by Mark Spaid
“I know that Schultz.”
“So, what do we do now?”
“We keep quiet, stay low and fulfill our duties.”
“What duties? The Reich is dead. The Russians are in Berlin and the Americans, English and French have the rest of the country.”
“So,” Leibnitz said as he sat back and sipped a vodka. He would’ve been shot if Hitler knew he was drinking vodka. But Hitler was dead now and many of the top Nazis who’d escaped detection were returning to smoking and drinking…things of which Hitler disapproved.
“So, why’re we still carrying out the Fuehrer’s wishes?”
“Because my dear, Shultz, it’s up to us to continue the Fuehrer’s work.”
“What work?”
“Why, to purify the races of the world, of course, and make way for the rise of the Fourth Reich.”
“How’ll we do that?”
“Very carefully,” Leibnitz said as he leaned back and chuckled.
Bloomington, Indiana
December 1945
“Your attention please,” a voice rang out as six couples were talking at the same time. It was a meeting of the six parents of the boys who came from Schensburg. The administrator in charge of the boys was Everett Strope. He was born in Chicago to German parents who came over in 1910. His father needed work, found it as a tailor and worked for thirty years until his death. Everett was born in 1912 and went to night school to become an accountant. Along the way he joined the German American Bund, which was an organization of German born Americans. With the war, the Bund faded because of Hitler but some of its members stayed loyal and Everett was one of those. He kept to himself and maintained close ties with members of the Nazi Party in Germany. When the SS was looking for a Nazi sympathizer to oversee the program for the boys, they contacted Strope and he immediately agreed. By 1944 it was impossible to get into Germany, so the SS sent an agent and he met with him and explained how things would be done and set Strope on a mission to recruit six families. He found just who he wanted though he had to scour the large cities to find them. It was hard to hide Nazi affections in small towns but the major cities could hide anything. Now, they were here living in close proximity where he could control them.
“Yes, Herr Strope,” John Willoughby said as everyone was quiet.
“I’ve told you before, don’t use the German title. It’s Mr. Strope. We can’t take a chance on giving anything away.”
“Sorry,” John said.
“I need a health report on all the boys.”
“Donald is in excellent health, is growing and gaining weight, walking, talking and doing fine,” Susan Wright said.
“Okay, next.”
“Exactly the same for Randall,” Gertrude said.
“Very good,” Everett said then looked at the next mother. The Nazis were perhaps the world’s most unforgiving and unfeeling patriarchs. Women bore children and obeyed their husbands or any man for that matter. Girls had no value for the Nazis except to continue the master race. That was evident in the massacre of the women and girl babies from Schensburg. But Everett was not that blind to women’s value. He wanted to know the mother’s take on the development of the boys.
“Thomas has been susceptible to colds and ear infections since he arrived here but the last few months, he’s been better,” Madelyn Rutherford reported.
“Keep me informed.”
“Should I take him to a doctor?”
“No!” Everett shouted and everyone was startled. “No contact with the outside, ever!”
“Okay, I understand,” Madelyn said as her knees were shaking.
“The doctor will be here in a week and he can examine Thomas along with all of the boys but absolutely no contact whatsoever with the outside. I cannot stress that enough. We have to raise these boys in isolation.”
“We understand, Mr. Strope, my wife was just concerned about the boy’s health,” David Rutherford said.
“Very well, let’s drop it and move on to the next boy.”
“George is healthy and growing like a weed,” Rita Klay reported.
“Thank you.”
“Simon is a frail child but he’s alert and he’s never been sick; he just looks skinny. Maybe that’s his metabolism. But he’s bright eyed and talks my head off so I’m not worried,” Betty Windsor said.
“Very well but keep me informed.”
“Walter is a chunk. We don’t feed him anymore than what is required but he still keeps growing. He’s walking fine and talking all the time. I think he’s in good health,” Alice West said.
“Okay, I ‘m pleased with the progress.”
“Mr. Strope, a man came to our door today. He was a salesman and I chased him a way. He asked if any of the others would be interested and I said no. He left and drove away in his car.”
“How could he have found us…we’re hidden here in the woods?” Steven Windsor asked.
“People will find a way to get here,” Strope said. “Just never let them inside.”
“What about the police?” David Willoughby asked.
“You must let the police inside but tell them nothing except that you’re part of a small religious commune. Always keep the religious icons and portraits where they are in plain sight for all to see. If they ask to see the children then show them. If they ask to look around then let them. You have nothing to hide and they’ll find nothing that is suspicious. Be polite and friendly but do not volunteer anything. You should have no party memorabilia or literature anywhere in the house where the police might find it. If you have any that you have overlooked then destroy it immediately. Does everyone understand that?”
“We do, Mr. Strope,” William Wright said and they all nodded understanding.
“That’s good. You know that we have the sacred task of carrying on the Reich and we can’t do anything that’d jeopardize that. These boys will bring back what we lost in Europe.”
“Long live the Reich,” Phillip West shouted and everyone gave the Nazi salute with shouts of long live the Reich, and long live the Fuehrer and his dreams. Everett did nothing to stop them. He liked the enthusiasm. The meeting adjourned and they went home to their houses which were all within three hundred feet of each other.
