On the Monday afternoon Adam Forster checked he had calculated the time difference correctly and placed a call to Germany to Dieter Bäcker as promised. Dieter had offered to go through the memorabilia chests at his father’s house to look for items from their former neighbors, Eli and Yetta Hoefer, before they were taken away to the concentration camp and Eli returned, never to collect his possessions.
Adam hoped for anything that might have a fingerprint, a strand of DNA, any item that could identify the Eli Hoefer who lived next door to Dieter’s grandparents was the Eli Hoefer who claimed to be the same man who raised his son Benjamin in the USA.
“I’ve been looking forward to your call,” Dieter said after Adam announced himself. “It took some time, but it was most fascinating.”
“That sounds promising,” Adam said. “I really appreciate you taking the time to do this.”
“There was one chest that was full of Eli and Yetta’s items. I can’t believe my parents kept it. I can understand my grandparents keeping it because they probably thought Eli might come back for it one day but my mother and father must have just forgotten it was up in the attic.”
Adam waited patiently.
“It has wedding photos, a lock of hair from each of them, baby photos of Benjamin, a diary of Yetta’s, baby clothes probably saved for the next little one they were hoping to have, and an item that I thought would really excite you.”
“What?” Adam asked.
“A man’s comb and brush set with hair in it and root hair as well. Will it still be useable?” Dieter asked.
“Definitely worth a try, we should be able to lift a print and maybe DNA. Well that’s more than I hoped for, thanks Dieter, I really appreciate the effort you went to.”
“Anything to help. So how shall I get this to you?” he asked.
“I’ll come back to you about that; just be sure not to let anyone touch it. Keep it dry and preferably in the chest you found it in and I’ll organize collection. I’ll let you know the details,” Adam said.
Dirk Schmid paced around his office at The New Aryan Order. He turned as the door opened.
“Ah, Lukas, come in and close the door,” Dirk said.
The young student, thin, blond and tall, entered the room. He closed the door with a glance to the hallway.
“Uncle Dirk, I’m really sorry,” he said.
Dirk held up his hand for silence and indicated the couch.
They sat on the expensive olive green Chesterfield couch.
“How’s your mother?” Dirk asked, crossing his legs and draping his arm along the back of the couch.
“She’s well, thank you, very busy with her charity work.”
Dirk looked at the young man’s face. He could see his own resemblance in the boy; he was just one of many young people that called him uncle.
“Young man, what you did for the cause was wonderful,” Dirk said.
Lukas exhaled and visibly relaxed.
“Getting that projectionist job at the Holocaust Museum, working out how you could hijack the book launch and put the fear of God into them … It was great work, son.”
Lukas smiled. “It was my honor to serve.”
Dirk smiled back, impressed by the young man’s dedication.
“I’m just sorry I got caught,” Lukas continued, leaning forward on the couch.
“It happens, it’s not a big deal, but you must be very careful now. When they interview you, and they will, you must remember not to give away your association to our organization or to myself or Thorsten.”
“Of course, I understand,” Lukas said.
“I’ll have the best lawyer I can get for you and we’ll get it dropped—it was an act of misguided youth.” Dirk waved his hand in the air. “We’ve got people in the right places to make this disappear.”
“Thank you Uncle Dirk,” Lukas said.
“Well done, Lukas, you are going to be a leader in our organization one day, a very valuable leader.”
Adam ran into Mitch in the stairwell.
“You look happy, what’s up?” Mitch asked.
Adam filled him in as they went back up to their floor.
“Great,” Mitch said. “We’ll soon know if Eli Hoefer was the real Eli Hoefer and if not, then we have motive. With luck that CCTV footage has come in from the hotel. I’m a little worried about the whereabouts of Benjamin Hoefer.”
“I’m going down to get the profile on our projectionist from Amy,” Adam said, returning to the stairs.
Mitch entered his office. He opened his emails to find the CCTV footage had arrived. Watching it, he rubbed his face.
Not good, this is not good.
On a hunch he picked up the phone and dialed Marcus. He asked him to check out if Benjamin Hoefer had left the country. He waited for the answer, thanked Marcus and hung up. Mitch rose and paced around the office, taking in the information he just received: Benjamin Hoefer had left the country—or been taken out—for Germany.
He exited the office and went to see John. He paced outside impatiently watching him on the phone.
John beckoned him in. “I’ll call you back Dan, Mitch is going to explode if I keep him waiting,” he said, and hung up.
“Do you have to tell the counselor that?” Mitch asked. “We’ve got a problem. Benjamin Hoefer’s left the country, he’s on his way to Germany and I don’t think it is by choice.”