AMANDA PULLED OUT THE PICTURE OF HER GREAT-UNCLE HAROLD from her back pocket. She looked at it and then studied the face in the old frame on the dresser. It had to be the same person. She showed the photo to Jan and Greta.
“This is my great-uncle Harold Becker, just before he joined the army. He looks exactly the same as the boy in the picture on your dresser.”
Greta put down her tea and adjusted her glasses. She peered at the photograph. “Yes, that is my Frank. I would know him anywhere.”
“But … the name on the gravestone is Frank Baker.” Amanda’s mind raced, searching for answers.
“That was his name in the army. He told me he used his middle name and changed his last name to Baker, the English meaning of Becker. He said Becker was too German. He never did tell me his first name. I’m sure he would have, but he didn’t have time.” The older woman’s chin trembled as she touched the picture.
“So that is my great-uncle’s grave in the Holten Cemetery?” Amanda scratched her jaw. “What happened to him?”
“He was a kind and brave young man. The Germans were retreating. Some hid in a house in a village near here. The Canadian soldiers had thrown a grenade into the house. Then they heard cries coming from inside. They hadn’t realized there were still children in the house. Frank didn’t hesitate. He ran around the back and into the house, where he grabbed the two children before the grenade went off. One German soldier saw him and fired as Frank ran with a little one under each arm. When the smoke cleared from the explosion, they found all the German soldiers dead—as well as Frank—but the children were alive.”
Tears ran down the old woman’s cheeks. “He didn’t even know about Helga, his child I carried.” She heaved a sigh. “The girl he saved still lives in the village nearby and is friends with Helga. The boy emigrated to Canada when he grew up.”
Amanda sniffled and bent over to hug the older woman. “Thanks for telling me about my great-uncle.”
Jan stood silently for a few minutes then broke into a wide grin. “I think that makes us cousins.”
Amanda smiled through her tears. “You’re right. I guess that’s why you keep rescuing me.” She gave him a hug. “Thanks, cuz!”
Helga came to the doorway. “What is going on?”
“You won’t believe this, Oma.” Jan showed her the two pictures and relayed the story.
“Oh, Mama. This is wonderful news! To finally know Papa’s family, it is unbelievable.” Helga sobbed.
Soon Leah and her father crowded into the small bedroom and were told the story. Leah squeezed Amanda’s hand. “This is so unreal.”
Mr. Anderson patted Amanda’s head. He looked at his watch. “We’d best be getting back to the B & B. Joey will be anxious.”
“Joey? Joey, the little puppy?” Helga perked up. “Has he been found?”
“Yes, Lisa found him outside the cheese shop, near where we found him the first time,” said Amanda. “Isn’t that a strange coincidence?”
Helga nodded and looked at Jan.
When they neared the bed-and-breakfast, they noticed a police car parked out front.
“Now what is going on?” asked Leah.
They entered the house. Tom stood handcuffed between two police officers. Ingrid scowled.
Astrid was speaking to the officers in Dutch, but stopped when she saw Amanda. “This is the girl who tipped me off.” She walked over to her and said, “Thanks for calling me. I have had my suspicions about these two for some time. And now the monkey comes out of the sleeve. Or, as you might say, the cat is out of the bag. They, or at least Tom, is involved in selling animals from puppy farms and stealing rare tulip bulbs. You have been a big help. Jan and his girlfriend helped me too.”
“His girlfriend?” Amanda and Leah said at the same time.
“Yes, the girl from the cheese shop. Lisa, I think her name is. When she realized you had picked up the dog, she let Jan know, and he kept a close eye out for him.” Astrid nodded her head. “The dog was never in any danger.”
“But these girls could have been.” Mr. Anderson narrowed his eyes, clearly annoyed.
Ignoring him, Astrid continued, “Well, now we have caught the thieves, thanks to all of you. Jan’s mother found the bulbs in her barn and put them safely in a secret room at Singraven.”
“You are so stupid to forget you hid them at their farm,” Ingrid snarled as Tom was led out to the police car.
Astrid followed the police officers, without a smile.
