The Hunt

Keegan perked up. His eyes came to life.

“He’s here? In America?”

“Please, let me continue.”

“Sorry.”

“Fish did not know the nature of the mission—according to Fish only Hitler and Vierhaus know what he was being trained to do. But he said this assignment could neutralize America if England and France go to war against Germany.”

“Neutralize America?”

“It would force the United States to stay out of the war.”

“What could that possibly be?”

Gebhart shook his head. “I do not know. We speculated on it for months, imagining every possibility, but nothing made any sense.”

“One man is going to pull this off?”

Gebhart nodded. “According to Fish, he will have some help but basically it is to be a one-man job. The other members of Vierhaus’s group call him the Gespenstspion.”

“The ghost spy?”

‘ja. Siebenundzwanzig is a lone agent and his true identity is known only to Hitler and Vierhaus. We have no description and no name. Only that he is very, how do you say it, gefahrlich?”

“Dangerous?”

Gebhart nodded. “And he is an expert at Verkleidung.

“Disguise

Werner nodded vigorously. “Also an expert skier. He first came here in late summer of 1933. But the following spring something happened—he was caught up in some kind of FBI inquiry and he had to run.”

“But he’s here now? Has been for . . . Jesus, almost five years!”

“If the information is correct.”

“And this Twenty-seven, he got in trouble with the government here in 1934? You’re sure it was the FBI?”

‘Jo. But it was not exactly that way. It was more like . . . he was involved in something as a bystander, a “Witness?’’

‘Ja, a witness. But because the government police were also involved he could not risk an investigation.”

“What the hell Keegan stood up and started pacing the kitchen. His energy had suddenly skyrocketed. A superspy, here in America, to perform a job so insidious it could force America to remain neutral in the event of war with Germany? Well, he thought, whatever it is, his time is running out. Events in Europe were escalating. The whole continent could be at war before the next New Year. But what could it be? And how could he find this man? He had no description, no name other than Siebenundzwanzig, no location. And why did Avrum want Keegan to pursue him?

“Avrum wants me to try and catch this Twenty-seven?”

‘Ja’

“Why me?”

“So you get him first, before the police. So there is no chance he would be tried and perhaps sent to prison instead of · · of. .

“I’m not an investigator, Werner,” Keegan cut him off, ignoring for a moment Gebhart’s last remark. “I have no experience at such things.”

“He says you can do it because you are as tormented by what they did to Jenny as he is.”

“There are many, many others far more qualified to do this than me, Werner. The FBI for one. They are trained for this.”

“They do not have the obsession . .

“Avrum learned a lot about me in a few days.”

“Also they would probably not believe you. Also, Ire, you cannot tell them that I brought you the message or they will come after me.”

“Yeah, the FBI and I have hardly been bosom buddies anyway. Our problems go back aways.”

“When you were a gangster?” Gebhart asked innocently. Keegan laughed. “Yeah, Werner, when I was a gangster.”

Then he stopped. “Wait a minute, you said he doesn’t want him to be tried in a court?”

Gebhart shook his head.

“Then. . . ?“