9“You’ll waste less time if you let me in on this,” I said. “Was Major Reinhardt Krüger part of HVA?” I used the shorthand for the Hauptveraltung Aufklärung, the now-defunct foreign intelligence service of the former East Germany.
Interest flared in Erika’s eyes. “Yes.”
“I thought he must be,” I said. “Then I can give Stefan a better shot at meeting safely with his informant. I have a way to distract Major Krüger.”
“You?” The glimmer of interest was gone. “You’re a fugitive. Discredited by your own State Department. Pursued by the FBI.”
“Exactly,” I said. “I’m in big trouble. If I went back to the US, I’d be thrown in jail. Unless I brought home a big prize. Something the FBI wants badly. Like an answer to the question that’s been bugging them: How far did HVA penetrate into US intelli
