No ... It was better to spend the night in agony, longing for Deborah, than with one of them. He turned quickly to Von Epp and spoke in Italian. “I think I will take a rain check. Pretend that I am not your guest. I am sure you can dig up a good German officer to take my place. I shall act as though I were an intruder and beg my leave.”
“Go ahead,” Von Epp answered. “I will arrange everything.” Horst watched Chris pat Hildie’s cheeks and tell her he was sorry he could not stay, but another time ... Why would he run off, Von Epp thought? It is as I surmised—De Monti has something going for him here in Warsaw and he does not want to leave—almost certainly a Jewess. If it is so, I have found his price.
Chapter Eight
ERVIN ROSENBLUM WAS HOMELIER than usual when he opened the door to let Chris in. Aroused from a deep sleep, he yawned and stretched in a half-tied monstrous old robe and paddled to the mantel clock in a pair of worn slippers. He squinted at the clock.
“My God, past midnight! Something terrible has happened?”
Chris handed him the Kennkarte. Ervin was nearly blind without his glasses. He held it to his nose but could not read it. “Wait, I’ll get my glasses.”
He returned from the bedroom with a look of complete puzzlement.
“How in the name of God did you arrange this? I thought sure you had come to tell me good-by.”
Momma Rosenblum was up with a monstrous old robe to equal Ervin’s. She kissed Chris on the cheek. “Bad news?”
“No, Momma, good news. Chris will be able to keep the agency open, and I have a special work permit.”
“A miracle ... a miracle.”
Chris knew better than to try to stop her from making tea and putting out a feed.
He recounted the day with Horst von Epp to Ervin. Rosy kept looking at the Kennkarte, shaking his head.
“You’re the analyst, Rosy. What do you make of it?”
“Well, you have covered the Italian side of two wars. You have never been caught slipping reports out to the free press, but a man like Von Epp should surely know you pass tips and information to others who can use them. Maybe he is neutralizing you. He knows your word is sound and you won’t double-cross him.”
“I’ve thought about that. But why would he let me stay here in the first place?”
“To get you on his side. To make a deal with you sooner or later. To use you, somehow.”
“That’s possible too. He put on a real show for me. Even tried to soften me up with Hildie Solna tonight.”
Rosy laughed. “Hildie sure has good instincts. The smoke from battle has not yet cleared and the old girl is in German headquarters. So you had a party?”
“I pulled out.”
“Before or after?”
“Before. I begged off.”
“Maybe that wasn’t so smart, Chris.”
“Hildie’s a good lay, but—you know.”
“And by this time so does Von Epp. Why does an unattached bachelor walk out on a party with the most expensive whore in Warsaw? Because he’s carrying a torch for a woman. You might as well be wearing a sign.”
The whistle of the teakettle sounded from the kitchen. Momma Rosenblum summoned them in. There was enough on the table for ten men to eat.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were coming. There’s practically nothing here,” she said.
“You shouldn’t be so extravagant with the ration on, Momma Rosenblum,” Chris said.
“I’m only serving an iota of what you’ve sent over to us the past month. You could stand a little babying.” She knew that Chris and Ervin wanted to speak in confidence and took her leave.
Ervin stirred his tea slowly. “The trouble with a man like Von Epp is that you never know what is really going on in his head. We all know what Schreiker wants and what he is. Von Epp is twice as dangerous.”
“No one—positively no one—knows about me and Deborah but you. Perhaps Andrei and Gabriela suspect Perhaps even Bronski suspects, but no one really knows.”
“Don’t be lulled to sleep by Von Epp’s smooth talk. He’s a Nazi. If he ever knew, he could blackmail you into doing anything for him. He’ll let you stay on now because he thinks he’s discovered a blind spot and he wants to know what it is. Keep away from his parties, and for God’s sake be careful when you see Deborah. You’ll have to find another place to meet.”
“Rosy, I haven’t seen her for over a month. Can’t you see I’m going out of my mind!”
“I know, Chris, but I also know you’re going to try to see her.”
“Have you seen her?” Chris whispered.
“Yes. She works most of the day at the orphanage in Powazki. Susan is with her most of the time.”
“Does she ... ask for me?”
“No.”
Chris gave a hurt little laugh. “Funny, damned funny.
I make secret meetings with Paul Bronski to give him his money—funny, isn’t it, Rosy?”
“Not particularly. From now on you’d better give me the envelopes to deliver to him.”
“Maybe you’re right. Rosy, see her for me. She’s got relatives in Krakow. She could make an excuse to see them. I’ve got to go there in a few days. Sorenson from the Stockholm Press has a place there. He’ll let me use it.”
Rosy gripped his arm and stopped him. “If you were my own brother I couldn’t love you more, Chris. Don’t ask me to do this.”
Chris pulled away. “I’ll wait. I’ve got time on my side now. Something will happen.”
“Drink some tea. Momma will be offended.”
Chris drank slowly, drowning his churning anger.
“So long as you are going to Krakow, would you see Thompson at the American Embassy? He has a package for us.”
“I wish you wouldn’t ask me to carry any more packages,” Chris said sharply.
“I don’t think I understand you.”
“I made a deal with Von Epp.”
“My, you’re a regular boy scout. You don’t mind being a messenger boy for Paul Bronski.”
“That’s different. It’s coming through on company funds—it can’t be traced.”
“So what are we doing with the money from Thompson? Feeding orphans. This has become a crime?”
“Rosy, this Bathyran business is your own fault. I don’t want to know anything about it. I’m not getting involved.”
Chris got up from the table. Rosy wanted to rip the Kennkarte in half and throw it in his face, but he could not. It was too important to all of them. He had to continue working on the outside as long as he was able.
“See you in the office in the morning,” Chris said.
“Good night, boss.”
Chris flopped on his bed and gazed into nothingness. The soft melodiousness of Chopin on Radio Polskie had been largely replaced by a thumping, clanging Wagner. Chris snapped the radio off.
He walked to the window. Only a few blocks away from Deborah. What was she doing now? Combing Rachael’s hair ... keeping time as Rachael played the piano ... helping Stephan with his studies? No, it was late. Almost one o’clock. She and Paul would be in bed together.
He closed the curtains abruptly.
He lay back on the bed again. Andrei! Good old Andrei! We’ll hang one on! He rolled over and had a hand on his phone. No ... wait Andrei was wearing that damned Star of David. He couldn’t go into any of the hotels or bars. What’s the difference? Andrei could take off the armband. They could hit some dives, have a real blowout. Hell, Andrei would get mad and try to take on the German army. He let his hand drop from the phone.
Maybe I should have stayed with Von Epp, Chris thought. Hildie Solna is good for a few laughs. Von Epp is good company. If I had met Von Epp anywhere else in the world, we would have been friends. Isn’t that reason enough to trust a man? No ... Von Epp couldn’t be trusted.