That night, Amanda checked emails on her tablet.
“Hey, Leah. Listen to this. It’s an email from Sergeant Wim Westerhoud, the Dutch soldier at the cemetery. This is what he wrote: ‘After some investigation, I discovered the grave of Private Frank Baker is actually the grave of Harold Becker. I apologize for the confusion. The family was never notified, because the officials didn’t realize at the time he was the same person.’”
“What an interesting turn of events,” Leah replied. “Finding tulip bulb thieves, puppy-farm pet sellers and missing relatives, all in one day. I don’t know how you manage it!” She laughed as Joey jumped on the bed and then onto her lap. “Now, what are we going to do with him?”
Amanda grinned. “I have an idea.”
The next morning before going to the airport, they all went back to the farm to say goodbye.
Jan met them at the gate, shooing the goose away. “Let them in, Gerald. Besides, Amanda is family.”
“We want to give Joey to your great-grandmother. I think he will be good company for her. Do you think that would be OK?”
Helga joined them. “That is so kind. I know I will have to look after him, but I don’t mind. Didn’t you say my father’s dog was named Joey also?”
“It was.” Amanda pulled out the picture of Great-Uncle Harold and his dog. “I think you should have this picture with him and Joey, his dog.”
Helga held the picture as if it were made of glass. “Thanks,” was all she could say.
Great-Grandmother Greta was delighted with the puppy and held him on her lap while she asked questions about Harold’s family in Canada. Her face lit up when Amanda told her that his younger sister, Mary, was still alive and would no doubt be in touch with her.
Mr. Anderson chatted with Jan about donating money to the animal shelters.
When Leah asked Jan about his girlfriend, he turned red and laughed. “Lisa and I have been dating, but it’s nothing serious. I have just been accepted into veterinarian studies at the University of Utrecht, so I will be busy studying.” He looked away. “I’m sorry about misleading you and using Joey to help find the criminals.”
“I’m still confused. What was that all about, anyway?” asked Amanda.
“Lisa met Astrid at Keukenhof Gardens. It was Astrid’s rare and very expensive tulip bulbs that had been stolen. She was already suspicious of Tom and Ingrid. I had a hunch Tom was selling dogs that came from questionable sources. A man decided he didn’t want a dog, so he brought Joey to the shelter. He said he bought the puppy from a person of Tom’s description. That’s when I had an idea. We left Joey by the garbage cans where Lisa could watch, thinking Tom would find him and try to resell him. Then you came along and rescued the puppy.”
“So, we kind of ruined your plan.”
“In a way, but I kept an eye on things. I was concerned when you left him with Ingrid.”
“That’s why you came and got him that day. Now it makes sense.”
“I got very upset with Astrid for taking him from the car in the carpark. That was terrible.” Jan shook his head.
“Umm … so it was Astrid who smashed the window and took Joey from the car?” Amanda recalled the broken reflector on Astrid’s bike.
“Yes, I’m afraid so. She still thought she could use him as bait to lead her to Tom. When I found out she had him, I insisted she take him to Lisa at the cheese shop.”
Amanda sighed. “Oh, well. It all worked out in the end, and now I know what happened to my great-uncle.”
“And I discovered I have a cousin in Canada. Maybe I will come for a visit sometime.”
“I would love that!” Amanda beamed.
Back home in Calgary, Amanda visited her great-aunt Mary. She was excited to share the news about her brother, Harold, who was no longer missing in action.
“So he died a brave man. I am not surprised.” Aunt Mary smiled. “And he has a daughter, a granddaughter and a great-grandson. That is just wonderful.”
Amanda showed her pictures of the family. “I didn’t meet Jan’s mother and father, but here is a picture of me with Jan.”
Aunt Mary adjusted her glasses. “Oh my, if he doesn’t look just like Harold.” She patted Amanda’s hand. “Thank you for finding my brother.”
“It was all so sad, though. I just wish there wouldn’t be wars.”
“Me too, my dear. Me too.”
Amanda perked up. “Aunt Mary, do you know anything about a place called Malta?”