Mitch glanced at his watch; it was nearly midday but felt like it should be five p.m. already. He could see Benjamin Hoefer sitting in a window seat of the coffee house waiting for them. Mitch shook his head.
“Why doesn’t he put a name tag on? Given he’s in danger, the least he could do is move inside out of sight,” Mitch said.
“He wouldn’t think of that I suspect,” Ellen said. “Not everyone thinks like us.”
“Really?” Mitch looked at her, surprised. “That explains a lot.” His phone rang and he saw Nick’s number come up. He quickly answered.
“Hey what’s up?”
“We need a hairbrush or comb that belonged to his father or something that might have some DNA on it,” Nick said. “He might have kept them out of sentimentality.”
“I’ll ask the question,” Mitch said.
“Yeah, good luck with that. Otherwise I’m looking for long-lost relatives,” Nick said.
“Okay. Did you get John’s note re the briefing this afternoon?”
“No, I’ll check emails now,” Nick said.
“Check Adam has got it too will you? See you then.” Mitch hung up and joined Ellen, and they entered the coffee shop.
Benjamin rose to greet the two agents and they shook hands. Mitch took in the area and sat facing the door. The three ordered tea and coffee.
Ellen asked after his health as Mitch watched Benjamin’s reactions.
“Mr. Hoefer, I need to ask you some questions which won’t be pleasant, but they’re important if we are to protect you and find whoever is threatening you,” Mitch said.
“Of course,” Benjamin said.
They waited as the waitress placed their order in front of them.
Mitch began. “To give you some context, I’m trying to establish why someone might have a vendetta against your father, not you. Clearly you would not have recognized your father when he returned to collect you post war.”
“That’s true. I was two when he and my mother were taken away and seven when my father returned alone,” Benjamin said.
Mitch nodded. “Have you ever doubted he was your father?”
Benjamin looked surprised. “No. Why would I doubt that?” He looked from Mitch to Ellen. “What man would come out of a concentration camp and return to collect a child that wasn’t his own? How would he know to do that? I don’t understand why you would ask that.”
Ellen stepped in. “The banners and wording on the video have included the word ‘fake’. We’re trying to establish what that means and we’re looking at a lot of angles. Perhaps your father has been mistaken for someone else or the perpetrator has taken umbrage with some of your research or facts.”
Benjamin nodded. “He’s the only father I have ever known since I was seven.”
“But you thought Gynther Bäcker was your father until Eli arrived?” Mitch continued.
“Yes, that’s true. It was traumatic but I know they did that for my safety.”
“Why didn’t your father ever remarry?” Mitch asked, turning to watch two men who passed close by their coffee table.
“I wondered the same.” Benjamin sighed. “He had lady friends, many—and many long term girlfriends, but he did not want to marry or have any more children.”
“Could he have children after what he suffered in the camp?” Ellen asked.
“Again I don’t know.” Benjamin looked from one to the other. “Maybe some medical records exist somewhere. That generation and mine for that matter don’t air the family laundry. Do you know if your parents could conceive or had difficulties?”
“No, true,” Ellen said, “but most only children do ask their parents for a sibling at some point in time.”
“I never did that because there was no mother in the house,” Benjamin explained.
“Did your father ever mention any surviving brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts or uncles?” Mitch persisted.
“I am sure there were surviving relatives but you have to remember what the world was like post war. There were millions of displaced people. My father never wanted to speak of the war; he came to America to forget that life and to start again. He would shut down any questions I had.”
“One last question please,” Mitch said, noting the elderly gentleman was getting tired. “Have you had any direct experience or contact with any neo-Nazi groups, at any point in your life?”
“Never. That’s why this is so strange. Why bother causing a storm about an old man’s memories when there are so many Holocaust stories out there?”
“So, no direct letters or threats to you?” Ellen asked.
“Nothing.” He shook his head vehemently, but avoided eye contact with the two agents.
Mitch frowned, sensing Benjamin Hoefer wasn’t telling the truth and wasn’t going to any time soon. He offered to walk Benjamin back to his hotel but he insisted on going alone. Mitch watched him walk down the street and into the hotel before he and Ellen returned to the car.
“What did you think?” Ellen asked Mitch as they drove back to the office.
“I think he’s a bad liar and he’s afraid,” Mitch said. “I’m not sure if he is afraid of repercussions from whoever is threatening him or afraid of what he might find out about his past. The problem is it is too late, he’s started the ball rolling. I need to get Nick to interview him.”
“Why?” Ellen asked, surprised.
“He’s good at reading people. He’s always been good at that,” Mitch said.
“And we’re not?”
“Not as good as he is. I think Adam is like me, we don’t trust anyone until they’ve proved themselves to be trustworthy; you on the other hand think everyone is well-intentioned until they prove themselves not to be; and Nick nails it most times. I need to get his read on Benjamin Hoefer. Speaking of Nick, since you are second-in-charge and have a fair bit on your plate, you could hand over the team medic role to Nick. He was in search-and-rescue in the Air Force. He’s qualified.”
Ellen looked impressed. “So you did take on board my little speech about respecting my skill and roles, Mitch.”
Mitch smiled. “I do think of the team’s career satisfaction sometimes.”
“So John’s idea?” Ellen asked.
“Yep.”