The sergeant’s eyebrows rose slightly. “Other things?” He turned back to the husband. “What other things, Herr Montag?” Montag looked uncertainly at his wife, who put a’cigarette between her lips. “Light it for me please, Kurt,” she said. He raised his finger, and at its tip a small light appeared, round and bright; he moved it to the cigarette. She drew on the cigarette, and smoke appeared; its tip grew red.
Briefly the squinting eye widened. “One moment,” said the desk sergeant, and spoke to someone through the door behind him, then left the room. Another policeman came in and sat down behind the desk. Gerda Montag reached over and patted her husband’s knee. “It will be all right, Kurt. Do not worry.”
In a few minutes the sergeant returned. “Come with me,” he said, and led them to a wing on the third floor. On its entry door was written Geheime Staatspolizei. Inside he left them with a uniformed female receptionist, who told them to sit, then pressed an intercom button: “Herr and Frau Montag are here, sir,” she said.
A moment later a man appeared, a lieutenant’s insignia on his black uniform, and took them into his office. Before seating them, he put a cigarette between his lips and spoke to the man: “Herr Montag, light my cigarette.”
Montag repeated his earlier performance.
“Sit down.” When the Montags were seated, he also sat. “Do you do anything else unusual?” he asked.
Montag answered proudly. “Jawohl, Herr Kapitan. I can carry four bags of cement in my arms!”
The lieutenant frowned slightly. “I meant anything else as unusual as lighting cigarettes with your finger.”
Montag nodded emphatically. “Yes, captain. I can keep warm in the coldest weather, without any coat or cap or gloves. I even go barefoot in the snow sometimes.” Without being asked, he got up, stepped to the lieutenant’s desk, and held out his hand. “Feel it,” he said. “I can make it warm whenever I want.” The lieutenant touched Montag’s palm. It felt distinctly hot. For just a moment he peered up at the man as if trying to see how he did it, then called in a young aide, who took them to reception and left them under the suspicious eye of a sergeant. Some minutes later he returned, to take them back to the lieutenant.
“Frau Montag,” the lieutenant said affably, “I have arranged very good employment for your husband. As it happens, he must live on the estate where he will be employed. You do not need to know where it is, but I can tell you that, despite his injuries, he will be serving his Fuhrer. A part of his wages will be mailed to you, and it may be that he will be permitted to visit you from time to time.”
“Meanwhile he will remain here until transportation arrives for him.” He gestured at the young aide. “Corporal Hochdorf will conduct you to the lunchroom, here in the building, where you can eat. No doubt you will want to talk before you are separated. Afterward you can bring some of his clothing and other necessaries. They will be forwarded to him.”
While they ate, Corporal Hochdorf sat watchfully nearby. The meal was adequate. The sausage was probably eighty percent oatmeal, Macurdy thought, and there was something peculiar about the bread, but the cheese was good. The socalled “coffee” was wretched, even compared to what they served in England these days, but he supposed he’d get used to it. He’d be glad to leave Gerda; she’d propositioned him in Lubeck, and several times had stroked his thigh on the train. He wasn’t sure he could keep refusing, and to give in would be disloyal to Mary.
22
Schloss Tannenberg
The country road had not been graded for months-fuel, equipment, and drivers were all in short supply–so the staff car’s driver kept the speed below 50 kph, 31 mph, on the washboard surface. Beside him in the front seat sat a young SS 2nd lieutenant an Untersturmfuhrer in the SS terminology. “Lipanov,” the Gestapo officer had called him. In back, wearing civilian clothes, rode Kurt Montag, with an SS lance corporal beside him. The rear side-windows had plush curtains, and Montag’s big fingers spread them slightly. He turned to the corporal.