Jacob shook the captain's hand, “Thank you, sir.”
The captain pulled Jacob in closer, “If I find evidence to the contrary, I will terminate all of you.”
The captain looked toward the door, “Becker.”
A guard appeared.
“Take this man to the front entrance and release his siblings to him immediately.”
“Yes, captain.”
“Herr Geiger. Do not make any attempts to leave our fair city. We will be watching.”
Jacob followed the soldier to the front entrance of the building and awaited Edmund and Hedwig. They rushed to him and the three embraced.
Jacob pulled back and said, “Let's get out of here.”
As if on cue, a long black car pulled up. “Gustav.” Hedwig shouted, and they ran to the vehicle.
They all jumped in and Jacob said to Gustav, “Get us someplace safe, we need to talk.”
Chapter 31
The car pulled in front of the train station. The group looked at Gustav with surprise. Jacob questioned, “Here? You want us to talk here? Or are we going on a trip?”
Edmund protested, “I'm not getting on a train. That is how our parents died.”
Gustav put his finger to his mouth and pointed to get out of the car. They all did.
Once they were at a safe distance, Gustav explained, “I do not trust anything anymore. They have radio frequencies that can listen to and record what we say. They are basically telephones that we do not intentionally use.”
Gustav continued, “When the trains arrive and leave, they make too much noise for anyone to be able to understand a conversation from a distance. Stay close to each other and cover your mouths when you speak. Some of our officers can read lips.”
“I can do that,” Edmund agreed.
Gustav looked at Hedwig. “You will be the least suspicious. When you need to speak to one of us, clutch us like a boyfriend. Giggle and whisper in our ears as a romantically involved couple would. No one will be the wiser. When speaking to Edmund, use a maternal look. Straighten his tie or smooth out this shirt.”
Hedwig nodded.
Gustav went on, “When others are close, speak about normal things that interest you. Talk about books, friends, school, cooking, money. Passersby will only discern part of the conversation. As long as the conversation is mundane, there will not be any alerts made.”
Jacob allowed the man to finish, “Is there anything else?”
“Yes, don't let anyone hear you,” Gustav laughed.
Jacob pulled Hedwig's arm, “My new girlfriend and I need to discuss a few things.”
With a big smile, Hedwig said, “Please Dear, let's not be late. I hate to be late.” They walked toward the trains.
“Are you all right? Did they hurt you?” he asked.
She giggled and slapped his shoulder. Through a smile she said, “Not hurt, but scared.”
Jacob whispered in her ear, “I know about you and Fritz.”
Startled she said through a fake smile, “Like what?”
He responded, “Everything.”
Hedwig dropped the act, “My God, you are as crazy as the rest of them. What are you talking about? You think I killed Fritz too? They thought I conspired to kill him, but I had nothing to do with that.”
Jacob's eyes widened, “Well that is good to know.”
“Seriously, Jacob, I am tired of these games. I have not eaten well in a week, I smell and need to bathe. Say what you really want to say.”
Jacob exhaled. “Tell me the truth about your marriage. It always unnerved me.”
One of the trains departed, masking their conversation well from others.
“My marriage is no one else's business. It existed, and now it is gone. You need not worry about it.”
“Sister, your marriage may be what has caused some of this chaos. Johann probably killed Fritz for some ulterior motive. I am privy to some information, but it is not the total story.”
“What do you want from me?”
As the closest train departed, steam and dust clouds spurted up from the ground, surrounding the siblings.
Jacob told her, “I want the truth. Whatever it is. I want the truth, and I will protect you.”
She leaned into her brother, “The truth is, yes. I killed Johann. He killed my father, so I killed him.”
Jacob pulled back and looked in her eyes. He wondered how long she had known about Fritz being her father.
She tugged on him, bringing him closer, “I have another secret, Jacob. Be prepared to be shocked.”
Jacob shook his head, This is too much. Way too much. Jacob thought.
“I suspect Johann came to my house to kill Fritz on the orders of his father, Colonel Reinhard.”
“What?”
She suddenly realized people wandered near and clung to her brother with a huge smile. She giggled and whispered in his ear, “Fritz investigated Reinhard and the SS, documenting his findings for years. He had contacts in other countries, and wanted to expose Reinhard for the atrocities the Third Reich is planning.”
After his experience in New York, he understood the Nazi Party was capable of anything. “Can you prove any of it?”
“Listen. They are planning on building death camps. They may already have. That anti-Jewish rhetoric they spout is just a premise for what is to come. Fritz and Colonel Reinhard were still in contact from time to time. That is when Fritz observed the plans at Reinhard's office years ago. They have been planning this from before Hitler was the Fuehrer.”
Jacob squinted, “Death camps?” A new train arrived as the screeching wheels and huffing of the engine filled the station with noise.
Hedwig leaned into her brother. “Reinhard was drunk, and he bragged to Fritz that they were designing camps to terminate Jews, cripples and old people. He also mentioned Gypsies and homosexuals. Anyone they decided was undesirable.”
Hedwig motioned with her eyes toward the train, “Notice all the new railways? Just like the one Mama and Papa traveled on when they died?”
