“Serov’s scenario is, just before we took Rome, the SS deposited what we’re calling Odessa’s money in the Vatican Bank.”
“Does General Serov have a scenario as to why the Pope would permit this?”
“Yes, sir.”
General Clay took a puff on what was left of his cigarette, then snuffed out the butt in a makeshift ashtray as he exhaled and made an impatient Let’s have it gesture.
“Sir, the Roman Catholic Church—the Pope—regards communism as its greatest threat, its greatest enemy. So does—did—Nazi Germany.”
“And there it is,” Clay said, and quoted, “‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend.’”
“Exactly, sir. Serov pointed out that the Pope was papal nuncio—the voice of the Pope—in Berlin for years, that he speaks German fluently, and that he made many friends, even among Himmler’s circle.
“So, Serov got one—maybe more—of his people into the Vatican Bank, where they found a numbered account that had to be the Nazi money. It is in excess of one hundred million dollars. And they also found out (a) that Odessa was about to make a withdrawal of approximately a million dollars, (b) that the Vatican Bank was going to deliver the withdrawal by courier, and (c) that the courier is Cardinal von Hassburger.”
“Really? That is quite an accusation. His Eminence is here to discuss the fate of the Kaiser Wilhelm Church with John McCloy, Arthur Werner, and me.”
“Yes, sir. But it is the truth.”
“So you say.” Clay took his time lighting another Chesterfield, exhaled, and added, “Giving you—or General Serov—the benefit of the doubt that the cardina
l is carrying money for Odessa leads me to this: Did he tell you what he plans to do about it?”
“Yes, sir. Serov has people in the Hotel Am Zoo—”
“I’ll bet he does!”
“—who will let us know when anyone in the cardinal’s entourage leaves the hotel with a briefcase. We will then follow him—or, if there’s more than one possible courier, all of them.”
“And you—and Serov—believe the courier with the briefcase will lead you to Odessa, or at least an Odessa operative?”
“Yes, sir. Not immediately. After he is interrogated by Serov’s people, we think we’ll have an address, and probably more.”
General Clay puffed his cigarette, then looked thoughtfully at Cronley as he exhaled a cloud of smoke toward the ceiling.
“Captain Cronley, you’re seriously suggesting that Serov’s plan is to kidnap a representative of the Holy See—probably a priest, possibly a monsignor, maybe even a bishop—and turn him over to the NKGB for interrogation? And the NKGB will then do what, kill him?”
“No, sir. Our plan is to send him back to the Am Zoo so that he can report that he was in the hands of the NKGB and that the NKGB has his briefcase.”
“And where is this briefcase? And what if the briefcase doesn’t have a million dollars in it?”
“Sir, we will still have the briefcase.”
“You and General Serov?”
“Yes, sir. In the event there’s no money in it, a man will deliver the briefcase that he will say he found at the Hotel Am Zoo. But he won’t turn it over to the cardinal’s people until he is suitably rewarded for returning it. There will be an argument. Eventually, somebody senior shows, maybe a monsignor or even a bishop. He pays, he gets the briefcase—and we start following him.”
“And then what?”
“Sir, if we in fact have the briefcase with the money, and the courier goes back to the Am Zoo and reports that it’s gone, what are they going to do? They can’t go to the police and report the robbery. How would they explain a simple priest—or monsignor or bishop—running around Berlin with a million dollars in a briefcase? Now, we’re presuming that they will want to tell Odessa about the loss. That means they’ll tell somebody to deal with Odessa. Not a simple priest, somebody senior. Anybody senior leaving the Am Zoo is tailed.”
Clay looked at Cronley, glanced around the table, then came back to Cronley.
“Is that about it, Captain?”
“Sir, we just got here.”
Clay ignored the answer and instead announced, “We will now get everyone’s opinion, hopefully brief, about Captain Cronley’s tale. We will start with the junior among us. With the exception of Colonel Cohen, whom we will hear last, who’s junior?”