“Well, strictly speaking, you don’t. Like I said, some worried nights. But don’t have them here. Not in Berlin. Then I might just change my mind.” Jake picked up the Bensheim folders and stacked them. “I’ll keep these.” He went around the desk, starting for the door. “Go home. You need a job, go see American Dye. I hear they’re hiring. I’ll bet they’d go for somebody just like you, with your experience. Just stay out of Berlin. Anyway, you don’t want to run into me again-that’d just make you nervous. And you know what? I don’t want to run into you either.”

“You’re staying here?”

“Why not? Lots of stories in Berlin.”

Muller shook his head. “Your press pass expires,” he said dully, an official.

Jake smiled, surprised. “I’ll bet you know the exact hour too. All right, one more thing then. Have Jeanie do up a residence permit tomorrow. Indefinite stay. Special from the MG. Sign that and we’re done.”

“Are we?” Muller said, looking up.

“I am. You have some nights to get through, but you will. People do. It’s something you learn here-after a while nobody remembers anything.” He walked to the door.

“Geismar?” Muller said, stopping him. He rose from the chair, his face even older, slack. “It was just the money. I’m a soldier. I’m not a- Honest to god, I never meant this to happen. Any of it.”

Jake turned. “That should make them easier, then. The nights.” He looked over at him. “It’s not much, though, is it?” Contents — Previous Chapter / Next Chapter

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

At this hour, Tempelhof was almost deserted. Later, when the afternoon flights came in, the high marble hall would fill up with uniforms, just as it had that first day, but now there were only a few GIs sitting on duffel bags, waiting. The doors were still closed to the stairs that led down to the runways.

“Now remember what I told you,” Lena was saying, crouched down in front of Erich, fussing, brushing his hair back. “Stay close to Dr. Rosen when you change for Bremen. So many people. Hold his hand, yes? You remember?”

Erich nodded. “Can I sit by the window?” he said, already on his way.

“Yes, the window. You can wave. I’ll be right there.” She pointed to the observation deck. “But I’ll see you. You won’t be afraid, will you?”

“He’s excited,” Rosen said to Jake, smiling. “A first airplane. And a ship. Well, mine too. This kindness-I can never repay you.”

“Just be a good father to him. He’s never had one. His mother-I don’t know what he remembers. A few visits.”

“What happened to her?”

“She died. In the camps.”

“You knew her?”

“A long time ago.” He touched Rosen’s arm. “Raise him as a Jew.”

“Well, how else?” Rosen said mildly. “That’s what you want?”

“Yes. She died for that. Tell him, if he asks, that he should be proud of her.” He paused, for a moment at the Alex again, watching the shuffling walk back to the cell. “Now, you’ve got Frank’s number at Collier’s?”

“Yes, yes.”

“I told him to meet the boat. But just in case, that’s where to reach him. He’ll have money for you. He’ll fix you up with anything you need. Till you get on your feet.”

“In New York. It’s like a dream.”

“It won’t seem like a dream after you’ve been there a while.”

“Do you want to go to the bathroom?” Lena said to Erich. “On the plane, I don’t know. There’s still time. Come.”

“To the women’s?” Erich said.

“Oh, so big all of a sudden. Come.” She led him away.

“I wonder, does he know what you do for him? ” Rosen said. “How lucky he is.”

Jake glanced at him. What passed for luck in Berlin. But Rosen was looking over his shoulder.

“Who is the old man? He knows you.”

Professor Brandt was coming toward them in his old dark suit, the high Weimar collar as stiff as his walk.

“Good morning,” he said. “So you’ve come to see Emil off too?”

“Someone else,” Jake said. “I didn’t know he was on the plane.”

“I thought, perhaps it’s the last time,” Professor Brandt said hesitantly, explaining himself. He looked at Jake. “So you were a friend to him after all.”

“No. He didn’t need me. He arranged things himself.”

“Ah,” Professor Brandt said, mystified but reluctant to pursue it. He checked his pocket watch. “They’ll be late.”

“No, there they are.”

Coming through the waiting hall like the front wedge of a military unit, heels loud against the floor, Emil and Shaeffer, Breimer with them, trailed by GIs carrying bags. An airport GI, as if alerted by the heels, appeared from the side and opened the door, standing at the head of the stairs with a clipboard. When they reached the gate, they stopped short, surprised to find visitors.

“What the hell are you doing here?” Shaeffer said to Jake.

Jake said nothing, watching Emil walk up to his father.

“Well, Papa,” Emil said, disconcerted, a young voice.

“Come to see the boys off, huh?” Breimer said. “Nice of you, Geismar.”

Professor Brandt stood still for a moment, looking at Emil, then extended his hand. “So it’s goodbye,” he said, his voice shaky behind the formal gesture.