by Ella Zeiss
Anna smiled. ‘Thank you, Anton. It’s very kind of you to come and tell me. If you like, you can go inside and ask Yvo for a piece of toffee.’
‘May I really?’ the boy asked, staring at her with wide eyes.
‘Yes, indeed,’ she said, laughing.
‘Thank you!’ He raced past her to the front door.
Anna sighed and went back to her gardening. Despite the boy’s harmless message, she was worried. Ever since Wilhelm’s arrest, she couldn’t help feeling anxious if he came home late, even when there was absolutely no reason. She shook her head at herself and smiled. Wilhelm had sent her that message precisely so she wouldn’t worry but there was no easing her heartache.
Yvo was already in bed when Wilhelm finally got home. He looked tired and bothered.
‘What is it?’ Anna asked, helping him out of his coat and pouring them each a cup of tea.
‘The till didn’t add up today,’ Wilhelm said, dropping heavily onto a chair. ‘There’s money missing.’
‘But doesn’t that happen now and then? Maybe someone made a mistake?’
‘There wasn’t any mistake,’ Wilhelm said darkly. ‘Boris Alexeyevich and I checked everything carefully. There are exactly fifty roubles missing from a till to which only he and I have a key.’
Anna faltered. ‘You don’t think . . .?’
‘Of course not!’ he interrupted her angrily. ‘But I didn’t take it either.’
‘So where is it?’ Fifty roubles was a lot – half her monthly wage.
‘Well, that’s precisely the question.’ Wilhelm rubbed his face. ‘Only one of us could have taken it, but neither of us did.’
‘What does Boris Alexeyevich say?’
Wilhelm chewed his lip, considering what to say. ‘His hands are tied,’ he said at last. ‘He doesn’t think I did it but if the money doesn’t show up, he’ll be expected to find the guilty party.’ He sighed. ‘I was thinking about replacing the sum out of my own pocket.’
‘But isn’t that the same as saying you’re guilty?’ Anna protested, worrying more about how it might look than the fact that fifty roubles would put a substantial dent in their savings.
‘What else can I do?’ Wilhelm asked desperately. ‘The two of us are the only ones with access to the till. The lock hasn’t been tampered with but the money is definitely gone.’
‘It’s a trap,’ Anna suddenly realised.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Think about it. First someone tried to damage your reputation and then when that didn’t work, now they’re trying to get rid of you another way.’
‘But who would do something like that and why?’
‘Who took over your position while you were in prison?’
Wilhelm was dumbstruck for a moment, then shook his head emphatically. ‘No. Never. Eugen isn’t just my deputy, he’s a friend. He would never do anything like that.’
‘How do you know what goes on in his head, or how much he wants your position?’
Wilhelm bit his lip again. ‘It’s not possible,’ he insisted, but he didn’t sound as sure any more.
‘He had access to the money while you were away, didn’t he?’
‘Yes, but the money only went missing now. It’s been weeks since he gave back the key.’ Wilhelm relaxed. ‘You see, it can’t be Eugen.’
‘If he really is after your position, then he didn’t take the money because he needs it so badly. He took it to put the blame on you. As long as he thought you wouldn’t be coming back there was no reason for him to steal anything.’
‘But how could he get at it?’ He paused. ‘You don’t think he copied the key, do you?’
‘It’s possible,’ Anna said with a shrug.
Wilhelm looked at her. ‘It’s just a theory and it won’t get us anywhere, I’m afraid. I would never accuse a friend without proper proof.’
Anna sniffed. If her theory was right, then his friend had had fewer qualms. ‘Perhaps Boris Alexeyevich knows who made those false accusations against you.’
‘He doesn’t,’ Wilhelm said dejectedly. ‘I asked him as soon as they let me out of prison but the GUGB protects its informers even if a tip-off proves to be false. The informers are so important they are guaranteed anonymity. They wouldn’t make an exception, not even for Boris Alexeyevich.’
