Читать книгу The Crooked Olive Branch - Frederick Munn - Страница 15

Chapter 7

Leaving the English Garden in a taxi. Hal nudged Peter and whispered.

“Different taxi but the same driver, in a hat.”

The driver then spoke in English, maybe to advise Hal that he understood him.

“Your luggage has been sent ahead gentlemen.”

Peter didn’t comment, his thoughts racing, trying to make sense of everything.

Hal asked. “Why and where are we going?”

The driver didn’t answer immediately. When he did it was in German and at length.

Peter acknowledged in German.

Hal was bemused and angry at his question being ignored. He tugged at Peter’s sleeve Peter signalled him to keep quiet.

Hal was having none of this.

“What the heck is going on Pete?”

“Please Hal, I’ll tell you later.”

There was something about the urgency of his reply that persuaded Hal to be quiet.

The taxi drew up alongside a small hotel. Peter paid the driver.

Hal, under the impression that they had finally reached their destination, followed Peter into the hotel bursting with questions.

The lobby was crowded, they went through into a bar, which was also crowded.

To Hal’s further confusion they carried on straight out through a fire exit into a yard behind the building.

Peter immediately climbed into a dark red car which was waiting with the engine running.

He signalled for Hal to follow.

Hal was furious, his hopes of a resting place snatched away. He stood rooted to the spot.

Peter leaned out of the car.

“Hal, please get in and hurry. I’ll explain as we get under way.”

This pleading and the look on Peter’s face had the desired effect.

Hal climbed into the car which was being driven by a young woman who set off immediately driving steadily out into the streets and into the night.

Hal’s subsequent furious volley of questions were directed at Peter. It was the young woman driver who answered speaking English.

“Sorry for the loss of your holiday, sir. Dieter has been arrested and the house for your occupation has been commanded.”

“Commandeered,” Peter corrected her.

“Also arrested Dr and Frau Kessler, your hosts for the Fest.”

“Why?” asked Hal.

“They are Jewish.” The girl answered, in a matter of fact manner.

Hal’s anger melted as he took out his notebook and asked. “That is a reason?”

“In Nazi Germany. Yes.”

Hal already knew this. having been briefed only days ago.

Peter asked the obvious question.

“Why Dieter?” he asked believing that Helga and Dieter had been at pains since moving to Munich to hide their heritage even with the restaurant menu.

“Dieter had arranged for you to stay with the Kesslers hoping that your presence would give them some protection. We needed time to obtain the necessary papers to get them out over the borders and into Switzerland. We planned to do this under cover of the Fest, but they were arrested three days ago.”

“And Dieter?” Peter asked. “Was he arrested also?”

“No, not then.”

“When and why?”

Hal struggled to make notes in the dark, hampered by the vibrations of the car.

The young woman turned into a long narrow straight country road away from the lights of the city.

It was too dark for Hal to continue. He put away his notebook, hoping to remember this young woman’s dialogue.

The lane was straight but very narrow, lined by trees on both sides.

The yellow of the headlights picked up their dark outline as they flicked by with monotonous regularity adding to the tension in the small car.

She checked in the rear-view mirror.

“I think we are clear, gentlemen,” she announced reducing speed to a safer level.

“Clear of what?”

“Of being followed.”

“Why would they follow us?”

“They think you could lead them to Dieter’s mother and the Kessler child.”

Peter and Hal took some time to process this information.

The silence was filled by the hum of the motor as the tree shadows flicked by.

“So, they are looking for this Helga and a child? I don’t quite understand.” Hal asked.

“Frau Kessler and Helga, Dieter’s mother, saw the police arrive. Frau Kessler passed Miriam their three-year old daughter to Helga while Dr Kessler was answering the door.

Dieter and Helga brought Miriam to us. They are now, both in a safe house over the border.

Dieter came back to meet you, it was then that he was arrested.”

Hal was in the in middle of a dramatic story, copy that any reporter would normally kill for.

Yet he could not dismiss remembering the last words of his editor.

‘Remember Hal, keep it light. You know the thing fairy stories and I don’t mean trolls and hob goblins. Leave that to the heavies in Washington. The folk in Pittsburgh and Boston just don’t wanna know.’

Hal questioned. “Why?”

Spoken out loud, the question was directed at his editor.

It was when he repeated it for the third time, Peter asked.

“You all right Hal?”

Peter’s question jolted Hal out of his thoughts.

“What’s happening to us Pete? Where are we heading? Why would they wish to arrest these guys? I mean they are looking for a three-year old kid?”

“Yes, why all this effort for a three-year old and Helga?”

The young woman didn’t answer for some time. It was only when Peter started to repeat his question she finally did.

