The obersturmbannführer gave a crisp Nazi salute and barked, “Heil Hitler!”
Canaris again made a causal wave of his arm.
“These officers are, Herr Admiral?”
“They are with me,” Canaris replied.
“Regulations require I have their names and organizations, Herr Admiral, and see their identity documents.”
“Fregattenkapitän Otto von und zu Waching, my deputy,” Canaris replied, “and Oberstleutnant Reinhard Gehlen, of Abwehr Ost.”
As the two handed over their identity documents, which the obersturmbannführer scrutinized carefully before handing them to a clerk, who wrote the names and the date and time on a form, Canaris took his pistol, a 9mm Luger Parabellum, from its holster and laid it on the table.
“The Führer’s security, Herr Oberstleutnant,” Canaris said evenly, “requires that you surrender your sidearm, and any knives you might have, to these officers.”
“Jawohl, Herr Admiral,” Gehlen said, and laid his pistol on the table. “No knives, Herr Admiral.”
Canaris gave his uniform cap to one of the enlisted men, who put it on the rack. Canaris then raised his arms to the sides at shoulder height.
“With your permission, Herr Admiral,” the obersturmbannführer said, and patted him down.
Gehlen and von und zu Waching went through the same routine.
The obersturmbannführer nodded at a hauptsturmführer, who clicked his heels and said, “If you will be good enough to come with me, gentlemen?”
He led them through a steel door, down concrete corridors and stairwells, and finally stopped before another steel door.
Canaris had been here often enough to know this was not the door to where Hitler could usually be found poring over a stack of maps.
“What’s this, Herr Hauptsturmführer?”
“Reichsleiter Bormann wished to have a word with you, Herr Admiral, before you are received by the Führer.”
“Very well.”
“A word alone with you, Herr Admiral,” the hauptsturmführer said.
Canaris nodded and went through the door. Bormann was not there; the room was empty and unfurnished.
Is this a trick to get me in here?
What happens next?
The Bavarian corporal and half a dozen of Himmler’s thugs rush in to knock me to the floor?
Then Hitler looks down at me and says, “We know all about Valkyrie. I wanted to spit in your traitorous eyes before I turn you over to the SS”?
The door opened and Martin Bormann entered and closed the door.
“I’ll have to make this quick, Canaris. He knows you’re here.”
“What’s this all about, Bormann?”
“Early this morning, he sent for me. I found out later that he’d just heard Jeschonnek blew his brains out.”
“What did he want?”
“He said he was worried about Operation Phoenix.”