“That sounds like soft soap,” Canidy said.
“You did very well,” Murphy said. “Better than some thought you would. Thus, I agree with Eldon. You seem to have a talent for the clandestine, Canidy.”
I’ll be god damned. I am flattered. I am as pleased as a little boy with a gold star to take home to Mommy, “What does happen to me now.
Murphy reached for a Teletype message.
“Before I give you this, listen carefully” he said. “It’s not true. It’s designed for the French and Germans to read.”
STATEWASH 26 FEB 42
FOR CONSULGEN RIABATMOROCCO PASS TO RICHARD CANIDY AT EARLIEST OPPORTUNITY QUOTE REV DR GEORGE CRATER CANIDY IN STABLE BUT SERIOUS CONDITION CEDAR RAPIDS IOWA GENERAL HOSPITAL FOLLOWING HEART ATTACK END QUOTE STOP CABLE CONSTITUTES AUTHORITY CONSULGEN RABAT TO PLACE FSO CANIDY ON EMERGENCY LEAVE IF DUTY LOAD PERMITS AND TO ARRANGE TRANSPORTATION TO US STOP JOHN G GLOVER DEPUTY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR PERSONNEL END Canidy wondered if this was yet another weird idea of Eldon C. Baker’s.
“You’ll leave by air tomorrow,” Murphy said.
“OK, I guess,” Canidy said. “If you’re going to be fucked, you might as well enjoy it.”
Caft des Deux Sabots Rabat, Morocco March 17, 1942
Jean-Frangois, Max von Heurten-Mitnitz’s regular waiter, hovered expectantly over his table. “Your orders, messieurs?” he asked.
“Please, use your imagination, Jean-Frangois,” said von Heurten-Mitnitz. “Anything but lamb.”
“And I’ll have the same,” said M01ler.
“And so,” von Heurten-Mitnitz said after Jean-Frangois’s departure, “the little admiral has flown away.”
“I’m afraid so,” Miffler agreed.
“As have your two minor American consular officials.”
“Ah yes, I’m afraid so.”
“And Sidi el Ferruch and his friend Fulmar have now returned to Ksar es Souk from their recent vanishings. I imagine there is absolutely no connection among all these occurrences?”
“None whatever,” MUILER said, smiling. “But I wonder why Fulmar stayed behind. We can safely arrest him now.”
“Interesting, isn’t it? I would have left… though I suppose he believes he’ll be safe enough with el Ferruch. And indeed he probably is safe with el Ferruch-at least as long as the French are the only resources available to us.”
“So then what do we do?”
“The loss of the admiral will have to be punished, lest you and I are given Russia as a reward. Round up a substantial number of suspects and throw the book at them. Is there any other business? It would be pleasant for a change to enjoy my meal.”
“Not much. A French mining engineer was robbed and burned to death after the criminals set fire to the house.”
“Too bad for him. But I expect that the French can take care of it.”
“Exactly my thought.”
Washington, D.C.
March 17, 194F.
During the two days of his trip home Canidy did a lot of thinking. The result of this was the conclusion that he had nothing to complain about. He was home from Chinaalive-and he was now home from Morocco-alive. He wasn’t even especially worried about Eric Fulmar. Fulmar seemed perfectly capable of taking care of himself.
He now only had to quit his present employment. Once the pleasure he had taken from Murphy’s compliments had passed, he had realized that all of those had been soft soap. He had done nothing extraordinary, nothing that suggested he would make a good spy. Almost the reverse was true. He didn’t know what a spy was supposed to do, much less how to do it. He had no business being a spy. And since he was not a fool, he was not going to be one.
That was very simple. All he had to do was say “I quit.” He had done what he had been asked to do. He didn’t think they would really lock him up in the funny farm without reason, and he would give them no reason. He didn’t know any secrets (except that they were going to invade North Africa, and that was not much of a secret).
With a little bit of luck, he could go to work as an aeronautical engineer. With a little more luck, he could get an exemption from the draft. He would not have to stick his neck out again.