“How involved was Karl?” I asked. I had to know.
“You and Louisa had better sit down for this,” the judge answered.
Robert and I exchanged a look as we sat down at the kitchen table.
The judge leaned forward, chin on his elbows. “Guess what piece of information my nephew found out?”
We shrugged.
“Take a guess at the maiden name of Karl Schneider’s mother.”
Robert looked at me as if I should know. I had met Karl’s parents a number of times, but I had no knowledge of his mother’s maiden name.
Triumphantly, the judge leaned forward to enunciate the word: “Mueller.”
My eyes went wide; I was too stunned to speak.
“Yes! Friedrich Mueller is her brother! Karl Schneider is Mueller’s nephew!” He pounded his fist on the table as if it were a gavel.
Mind whirring, Robert leaned back in his chair. “That means that Karl is also related to Heinrich Mueller. The head of the Gestapo.”
“Yes!” shouted the judge. “There’s more!” He looked ecstatic. “Mueller wouldn’t talk, and Karl didn’t say a word, either. But as soon as we separated them, Karl started singing like a canary. He wants to cut a deal.” He clapped his hands together. “Karl told us they had plans to re-connect with Heinrich after the war—win or lose—and share their booty.” The judge couldn’t hold back a grin. “So my nephew is pretty sure they’re going to lead them to Heinrich Mueller. The Number One Wanted Nazi Criminal!” He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe such good luck.
I was still speechless.
“So Karl had never lost touch with Friedrich Mueller?” Robert asked.
“Apparently, he did. For a short time after all that happened here.” The judge paused, referring to when Herr Mueller had kidnapped William and me and whisked us off to his hideaway in Mexico. We had escaped, interrupting Herr Mueller’s getaway plans, forcing him to flee. “But Karl said when he saw Louisa in Germany, when she came to get Elisabeth, she provided enough information that he was able to pick up his uncle’s trail again. Karl located Mueller in Mexico, and they agreed to rendezvous in Copper Springs as soon as they could, because this was where Mueller had hidden his loot.”
Robert looked at me, horrified. “You gave him information about Mueller? While you were in Germany? You gave him information?”
Oh no. Another sizeable topic I had neglected to tell him. I avoided his glare.
“Sit tight, Robert, there’s even more!” The judge was nearly jumping out of his chair. “It was Karl Schneider who traced Louisa to Copper Springs in the first place! Years ago! He was the one who told Mueller she had information about Bonhoeffer. He was the reason the German government wanted her back, to help indict Bonhoeffer!”
“But…how?” I asked, my mouth finally catching up with my racing mind. “How could he have known where I was living?”
“Schneider had infiltrated the Resistance Movement. He worked in Hitler’s office and fed information to Resistance workers.” The judge paused for a moment. “He volunteered that tidbit to us! He’s hoping to avoid extradition.”
“Then he was the one who met the others in the ravine that night you killed the SS guard,” Robert said quietly.
The judge’s bushy eyebrows shot up. “What?”
Robert nodded and scrunched up his face. “Long story.”
Before the judge could ask about it, I changed the subject. “Did Karl look for Elisabeth after the war ended? Is that why he joined the Red Cross?”
“Nope. Purely accidental. He just happened to recognize her at the children’s facility. Strange coincidence.”
It was no coincidence, of that I was sure. It was part of Elisabeth’s miracle. Evidence that God loved her.
The judge shook his head in disbelief. “Bold move, that Mueller. Who would have ever thought to look for him right here? Under our very noses?”
“Who, indeed?” I asked, smugly, still avoiding Robert’s eyes. And, I realized, the timing of Herr Mueller’s return coincided neatly with Elisabeth’s arrival in Copper Springs. No wonder the scrounging began when it did. And ended when it did. Herr Mueller had no reason to scrounge for food after Karl arrived. Karl provided it.
“After you left tonight, a few of us ventured into the cave and found Mueller’s hideout. We started to bring out bags and bags of town treasures. It’ll take a few days to get everything sorted out.” The judge scratched his head. “We thought all of those things were in Germany, but they were less than a few miles from town.”