“Look, my name is Eva. The reason my colleagues and I are doing this is because the Kesslers are arrested for their religion and a three-year-old is thought to be an enemy of the Reich.”

Hal offered an alternative argument.

“They are following us hoping that we will lead them to your outfit. They are not after the kid.”

“We are sorry that you are troubled but in Munich at the Fest we were unable to find an alternative place for you at such short notice, less than twenty-four hours.”

Peter and Hal didn’t answer so Eva continued. “We are doing our best, our very best to help as we are helping those who are wrongfully deprived of their liberty, especially the little children.”

Hal felt himself blushing with humiliation.

Peter was angry and confused. He was feeling badly about what was happening to his friend and muttered almost to himself. “This cannot be right.”

Hal just wanted to get out of the car. He was cramped, tired and very, very angry.

“I need to pee,” he snorted.

Peter began to explain in German, but Eva cut him off.

“I understood the first time. I will pull in shortly after we leave the main road in a kilometre or so.

“This is a main route?” Hal was shocked that such a narrow, metalled track could be referred to as a road, main or otherwise. After a few minutes Eva turned into a side road, little more than a dirt track and drew to a halt.

This road was fringed by bushes which were ideal for Hal’s purpose. He was first out of the car. He walked deeper into the bushes than was necessary and relieved himself of more than one pressure.

“Pete, has it occurred to you that we are foreign nationals? Yet here we are behaving like fugitives from the law? We are going along with this without question?”

“What options do we have?”

“I don’t know but giving over complete control to these people cannot be right.”

Peter studied for a short while. “You are right of course, Hal. This has gone on far too long without question. I don’t think it’s beyond the realms of possibilities for someone to have found a space for us, if only on the floor.”

“Sure thing, and you know what? They need not have involved us at all. The danger of us leading the Nazis to this woman or the kid does not wash with me. There is another agenda, and we need to know this. Eva must come clean before we move another inch.

“We ask for more information.”

“Such as?”

“How much longer and the real reason for this journey.”

Hal agreed. “O.K. let’s do that.”

“Sorry, Hal.” Peter apologised. “I should have dealt with this earlier but the shock of Dieter not turning up and his arrest upset me. Robbed me of all reason. You O.K?”

“Pete, I just need somewhere to lay my head. Anywhere.”

Peter realised he needed to lift Hal’s spirits.

“Have you thought Hal that this will make great copy for your first report?”

“I have thought, but I don’t think my editor will accept it even if he believed me.”

“Why ever not? I would back you up.”

“Orders. Keep out of politics and controversy in notes on Europe.”

Eva was waiting impatiently for their return. Her jumpy attitude plus the implied reprimand earlier was not helpful. When she pleaded with them to hurry Hal’s reply was less than pleasant.

“Hey. Hey, sister watch it! Your internal squabbles are nothing to do with us, so just cool it.”

Peter moved in quickly to calm down what could have been a nasty incident.

“Sorry, Eva but before we move on, we would appreciate learning the truth about today’s events. Why we are being forced on this journey? Its been a long and difficult day. We deserve more openness. We would like to know the real reason for this. Where we are heading, how long it will take? In fact, why are we involved at all?”

Eva, agitated, repeated the excuse. “It was difficult finding for you, accommodation.”

“Oh no! That will not wash,” snorted Hal.

Eva turned to Peter “Will not wash?”

“It is not a believable reason. We do not believe you.”

Eva pleaded. “Please I am only doing as asked.”

“Which is and who’s doing this asking?” Hal thrust his face into Eva’s.

Peter had never seen his friend this angry and moved in between them.

“Just tell us, please, where you are taking us and why.”

“I am to take you over the border to a meeting place.” Eva spread her hands. “That’s all I know.” Neither friend moved. They stood and looked at each other neither knowing where to go next.

“Please,” Eva pleaded. “It not so far and we are late.”

“How far?”

“Fifty maybe sixty kilometres.”

It was much further. Eva was lying.

Hal’s tiredness, frustration and confusion exploded in temper. Peter had great difficulty persuading him back into the car explaining that they had no option but to go along with Eva.

What else could they do and at least they had an idea of what they faced, even if they had no idea why. More to the point they had little idea where they were.

Wearily they climbed back into the car. A kilometre or so later both exhausted travellers fell fast asleep.

They were jolted awake over three hours later with the car bouncing over rough ground and the tyres crunching over gravel.

In the gloom, it was difficult to make out where they were. They appeared to be in the grounds of a large building.

Shown into the house kitchen, they were offered supper by an old couple, speaking only German.

They accepted coffee only and asked to be shown to their rooms.

Taking the coffee with them, they were taken upstairs to a very large room and flopped on the two beds exhausted.