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Donovan thought that it was significant that Canidy was on the lawn with the
intruders and not with one of the two groups that had formed on the porch. The
group on the right was made up of Vice Admiral d'escadre de Verbey; his staff;
their hostess, Mrs. Barbara Whittaker; and Mr. and Mrs. C. Holds worth Martin,
Jr. Two silver wine buckets held a half-dozen towel-wrapped bottles. Probably
champagne, Donovan thought.
On the left-with an iced-tea pitcher-sat "the forces of shamed righteousness":
Captain Peter Doug lass, Sr."
USN; a Navy commander and a young lieutenant (obviously these two were
officers from the Lakehurst guard detail); Mr. El don C. Baker; Miss Cynthia
Chenowith; and Captain Stanley S. Fine, USA AC. Donovan thought it was
especially interesting that Fine sat with Doug lass, Baker, and the others.
Captain Peter Doug lass had the night before accepted full responsibility for
what had happened and had offered his resignation.
Donovan had no intention of accepting it, but when he glanced at Doug lass's
crestfallen face he realized that Doug lass had imagined the worst possible
scenario for the situation. To judge by his face, Baker simply looked angry.
Cynthia Chenowith seemed embarrassed and ashamed.
The two Navy officers had faces Donovan recognized from his own military
service: The big brass hat has just arrived, and there is no telling what will
happen next. Fine, as always, was a lawyer, privy to the mess before the bar
but not personally involved in it. Donovan suppressed a smile when the young
lieutenant, carried away as the big brass hat started up the stairs, came to
attention and saluted. That triggered an automatic reflex from the other
officers on the porch, They all saluted, even the admiral. "Good morning
Donovan said as he reached the top. He offered his hand to Doug lass and
Baker, introduced himself to the other naval officers, smiled at Cynthia, and
then took Ruth's arm and crossed the porch to where Barbara Whittaker and her
group waited.
The women embraced while Martin introduced Donovan to the admiral and his
staff, "We have a little problem, Barbara," Donovan said, "that has to be
talked out. Is there someplace we can go?"
"Captain Doug lass suggested that we clean up the breakfast room for you,
Bill," Barbara said. "Fine," Donovan said.
"Holds worth, if you don't mind, I'd like you to sit with us. I'm going to
need your advice." With a little bit of luck, if it becomes necessary to put
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your son on ice, you will hear enough to agree that it is necessary. "I am not
a disinterested observer, Bill," Martin said.
"None of us is," Donovan said.
"Will you excuse us, please?" He walked toward the front door of the house.
"Pete," he said, 4C you want to come along, please "Yes, Sir," Captain Doug
lass said, and followed them into the breakfast room. A glass-topped table had
been equipped with legal pads and a glass full of sharpened pencils. The
security people had connected two telephones. One of them, a red instrument,
was a secured line. "I will begin, Pete," Donovan said, "by saying your
resignation is declined, and that while I will be very interested in your
worst possible scenario, I don't think the war has yet been lost."
"I think," Martin said, "that much ado is being made about nothing. "I must
respectfully disagree with Mr. Martin, Colonel," Captain Doug lass said, and
then he outlined his theory that every operation now under way, planned, or
discussed was compromised by the current security breach. Donovan was
impressed with Doug lass's presentation, and he suspected that Doug lass had
worked on his speech from the moment Baker had called him the night before.
"All right, Pete," Donovan said when he had finished.
"That's just what I wanted. Will you send in Baker, so that we get all the bad
news at once? Baker was in fact angry; more than angry, outraged. He was a
professional intelligence officer, and furious that a number of well-laid
plans were apparently going down the toilet not only because of the
inexcusable carelessness of a bunch of amateurs, but because-more seriously
certain individuals who could have been expected to know better had acted
sloppily.
THE SECRET WARRIORS M low He didn't mention Captain Doug lass's name, Donovan
thought, but he left no doubt who he means. And then he had another thought:
No, that's not all that he means. The "certain individuals,' plural, includes
me. Baker had apparently spent as much time as Doug lass preparing his opening
statement. He likewise had specific recommendations. Canidy should be relieved
of his responsibilities and put on ice at least until after the African flight
and Operation Torch.
After that his case would be reviewed and a decision made about what to do
next with him. Whittaker and Fulmar should also be put on ice, at least until
after operation Torch. Their cases would be reviewed then.
Fulmar, considering the projected use of him, would require special attention.
Although it had to be presumed that they knew more than they had a right to
know, Commander Bitter, Major Doug lass, and Lieutenant Martin could probably
be made aware of all the relevant security implications and so could be
returned to their units and trusted to keep their mouths shut. Bitter's wife
could also doubtless be trusted. s The wild cards were Ann Chambers and
Charity Hoc he. Hoc he, Baker said, had the brains of a gnat as well as an
automatic mouth. There was no doubt that no matter how carefully everything
was explained to her, she would promptly talk to whoever would listen about
the fascinating people she had met at Deal. "And Ann Chambers is a
journalist," Baker concluded, "She smells a story, and she's skilled at
pulling facts from people. There is no question that at this very moment she
is skillfully milking facts to fill in what didn't come out last night when
Canidy and company were in their cups." The Misses Chambers and Hoc he
consequently should be put under close supervision, regardless of the
consequences, until after the African flight and Operation Torch, Baker said
flatly.
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That's a wish list he's offering me, Donovan concluded. Everything he would
like to have but knows he can't get. Still, he has gone on record that if
something goes wrong, the onus will not fall on him.
But he's right about one thing. Ann Chambers is a loose cannon rolling around
on the deck of a ship in a storm. "As for Captain Fine," Baker concluded, "he
is the silver lining. We can turn the African flight over to him.
Presuming he returns safely from that, he can be put to work on the other
projects." If we relieve Canidy, what do we do about a backup aircraft?"
Donovan asked.
"It would mean bringing somebody else in, and who would that be?"
"I could go, of course," Baker said. "No, you know too much about uraninite,"
Donovan said.
"I'm even uncomfortable with Grunier's knowledge of our interest. "But if the
backup aircraft were required," Baker argued, "we would have to presume that
secrecy would be compromised anyway. For that reason I'd take my chances on
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