Armageddon_ A Novel of Berlin - Leon Uris [64]
And then, upset by his own violence, he opened his hands and let Dante free.
“We’re just men,” Sean said futilely, “just men. They made the rules too tough for some of us ... you are confined to quarters until a new CIC man is brought in. You will acquaint him with the operations here. After that, you will be transferred to a service unit. At the soonest possible moment you will tender your resignation from the Army. I’ve ... seen to it that you will receive a fully honorable discharge.”
Drained of the venom of fear, Dante began to sob. “You’re too decent. I don’t deserve that kind of a break, Sean. I don’t deserve it.”
“Maybe there’s some punishment in it for you, Dante. You have to go on living and knowing that if this ever leaks out, I’ll have to stand the court-martial in your place.”
Chapter Twenty-nine
DELIVER BY PERSONAL COURIER TO MAJOR SEAN O’SULLIVAN
Dear Sean,
I am using this unusual method of communicating with you for reasons you’ll quickly understand.
World opinion is creating a furor over the revelations of the extermination camps. The pressure on us for “action” is becoming unbearable.
Acting on instructions directly from Washington, Supreme Headquarters here will issue a proclamation within twenty-four hours: namely, PROCLAMATION #22. The proclamation will say, in effect, that a local military governor may request an extraordinary military tribunal for the trial of extraordinary cases. We refer, of course, to SS atrocities. The tribunal will be empowered to impose the death sentence.
Well, Sean, I’m handing the ball to you again. As my Pilot Team Commander we’ve tried quite a few new wrinkles out in your territory so I’m going with you again on PROCLAMATION #22. By happy coincidence you have the mother and daddy of them all in the persons of Klaus and Emma Stoll. We at Supreme Headquarters feel they’re perfect for the first trial under PROCLAMATION #22.
We’ve got to get moving on this to let a little steam out of the vent and to show both the world and the German people we’re going to be tough. We are particularly interested in banging Emma Stoll. The fact that she is a woman will make a heavy impact.
Have your legal officer draw up indictments (recommending death sentences) and a simple paper for your signature requesting an extraordinary tribunal under #22. We’ll have the court in session in Rombaden within seventy-two hours.
Destroy this document after you’ve studied it.
Kindest regards,
A. J. Hansen
Lieutenant Bolinski frowned and shook his head as he read Hansen’s secret letter. “Well, there is obviously a lot of pressure on Washington to put up a showcase trial.”
“What do you think about the legality of Proclamation 22?”
“Hell, Major, we won the war. We can do anything we want without splitting legal hairs. Now, Klaus Stoll could be hanged before any court in the world off the evidence.”
“Emma?”
Bolinski frowned again, picking those little legal threads upon which a lawyer can build a mountain. “I’d say that with the interrogations and evidence I could spring her from a death sentence in any fair court.”
“Go on.”
“She’s guilty of beating prisoners ... none of whom suffered either death or serious injury, and she’s guilty of sexual perversion. Her main crime is grand theft in the collection of Winter Relief Funds from the German people. That’s enough to stash her away for life. On the other hand, if the story of the silverware handles being carved from human skulls holds up in truth ...”
Sean opened a file, slid a report across the desk to Bolinski. He lit a cigarette and read the letterhead. It was from a Swedish silvermaker with an attachment from a laboratory. “This came in last night,” Sean said. “I sent samples of the handles to Stockholm, the States, and to Switzerland.”
Bolinski drew hard on his cigarette.
IN CONCLUSION, WE HAVE ANALYZED THESE SAMPLES BY EVERY KNOWN METHOD. IN OUR OPINION THEY ARE NOTHING MORE OR LESS THAN CARVINGS ON COMMON ELEPHANT TUSKS OF AN EAST AFRICAN VARIETY.
“Christ!”
“I phoned the Swiss firm