Jacob glanced around quickly before admitting, “I do not understand. What do railways have to do with Reinhard and Fritz?”
“Think Jacob. They are building all these new railways because they are going to use the trains to transport the undesirables to the death camps.”
Hedwig looked down. “They must have found out Fritz wanted to stop them. Reinhard used his son to kill my husband. My real father.”
Jacob then protested. “Wait. Wait. Colonel Reinhard is the one who told me the truth about you and Fritz. About Mama. It was inconceivable to me at the time, but things are making sense now.”
Hedwig realized how much of a shock all this must be for him to take in at one time. She had had years to get acclimated to the idea of her parents being spies. She had already adjusted to being his illegitimate half sister.
“Reinhard wants you to trust him. He wants to figure out how much Fritz told me, and if Fritz kept records. He needs to destroy any proof that could be leaked outside of Germany. We are all in danger from that man.”
Jacob noticed Gustav and Edmund conversing. He motioned with his head, “Do you trust that one?”
She chuckled, “Strangely enough, I do. Gustav tried to prevent us from being taken into custody. He also stayed with us through our interrogations. But my trust in him is limited. He is a good man, but looks to the Reinhards as family.” After a pause she added, “I killed his best friend. I doubt he would be forgiving.”
Jacob shook his head. “I have so many questions. If Reinhard is so bad, and is not to be trusted, then why would he have given me the means to get you out? It was he who gave me some sort of special diplomatic passport. All of those officers seemed afraid of the power behind that passport.”
“Suppose Reinhard ordered our interrogations himself. Helping us might be a way to gain our trust. However, he truly did like me. Maybe he felt some strange devotion to Fritz and Mama for their work. He could have felt guilt for k
illing Fritz. He's confusing. Sometimes he looked at me strangely.”
Jacob put a hand on his hip and took a short walk away from Hedwig. He then returned to her side. “If Reinhard is so dangerous, then why did you move in with him?”
“I wanted to get a look at his study, hoping to discover definitive proof about Fritz or the camps. I want to stop them.”
Jacob growled, “Self protection is one thing, but putting yourself in danger intentionally is quite different.”
Hedwig became indignant, “He drinks too much, and I wanted to snoop. I was doing just fine until the butler caught me. When he questioned me, I made up an excuse I was searching for more whiskey. The next day Edmund and I were taken, so I guess he didn't believe me. I think he reported me to the colonel, and the colonel ordered the interrogation. He acted shocked and upset, but that could be a ruse to protect our trust in him.”
Jacob tried to process all the information. “So you presume Reinhard had you interrogated, hoping to learn what you know. But this way his hands were clean, so you and I would still trust him.”
“Yes. That's my guess. I also think he wanted to find out if Fritz told me the truth about being my father. If he did then I had more information than Reinhard wanted me to possess. If he hadn't, then he probably had nothing to fear.”
Jacob's eyes widened. “That's why he told me. He wanted to use me to find out.”
“Yes. That is also why he provided you the means to get us out. He wants to follow us and make inquiries of you.”
“Well, that part is easy. We just do not go anywhere that could be suspicious, and I will lie to him. I could tell him you don't know about Fritz. Fritz told you he had a childhood disease which made intimacy impossible. Colonel Reinhard knows you did not consummate the marriage.”
“He knows what?” Hedwig was offended, then changed her expression. “Jacob, it's more than that. We must stop them. We cannot allow them to kill large masses of people. I will not allow Mama and Papa to have died in vain.”
He pulled her by the arm, dragging her closer to the train to mask their conversation. “Died in vain? What do Mama and Papa have to do with this?”
Hedwig knew she was about to break her brother's heart and reached for his cheek. “They were not scheduled on that train. By the time Fritz found out they purchased tickets that day to return from Opa's, it was too late.”
Jacob grabbed his face with both hands and slid them down slowly, resting under his chin. “Are you saying Fritz killed our parents?”
“Mama knew of Fritz' plans which is why she hated traveling by trains. Remember? She told Fritz which trains they would be traveling, knowing of his plans.” Hedwig took a deep breath. “Fritz and several of his contacts had several planned missions to either derail the trains or thwart the construction in some way. Mama and Papa were an accident. There weren't supposed to be on that train. Fritz felt guilty, which is why he insisted on taking care of me and Edmund.”
Hedwig reached for him, but Jacob clutched her wrist and shouted, “How many other parents and children were supposed to be there? Their deaths were acceptable to stop the deaths of others?” He flung her wrist.
She slapped him across the face. “Direct your anger at the proper place. I was sixteen when that occurred, and I had nothing to do with it. They were my parents too---both of them.”
Jacob sighed. “I'm no longer interested in any of this. I'm an American now, and I'm going home. I'll talk to Edmund about moving to America with me and Alois. You can do whatever you want.” He walked away from her.
Hedwig laughed. “Can you return to America? The reach of the Gestapo is long and swift. They are everywhere.”
Jacob stopped without turning to face her. He realized the power of her statement. Can I go back to America? He killed the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Perhaps they took pictures of him doing it. Perhaps they could have him executed at any time. The situation had him trapped, and he did not like it.
