“Good work,” Donovan said.
I have also found out that it is unlikely he would willingly help us,” Baker said. “Not only does he still hope to return to his family in France, but there is the additional possibility of reprisals against them if he does not walk the straight and narrow. With that in mind, I have gone into the area of bringing him here involuntarily.”
He had captured Donovan’s attention.
,And?” Donovan asked. Captain Douglass made it quite clear that there is an extraordiment for secrecy in this matter,” Baker said. “Inasmuch ,my require as I don’t know the reason for that, this makes matters difficult.” ou just don’t have the need to know,” Donovan said. “Baker, y Bakernodded.
,flow do you propose to get Grunier out of Morocco wit iout the help of the consul general?” Donovan asked. “I really hate to use him, or any of those control officers, but if necessary…”
“There is a way, I think, to do this without Robert Murphy. He’d have to be told, of course, but neither he nor the control officers would be directly involved.”
“Let’s hear it,” Donovan said.
“I’ve discussed it with Captain Douglass, who I’m afraid thinks I have let my imagination run away with me.”
“Let’s hear it,” Donovan repeated impatiently.
“There is an interesting young American in Morocco, a fellow named Eric Fulmar,” Baker said.
“Some friends of mine, as it happens, are friends of young Mr. Fulmar,” Donovan said. “What’s he doing now?”
“Making a good deal of money as a smuggler.”
“From what I know of him, that’s not surprising. Is he working with the locals?”
“With the son of the late pasha of Ksar es Souk Baker said. “He and the son, known as Sidi el Ferruch, were in school in Ger-many together-Fulmar’s father is German, as you may know. El Ferruch runs a very efficient intelligence operation for the pasha of Marrakech!
“Your idea is to have Eric Fulmar smuggle Grunier out of the Country’ @5
“Yes, sir,” Baker said. “He and the Moroccan.”
“You think they would?”
” There is a chance they would, if we paid them enough,” Baker said.
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“How much is enough?”
“A great deal. I proposed an amount that shocked Captain lass.” oug-“What was that figure?” Donovan asked.
“One hundred thousand dollars,” Baker said.
“That’s an awful lot of money,” Donovan said. “Try offering him fifty.”
“You think this idea has merit, Colonel?” Douglass asked, ge.uinely surprised.
“If it fails, they would believe that Grunier went to a smuggler. Not to the United States government ‘ ” Donovan said.
“Or that he was involved with Sidi Hassan el Ferruch,” Baker said.
“Yes,” Donovan said thoughtfully. He nodded at Baker. “Go ahead with this. Come with something definite.”
“I have more, sir,” Baker said.
“Something to do with the assassination?”
“And the fact that we are now at war. The Possibility exists that France will enter the war on the side of Germany. If that happens, we could just about forget Grunio’r- And for that matter whatever is so vital in the Congo.”
Donovan realized, astonished, that he had forgotten that there was now a war on.
“Fulmar could not participate in any operation to remove Grunier from Morocco without the permission of Sidi Hassan el Ferruch,” Baker said. “And then I think we have to consider the possibility the Germans are also likely to go looking or Grunier.”
“Why would they do that?” Douglass asked innocently.
“To put him to work in the mines at Joachimsthal in Saxony,” Baker said.
“Why would they want to do that?” Donovan asked.
“Because that is the only other source of uranian, the other being in Katanga in the Belgian Congo,” Baker said.
There was no response from either Donovan or Baker for a mo- d then Donovan chuckled. ent, an “Douglass has been worried about your unfettered imagination, Baker. I see he has cause. Why do you think we or the Germans are so interested in a… what did you say, uranium?… mining engi-Beer?” ,11 said ‘uranian,’ which is the source of uranium. All I know is that it is radioactive-it actually glows in the dark. I don’t know yet why we want it, but I rather doubt we’re going to make a lot of luminescent watch faces.”