Did Paton pack a pair of pearl handled revolvers?
Late to the party- not going to read everything, but as kaywoody says, they were ivory, and he made a comment that only pimps (and whores?) carry pearl-handled pistols.
The Russians killed him. Or American generals. Or a car accident. I favor the Russians. Hell, Montgomery is not out of the running, the incompetent weasel, but that's a stretch. He probably couldn't have even hired decent hit men, unless delegated to an aide.
