Kendall squeezed the tip of a second cigarette and lit the opposite end.
The smoke drifted over his nostrils; he was about to speak, then stopped,
staring at the general, his look a mixture of fear and hostility.
Swanson found himself consciously avoiding Kendall’s eyes. To acknowledge
the man at that moment was to acknowledge the pact. And then he realized
what would make the pact bearable. It was the answer, his answer; at least
a surface one. He was amazed it had not occurred to him before this moment.
Walter Kendall would have to be eliminated.
As Erich Rhinemann would be eliminated.
When Buenos Aires was in reach of completion, Kendall’s death was
mandatory.
And then all specific traces to the government of the United States would
be covered.
He wondered briefly if the men in Berlin had the foresight for such abrupt
decisions. He doubted it.
He looked up at the filthy – sick – accountant and returned his stare in
full measure. General Alan Swanson was no longer afraid. Or consumed with
guilt.
He was a soldier.
‘Shall we continue, Mr. Kendall?’
~!The accountant’s projections for Buenos Aims were well
129
thought out. Swanson found himself fascinated by Walter Kendall’s sense of
maneuver and countermeasure. The man thought like a sewer rat:
instinctively, probing sources of smell and light; his strength in his
suspicions, in his constantly varying estimates of his adversaries. He was
indeed an animal: predator and evader.
The Germans’ prime concerns could be reduced to three: the quality of the
bortz and carbonado diamonds; the quantity of the shipment; and finally the
methods of safe transport to Germany. Unless these factors could be
guaranteed, there would be no delivery of the gyroscopic designs – the
guidance system.
Kendall assumed that the shipment of diamonds would be inspected by a team
of experts – not one man or even two.
A team, then, three to five men, would be employed; the length of time
required might extend to the better part of a week depending upon the
sophistication of the instruments used. This information he had learned
from Koening in New York. During this period simultaneous arrangements
would be agreed to that allowed an aerophysicist to evaluate the gyroscopic
designs brought from Peenemflnde. If the Nazis were as cautious as Kendall
assumed they would be, the designs would be delivered in stages, timed to
the schedule the inspection team considered adequate for its examination of
the diamonds. The gyroscope scientist would no doubt be fed step-blueprints
in isolation, with no chance of photostats or duplication until the diamond
team had completed its work.
Once both sides were satisfied with the deliveries, Kendall anticipated
that an ultimate threat would be imposed that guaranteed safe transport to
the respective destinations. And it was logical that this ‘weapon’ be
identical for each party; threat of exposure. Betrayal of cause and
country.
Penalties: death.
The same ‘weapon’ the general held on him, on Walter Kendall.
What else was new?
Did Kendall think it was possible to get the designs and subsequently
sabotage or reclaim the diamond shipment?
No. Not as long as it remained a civilian exchange. The -threat of exposure
was too complete; there was too much proof of contact. Neither crisis could
be denied and names were known. The taint of collaboration could ruin men
and corporation&
130
‘Authenticated’ rumors could be circulated easily.
And if the military moved in, the civilians would move out instantly – the
responsibility of delivery no longer theirs.
Swanson should know this; it was precisely the situation he had engineered.
Swanson knew it.
Where would the diamonds be inspected? Where was the most advantageous
location?
Kendall’s reply was succinct: any location that seemed advantageous to one
side would be rejected by the other. He thought the Germans foresaw this
accurately and for that reason suggested Buenos Aires. It was on the spool
of wire. Didn’t Swanson listen?
Powerful men in Argentina were unquestionably, if quietly, pro-Axis, but
the government’s dependency on Allied economics took precedence. The
neutrality essentially was controlled by the economic factors. Each side,
therefore, had something: the Germans would find a sympathetic environment,
but the Americans were capable of exerting a strong enough influence to
counteract that sympathy – without eliminating it.
Kendall respected the men in Berlin who centered in on Buenos Aires. They
understood the necessity of balancing the psychological elements, the need
to give up, yet still retain spheres of influence. They were good.
Each side would be extremely cautious; the environment demanded it. Timing
would be everything.
