‘No. SS Intelligence think the army are already lining up other factions in Russia. The criminal element that’s always existed under the Communist state – some of them have made money now the Russians have brought limited markets back. And some in the Russian Security Police, old NKVD people who made friends in our army during the Nazi-Soviet Pact. It’ll be a criminal state, ruling the old Russian ethnic areas.’
‘We’ll be in eternal danger.’ He thought of his brother Hans. ‘Is that what five million Germans have died for?’
‘That’s why we have to be ready. In case, God forbid, the SS has to fight the army.’
‘What about the Party?’
Gessler shook his head. ‘Divided. Speer is with the army. Reichsführer Goebbels is the biggest Party figure now Göring’s dead and poor Rudolf Hess is in a madhouse: he’s the Führer’s nominated successor. He could make things go one way or the other. He’s strengthening his position. That’s what this deal with Beaverbrook is all about. Strengthening his ties with Britain, giving them economic support we can’t afford in exchange for getting rid of the Jews.’
‘Goebbels has always been totally sound on the Jews.’
‘He’s wobbly on Russia, though. This could be a manoeuvre to link Germany to England and through them to the US. There’s talk that Stevenson might embargo trade relations with Europe; if he does it would hit us hard. Goebbels is loyal to the Führer but with the Führer gone—’
Gunther considered. ‘With the British Jews actually deported, the Americans would have no choice but to accept that reality. They would no longer be a possible bargaining issue for them.’
Gessler said, ‘If there is a battle for control of Germany it could ripple through this embassy.’ He shook his head. ‘After all our victories, I thought, we can’t lose, we’re omnipotent. But now—’
‘We still can be, if we keep our courage,’ Gunther countered. ‘SS power has been growing for twenty years.’
Gessler said, more to himself than Gunther, ‘If there is a struggle and the SS lose, I suppose they can’t shoot all of us. I expect we’ll all be demoted and redeployed.’ His manner softened unexpectedly, became confidential. He took off his pince-nez and rubbed the bridge of his nose. ‘I wonder where. I was in Leningrad in 1942, you know. After the army cut the city off completely and starved them all to death over the winter. The Wehrmacht has never hesitated at what has to be done in Russia, some of them will pretend to scruples if they argue for peace but I’ve seen the army lads in action out there, seen how they deal with the Russians. But more and more of the senior officers have lost the spine for it. Weakness in the face of the enemy.’ He sat still, reflecting. ‘I was with the first SS group into Leningrad, in April, to question some of the few survivors – mostly Communist Party officials, they had what few supplies were left by then, though even they were like walking skeletons. God, the city stank, what our artillery and bombing had left of it. Three million bodies, rotting in that rubble. The corpses could be dangerous, you know, especially if there was a pile of them – they decomposed fast when the snow went. The gases would build up inside and they’d explode. You’d hear them banging off, at night. Wolves had come in to forage, and there were rats everywhere. No water, no sewage – we all had to clear out again after a month, the troops were coming down with typhoid – it’s all still cordoned off. At least in Moscow we took the city without a long siege; kicked the population out and put them in camps to starve quietly. The Führer wants to demolish the buildings and build a lake there when we win. But I never want to go east again; it was disgusting.’ He wrinkled his face with distaste, sighed, then focused on Gunther again. ‘I see from your file you’re divorced, Hoth.’
‘Yes, sir. But I have a son in Krimea.’
‘I have a wife, two daughters, in Hanover. I taught physical education in a school there, when I came back from the Great War. Then I joined the Party, then the SS. I did well.’
A little golden peasant, Gunther thought, not wanting hard times back again. ‘We’ll win through, sir,’ he said quietly.
Gessler slammed his hand on the desk, his mood turning in a moment. ‘Of course we will! None of us must doubt it!’ He took a couple of deep breaths, replaced his pince-nez, then spoke calmly again. ‘Don’t repeat anything of what I said to anyone.’
‘Of course not, sir.’
‘Besides, it may be mostly rumours. You know what HQ’s like.’
‘Yes, sir.’ But Gunther still felt cold.
‘Now, these visitors Muncaster had,’ Gessler said, businesslike again. ‘Do you still think they could have been Resistance? After sleeping on it?’
‘Yes, sir. It’s not certain but it is possible.’
‘Why didn’t Dr Wilson tell you other visitors were coming?’
‘I think he didn’t know, sir.’
‘He’ll be phoned this morning.’ Gessler shook his head. ‘If they were Resistance, how would they know about Muncaster?’
‘The obvious answer is through the Americans. The brother will have told them all about what happened.’ Gessler nodded. Gunther thought, all about what? What exactly did Muncaster know? And how much did Gessler know of it?
‘And the old man definitely reported Muncaster as saying “The Germans mustn’t know”.’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Given how important this could be, Berlin agrees Muncaster should be brought here and questioned. He would fold quickly, I am sure; we would soon find out whether he actually knows anything important.’
Gunther said, ‘I think locking him in the basement and telling him a few details about what we can do should be enough.’
‘Good. Actual interrogation of a British citizen is politically tricky. They like to keep things in their own hands.’
‘I know.’
Gessler frowned again, tapping his fingers on the desk. ‘And that is our problem. What I would like to do is send an SS squad into that hospital and just take him. But the orders from Berlin are that we must avoid doing anything that would cause a stir. If the British authorities realize Muncaster’s importance they may want to keep him. We don’t want the British secret services anywhere near this; they’re unreliable, full of wild adventurers. And if the Resistance people are onto Muncaster, too, it is vital they know nothing of our involvement; they might try to snatch or kill him first.’
‘They’ve had access to him already. If he has a secret the Americans don’t want to get out then why haven’t they killed him yet?’
‘Maybe the Americans want him alive. Maybe the British Resistance want his secret for themselves.’
‘What if these visitors come again?’
‘Dr Wilson will be told very firmly to ring a good friend of ours in the British Home Office. He’ll do it, he’ll huff and puff but he knows he could lose his job if things go wrong.’
‘Don’t forget he has a relative in the Health Ministry.’
‘It’s the Home Office that counts. Meanwhile we need to look into the people in that university photograph, two of whom the old man thought he recognized, which brings me to the next issue. How did Syme do yesterday?’
Gunther had considered how to answer this. ‘Very well. Took the lead in questioning Muncaster, but took cues from me. I don’t think Muncaster even realized I’m foreign. Then Syme helped me get into the flat.’
‘How far do you trust him?’
Gunther considered. ‘He’s not an easy colleague. Bit of a chip on his shoulder about us being in charge. He’s clever, he’s guessed there’s more to this than meets the eye. But he’s fond of money and the good life, and I’ve told him he’ll be rewarded for helping us.’