Donovan smiled.
“He do anything wrong?”
“His priority bumped a naval officer,” Doug lass said.
“The senior officer of those who didn’t get bumped felt it his duty to report Whittaker, The first thing Whittaker did on arrival was make a telephone call. I don’t know to whom.”
“He told me he called Mrs. Whittaker,” Canidy furnished.” Just the one telephone call?” Donovan asked.
“Yes, Sir, I think so,” “His orders,” Doug lass went on, “were brought to the attention of the air station commander, my friend, who called around and found the next available space, military space, was on a B-25 being flown to Washington by a Brigadier General Jacobs. He arranged to have Jacobs diverted to Alameda. Shortly after Jacobs picked Whittaker up, I called out there.”
“And what does Jacobs know, other than Whittaker had a high priority?”
Donovan asked. “Just that, Sir,” Doug lass said, “Nothing about the letter. I then arranged to keep tabs on the flight as it came across the country. When it was due at Bolling, Canidy, Ellis, and I were there to meet it. I stayed in the car, and Canidy went to the plane to meet him.
Dick?”
“There was a colonel there who said he was from the Office of the Chief of Staff,” Canidy said.
“He knew about the letter.”
“The word was probably sent from Hawaii,” Donovan thought aloud. “Or perhaps even from Australia.”
“Well, this colonel knew about it, Sir,” Canidy said.
“And he told Whittaker he had come for him and the letter. I then showed him my marshal’s badge, and said that I had been sent for him,” “Any trouble?”
“The colonel was pretty upset, Sir, but that marshal’s badge worked. I told him if he had any questions, he should direct them to the Attorney General. Anyway, Jimmy came with us because he knew me. In the car, we told him-1 thought we should, and I think Captain Doug lass reluctantly agreed-about Miss Chenowith and his uncle.”
“I thought he knew about that,’ Donovan said. “I mean the business about where Mr. Whittaker died,” Canidy said. “Oh,” Donovan said.
“Was Cynthia at the house when you arrived?”
“She got there shortly after we did,” Canidy said.
“So Whittaker took a bath and went to bed. In the master bedroom, which annoyed Miss Chenowith somewhat-” “Canidy, please keep your differences with her out of this,” Donovan said, more reasonably than sharply. J “Yes, Sir,” Canidy said. “What shape was he in?” Donovan asked. “Sick and exhausted, Canidy said.
“I’m sure he has malaria, and Christ knows what else is wrong with him.
“Vermin,” Doug lass said.
“He’s vermin-infested.” Donovan shook his head.
“MacArthur must have had him on the first plane out of Australia.”
“Yes, Sir,” Canidy said.
“He told me he left Brisbane two hours after he got there,” “At eight the next morning Colonel,” Doug lass said, “I went to the house on Q Street and checked on him. Then I called Steve Early. I thought as the President’s press secretary Steve would be able to reach the President immediately. I told him that Whittaker had just flown in from Australia with a letter from General MacArthur, and that he was under orders to deliver it personally to the President. I had the feeling, Sir, that Steve was surprised to hear about it.”
“And he carried the word to the President?”
“Thirty minutes later, the White House switchboard called, The President wished to speak with Whittaker. The Roosevelt and the Whittaker families have been friendly for decades, you’ll recall. if Whittaker was asleep, the White House said, we need not wake him, but he was to call as soon as he woke up.”
“Was he awake?”
“No, Sir,” Doug lass said.
“And I decided to let him sleep.” Donovan nodded approval.
“At half past two,” Doug lass said, “I called you, and you told me you thought he had to return the President’s call. Canidy and I woke him up.
He was sick. Shivering and nauseous. He insisted we give him something to drink. We did. That might have been the wrong thing to do.”
“Much?”
“A good stiff pull at the neck of a Scotch bottle,” Canidy said.