‘You should still speak to him about our suspicions. If you replace the money from your own savings, who can guarantee that more won’t go missing?’
‘All right then.’ Wilhelm gave in. ‘I’ll have a word, but I can’t say what it’ll lead to. You know how highly Boris Alexeyevich rates loyalty. If I make some unwarranted accusation, the whole thing could blow up in my face.’
‘You don’t have to blame Eugen. Just let Boris Alexeyevich know our suspicions. He can’t want a thief on the loose in his business.’
‘I’ll do what I can.’ Wilhelm seemed so worried and upset that Anna stood up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
‘We’ll get through this,’ she murmured quietly. ‘We’ve got through far worse before now.’ She gave him a peck on the cheek.
He patted her arm gratefully. ‘You’re right, darling. We have God on our side.’
The following morning, Anna could hardly concentrate on her lessons because her mind was racing with all the thoughts of Wilhelm and what might happen next. She had barely spoken to him in the morning. He’d been too nervous to stomach any food and had headed off early, hoping to catch Boris Alexeyevich before work started.
By lunchtime, she could finally stand it no longer. It took her about twenty minutes to walk from the school to the mill. Allowing the same time for the return journey, that gave her about ten minutes to talk to her husband.
No sooner did the school bell ring than she grabbed her bag and left the classroom before anyone else. She saw the surprised looks on her pupils’ faces, but she didn’t care. She hurried down the street as fast as she could without running. When she arrived at the mill, she was completely out of breath. She knew her way to Wilhelm’s office and waved at the porter as she walked past.
The man nodded back politely and Anna felt some of the strain she had been under simply melt away. If Willi had been in grave trouble this morning, the porter wouldn’t simply have allowed her to pass. He must still be in his office at least.
The closer she came to the administration block, the more she felt weak at the knees. At last she stood outside Wilhelm’s door and knocked cautiously.
She heard footsteps and then the dark wooden door was opened and she found herself staring directly at Willi’s astounded face. ‘What a nice surprise,’ he said in Russian. They had begun to use the official language in public quite a while ago, so as not to attract unnecessary attention. ‘Have you come all this way to bring me my lunch? You didn’t have to do that!’
She smiled uncertainly because she didn’t know what his behaviour meant. Then Willi opened the door further and she saw Boris Alexeyevich sitting in the room behind him.
‘Am I disturbing you?’ Anna asked, startled, automatically taking a step backwards. ‘I just wanted to say hello . . .’
‘Don’t worry, Anna Friedrichovna,’ Wilhelm’s boss said in a friendly voice. ‘You’re absolutely right – it’s way past lunchtime. Why don’t you take your wife for a walk, Wilhelm?’ he added, turning to her husband.
‘Thank you, I think I will,’ Willi said, grabbing his coat. ‘I won’t be long.’
‘There’s no hurry. We’ve already discussed the important points. Goodbye, Anna Friedrichovna.’
‘Goodbye, Boris Alexeyevich,’ she answered, taken aback.
‘Come on, darling,’ Willi said, taking her arm. ‘The weather is so lovely. Let’s go for a little stroll.’
Anna nodded and followed him along the corridors and out the door without saying a word, while he thanked her profusely for coming all this way to see him. Not until they had left the mill far behind them did he let go of her hand and take her into his arms.
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‘What was that all about?’ Anna asked, cross and anxious at the same time. ‘Did I do something wrong? Was I not supposed to come?’
‘Everything’s fine,’ Wilhelm said to calm her down.
‘Then why were you both behaving so oddly?’
‘Let’s walk for a while and I’ll explain everything.’
She put her arm in his and walked on expectantly.
‘You were right,’ he explained quietly. ‘It was Eugen who put me on the blacklist, and he took the money as well.’ There was a note of dismay in his voice. ‘I trusted him entirely, always backed and supported him, while he . . .’ Willi shook his head in disbelief.
‘How did you find out?’