Swanson knew how the designs would be gotten out: a string of pursuit
aircraft flying up the coastal bases under diplomatic cover. This cover
would extend to the military. Only he would be aware of the operation; no
one else in the services or, for that matter, in the government would be
apprised. He would make the arrangements and give them to Kendall at the
proper time.
What transport would the Germans arrive at? asked the general.
‘They’ve got a bigger problem. They recognize it so they’ll probably make
some kind of airtight demands. They could ask for a hostage, but I don’t
think so.’
‘Why noff
‘Who’ve we got – that’s involved – that’s not expendable? Christ I If it
was me, you’d be the first to say, “Shoot the son of a bitch!”‘ Kendall
again locked his eyes briefly with Swanson’s.
131
‘of course, you wouldn’t know what particular safeguards I took; a lot of
uniforms would be dirty as hell.’
Swanson recognized Kendall’s threat for what it was. He also knew he could
handle it. It would take some thought, but such consideration could come
later. It would be no insurmountable hurdle to prepare for Kendall’s
dispatch. The isolation would come first; then an elaborate dossier….
‘Let’s concentrate on how they expect to ship out the bortz and carbonado.
There’s no point in going after each other,’ said Swanson.
‘We’re beyond that, thenT
‘I think we are. i
‘Good. Just don’t forget it,’ said Kendall.
‘The diamonds will be brought to Buenos Aires. Have those arrangements been
madeT .
‘They’re being made. Delivery date in three, three-and-a-half weeks. Unless
there’s a fuck-up in the South Atlantic. We don’t expect any.’
‘The inspection team does its work in Buenos Aires. We send the physicist
… who will it be? SpinelliT
‘No. For both our sakes we ruled him out. But you know that. . . .’
‘Yes. Who, then?’
‘Man named Lyons. Eugene Lyons. I’ll get you a file on him. You’ll sweat
bullets when you read it, but if there’s anyone better than Spinelli, it’s
him. We wouldn’t take any chances. He’s in New York now.’
Swanson made a note. ‘What about the German transport? Any ideas?’
‘A couple. Neutral cargo plane north to Recife in Brazil, across east to
Palmas or someplace in Guinea on the African coast. Then straight up to
Lisbon and out. That’s the fastest routing. But they may not want to chance
the air corridors.’
‘You sound military.’
‘When I do a job, it’s thorough.’
‘What else?’
‘I think they’ll probably settle for a submarine. Maybe two, for diversion
purposes. it’s slower but the safest.’
‘Subs can’t enter Argentine ports. Our southern patrols would blow them out
of the water. If they put in, they’re impounded. We’re not going to change
those rules.’
132
‘You may have to.’
‘Impossible. There has to be another way.’
‘You may have to find it. Don’t forget those clean ulfforms.9
Swanson looked away. ‘What about RhinemarmT
‘What about him? He’s on his way back. With his kind of money, even Hitler
can’t freeze him out.’
‘I don’t trust him.’
‘You’d be a goddamned fool if you did. But the worst he can do is hold out
for market concessions – or money – from both sides. So what? He’ll
deliver. Why wouldn’t heT
‘I’m sure he’ll deliver; that’s the one thing I’m positive about. … Which
brings me to the main point of this meeting. I want a man in Buenos Aires.
At the embassy.’
Kendall absorbed Swanson’s statement before replying. He reached for the
ashtray and put it on the arm of his chair. ‘One of your men or one of
ours? We need someone; we figured you’d have us supply him.’
‘You figured wrong. I’ve picked him.’
‘That could be dangerous. I tell you this with no charge … since I
already said it.’
‘If we move in, the civilian contingent moves outT A question.
‘It makes sense. . . .’
‘Only if the man I send knows about the diamonds. You’re to make sure he
doesn’t.’ A statement. ‘Make very sure, Kendall. Your life depends on it.’
The accountant watched Swanson closely. ‘What’s the point?’
‘There are six thousand miles between Buenos Aires and the Meridian
Aircraft plants. I want that trip made without any mishaps. I want those
designs brought back by a professional.’
‘You’re taking a chance on dirtying up the uniforms, aren’t you, generalT