فصل 79

florian

Hundreds of thousands had descended upon Gotenhafen from the depths of East Prussia and the Baltic countries. They now pushed and floated, like human driftwood, near the harbor. Vehicles shrieked their horns, carving a narrow path through the sea of refugees. A crowd gathered around a small girl who had been hit by a car. Hooded crows feasted on the innards of a dead horse in front of an overturned wagon. People wandered, looking constantly to the sky in fear of the Black Death. On the side of the road, where the earth had been turned by tank treads, an emaciated cow wailed. Its udders had frozen and burst overnight.

“You will step aside, please. I am an official escort!” announced the sailor who accompanied us.

The Polish girl tugged at my sleeve and gave me a concerned look. The sailor was drawing attention unnecessarily. He was more than a booby without experience; he was desperate to feel important. I knew the type.

In the distance I saw a group of Party officials with their wives. The women wore thick fur coats and expensive jewelry. They were flanked by parlor maids carrying trunks and hatboxes. These were the privileged passengers who would have priority boarding with the officers and wounded. They were also the type who could give me trouble.

“Say there, sailor. Hold up a minute.” I clapped him on the shoulder and he turned. I pulled him aside from our group, allowing the blistering noise to cover our conversation.

“You strike me as a man of confidence,” I told him.

“Well, yes.”

“What I really mean is, a man of discretion,” I clarified. “As the nurse mentioned, some of us are on important missions.” I lowered my voice. “Perhaps even for the Führer himself.” I removed the folded sheet of paper from my interior coat pocket.

“Oh, yes, I am quite discreet,” he assured me, looking curiously at the paper.

“Then I can trust you to read this letter and speak of it to no one.” I handed him the letter and he began to read. The tops of his hands were baked in crusty red blisters. Just the sight of them made me itch. I scratched the back of my neck.

The sailor looked up and started to salute.

“Don’t do that. You’ll draw attention.”

“Oh, yes, Herr Beck. I understand. Yours is a secret mission.” His face glowed with conspiratorial excitement.

“I can’t be diverted with other work or inquiries,” I told him. “I have to board a ship and preferably somewhere out of sight. But some of these officers, they might want to recruit me for their own efforts, to pull me off my assignment. The others here, you can take them to registration. But if you can assist me with a discreet registration, I will recommend you to Gauleiter Koch for commendation and even—to the Führer.”

I had his attention.

“I see that the Reich has very efficient and organized practices here, sailor, but perhaps a man of your talents can provide options?”

His lips twitched into a grin. “I might have some extra boarding passes. Taken only as mementos of course.”

“Very smart of you,” I assured him. “And you have these passes with you?”

“Alas, I do not. But I can get them. They are under my bunk.”

“Then take these important people and get them registered for the nurse. Come find me at the movie house just into town. Knock three times, twice, and I’ll open the door.”

His fingers began to flutter. “Knock three times, twice. Yes, Herr Beck. I’ll do it.”

I gave him my best serious look and lowered my voice to a whisper. “Heil Hitler, sailor.”

“Heil Hitler, sir.”