The Honor of Spies

With a sudden swift motion, von Deitzberg tossed the pistol from his left hand to his right, grabbed the grip, and fired a round into the bookcase beside von Tresmarck and Ramon.

The noise in the confined area was deafening, as von Deitzberg knew it would be. He had also fired enough pistols to know that a 9mm bullet would not go far through a line of books on a shelf. And he knew that when most people hear a gunshot, they decide it is the sound of an automobile engine backfiring.

This time, Inge said, "Scheisse!"

"I would really prefer not to shoot you, Werner," von Deitzberg said. "But the next time you use my rank or my name, or try to lie to me, I will."

Everyone--Inge included--was now looking at von Deitzberg with terror in their eyes.

"And if I have to shoot you, it will be necessary for me to shoot Ramon, too. Many times, especially in the face, so that it will look like a lovers' quarrel, something both the German Embassy and the Uruguayan government will want to quickly cover up."

He let that sink in.

"You were about to tell me what you were doing in Paraguay, Werner," he went on finally.

Von Tresmarck, visibly nervous, launched into an elaborate explanation of the trip, saying that he had grown afraid that questions would be asked about all the property he'd already bought in Uruguay, and that Ramon, a business-man, had suggested that they begin making investments in Paraguay.

Von Deitzberg let him finish.

"Ramon," von Deitzberg then said, "I'm afraid that Werner also forgot that he was under orders not to share any detail of the confidential special fund with anyone. You understand, of course, how your acquiring that knowledge has reduced your chances of staying alive?"

"I have to go to the toilet," Ramon stammered.

"Certainly," von Deitzberg said. "But hurry back. And don't think of running away. Hauptsturmfuhrer Forster is sitting in his car outside. Werner, tell Ramon who Hauptsturmfuhrer Forster is."

"He's with the Geheime Staatspolizei," von Tresmarck said.

"Do you know what the Geheime Staatspolizei is, Ramon?" von Deitzberg asked.

"Please, I have to go to the toilet right now," Ramon said.

"The Secret State Police. He is under orders to shoot anyone he sees leaving this house without my permission."

"I understand," Ramon said. "May I go?"

"Hurry back," von Deitzberg said.

Ramon hurriedly--and walking unnaturally--left the sitting room.

"I wonder if he's going to make it?" von Deitzberg asked rhetorically. "I tend to think not."

"May I sit down?" von Tresmarck asked.

"I think that would be a very good idea," von Deitzberg said. "What I think I'm going to do, Werner, is tell you what's going to happen and have you explain it to Ramon."

Von Tresmarck nodded.

"The operation is shut down," von Deitzberg began. "There have been reverses in the war, as I'm sure you know, which have resulted in the unexpected transfers of some of the people involved. Others have fallen for the Fatherland. It doesn't really matter why. Intelligent people, Werner, know when to quit.

"I have been sent here under an assumed identity--by U-boat, incidentally, to give you an idea of how important this is considered--to make sure the shutdown is conducted as efficiently and as quickly as possible. And, of course, to make sure that our investments are secure and will be available if--perhaps I should in honesty say 'when'--they are needed.

"You are going to have to disappear from Uruguay. There are a number of reasons for this, including the very real possibility that some of the Jews are liable to make trouble when it becomes apparent to them that their relatives are not going to be coming.

"It would be best for you to disappear, rather than return to the Fatherland. One of the ways for you to disappear would be to die in tragic if sordid circumstances. As I'm sure you are aware, Werner, it is not uncommon for homosexuals to have a falling-out, resulting in the death of both. And this was before I knew about Ramon.

"Frankly, that seemed at first to be the simplest solution to the problem. And even more so when I got here and learned that you had confided all the details of the operation not only to Frau von Tresmarck but--"

"I never told her a thing!" von Tresmarck blurted. "She's a lying whore. . . ."

Von Deitzberg fired another round from the Luger into the bookcase.

"Inge, that may have frightened Ramon," von Deitzberg said. "Make sure he doesn't try to do anything foolish."

Inge jumped quickly to her feet and almost ran out of the sitting room.

"As I was saying, Werner, removing you permanently from the scene seemed a quite logical and simple solution to the problem, especially after I learned you had told both Frau von Tresmarck and Ramon about the confidential special fund and its assets. That was not only very disloyal of you--after all, I'm the fellow who kept you out of Sachsenhausen by sending you here--but stupid.