‘I told Boris Alexeyevich that someone might somehow have had access to the money. He was the one who mentioned Eugen’s name. He said he’d been thinking the same thing, so he ordered him into his office and asked him to empty his pockets, with his secretary there as a witness, and there was the key on his key ring.’ Wilhelm shook his head again. ‘He must have kept it to use again whenever he wanted, and to ensure no one found it by accident he had it with him all the time!’
‘What will happen to him now?’
‘I’m not really sure. During their conversation, Boris Alexeyevich told me that Eugen hinted at having some very influential friends. He said that Boris Alexeyevich would never get away with accusing him of anything. It does look as though he has connections to the GUGB but I have no idea how strong those links really are.’
‘I expect we’ll find out soon enough.’ Anna frowned. ‘But I still don’t understand what the two of you were up to back there.’
‘Eugen doesn’t know I have anything to do with this. Boris Alexeyevich has deliberately kept me out of everything. I didn’t want anyone to think you were worrying about me or might know anything about what’s been going on. I don’t know why but I’ve managed to make myself an enemy, I’m afraid. I didn’t want to give him any more reason to wish us ill.’
‘Once he’s been convicted of theft, hopefully he won’t be able to do us any more harm.’
‘I hope so too.’ Wilhelm stopped suddenly and turned to Anna. ‘Thank you,’ he said quietly and kissed her softly. ‘Your instincts were right again, as usual.’
May 1938, Aghstafa, Soviet Republic of Azerbaijan
In the growing darkness, Samuel did his best to make out the name as the train clattered into a station. He had been travelling for three days and could hardly wait for all the rattling and shaking to come to an end. His clothes were badly creased and reeking of sweat and he longed to have a basic wash at least.
The doors opened.
‘Aghstafa!’ the voice of the conductor boomed from outside.
Samuel took down his suitcase and stood up. He had travelled far enough. Here, amidst the cotton fields, he was sure to find work. In his youth, before his family had been dispossessed, he had often helped at harvest time and he was more than capable of driving a tractor.
As soon as he stepped outside, he was hit by the warm humid air and suddenly realised how far south he had come. All around him people were trying to get in or out of the train and Samuel hurried to move out of the way and get an overview of the situation. The station was small, not much more than a simple stop, but at least there was a low building next to the tracks. That meant he would be able to find someone to help him. He needed somewhere to stay and to know where the next sovkhoz or state farm was located.
The building was empty apart from two men who were either waiting for a connecting train or else, like him, had no idea where they should head to next. Uncertainly he looked back at the door. It was almost dark outside. He would achieve nothing more tonight.
The whispering of the two men reached his ear and he noticed the interested looks they were casting in his direction. If he continued to stand around so forlornly he was only going to attract unnecessary attention. Samuel sighed dejectedly and let himself drop onto one of the benches. It looked as though he would have to spend the night here and then start looking for work and a place to stay tomorrow.
He lifted his suitcase up next to him on the bench, using it as a pillow to stop it from being stolen, and closed his eyes. Three exceptionally hard days lay behind him, and along with his worries about his own situation, he was also concerned for his family. Perhaps he should have taken them with him. He would never be able to forgive himself if Hilde and the children got into trouble because he had disappeared. In the haste of departure, there had been no time for any such ideas. He was also sure that his wife and children would not have survived the first leg of his escape.
It had been risky enough to jump onto a moving train. No, this was the best way to do it and at least he wasn’t the only one who had run away. The police had so many suspects on their lists that they usually moved on to the next one if someone suddenly went missing. Torn between hope and worry, he eventually fell asleep.
When he awoke, warm rays of sunshine were already falling through the dirty windows into the hall. Samuel sat up and stretched his limbs. Once he had checked that his suitcase was where he’d left it and hadn’t been tampered with, he looked around with interest. The ticket office was still closed but he could see people waiting next to the tracks. He picked up his luggage and went outside.
A few people were standing around in groups. They must be locals because he was sure there hadn’t been another train in the meantime.
