Synopsis

In Chapter 1 (KTB #148) ERICH begins his career as a spy, and he lets us know of his love of beautiful women. In Chapter 2 (KTB #149), be was transferred home to Germany and his shipboard romance with Karen ended. In Chapter 3 (KTB #151) he began his training as a spy - and he learned that a spy who falls in love with an enemy spy - gets shot! In Chapter 4 (KTB #152) we read where ERICH himself falls for a woman who turned out to be a German spy herself and her job was to lure German spies in training to betray themselves - and ERICH is nearly washed out of spy training. In Chapter 5 (KTB #153) we learned that ERICH was to be in charge of Operation PELIKAN, the plan to blow up the Panama Canal with two Ju 87 STUKA dive bombers brought over on two U-boats. At the last moment, it was thought by the German agency, that someone had tipped off the Americans to this plot, so the plan was scrapped. In Chapter 6 (KTB #154 and KTB #155) we read how ERICH and the Abwehr tried to find him a partner for his mission into the USA with the intended purpose of sabotaging the Manhattan Project the atomic bomb project in the United States. In Chapter 7 (KTB #156) we read about the Atlantic crossing to the USA where ERICH and Billy were to be put ashore to assault the 'Manhattan Project'. In Chapter 8 (KTB #157), the two agents landed on the coast of Maine, ready to begin their sabotage of the atomic bomb project. In Chapter 9 (KTB #158) ERICH gets the shock of learning that Billy has taken all the money and the diamonds, and deserted not only the mission, but ERICH as well. In the first part of Chapter 10 (KTB #159) ERICH is trying desperately to find Billy - and get his $60,000 and diamonds back.

Chapter 10 (II): I Work Out My Own Situation

(ERICH has just found an old friend, who is giving him the use of his New York apartment.)

"Yes," I replied. "But you must let me pay you something for it."

"Nonsense. When I get back it will cost you a bottle of whisky, which we'll polish off together."

We took our leave and I let him go back to Grand Central Station alone. He looked put out for a moment. With South Americans you can do anything, but you must never be discourteous. I told him that I had a bad headache and was able to reconcile him to my apparent discourtesy.

I collected my cases and took a taxi. I changed taxis twice. The neon light advertisements were shining brightly, and there was a Santa Claus in every shop window. I felt so grateful for my good fortune that I wanted to raise my hat to him. I covered the last three hundred yards on foot. I found the lift key at once. I met no one - a further stroke of luck on this exciting day. Eleventh floor. The third key I tried fitted- I turned on the light.

It was a wonderful apartment with bedroom, living room study, kitchen and bathroom. It had every comfort, which was unusual during the war even by New York standards. And there I was, quite alone with three rooms and a kitchen and bathroom. I wished Paolo every success in his third marriage.

At the same moment as I was moving into Paolo's apartment, a thin, dark-haired young man arrived at the left luggage counter on G rand Central Station with a perfectly valid ticket and requested his two cases. He appeared timid and excited, but not so timid that it would have struck the luggage clerks if they had not later been interrogated by the F.B.I.

"My cases," he said.

"One moment, sir." The luggage clerk searched, shook his head and went on looking. He went to his colleagues, showed them the ticket, and the three of them started to look. They looked, of course, in vain. What happened now was recorded in the report prepared by the F.B.I. a few days later.

"We're very sorry, sir," said one of the men, "We can't find your luggage. Would you please come to the Chief Clerk? We must take full details."

"I handed the cases in just three hours ago," said the young man, Billy Colepaugh. "They must be here."

Passengers who wanted to get their cases out were piling up behind him, already getting impatient. Billy stood on the ramp not knowing what to do next. Completely thrown off balance, he let himself be taken to the Chief Clerk. He had still not tumbled to the fact that I had outwitted him.

"Your cases were collected twenty minutes ago," said the clerk, "by a Mr. Green, Mr. Edward Green. The man told us he had lost his ticket. He was in possession of the keys and gave us an exact description of what was in the cases, I'm very sorry, sir. Perhaps in this case we were not quite careful enough, but I must say we did act correctly. How was it that the man had your keys""

Horrified, struck dumb and at his wits' end, Billy stood there, incapable of moving, incapable of speaking.

"I'll call the police," said the Chief Clerk.

"Please don't," said Billy. "I don't want to make a charge. The matter will clear itself up."