Exhausted of information, the judge yawned and stood to leave. “One more thing. Louisa, Karl Schneider asked me to relay a message to you. He’s staying in the jail over in Bisbee. My nephew is going to escort him and Mueller to Washington D.C. to be formally indicted in a few days. Then they’ll probably be sent back to Germany.” He paused, correcting himself. “Actually, Mueller is a U.S. citizen, so I’m not sure what will happen to him, other than being convicted of treason.”
And murder, I thought, thinking of Ruth.
The judge’s eyes darted uncomfortably to Robert, then back to me. “Anyway, Schneider asked to see you. He wants to explain. He told me to tell you, well, uh, that he will always love you.”
Robert’s hands slowly clenched into fists.
The judge looked down at his feet. “So I’ll be heading over there tomorrow, if you’re interested in going.”
I looked at my husband and placed my hand on top of his. “No, thank you. Please tell Karl he has no idea what love is.”
Robert squeezed my hand.
“Ask him, Robert,” I whispered, as the judge reached for the kitchen doorknob. “Ask him what his nephew’s job is.”
“If he wanted us to know, he would tell us,” Robert whispered back.
The judge overheard us and whispered, “No one knows. Not even me. Probably better that way.” He winked at us and quietly closed the door.
* * * *
As tired as he was, Robert preached the finest sermon at church that next morning I have ever heard him deliver. He threw out his prepared sermon and spoke from his heart.
One moment, in particular, would forever be etched in my mind. “There is nothing God can not use for His purposes,” Robert said, looking down from his pulpit at Danny and Elisabeth. “Absolutely nothing God can not use and redeem for good.”
That afternoon, we held a funeral service for our beloved Dog in the backyard and buried him in my rose garden, a place he had loved to dig up on a regular basis. Robert conducted the ceremony, even wearing his ministerial robes in tribute to Dog. He cleared his throat, unable to speak. “Dog helped us become a family,” Robert finally began. “He came into our life when we needed him the most. He gave his life when William needed him the most.”
That got us all crying. Even Aunt Martha wiped away a tear or two.
After the service, Robert left on an errand with William and returned with two new puppies, sired by Dog, courtesy of Mitzi, Mrs. Bauer’s prize poodle. “I was only going to get one but…well… they were so attached to each other, and Mrs. Bauer seemed eager to get rid of them,” Robert explained, sounding surprised.
“Dey belong together,” Elisabeth announced. “Dey need each other. Everybody needs a family.”
I went over to Elisabeth and hugged her. If I wasn’t mistaken, I felt a hint of a squeeze in return.
“I think Dog would be pleased,” I said, but that only got all of us tearing up again, sorely missing that big yellow hound. It helped, though, to watch his little offspring tear around the kitchen.
“What are you going to name them?” Aunt Martha asked.
“Big Dog and Little Dog,” said William, hugging the puppies.
“You can’t deny they are amusing, Aunt Martha,” I said, watching them pull at William’s shoestrings like a robin pulls at a worm.
Rolling her eyes, Aunt Martha muttered, “And who doesn’t need a little more amusement around here?”
&nbs
p; The next day, we were quietly eating breakfast as if it were any other morning. The judge stopped in for his usual cup of coffee, but something was on his mind. He couldn’t stop grinning at Aunt Martha. Finally, he asked for everyone’s attention. “So, Martha, shall we spill the beans?”
“Now? At breakfast?” Aunt Martha asked.
“Why not?” he asked, eyes twinkling.
Then she blushed furiously. Blushed! “You tell them, Edward.”
Robert exchanged a look with me. He waved to William. “William, put the puppy down and come listen to the judge.”
Now everyone was still, eyes on the judge. “I’ve asked Martha to be my wife.”
All eyes turned to Aunt Martha.
“And I said yes,” she said bravely.
Robert was the first to react, as if he wasn’t at all surprised. “That’s wonderful news!” He hopped up to congratulate her.
She held up a hand in warning. “That means that I’m going to move to his house. I’ll have to leave all of you.”
