On the drive from Garmisch, Colonel Appache had explained to Wilde that Apfelwald had housed slave labourers forced to work for the big Bavarian war industries. ‘I believe many died of disease, malnutrition and maltreatment. Few were found alive when our troops arrived. Now it is home to refugees from all over Europe: Jews, Greeks, Italians, Russians, Poles, French. Name a language and it’s probably spoken here.’

Now, outside the medical centre, the colonel addressed Wilde. ‘I guess you’re wondering what you’ve got yourself into here, feller. Well, I think we mentioned that Lieutenant Heck is headstrong. You’ve just seen what headstrong looks like in action.’

‘I can’t work with a man like that.’

‘Oh, he’ll be a pussycat with you. He only shoots Nazis.’

‘He needs to be put on a charge.’

‘Save it, Wilde. This isn’t your snotty Cambridge college now. This is real life, this is the detritus of war, right here, and it ain’t perfect. So live with it – and do the job you’ve agreed to do.’

A woman in a white coat emerged from the medical building, nodded to Appache and then glanced at Wilde. ‘Are you anything to do with this?’

‘No, Dr Gray,’ Appache said. ‘This is Mr Wilde and he did not do the shooting.’

‘Well, who exactly are you then, and what are you doing here?’

‘I’m an American intelligence officer, and I’m with Colonel Appache.’

‘That explains nothing.’

‘I’m sorry, it’s all I can tell you.’

From her accent, he guessed she was middle-class English. Her hair was red and her face a mass of freckles. ‘Anyway,’ she said, ‘you may or may not be pleased to know that the patient is being cleaned up and the duty surgeon will remove the bullet shortly. In the meantime, I’d like one of you to tell me what happened.’

‘One of your inmates did the deed,’ Appache said. ‘Apparently he discovered the bastard was an SS man posing as a Jew. He got off lightly.’

The doctor bristled. ‘Forgive me. There are no inmates here. They are refugees. Or you can just call them residents. And I can promise you the injured man did not get off lightly, as you put it. He is badly wounded and still in grave danger.’

Appache looked bored. ‘I’m told he had an SS blood-type tattoo. It’s been removed.’

‘I want the gunman’s name.’

‘No can help, Doctor,’ Appache said. ‘And don’t waste too much of your precious time on the case. Bandage his wounds and get him transferred to an SS internment camp as soon as he’s good to go. I’ll tell Major Derrick before I leave and he will arrange an armed escort. I hope that’s clear, Dr Gray.’

The woman frowned. ‘You seem to think you can give me orders, Colonel Appache, but you’re mistaken. As you know very well, I’m in charge of the Red Cross here in Apfelwald.’ She turned to Wilde.

Appache turned away from her dismissively. ‘I’m going to leave you now, Wilde. I have five thousand satanic Nazis to interrogate at POW Camp Eight, and that’s going to take a few goddamned months more. You have met our mutual friend, so it’s up to you two now. Let’s see what you’re made of. One word of advice, if you find youself in Flint Kaserne – that’s Third Army HQ at Bad Tölz – avoid General Patton at all costs. He hates smooth-talking academics and smart-ass intellectuals, and he’ll have you booted back to London before you can blink. He doesn’t know you’re here and I don’t want him to know. We’ll meet back at Garmisch this evening, say six o’clock, for a final briefing. The lieutenant has the use of a jeep and will drive you. OK?’