"Well, I must say it's a strange business. But just as you please."

"It's some piece of tomfoolery," replied Billy.

He went back into town, into the metropolis of New York, alone, abandoned, without money, without friends, without colleagues, without a single human being with whom he could speak.

When he had stolen the cases from me my fate was sealed, and now that I had got them back he was hoist by his own petard. For six hours he wandered through the city, mad with anxiety, rigid with fear, trembling with horror and looking for some person to whom he could tell his story, A man whom he knew, a friend .........

Meanwhile I was lying on the broad sofa in my new apartment, in a pleasantly central-heated atmosphere, well-fed, contented, happy, reading in peace the Hudson River murder story. The radio was providing some beautiful dance music - I think it was Glen Miller. The lights were giving a pleasant indirect glow which did my eyes and my nerves good. I had drawn the curtains. I was alone and I was glad to be alone.

I pictured Billy's story myself in every detail. I felt sorry about him. He could not go to the police. But how long would he be able to hold out before they caught him? He probably had 3,000 dollars with him still. If he had been a careful sort of chap he might have gone underground with that, but I knew he was not. Until they caught him I would work in peace, but once he was caught everything was finished. I had no doubts on that score whatsoever. He would hold out for two or three days, perhaps. That was if he did not act in anger at my turning the tables on him over the suitcases, and put the police on my trail at once....

In that moment Edward Green died. I stood up, took my papers from my wallet, went into the kitchen and burned them. I still had plenty of other names and professions.

The next day I would go to Mr. Brown, the contact man of the German M.I. The next day or the day after that, I would perhaps already be in contact with the atomic people. If only Billy had not been caught by that time. I wondered if I should look for Billy? If I found him I would have to shoot him, I thought to myself There would be depending upon him and he had sentenced me to death first. If I caught him I could show him no mercy. Any court martial in the world would up-hold my judgment .........

I thrust the idea from my mind. I had been reading too many crime novels. I selected a book from the bookcase and then put it down again. I found a bottle of whisky and poured myself a drink.

I lay down luxuriantly on the couch once more, content that my working day was over. The music had come to an end and it was now news time. There were reports from the various theatres of war. Things were going badly in Germany, but there was no doubt that the reports were highly colored. I simply would not believe that the war was already lost although the whole world, including me, knew it was really. At last the news was over.

"One hour in Paris," said the voice from the ether. A light orchestra was playing. I enjoyed the music as I was enjoying the warmth, the feeling of well-being, the apartment and the whisky.

Suddenly my feeling of well-being deserted me. Was it nerves? Were my senses deceiving me? No. There were sounds, footsteps, footsteps approaching the door. A key in the lock! I jumped up. I snatched the revolved from its holster and released the catch., With one bound I put myself in such a position that I would see whoever entered the apartment before he saw me. What if there were more than one?

The steps came nearer. The second joint of my index finger curled round the trigger. The door opened. I stood there as if frozen to the spot. It was a woman, young and fair. She stood there, frightened at first, then she laughed.

She was tall and was wearing a voluminous coat, which was held in at the waist with a belt. American women often have uncannily strong nerves. She did not call for help. She did not run away. She just stood there and smiled at me.

"Playing Cowboys and Indians?" she asked.

I was on the threshold of the most ridiculous experience of my life.

As we have already learned, ERICH had an uncanny knack with women and here, as he is trying to hide from the FBI and the police, and, going to sabotage the American atomic bomb project, a beautiful young woman drops right into his lap, so to speak.

Spy for Germany

Chapter 7: To America by Submarine (KTB # 156)
Chapter 8: The Landing in America (KTB # 157)
Chapter 9: Tricked by Billy in NYC (KTB # 158)
Chapter 10 (I): I Work Out My Own Situation (KTB # 159)
Chapter 10 (II): I Work Out My Own Situation (KTB # 160)
Chapter 11 (I): Billy Betrays Me to the F.B.I. (KTB # 161)
Chapter 11 (II): Billy Betrays Me to the F.B.I. (KTB # 162)
Chapter 12 (I): Love -- and then Arrest! (KTB # 163)
Chapter 12 (II): Love -- and then Arrest! (KTB # 164)
Chapter 13 (I): Grilled by the FBI (KTB # 165)
Chapter 13 (II): Grilled by the FBI (KTB # 166)