All My Love, Detrick (38 page)

144

Thoughts and terrors flew at him like runaway aircraft, crashing into each other in the midnight sky. All of the "what-if’s" imaginable fought their way into his consciousness.
How long had Leah been at Ravensbrook? Had they hurt her? Was she still alive?
If she were dead, nothing mattered anymore; he would just as soon die, too. Detrick swallowed hard, pushing his feelings back. If he allowed fear to take over his mind, he would never be able to play the part he must in order to do what he could to save her life.

145

Ravensbrook Concentration Camp

“H
eil Hitler,” the guard addressed Detrick as he entered.

“Heil Hitler. I am
Gruppenfuhrer Detrick Haswell. I’ve been sent here to retrieve a Jewess for Oberfuhrer Konrad Klausen in Berlin.”

“Do you have documentation?”

“I do.” Detrick handed him the sealed letter on Konrad’s letterhead.

The man tore the envelope and read. “You have come so late at night?”

“Yes, I’m sorry. I was supposed to arrive earlier, but I got tied up. I must deliver the Jewess by tomorrow morning. As you can see by the letter, she is an expert pianist. My superior is hosting a special luncheon, and he wishes for her to entertain. My guess is I will be returning her to you tomorrow evening, following the festivities.” Sweat trickled down the collar of Detrick’s uniform, but he continued to meet the man’s eyes without wavering.

“There is no one here of authority to grant permission for this. Perhaps you should return in the morning.”

“Impossible. He wants her to practice through the night. There are to be no mishaps at the gathering tomorrow. You have the letter…that should suffice for your superior. Just explain the situation, and I will have returned her by nightfall. Besides, between you and me…what is one more Jewess?” Detrick laid a few
reichsmarks
on the table in front of the guard. “My job is at stake here. I need to be sure not to disappoint Oberfuhrer Klausen.”

The guard laughed and nodded in understanding as he stuffed the currency into his breast pocket. “Wait here. I’ll have someone go and bring her back.”

The white-faced circular clock on the wall ticked loudly. With each movement of the hands of the timepiece, Detrick felt his heart flutter. Above
him, he saw a picture of Adolf Hitler and wondered how one man had started such a snowball of horror. Either the guard would return with Leah, or Detrick would be arrested, and soon he would find out. If he were arrested, Detrick worried that he would never know what had become of Leah. He ran a nervous hand through his golden hair.

146

S
imez was attempting to teach Leah to make dolls when the male guard entered the barracks.

“Shh…
Stay quiet… These guards come in here at night, when everyone is gone, and force themselves on us.”

Leah and Simez curled quietly into their beds hoping they
’d not been seen or heard.

A gruff male voice called out, “Leah Abdenstern. Is Leah Abdenstern here?”

Leah’s heart beat wildly.

“Shhhh…
Don’t answer,” Simez whispered.

“Abdenstern!” the guard called again, this time louder and more demanding.

“She’s over there.” Dagmar stood, bearing a resemblance to a hippopotamus as she indicated Leah’s bunk.

The hard clank of the guards' boot heels hitting the cement floor terrified
Leah and her eyes filled with tears.

“This one.”
By one arm, he lifted Leah entirely in the air.

“Yes,” Dagmar answered.

“
Gut
.”

Dragging Leah from the room, he pulled her through the mud outside, and all the way into the main office.

A door slammed, unnerving him, and Detrick jumped.

“
Gruppenfuhrer Haswell, is this the one?” He roughly pushed Leah forward, and she tripped. Detrick’s heart broke as he saw her fall to the ground. It was all he could do not to pick her up and take her into his arms, not to knock this man into the next world. But, he knew if he were to save her life, he must continue with this masquerade.

“Yes, I believe it is, from the photographs I’ve seen. Thank you. I will have her back here before nightfall tomorrow. You need not even mention it to your superior. By the time he notices she is gone, I will have brought her back.”

“That’s a good idea.” The guard winked at Detrick as he massaged his breast pocket where he’d placed the bribe.

Detrick took Leah’s arm and feigned authority. “Let’s go.
Quickly.”

Leah could barely contain her joy at seeing him. When they got into the car she wanted to kiss him, but he told her to sit in the back in case anyone looked out the window. Then he drove off.

“Sweetheart. Are you alright?” The tightening in his chest finally began to give way.

“No, I wasn’t, but yes, now I am.
Now that you’re here.”

“My God, Leah.
I was so afraid. I was so afraid they’d hurt you or worse.”

“Detrick, I want to kiss you. I want to hold you.”

“Soon, darling, soon. There is a pile of clothes on the floor, under the seat. Change from that uniform. Then, when you are in regular clothes, I am nothing more than a Nazi officer out for an evening with my girl. It will look less suspicious if we are stopped. And, once we get to the Swiss border, I will tell them that I am taking you with me on special business concerning fine art. The Nazis are hiding stolen art in Switzerland. The border patrol is aware of it, and they know not to ask questions.” He handed her a bag filled with bread and cheese. “Eat this, you must be starving.”

