Douglass found Colonel Donovan sitting beside General Marshall on a couch against the wall. The President had rolled his wheelchair close to the other two. They were all facing each other, deep in conversation.
It was almost a minute before Donovan sensed Douglass’s presence and looked up at him. And when he did, it was with only partly hidden annoyance in his eyes.
“What is it, Pete?” Donovan asked.
“I’ve got a Miss Chenowith on the line,” Douglass said. “She’s calling for Mr. Chesley Whittaker, and says it9s important.”
: Nos “See what she wants,” Donovan said impatiently. “She insists on talking to you, sir,” Douglass said.
“Try again,” Donovan said, and returned his attention to the President.
“Did he say that Chesty Whittaker was on the phone?” the President asked.
“Chesty’s in Washington. He rode up with me from New York. I’ve asked him to work with me.”
“And he accepted?” the President asked. “He Probably hopes you’re leading a palace coup.”
“He said to tell you he’s ready to join the teairn,” Donovan said.
The President laughed.
“As in ‘of. ackasses’?” he quipped.
J Captain Douglass returned.
“Miss Chenowith said to tell you it’s an emergency,” Douglass said.
“Take the call, Bill,” the President ordered. “Chesty wouldn’t have her call under these circumstances unless he thought it was necessary’s Donovan looked around for a phone. Douglass handed him the base of one, but kept the handset. “Miss Chenowith, here’s Colonel Donovan ‘ ” he said, and then handed the instrument to Donovan.
“Hello, Cynthia,” Donovan said. “Put Chesty on.”
“I can’t do that, I’m afraid,” Cynthia Chenowith said.
“What is this, Cynthia?”
“Chesty’s dead, Mr. Donovan,” she said. “And unless I have some help, right away, there’s going to be a mess.”
“Did I understand you correctly?”
“I said he was dead. Is that what you mean?”
“Where are you?”
“At the house on Q Street,” she said.
411, m going to send my deputy, Captain Douglass, right over, Cynthia , ” Donovan said. “He’ll take care of the matter.”
161t would be better if you came yourself,” she said.
ROT TOS L ,Captain Douglass will leave immediately,” Donovan said.
,you’re there, I presume “Yes.”
,He’ll leave immediately” Donovan said sharply, and hung up. lie, reached for a notepad and scrawled the address.
,Go over there, Peter, please,” he ordered. “See a Miss Chenowith. Do whatever has to be done.” 14yes , sir,” Captain Douglass said.
,Cynthia Chenowith? Is that Tom’s daughter?” the President asked. “Yes,” Donovan said. “She’s a lawyer in the State Department. Chesty rents her his garage apartment.”
“Is something wrong?”
“She said that Chesty is dead, Mr. President,” Donovan said.
: EIGHT Captain Douglass left the White House through a basement exit and went to the visitors’ parking lot. He had a gray Navy Plymouth which a young sailor normally drove, but today he found behind the wheel a long-service boatswain’s mate first class who’d responded to the attack on Pearl Harbor by leaving his sickbed in the Washington Navy Yard Dispensary and reporting for duty. The young driver was now guarding the perimeter of the Navy Yard.
Douglass found the old sailor huddled in his peacoat in the front seat of the Plymouth.
“What are you doing here? Why didn’t you wait inside with the other drivers?”
“With all respect, sir. I don’t mind filling in in a pinch, but I won’t consort with them candy-asses.`
Douglass, hiding a smile, handed him the slip of paper with the address Donovan had written on it.
“Can you find this?” Douglass asked. “It’s somewhere near Dupont Circle.”
“Sure,” the sailor replied.
Soon Douglass found himself standing outside a ten-foot brick wall, pushing a doorbell.
Then a faint noise caught his attention, and he looked in the direction of the sound. Eighty feet away a young woman appeared on the sidewalk. She had a kerchief over her head and was wearing a trench coat.
“Miss Chenowith?” Douglass called.
“I think you’d better bring the car inside,” Cynthia Chenowith said.
Douglass signaled the boatswain’s mate to move the car, and he ked down the sidewalk toward the young woman. She looked a wal ale-not entirely, because she was wearing makeup. She was little P shaken. But she also looked in control of herself.