Jacob looked over his shoulder and said, “I need a drink. This is all I can handle for one day.” He walked past Edmund and Gustav. Without a word to either of them, he got in the car and shut the door.
Chapter 32
The family returned to Hedwig's home, and the next morning Edmund dressed in his uniform. After breakfast he headed out the door, bound for school.
Jacob looked at Hedwig and said, “It was too soon for him to return to school. Children must deal with so much tragedy today.”
Hedwig began writing on a piece of paper, while talking. She told her brother, “He respected Johann a great deal, but he must return to reality eventually. He needs to attend school.”
Jacob wrinkled his face while she held up the paper. It read: Do not discuss matters aloud.
Jacob understood, but he was unskilled in this cloak and dagger mentality. He expected to wake from this crazy dream at any minute.
“I need to clean this house today. My poor Johann's blood.... he proposed to me on that couch.” She pretended to cry.
Jacob shook his head. My sister deserves to be in American films. She is quite an actress, he thought.
Hedwig continued to talk and write at the same time. “Would you please throw that couch away. We will need to get a new one. And look at the marks all over my house from all those boots. The night.. the night... oh God. Did you know that was the night my darling proposed to me?”
On the paper she wrote, “I have something in the basement for you to read.”
He nodded and said, “Don't worry. I will ask a neighbor to help me carry the couch out of here. Why don't you go back to bed and rest. We can pay a local girl to come and clean the mess to make things easier. I can't imagine how upsetting this has been for you.”
“Thank you brother. I think I'll take your advice and get some rest.”
Hedwig placed her hand to her mouth, motioning for him to stay silent. Then she motioned for him to follow her. They walked down into the basement where she pushed on a stone wall. The wall moved and Jacob realized it was a door, covered with stones, that led to another room.
Jacob inspected the door. It was a wood panel, with stones glued to the front of it. While closed, it presented as a solid stone wall. On the inside, the door was lined with some sort of metal sheeting. Ingenious, Jacob thought. I never suspected the door was there.
The siblings entered the room. Once the door was closed, Hedwig announced, “We can talk in here. Fritz said he lined the room with some kind of metal that deflects radio frequencies and keeps sound from getting out.”
Puzzled, Jacob shook his head, “Who are you?”
Hedwig laughed, “My brother, I fear you enjoy too many freedoms in America to understand life in modern day Germany.”
Pictures, charts and hand written notes covered the walls. Fritz pasted a collage of hundreds of newspaper articles on one full wall. Jacob examined each one. “Have you gone through any of this?”
“No. That is what we are going to do now. Fritz told me not to come down here until I needed to. He said plausible deniability would be the best defense against interrogation.”
Jacob grunted. “That is good advice. Perhaps we should just walk back out and forget this place. We need to go on with our lives as if nothing happened.”
“Are you mad, brother? Where is your heart? They are trying to twist our brother's mind into becoming a monster. And they are planning the mass extermination of untold numbers of people. They might already be doing it.”
“I think you are the one who is mad. Mama and Fritz apparently had some sort of training for this type of thing. And they are dead. What do you think will happen to us?”
Hedwig walked closer and looked him deep in the eyes. “Could you live with yourself if they accomplish their goals? Could you live with yourself in 10 years knowing millions died and you did nothing to stop them?”
“It is the word lived in that sentence that most concerns me. I would like to live.”
Hedwig's eyes scann
ed the pictures, “You cannot imagine a world that would allow those things to happen. Here Jacob, look at this picture.” She pointed to an image of SS officers posed above corpses in the streets. They proudly stood with one foot on the bodies and rifles in their hands. It looked like the kind of picture that hunters take with the beasts they killed. “That will be Edmund in a few years. Do you want that?”
Jacob bent over in disgust and ejected his breakfast onto the floor. As he wiped the moisture from his lips with his sleeve, the taste of acid stung his mouth.
Hedwig responded, “Welcome to Nazi Germany, my brother.”
After heaving a bit more, Jacob's respiration increased. He wiped his mouth with his shirt sleeve, then stood and headed closer to the picture. He could not take his eyes off it, “Do you have a plan?”
“I need your help going through these files. We need to find anything that can help us. I want to kill Reinhard and blow up the camps. I want pictures of the camps that we can send to other countries and newspapers around the world.”
Jacob laughed, “That all sounds a little impossible and far fetched, don't you think?”
“More impossible and far fetched than finding out our mother was an operative for German Intelligence who then raised her illegitimate child of her covert operations partner with her husband, who gladly accepted the child and befriended the real father to keep the man in the child's life? More far fetched and impossible than that?” She continued without taking a breath, “More far fetched than our parents dying on a train because a group of German patriots tried to thwart the operations of death camps by derailing trains?” She took a deep breath. “My brother, we passed impossible and far fetched a long time ago. Please stop doubting what can be done. We need to devise a plan for what must be done.”
Jacob gave in to his sister. “Okay. Okay. First, we need to decide who can help us. How do we meet Fritz's contacts? We need people who can help us to figure this out. There must be someone we can trust who has resources.”
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