Samuel walked along the rails listening to people talking and hoping to hear a German word or familiar dialect, but he was out of luck. If there were any Germans here, they made sure they couldn’t be recognised.
An elderly woman handed a bundle smelling wonderfully of freshly baked bread to a young man, presumably her son. Samuel’s stomach was rumbling loudly. He hadn’t eaten a thing since yesterday afternoon when he’d bought himself some filled flatbread when the train stopped at a larger station. He would have loved to buy more food at one of the little market stands there, but had been worried the train would set off again at any minute without him.
Now he watched as the woman said goodbye to her son, embracing him and saying a last few words before walking away. Samuel followed her.
‘Excuse me.’
Surprised, the woman turned round and studied him carefully. He obviously didn’t look too trustworthy in his clothes, now the worse for wear, because a dubious look clouded her face. ‘What do you want?’
‘I arrived yesterday and need a room or apartment to stay in.’
‘I’m sorry, I can’t help you,’ she said, turning away.
‘Do you know anyone who rents out rooms?’
‘No, I’m sorry.’
Not feeling very motivated by this first failure, Samuel looked around for other people to ask. If none of the people waiting here were prepared to help him, he would have to ask at the ticket office, whether he liked it or not.
He was about to approach a young woman who seemed to be accompanying her husband to the train, as far as he could tell, when someone patted him timidly on the shoulder.
‘You’re looking for a room?’ a voice asked shyly.
Samuel turned round to see a girl of about eighteen in front of him.
‘Stop it, Sveta!’ an older woman hissed beside her, shaking her head crossly. ‘We don’t know this person.’
‘But we need the money, Babulya,’ the girl whispered back intently. ‘You can pay, can’t you?’ she asked, looking less sure of herself now.
‘Yes,’ Samuel nodded, ‘but perhaps we should talk over here where it’s quieter.’ He pointed towards the station exit. Their conversation was already attracting the interest of people standing around. He saw some of the women start to whisper to each other and noticed how the girl, Sveta, held her head up high as she walked past them.
‘We have a spare room in our house, my grandmother and I,’ the girl said firmly as soon as they had moved out of sight of the other people. ‘How long would you like to stay?
’
Samuel shrugged his shoulders. ‘A few months.’
‘Very well.’ The girl nodded in a businesslike manner. Although she was putting on a brave face, it was obvious that she didn’t feel very comfortable with the whole situation. Presumably they were doing this for the first time. Samuel suddenly found himself wondering what had happened to these two women to make them take this step. ‘The room costs five roubles a month, and five more if you want to eat with us.’ She stood there tensely, waiting to hear his answer.
‘All right,’ Samuel said slowly.
‘Wait!’ The girl’s grandmother took over the conversation now. ‘What will people think if you allow a strange single man to come and live with us? We don’t even know him!’
‘My name is Samuel Michailovich Pfeiffer.’ He gave a little bow. ‘And I am not single.’ He brought out his wallet and drew out the small photo they’d had taken on Harri’s tenth birthday almost three years ago. ‘This is my wife and my two children,’ he said.
The woman’s eyes widened. ‘You seem to be a respectable person,’ she admitted with an air of unwilling regard, although her mistrust remained. ‘What brings you here all by yourself?’
Samuel hesitated. He had feared this question and didn’t yet have a satisfying answer. He shrugged and tried to look as matter-of-fact as possible. ‘We don’t feel as happy in Kuban as we used to and need a change of air so I’ve come on ahead. Once I’ve found a place to stay, I hope to bring my family here.’
Her eyes narrowed. ‘Are you German?’
Samuel faltered. He hadn’t expected such a direct question. ‘Yes,’ he answered truthfully all the same. ‘Is that a problem for you?’
‘No.’ The woman said, slowly shaking her head. ‘My son-in-law was German too.’
‘And where is he now?’
‘Gone,’ was all she said, but the word implied the whole sorry truth.
‘I understand,’ Samuel said quietly.
‘Come on.’ The old woman waved for him to follow. ‘You can call me Baba Nina if you like.’