Mila 18 - Leon Uris [77]
“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.