Joseph Kanon - A Good German

Shaeffer, who’d been quiet, running the tip of his cigarette around the ashtray, now looked up. “Geismar, this isn’t going to work, you know.”

“I was kidding. I know how—”

“No, with Sikorsky. We’re not going to get anywhere with a tail, yours or ours. I know him. If he’s got Brandt stashed away, even his own men aren’t going to know where. He’s careful.”

“They must have their own Kransberg. Start there.”

Shaeffer looked down at the ashtray again, avoiding eye contact. “You have to bring her in.”

“Bring who in?” Breimer said.

“Geismar’s a friend of the wife’s.”

“Well, for Christ’s sake—”

“No,” Jake said. “She’s not going anywhere.”

“Yes, she is,” Shaeffer said quietly, jaw set. “She’s going to see her husband. And we’ll be right behind her. It’s the only way. We’ve been waiting for Brandt to come to her. Now the fun’s over. We have to give Sikorsky what he wants. It’s the only way to flush him out.“

“Like hell it is. When did you get this bright idea?”

“I’ve been thinking it over. There’s a way to work it, but we need her. You set it up with Sikorsky-or get your friend to do it, even better. That might be worth a persil. She goes to visit, we’ll have a team on her the whole time. There’s no danger to her, none. We get them both back. I guarantee it.”

“You guarantee it. With bullets all over the place. Not a chance. Think again.”

“No bullets. I said, there’s a way to work it. All she has to do is get us there.”

“She’s not bait. Got it? Not bait. She won’t do it.”

“She’d do it if you asked her,” Shaeffer said calmly.

Jake got up from the bed, looking from one to the other, both sets of eyes fixed on him. “I won’t do that.”

“Why not?”

“And risk her? I don’t want him back that much.”

“But I do,” Shaeffer said. “Look, the best way to do this is nicemakes for a better team effort. But it’s not the only way. If you won’t bring her in, I’ll do it myself.”

“After you find her.”

“I know where she is. Right across from KaDeWe. You think we didn’t watch you?” he said, almost smug.

Jake looked at him, surprised. “You should have watched harder, then. I moved her. I wanted to keep her out of the Russians’ hands. Now it looks like I’ll have to keep her out of yours too. And I will. Nobody touches her, understand? One move and we’re gone again. I can do it, too. I know Berlin.”

“You used to. Now you’re just a guy in uniform, like the rest of us. People do what they have to do.”

“Well, she doesn’t have to do this. Get another idea, Shaeffer.” He started moving toward the door. “And by the way, I resign. I don’t want to be a deputy anymore. Go watch someone else.”

Breimer had been following this like a spectator, but now interrupted, his voice smoothing over, folksy. “Son, I think you forget whose side you’re on. Kind of thing happens when you get your head up some kraut skirt. You need to think again. We’re all Americans here.“

“Some of us are more American than others.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you haven’t got my vote. No.”

“Your vote? This isn’t a town meeting. There’s a war going on here.”

“You fight it.”

“Well, I intend to. And so will you. What do you think we’re doine here?”

“I know what you’re doing here. The country’s on its knees, and all you want to do is give favors to the people who put it there and kick everyone else in the balls. That your idea of our side?”

“Take it easy, Jake,” Shaeffer said.

“I’ve seen a lot of men die. Years of them. They didn’t do it to keep things fat for I. G. Farben.”

Breimer flushed. “Just who the hell do you think you are, talking like that?”

“It’s just his mouth,” Shaeffer said.

“Who?” Jake said. “An American. I get to say no. That’s what it means. I’m saying no to you, got it? No.”

“Of all the piss-ant—”

“Drop it, Jake,” Shaeffer said, his voice like a hand on Jake’s shoulder, pulling him back.

Jake looked at him, suddenly embarrassed. “Enjoy your dinner,” he said, turning to the door.

But Breimer was on his feet now, almost knocking over the tray as he got up. “You think I don’t know how to deal with guys like you? You’re a dime a dozen. You don’t want to play ball, I’ll get your ass fired right out of here. Bunch of pinks running around. All mouth, that’s what you are. And they love it, the Russians. Aid and comfort to the enemy, that’s what you’re doing, and you don’t even know it.”

“Is that why they took a shot at me?” Jake said, turning back. “Funny thing about that, though. An American shot Tully, not Sikorsky. So why did Sikorsky want to kill me? Seems like he might have been doing a favor for someone on our side. The one we’re all on. Who knows? Maybe you.“ Breimer gaped at him. ”But somebody, one of ours. Makes you a little reluctant to take sides. All things considered.“

“Geismar? See me tomorrow,” Shaeffer said. “We’ll talk.”

“The answer’s still no.”

“You don’t want to be alone out there too long. Think about it.”

“That’s it?” Breimer said. “Man thumbs his nose at the U.S. government and just goes back to his girlfriend and that’s it?”

“He’ll be back,” Shaeffer said. “We’re all a little hot under the collar here.” He looked at Jake. “Sleep on it.”

“I’m only thumbing my nose at you,” Jake said to Breimer, ignoring Shaeffer. “Feels good, too-kind of a patriotic gesture.”

“This is a waste of time,” Breimer said abruptly to Shaeffer. “Go pick her up. She’ll do what she’s told.”

Jake put his hand on the door, then turned back, his voice icy. “Maybe we should be clear about one thing. You lay a hand on her, one hand, and you won’t know what hit you.”

“You don’t scare me.”

“Try this. There’s a big hole in a national magazine waiting for me to fill it. Maybe a father in Utica getting his boy’s gun. There’s a congressman not too busy to run an errand of mercy. Picture them together, it practically brings tears to your eyes. Or maybe the same congressman in Berlin. Not so nice. Lobbying for Nazi war criminals on your tax dollars. While our boys are still dying in the Pacific. Here’s the picture layout. Farben ran a factory at Auschwitz. We get a shot of the Farben board, then right next to it one of the camp. One with a lot of bodies stacked up. I’ll bet we can even find an old one, prewar, of the Farben boys shaking hands with their friends at American Dye. For all I know, you’re in it too. Then a nice one of you-one of Liz’s, she always wanted a credit in Collier’s. I figure FIAT owes her.”

“Jesus, Geismar,” Shaeffer said.

“That’s a lie,” Breimer said.

“But I can write it. I know how to do it. I’ve written lots of lies- for our side. I can fucking write it. And you can spend the next two years denying it. Now leave her alone.”

Breimer stood for a moment without breathing, his eyes fixed on Jake. When he spoke, his voice was hard, not even a trace of back home. “You just burned one hell of a bridge for some German pussy.”

Jake opened the door, then looked back over his shoulder at Shaeffer. “Thanks for the ammo. Tell you what, if I do find him, I’ll send up a flare.”

Shaeffer was looking down at the floor as if someone had made a mess, but raised his head as Jake walked out.

“Geismar?” he said. “Bring her in.”

Jake walked past the GI guard and the nurse coming down the hallway for the trays. Then he was out in Gelferstrasse again, even more alone than before. Contents — Previous Chapter / Next Chapter