sir.”