Karl sighed and studied her for a moment, sucking on his cigarette.
“What do you think the Gestapo is?” he finally asked.
She shrugged. “They are the Geheime Staatspolizei; the Nazi State Police.”
“That is true. That is how they began.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Began?”
“The Gestapo has been absorbed into the Sicherheitspolizei, the Security Police. Now they are both under the authority of Himmler, the Reichsführer, SS. They operate legally without judicial review. They do not answer to the courts. They are above the law, and answer only to Himmler himself, who answers only to Hitler.” Karl stubbed out his cigarette. “The Gestapo is tasked with investigating any reports of treason, espionage, sabotage…any acts that could possibly be considered to be against the Nazi Party or Germany. They don’t need proof. If you simply look disloyal, that is enough for them.”
Evelyn swallowed with difficulty. “You can’t be serious…”
Karl looked at her for a long moment, then leaned forward.
“There is a couple who lives on my street, in Munich. They are a very distinguished family, very loyal to Germany. They had a daughter, Elsa, and she was very beautiful. A few weeks ago, she had a disagreement with her boyfriend, an SS officer. There was talk of a marriage, but after their argument, she made it clear that the relationship was over. Last week, she was arrested on charges of treason and taken to a concentration camp. Her parents were placed on house arrest and are not allowed to leave their property, nor have any visitors. This morning, she was executed by firing squad. That, mademoiselle, is how the Gestapo and SS conduct their business. So you see, they have no need of proof for anything.”
“That’s how it is?” she whispered, shocked.
He nodded.
“What are these concentration camps?” she asked after a long moment. “I thought they were work camps.”
Karl shook his head and laughed briefly. “Perhaps, at one time, they were. They’re little more than over-crowded prisons now, where anyone who opposes the Nazi Party ends up.”
Evelyn stared at him, her heart mind spinning.
“What are you going to do? If they followed you here, they must know something.”
“I don’t know. I have to go back to Munich. Beyond that, I just don’t know.”
“What? You can’t do that. They’ll arrest you!” she hissed. “Can’t you stay in France?”
He looked at her, his lips twisting sardonically. “Relocating to France is not that easily done. Aside from that, if I am at risk, my family is at risk. I must get them out of the city and somewhere safe.”
“Do you have somewhere in mind?”
“Yes.”
“How long will it take?”
“Twenty-four hours if we move quickly.”
She was quiet for a moment.
“Where is it?”
“In the mountains. We will be safe there temporarily, until I can make other arrangements.”
The waiter returned then to set down two cups of coffee. Evelyn waited until he departed again, reaching for her cup automatically.
“How will you give me the package if he’s watching?” she asked after sipping the strong coffee.
“I won’t.” Karl reached for his coffee. “It’s too dangerous.”
She stared at him. “Then what do we do?”
“I’ve hidden it,” he told her quietly. “It’s in the National and University Library, behind a book on entomology. Second floor, last stack on the right. QL458.I29. I lost him long enough to do that, but when I came out of the library, he was in the street waiting for me.”
She nodded, committing the call number for the book to memory.
“This is all very well for me, but what are you going to do about you?” she demanded. “You can’t be serious about going back.”
“I have no choice. To not return would put my family in immediate danger. I must go back.”
Evelyn bit her lip. She could tell by the resigned tone in his voice that he knew what would happen as soon as he crossed the border back into Germany. She tossed her head, scanning the café across the street as she did so.
“Which one is he?” she asked.
“The one in the black suit with the paper.” Karl frowned. “Why do you ask?”
“He is from Munich?”
He nodded. “Yes.”
“What is his name?”
“Hans Voss.”
Evelyn drained her cup, swallowing the strong coffee for fortitude.
“I’m going to go talk to Herr Voss,” she told him, standing. “I’ll be right back.”
He jumped up and grabbed her arm.
“Are you insane?” he hissed. “You can’t do that!”
She looked down at his hand gripping her arm coldly and he released her awkwardly.
“I can, and I will,” she said. “Don’t worry. He won’t do anything in the middle of the street, and especially not to me.”
Turning, Evelyn moved away from the table with more confidence than she felt. Her legs were trembling and her gaze wavered as she looked across the street at the man sitting at a table with a paper. As she looked, the paper shifted and she found herself staring into a pair of icy blue eyes. Swallowing, she stepped off the curb and crossed the road.
William crossed the hallway to pick up the telephone. While he was answering the correspondence from London, Francois had come to tell him he’d received a call. Picking up the heavy, white receiver, he glanced at his watch.
“Yes? This is William Buckley,” he answered.
“Is that Bill?” a deep voice asked through a heavy amount of static. “Good Lord, what a terrible connection. Bill? Are you there?”
“I’m here, George. Can you hear me?”
“Barely, old man,” came the cheerful answer. “We have a rubbish connection, but it can’t be helped. Have you heard anything from Strasbourg yet?”
Bill frowned. “Not yet. I don’t expect to hear anything until later today. Why do you ask?”
“It’s just that we got a strange transmission an hour ago from Kehl,”
