In the morning, Kalt put a call through to Bormann at the Wolfsschanze. He had been unable to make contact with Jung.

‘What is happening, Kalt?’ Bormann’s voice had a sharp edge to it.

‘The man Jung, I have information for him but cannot make contact.’

‘What sort of information?’

‘I have the name he asked for. An American called Thomas Wilde. It appears he may be the man with Frau Somerfeld and the girl.’

‘Well, that may be of interest. Who is he?’

‘He lives in England. He is a university professor.’

‘What in the name of the devil’s dog turd is he doing in Germany, then?’

‘I fear we have been victims of a plot.’

‘A plot? You can say that again, with a few choice adjectives thrown in. And how, pray, did you discover this information?’

‘I have a source, Herr Reichsleiter.’

‘A source? A porter on the railways? A waiter in the Adlon? Your mother’s pet cat? Don’t beat about the bush, Kalt – what source?’

Kalt could hear the deep sucking of cigarettes and Bormann’s growing anger, all the way down the line from the Führer’s eastern headquarters. Prevarication was pointless.

‘The SD, sir. An old Party friend from my Brownshirt days gave me access to their surveillance on the American embassy. It soon became clear that the diplomat James Vanderberg has a close relationship with Wilde. More than that, the SD has a separate file on this man, which made me wonder whether he has worked against the Reich before. This is all information that Herr Jung was seeking, but I can’t find him – which is why I have brought it to you, sir. I didn’t know what else to do.’

‘This old friend of yours at the SD – give me his name.’

‘Please, sir. He helped me in confidence. He would be in trouble if his name were to come out.’

‘Indeed he would. So what is it?’

This was unavoidable. ‘Spahn, sir.’

‘Horst Spahn?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘That grubby little pig. What did you tell him?’

‘Nothing, sir.’

‘Don’t take me for a fool, Otto. You and I both know Horst Spahn. He wouldn’t help his grandmother cross the road unless she paid him. What did you give him for this information?’

‘Nothing – I swear it.’

‘But you told him you were looking for someone close to Vanderberg. He’ll work it all out soon enough.’

Kalt realised he was trapped, just as he knew that Spahn was having him followed and would very likely act against him sooner rather than later.

‘He knows nothing about Frau Somerfeld or the girl. Nor did I mention you, Herr Reichsleiter.’