Michael Russell - The City of Shadows

‘You don’t expect me to believe this, High Commissioner?’

‘I think you would be very wise to, Herr Senatsprasident.’

‘It’s preposterous. It’s absurd. What evidence do you have?’

‘If you contact the Gestapo you’ll find they are investigating three deaths in Langfuhr. That was this morning. Obviously I can’t tell you who else is involved in the plan to assassinate the bishop, but one of the dead men is a Gestapo officer, Kriminaloberassistent Rothe. He was involved. I suppose that might be a good place to start. The bishop is aware of the situation of course, but if I were in your shoes I wouldn’t spend any time sitting on my backside.’ Lester spoke in a quiet voice, as if he was following the diplomatic niceties that usually marked his conversations with Greiser.

‘I have put up with your interference in the day to day running of the city for long enough,’ growled the Senate President, ‘your contempt for its elected government, your disdain for the principles of the Party. I’m sure you know that you won’t be playing that tune after the count tonight. This is beyond patience, High Commissioner, with or without the election. Even your colleagues in Geneva will find these allegations outrageous. Do you think you can walk in here and accuse us all of murder? I’m speechless!’

Stefan smiled. Greiser didn’t seem to be speechless.

The High Commissioner shook his head.

‘What happens if you don’t get your majority today, Herr Greiser?’

‘Now you’re grasping at straws. The victory is already ours.’

‘Not everyone in the Party has your faith.’

‘Are you going to attack the Party too?’

‘Ninety per cent, that’s right, isn’t it? That’s what you promised Herr Hitler. Who takes the blame if it doesn’t come off? You or the Gauleiter? I’m sure Herr Forster will claim a victory if there’s one going. If there isn’t he’ll put it down to you. And he’s the one with the Fuhrer’s ear, I think.’

‘The Party will claim the victory. Individuals only serve the Party.’

‘Forster’s the Party leader. You’re only head of government. I’m not up on Party etiquette but won’t the first phone call from Berlin go to him?’

Greiser didn’t like it. The conflict between him and the man who was his Party boss in Danzig was common knowledge but no one talked about it to his face. Lester seemed to have abandoned all the diplomacy he usually worked so hard at; first the insane allegations and now the snide comments. Dignity mattered a great deal to Arthur Greiser. Lester was sneering at him.

‘We have treated each other with courtesy in the past, Herr Lester, whatever our differences. I have never heard you speak to me like this.’

‘This is not a conversation either of us will need to remember, Herr Senatsprasident, but let me make something clear. I do have a little understanding of how the Nazi Party works. You don’t call yourselves a Fuhrer Party for nothing. It’s never been policy that matters, or ideas; only action counts. And that’s not about what the Fuhrer tells you to do, it’s about what you think he wants you to do. It’s called working towards the Fuhrer, yes? Doing what Hitler can’t because of political expediency, or the cowardice of the people around him, or because sometimes it’s just better to lie through your teeth. So if you can’t take the Free City democratically, why not have the streets running with blood instead? If you can create enough mayhem and slaughter, Germany will have to invade to save Danzig and keep the peace. That’s what assassinating Bishop O’Rourke is about. And if you really don’t know, I don’t think it should take you very long to work out the consequences.’

‘This is madness. I shall be reporting every word of this — ’

‘No, unless you find a way to stop it, I shall. I will be sending a report to the League in Geneva and to every head of government I can. I will also send it to the Vatican. I will speak to as many people as possible by phone as soon as I leave this office. I will make it public that I have passed this information on to you and you have refused to act. You don’t have the power to stop me, yet. Try and you’ll make matters worse. I will also ensure that the details reach the press. It can still make waves outside Germany.’

There was silence in the room. Greiser had no doubt now the High Commissioner meant everything he said. There was a definite shift of gear.

‘And this man is your witness, is that what I’m supposed to believe?’

Greiser was looking at Stefan now. It was the first time he had registered his presence since he had entered the room with Sean Lester.

‘Some of the information has come from Herr Gillespie. But I don’t need a witness. Call it propaganda if you like. That’s something you can understand. If anything happens to Edward O’Rourke any attempt to claim somebody else killed him is simply going to prove what I’ve said is true.’

‘You’re threatening me?’

‘There’s no threat if he’s safe. But, yes, if you like it’s a threat.’

‘How do you think you can keep your job here after that?’

‘I’m a lot less interested in keeping my job than you are. I might get a bollocking in Geneva. The worst that could happen is that I end up back in Ireland with a lot more time to spend fishing. That’s not necessarily how it turns out when you make a mistake that embarrasses the Fuhrer, is it?’

Greiser’s fury was deeper than ever but he was running out of words.

‘Working towards the Fuhrer is all well and good when it works.’

‘Are these mad allegations an accusation against me as well?’

‘I don’t know. Probably not. But not everyone would believe that.’

Greiser and Lester gazed at each other. It was the man in the uniform, surrounded by his flags and photographs, who was most uncomfortable now. The next words were meant to sound like a sneer, but they were a question.

‘So who are these hypothetical renegades?’

‘Do you need to know them to stop them?’

‘You’re supposed to have evidence, aren’t you?’ Greiser scowled at Stefan again. ‘Who are they? If these people exist, who the fuck are they?’

‘I only know the dead ones. But Hugo Keller was taking orders from the Gestapo and the SS.’

Lester glanced round at Stefan and nodded.

‘So, should I question everyone in the SS?’

‘If you can’t control the SS, Herr Senatsprasident, a phone call to Himmler — ’ Lester smiled.

‘If I need to talk to Reichsfuhrer Himmler, I can assure you I will!’

‘No, I meant I might call him. If his men are out of control here — ’

Arthur Greiser had been glancing at the silver tray on his desk for some time. There was a decanter of golden brandy, a sparkling brandy glass. The idea of Heinrich Himmler’s response to what he now believed the High Commissioner was thoroughly capable of doing was the tipping point. He reached across the desk and poured himself a brandy. By the time Stefan Gillespie and Sean Lester left shortly afterwards the Senate President was pouring a second. He knew he would be quietly congratulated by the hierarchy in Berlin for preventing a foreign policy disaster in Danzig, but the same people who congratulated him would always remember what he had stopped; they would never forgive him.

Stefan and the High Commissioner sat in the cafe opposite the senate building in Neugarten. Sean Lester finished a black coffee and called for another one. He had said very little since they walked out of Greiser’s office. He felt as if he had done almost nothing, yet there was almost nothing else he could do. He had made his decision. Now he had to trust Senatsprasident Greiser. He had to trust that open windows and clean air would work. The Party was a hornets’ nest of fear and deceit; sometimes, if you didn’t get stung, you could play those things off against each other. He hoped he’d kicked that nest hard enough. As Lester drank the second cup of coffee Stefan saw that the High Commissioner’s hands were shaking, very slightly. He looked older than his years. Stefan could sense the weight of this place on him. Lester took a sip of water from a glass the waiter had put down. He smiled a wry smile that didn’t quite hide how drained he was.