George spoke quickly. “Miss Kolin, explain to him in as friendly a way as you can that I am an American lawyer and that my business has nothing to do with him personally. It is a private, a legal matter. Say we only want to question him about that ambush at Vodena. There is no political angle to it. Our only object in questioning him is to confirm the death of a German soldier reported missing in 1944. Make it good.”
As she spoke, George watched the prisoner’s face. The dark eyes flickered suspiciously towards him as she went on. When she had finished, the prisoner thought for a moment. Then he answered.
“He will listen to the questions and decide whether he will answer when he has heard them.”
Behind George the Lieutenant was beginning to mutter angrily to the official. George took no notice.
“O.K.,” he said, “ask him his name. He’s got to identify himself.”
“Phengaros.”
“Ask him if he remembers the ambush of the trucks.”
“Yes, he remembers.”
“He was in command of those particular andartes?”
“Yes.”