CHAPTER FOUR
“Lind, Jo and Andy are here,” Justin yelled up the stairs.
“I’m right here.” Belinda said as she came out of Gabby’s room.
“Oh, sorry.”
“Hi, Jo and Andy,” Belinda said as she walked past them to the kitchen.
“Do you guys want coffee?” Justin asked.
“I’m fine,” Andy said.
“I’ve sworn off coffee,” Jo replied.
“Why?” Justin asked chuckling.
“My teeth, mainly and I don’t want the caffeine.”
“Good reasons…Lind did that months ago. We drink cranberry and orange juice.”
“She made coffee just for us?” Andy asked.
“Of course, why not?” Justin asked his friend. Andy and he had been partners as reporters for many years since they teamed up back in Masontown on the Pop McDaniel’s case.
“I don’t know,” Andy said.
“I know what you’re thinking but Lind has come a long way. Now, don’t get me wrong, she still places a high value on herself but lately she’s begun to think of others…at least more than she used to…I guess.
“We understand, Justin,” Jozette said.
“I’m ready,” Belinda said and they got in Jozette’s car and left. She’d purchased a very large car a year ago. It was a 1978 but in excellent condition and her mechanic kept it running perfectly. When the four of them went somewhere they used the big car as they called it. The leg room was something only to be dreamed about. It was like first class on a plane.
“Who owns these properties?” Justin asked.
“I did some checking but it’s veiled,” Jozette replied.
“What does that mean?” Belinda asked.
“The
re are seven houses all owned by the same person or actually a holding company.”
“What company?” Justin asked.
“Well, that’s the problem, the original company sold out and I’ve had trouble tracing the owners or their location. I don’t have a name or anything. The taxes are paid every year but I couldn’t trace that back to anything tangible.”
“The ghost in the wind,” Justin remarked.
“Indeed,” Jozette said. They came to the lane that led to the houses and it was long and hidden by trees. In fact, it was like a dense forest and after a mile they came to a small clearing and there sitting alone and overgrown with vines and tall grasses were seven houses.
“Well, these haven’t been lived in for some time,” Justin said as they got out.
“Is it alright if we’re here?” Belinda asked.
“If you’re asking will anyone come to chase us away…the answer is no,” Jozette said.
“The door’s unlocked,” Andy said as they went inside the first one. It was a simple two-bedroom home that was empty save for a wooden chair and a trunk with the lid separated and lying against the wall.
“Not much here,” Belinda said. The second and third house were about the same with some small furniture and a couple of cardboard boxes filled with papers.
“What’s this?” Andy asked as he handed a paper to Justin.
“This is odd.” Justin looked at it and it was a five cornered star with pairs of letters at the five points and in the middle. The top was II, the left was, KH, the right IH, the bottom left NC, the bottom right BF and the middle was BI. Justin showed it to everyone and they studied it without a clue as to what it meant.
“What does that mean?” Belinda asked.
“No idea, Lind,” Justin said as Belinda gave him back the paper and he put it in his pocket. The fifth and six houses gave up little or nothing then they entered the seventh house. It was separated slightly from the other six and it had a front porch where the others just had a small stoop.
“Hey, what’s in here,” Andy said and opened the drawers of a filing cabinet.
“Anything?” Justin asked.
“Empty. Wait I want to try something and he moved the cabinet. “Bingo.” Andy picked up a paper stapled together. It was very old. “This might be interesting.”
“What does it say?” Jozette asked.
“I don’t know, it’s in German.”
“Considering what we’re looking for that’s significant,” Jozette said. Belinda walked down the hall by herself and checked the bedrooms.
“Justin, come here quick, there’s a man here!”
“Where?” Justin said as they ran to Belinda’s cry for help. It was always good to be cautious when Belinda let out a call for help. It could be a roach that ran by her foot. So, they were restrained but indeed there was a man sleeping on a pile of blankets. He began to stir and woke from Belinda’s yell.
“What? Oh, dear, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be here I know. Please don’t call the police.” He got to his feet and he was a little guy, skinny, maybe five-five and gray hair; about seventy. He stood trembling.
“We didn’t mean to startle you, sir,” Jozette said.
“You must be the owners. I didn’t steal anything. I was just looking for a place to stay for a short time. I didn’t think anyone would be here. I’m sorry.”
“Sir, take it easy. We’re not the owners and we’re not calling the police. We’re just passing through and looking at all these houses,” Justin said and the man seemed to settle down a bit.
“I apologize for reacting so, I was scared I’d be arrested or something. I’m trespassing but I didn’t have any place to go. I’ll leave.”
“Please, sir, don’t do that. We’re leaving. We’re the ones who barged in on you,” Jozette said.
“Sir, why are you here? You said you didn’t have any place to go and I see you have a suitcase in the corner,” Andy said.
“Well, after fifty years, I’m homeless.”
“What do you mean?” Justin asked.
“Oh, you don’t want to hear my sob story. There are people worse off than me.”
