chin tucked in the folds of his underchin. "Oh, for God's sake, relax, Schmitt," he said. He reached into his pocket and tossed a ring of heavy keys that landed with a clatter on the table. "Take Hansteuffel and lock him in the interrogation room. Detail a twenty-four-hour guard. We will deal with him when the Americans have been captured and we learn exactly what took place."
Schmitt bent as if he were making a formal bow, picked up the keys, shot his right arm and palm forward and said, "Heil!"
Dietrich glowered at him and handed his glass to Kummel for a refill. When Schmitt had marched Hansteuffel from the room, Dietrich looked at Kummel.
"Detain the guard who was on duty at the entrance last night," he said harshly. "We will find out exactly what took place when the Americans are apprehended. They will talk, you understand? It is your assignment to interrogate them." Then Dietrich leaned an elbow on the table and rubbed his palm over his face. He was exhausted. He smiled wanly and said in a friendly voice, "Fill your glass, Wilhelm, and tell me what you plan. Then let us each have an hour's sleep. There is an extra bedroom here I will let you have."
"Ja, my captain," Kummel said, unbending a little. When he'd swallowed some brandy, he shook a Camel package at Dietrich and again slumped in his chair. "Ach, vas eine Nacht," he exclaimed and dragged hard at his cigarette. "Very well, Hans, I will tell you what has been done and what will be done. No one has left Sidi Abd, not even a true Arab. The entrance has been closely guarded from the moment of the first alarm and the patrols about the wall doubled. When Lieutenant Bemdt reports to me—" Kummel frowned and consulted his watch. "He is long overdue. Well, when Lieutenant Bemdt reports to me, I shall order him to conduct a thorough investigation of every building, every rat hole, garden and rooftop. Groups of buildings as they are cleared will be sealed off by patrols so the Americans will not be able to find a refuge by doubling back. Before the sun has leached its zenith"—he extended his fingers and slowly clenched them in a tight fist—"we shall have the swine in our grasp like that. And believe me, Hans, I am filled with gratitude at the opportunity to conduct the interrogations. This has become a personal matter."
Dietrich's lip curled. "With me also, Wilhelm. I want them taken alive at all costs. When you have finished with them, I would like a few days of conversation before I turn them over to the Gestapo." He finished his brandy and placed a hand on the table, half rising. "Well, shall we get a little rest?"
"You go on, Hans," Kummel said. "Tell me where my bed is. I must talk with Bemdt, you know. I wonder what can be keeping him."
"I am so tired already it had fled my mind," Dietrich said and stood limply. "All right, Wilhelm, I leave matters in your hands. The first door to your left in the hallway. In one hour, I shall see you downstairs in the diningroom."
In his rooms, Dietrich tugged off his boots, removed his belt and tunic, loosened his collar and breeches and fell back on the divan that served him as bed. His eyes were closing before his head touched the silken pillow but it seemed not a moment had passed before someone was shaking him from his draggedlike sleep.
"The hour has passed already?" he asked groggily and then his mind alerted itself. He sat bolt upright. "You have found them!"
Kummel stepped back from the divan, cold blue eyes like agates and thin lips grim.
"The hour has passed," he said and his voice was metallic. "I have waited until the last possible minute to tell you this. One of the sentries from last night has disappeared."
"The Americans?" Dietrich shouted.
Kummel did not answer this. Instead he said, "And Lieutenant Bemdt is gone as well."
7
Troy scuttled sidewise like a crab from his rooftop observation post near the entrance along the back line of crooked buildings. His eyes were sore and bleary but they
Schmitt bent as if he were making a formal bow, picked up the keys, shot his right arm and palm forward and said, "Heil!"
Dietrich glowered at him and handed his glass to Kummel for a refill. When Schmitt had marched Hansteuffel from the room, Dietrich looked at Kummel.
"Detain the guard who was on duty at the entrance last night," he said harshly. "We will find out exactly what took place when the Americans are apprehended. They will talk, you understand? It is your assignment to interrogate them." Then Dietrich leaned an elbow on the table and rubbed his palm over his face. He was exhausted. He smiled wanly and said in a friendly voice, "Fill your glass, Wilhelm, and tell me what you plan. Then let us each have an hour's sleep. There is an extra bedroom here I will let you have."
"Ja, my captain," Kummel said, unbending a little. When he'd swallowed some brandy, he shook a Camel package at Dietrich and again slumped in his chair. "Ach, vas eine Nacht," he exclaimed and dragged hard at his cigarette. "Very well, Hans, I will tell you what has been done and what will be done. No one has left Sidi Abd, not even a true Arab. The entrance has been closely guarded from the moment of the first alarm and the patrols about the wall doubled. When Lieutenant Bemdt reports to me—" Kummel frowned and consulted his watch. "He is long overdue. Well, when Lieutenant Bemdt reports to me, I shall order him to conduct a thorough investigation of every building, every rat hole, garden and rooftop. Groups of buildings as they are cleared will be sealed off by patrols so the Americans will not be able to find a refuge by doubling back. Before the sun has leached its zenith"—he extended his fingers and slowly clenched them in a tight fist—"we shall have the swine in our grasp like that. And believe me, Hans, I am filled with gratitude at the opportunity to conduct the interrogations. This has become a personal matter."
Dietrich's lip curled. "With me also, Wilhelm. I want them taken alive at all costs. When you have finished with them, I would like a few days of conversation before I turn them over to the Gestapo." He finished his brandy and placed a hand on the table, half rising. "Well, shall we get a little rest?"
"You go on, Hans," Kummel said. "Tell me where my bed is. I must talk with Bemdt, you know. I wonder what can be keeping him."
"I am so tired already it had fled my mind," Dietrich said and stood limply. "All right, Wilhelm, I leave matters in your hands. The first door to your left in the hallway. In one hour, I shall see you downstairs in the diningroom."
In his rooms, Dietrich tugged off his boots, removed his belt and tunic, loosened his collar and breeches and fell back on the divan that served him as bed. His eyes were closing before his head touched the silken pillow but it seemed not a moment had passed before someone was shaking him from his draggedlike sleep.
"The hour has passed already?" he asked groggily and then his mind alerted itself. He sat bolt upright. "You have found them!"
Kummel stepped back from the divan, cold blue eyes like agates and thin lips grim.
"The hour has passed," he said and his voice was metallic. "I have waited until the last possible minute to tell you this. One of the sentries from last night has disappeared."
"The Americans?" Dietrich shouted.
Kummel did not answer this. Instead he said, "And Lieutenant Bemdt is gone as well."
7
Troy scuttled sidewise like a crab from his rooftop observation post near the entrance along the back line of crooked buildings. His eyes were sore and bleary but they
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