“Oh Aunt Martha, it’s just down the street,” Robert said.
“And Louisa will have to cook.”
Robert’s eyebrows shot up. Elisabeth gasped. William grabbed his throat as if he was being poisoned. Even Danny looked alarmed.
I frowned.
“Perhaps the judge would enjoy moving in with us,” Robert said, hopefully.
Aunt Martha looked at him as if he were daft. “Why would any man in his right mind chose to live in a household of four children with rockets blasting off through the roof? And now, two wild, undisciplined puppies?”
“I always wanted a houseful,” Robert answered, putting his arm around her.
“Well, you’ve got it,” she said tartly. Slowly, carefully, she looked around the kitchen as if seeing it for the last time. William had returned to the floor to wrestle his sock out of one puppy’s mouth while the other puppy had squatted, making a puddle where the linoleum was worn away to all black near the sink. Elisabeth rested her chin on her elbows, watching Danny, moonstruck. Danny had returned to his book, unaware of Elisabeth’s devoted gaze, absentmindedly pushing his glasses back up on his nose. Baby Meg bounced in her bouncing chair, happy for a brief moment. The judge leaned back in his chair, sipping coffee, looking pleased.
Then her eyes rested on me, locking for a moment. And they filled with tears.
About the Author
Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of Amish fiction and non-fiction, and a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazine. The Waiting was a finalist for a 2011 Christy Award. The Choice and The Search have been finalists for Carol Awards. Amish Peace: Simple Wisdom for a Complicated World and Amish Proverbs: Words of Wisdom from the Simple Life were both finalists for the ECPA Book of the Year (2010, 2011).
When Suzanne isn’t writing, playing tennis (badly!), or bragging to her friends about her grandbabies (so cute!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind.
To learn more about Suzanne's books, visit her website at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com.
Acknowledgements
A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul. (Proverbs 13:19, NIV)
With all my heart I thank God for giving me the passion to write and the encouragement to persevere.
A special thanks to the How girls, Lisa Marquardt, Deb Coty and Linda Danis, my first draft readers. I owe you!
Grateful thanks to my editor, Dawn Carrington, for her commitment to excellence.
I especially want to express gratitude to my husband, Steve, and to my wonderful children, Lindsey, Gary, Meredith and Tad, who gave me the time, space and freedom to write.
A special thank you to the John Tracy Clinic of Los Angeles for checking the manuscript for accuracy, sharing information about Spencer and Louise Tracy and their son, John, in the early days of the Clinic, and for enthusiastically supporting this project.
The author gratefully acknowledges the following trademarks:
Good Housekeeping magazine and cookbooks: Hearst Communications, Inc. CORPORATION DELAWARE 959 Eighth Avenue New York NEW YORK 10019
Cheerioats (now called Cheerios): GENERAL MILLS, INC. CORPORATION DELAWARE Number One General Mills Boulevard Minneapolis MINNESOTA 55426
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese: Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc. CORPORATION DELAWARE Three Lakes Drive Northfield ILLINOIS 600932753
Zenith Radionic A2A Vacuum Hearing Aid: Zenith Electronics Corporation (formerly Zenith Radio Corporation) 2000 Millbrook Drive, Lincolnshire, Ill. 60069
LONE RANGER, INC., THE CORPORATION MICHIGAN 17TH FLOOR-STROH BLDG. DETROIT MICHIGAN
International Business Machines Corporation CORPORATION NEW YORK New Orchard Road Armonk NEW YORK 10504
BBC: The British Broadcasting Corporation Broadcasting House Portland Place; London W1A 1AA UNITED KINGDOM
Crayola Crayons (current owner) Binney & Smith Properties, Inc. CORPORATION DELAWARE 2035 Edgewood Avenue Easton PENNSYLVANIA 18045
The text of the 1917 Scofield Reference Bible is now in the public domain. Oxford University Press published a copyrighted revision of the Scofield Bible in 1967 with a slightly modernized KJV text. The Press continues to issue editions under the title Oxford Scofield Study Bible, which it offers with other translations. Oxford University Press, Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP
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