“I don’t know who that’d be, sir, since you’re sleeping on the floor of a derelict building,” Andy remarked.
“I see what you mean. I have to sit down,” he said and Justin handed him a wooden chair from the hallway.
“What happened to you, sir?” Belinda asked.
“I lost my house.”
“Sir, were you in Viet Nam?” Andy asked as he held up a Viet Now cap, he saw lying next to the suitcase.
“Yes, I was. I got out of high school in sixty-seven and became engaged to my sweetheart Lori. A week later I was drafted and went to Viet Nam; infantry and we saw some pretty nasty action. I was there two years and finally, I was wounded. They sent me home; Lori met me at the airport and we started up our romance again but it wasn’t the same. I knew she had to find someone new.”
“You weren’t in love with her anymore” Belinda asked.
“Lind, that’s kind of personal,” Jozette said.
“That’s okay, no I was very much in love but before I left for service we’d talked about family and kids. You know the usual. When I was wounded, I caught shrapnel down there,” he said as he pointed. I couldn’t give her kids and told her she should find another man so she could have a family.”
“Did she?” Belinda asked as Jozette rolled her eyes.
“No, she wouldn’t let me go and we got married.”
“Did you adopt?” Andy asked.
“No, I suggested it but she said she only wanted children from us so I didn’t push it and we were very happily married.”
“I take it she died,” Jozette said and he nodded.
“Eight years ago; a heart attack. It’s been lonely and I didn’t take very good care of my finances. I owe back taxes on the house and I owe the bank some money. They were generous with me but finally they ran out of patience and the house and my belongings will be sold in two weeks. I have nowhere to go so I thought I’d try and camp out here. I knew about these places when people still lived here, I thought they’d been empty for some time and here I am.”
“Where is your house, sir,” Jozette asked.
“428 Prescott; it’s a little house and it doesn’t mean much to anyone else but it still has memories of Lori. I’ll miss it.”
“How much do you owe, sir?” Jozette asked.
“Forty thousand on the mortgage. I took out a second ten years ago. We did some remodeling and took a trip around the world. Then Lori died and I sort of went in a decline, I guess. I owe eight thousand in taxes. It might as well be a million.” Justin looked at Jozette and she took out her cell.
“Ariel, it’s Jozette. I need a favor.” Jozette wandered down the hall.
“Do you have a car, sir?” Andy asked.
“I left it at home. If someone saw a vehicle parked out here, they might call the police.”
“Were you planning on staying here indefinitely?” Justin asked.
“I’ve been here two nights. I hadn’t planned past that. I know that sounds strange but I didn’t know what else to do. When the house and things are sold, I’ll have to stay someplace. So, I thought I’d try this place and if no one came around then I’d stay. Now, I’ll have to come up with another plan.”
“What were you going to do for food?” Andy asked.
“At night I’d raid garbage cans. Cafes and the like always throw out large amounts of food.”
“That’s unacceptable for a veteran,” Andy said.
“No family?” Belinda asked.
“None. My plan was to live the rest of my life in my little house and be buried next to Lori. But I’ll have to come up with something else.”
“Sir, what’s your name?” Jozette asked as she came back into the room.
“Willard Booker.”
“Willard Booker, Mr. Steele.” Justin looked at Andy and they both let out grins. “Alri
ght, we’ll be there. Thank you, Mr. Steele.”
“Why’d you want my name?”
“To make sure we had the right person. The bank is picky about those things,” Jozette said.
“The bank?”
“Yes, Mr. Booker, the bank…your bank. I called a friend of ours and she put me in touch with her lawyer and financial advisor. He’s at the bank right now and your mortgage is paid as well as the back taxes. The house is yours, free and clear.”
“I don’t understand. You don’t even know me.”
“We don’t, sir, but you remind me of someone I do know and we’re not going to stand by and watch you lose your house,” Andy said.
“How will I ever pay this person back?”
“You won’t, it’s all taken care of and we can take you back to your house so you don’t have to stay here anymore,” Jozette said.
“I can’t believe it,” Willard said and put his face in his hands and cried. Belinda went to him, got on her knees and put her arm around his shoulder.
“Mr. Booker, do you want to go back to your house where you and Lori lived?” Belinda asked. He nodded and got up.
“Is this all you had, sir?” Andy asked.
“Yes, just the suitcase, these blankets and pillow. Justin grabbed those, Andy took the suitcase and they went to the car. They took Willard home and he invited them in for a visit, they went in and talked for a few minutes. He sat in his chair and for the first time since they found him, he grinned. He thanked everyone a dozen times and finally, they said good-bye and left.
* * *
“Any luck?” Jozette asked Justin the next day.
“I was getting nowhere looking for the owners. The houses are being held by some dummy company somewhere and the deeds to the properties are in some metal box some place probably never to be seen again.”
“So, what next?” Andy asked. They almost always met for breakfast at Lou’s. It was a diner across the street from the newspaper office. Justin, Andy and Belinda were full time employees for The Times. Jozette wrote a real estate column once a week but made her considerable income selling high end real estate.