“Papa is in trouble, Detrick.”

“I know. I have it all under control love. Do you trust me?”

“More than anything or anyone in the entire world.”

147

Leah fell asleep in exhaustion with the motion of the car as they sped towards the Swiss-German border. She awaked just as the guard gave them the right to enter Switzerland. Although it took a mere second to cross, the intensity both she and Detrick felt made them both think their lungs would burst as they held their breath. Then it happened. They were free of Nazi rule. They’d entered Switzerland.

Detrick drove through the little border town and found a small hotel, and paid for the entire month. Then he took Leah up a winding staircase to a small room on the second floor. Although the cost had proved substantially higher, he had insisted upon a private bath within the room rather than use the communal one at the end of the hall. Once inside, he began to run the water, filling the tub.

“I thought you might like a warm bath.”

Grateful, Leah did not say a word; she just nodded. She shed her clothes and stepped in. Detrick knelt beside the tub and soaped up a washcloth, gently running it across her body. Bathing her as if she were a baby, he took the soap and shampooed her hair, rinsing it carefully to avoid her eyes.

“I’ve never had anyone give me a bath before.” She smiled.

“I wanted to make you comfortable.”

“I know. You always do so much for me, Detrick.”

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

He lifted her into his arms and covered her with a towel. Then he carried her to the bed. Tenderly, he kissed her.

“When I got to the house and saw you were gone, I thought I would die.”

She could not answer. Tears streamed down her face.

“I found you, my darling, my love. I give thanks to God that you are alive.” He kissed her again and again, the passion of their feelings bringing them together as one.

After they’d finished, he held her close to him for a long time. Their hearts beat in unison, their breath synchronized, as they lay wrapped in each other’s arms upon the little bed. Outside a light rain fell, the drops dribbling down the
windowpane.

“I’m pregnant, Detrick.”

He moved his body down to where his eyes could meet hers, so full of emotion he could not speak. Instead, he kissed her and held her face with his hands. A single tear fell from his eye into her drying hair.

“Leah,” he whispered, hoa
rse with emotion. “Leah. My God, I am so happy.”

148

Berlin

“H
eil Hitler.”

“To the Fuehrer.”

“To the Fuehrer.”

“To the Reich.”

“To the Reich. May it last 1000 years.”

The toasts continued through the night. Konrad drank far more than usual, and
the alcohol had begun to take effect. By four in the morning, he knew it would be necessary to request a driver to take him home.

149

Jacob searched tirelessly for Rabbi Stern and the Mueller family, but found only Ebner Mueller.

“The women were separated from us when we got here.” Ebner bit his fingernail.

“I know, I saw them send a group of females to the other side when we first arrived. I think there is a women’s camp there.”

“Yes, I believe you’re right. I wish I hadn’t agreed to this. I didn’t think we would be caught.” Herr Mueller sat with his arms crossed over his chest. “I’ve destroyed my family, and for what?”

“I could say I am grateful to you.”

“Don’t bother. I would rather you just leave me alone. When I look at you I think about what I’ve done and I feel sick.”

Jacob nodded, got up, and went back to his own space.

He could not help but wonder where Leah
had been taken, if she lived, or if they’d killed her. And, Detrick - Jacob knew his crime was punishable by death. He shook his head in despair. Jacob sat in his tiny corner in the dirty barracks of Bergen-Belsen…powerless.

150

Switzerland

Although time ticked away and, with it, the precious moments of safety, Detrick could not bear to awaken Leah. She was exhausted; the ordeal had taken a toll on her. But, he knew if he were to succeed in his mission, he must leave soon. Once again he studied her face, so relaxed, the pain he’d seen earlier now diminished. Careful not to awaken her, he loosened himself from their intertwining limbs. He stood up and stretched, fighting the need for sleep. Then Detrick went over to the desk, sat down, and began to pen a letter.

After he’d finished, he folded the paper and sealed it in an envelope he found in the desk drawer. Then, regretfully, he knew he must rouse Leah.

A gentle kiss upon her cheek and a loving hand across her hair awakened her. She smiled and pulled him to her. They kissed, but before the passion could consume him, Detrick pulled away. He could not stay any longer.

“Leah, darling,
listen to me.” Detrick took her hand in his, caressing the pale skin with his thumb. “I must go. Your father is in Bergen-Belsen. I found the files in Konrad’s office.”

Ashamed, Leah looked away. For the last few
hours, she’d been so happy that she’d forgotten Jacob. Now Detrick planned to leave her and re-enter Nazi Germany. The risk to his life would be grave. Selfishly, she longed to beg him not to go, to stay with her, here in the safety of this little room that had come to represent heaven. Right now, he stood before her, his body within her grasp, his eyes fixed upon hers. Once he walked out that door, she would wait, consumed with distress until he returned.