“You would be far more welcome,” she said, “if I didn’t suspect that you wouldn’t be here unless there is trouble.”
“Have you got any brandy?” Canidy said.
“I’m chilled to the bone.”
“Yes, of course,” she said.
“Forgive me.”
She turned and motioned for them to follow her. There was a narrow, rather steep flight of stairs, and then a door. They stepped into a dimly lit room. The room was well furnished, and when Canidy glanced around, he saw that the door they had come through was cut through the paneling of the room so that it would fit in with the decor. A servants’ passageway he decided.
When he turned around again, there was a man in the room. Tall, aristocratic, wearing a silk dressing gown. He held a Walther Ppk.32 ACP pistol in his hand. It was pointed at the floor.
“Was ist los?” he asked.
“Liebchen, this is Major Canidy,” the Countess said, adding, “Pharmacist.
Major, may I introduce His Excellency Brigadefiihrer-SS von HeurtenMitnitz?”
Von Heurten-Mitnitz’s expression did not change, but he spent a long moment examining Canidy before he spoke.
“The major and his friend look frozen,” he said.
“Could you ring for some j brandy? Something for them to eat?” J “Yes, of course,” the Countess said.
Then von Heurten-Mitnitz looked at Canidy again.
“You don’t happen to know Putzi’s son’s name, do you?”
“I was wondering if you were going to ask,” Canidy said, then gave his part of the prearranged countersign.
“Ergon.”
Von Heurten-Mitnitz nodded coolly and managed a brief smile.
“My next question,” he said, “obviously, would be to ask what brings you here. But I’m a little afraid to ask.”
“Eric Fulmar and Professor Dyer are in the municipal jail in Pecs,” Canidy said “You didn’t know?”
“Jesus, Maria, und Josef!” the Countess breathed.
“No,”von Heurten-Mitnitz said, “I didn’t.”
“We’re done for,” the Countess said matter-of factly
“Can you at least get Helmut and me out? Is that what you’ve come for?”
“I came in to arrange for a site into which we can paradrop a team,” Canidy said.
“”Paradrop’?” von Heurten-Mitnitz asked.
“You mean parachute?”
Canidy nodded.
“You’ve got to get us out!” the Countess said furiously.
“That may not be necessary,” Canidy said.
“Fulmar and the professor have been arrested as black marketeers.”
“How do you know that?” von Heurten-Mitnitz asked calmly.
“I was there when they were arrested,” Ferniany said.
“Then there is a chance,” von Heurten-Mitnitz said, searched for the words, and smiled wryly, ‘”that the jig is not up?”” “There’s a chance,” Canidy said.
“Ferniany is more confident about that than I am.”
“The function of your team will be to get them out of prison?” von Heurten-Mitnitz asked.
“The team leader will have my orders, I’m sure,” Canidy said.
“I don’t know what they will be.”
Canidy saw in von Heurten-Mitnitz’s eyes that he would not have to explain that his orders might be to make absolutely sure that neither Fulmar nor Professor Dyer would be available for interrogation by the SS or the Gestapo.
And when he looked at the Countess Batthyany, he saw in her face that she understood, too.
“I want to try to get them out,” Canidy said.
“A question of priorities, then?” von Heurten-Mitnitz said.
“Yes,” Canidy said.
“And where on that list would be the priority to get out the Countess, or, for that matter, me?”
“If it comes to that,” Canidy said, “we’ll get you out.”
“We will go out,” the Countess said, “or stay, together.”
Von Heurten-Mitnitz looked at her for a moment, then at his wristwatch.
“It’s too early,” he said.
“But later, I will call Muller and ask him to pick me up here.” He saw the look on Canidy’s face.
“It is necessary.”
After a moment, Canidy nodded.
“Just so long as he understands that I will make the decision about trying to get Fulmar and the professor out.”
“I thought you implied that decision will be made by your superiors?” von Heurten-Mitnitz asked.
“I’ll decide,”Canidy said flatly.
[ FIVE ]
“There’s no reason for you to get up,” Douglass said as he sat up in the narrow bed and swung his feet out onto the floor.