Nicholas Searle - The Good Liar

Weber seemed Hans’s sort of person. Upright, muscular and vig-

orous, he was younger than Hans might have expected. He shook

hands with a firm grip and looked into Hans’s eyes. Hans felt Weber might have been looking into his soul.

‘Now then,’ said Weber. ‘I understand you wish to do your coun-

try a service. Discreetly, I mean. You’ll be pleased to know I have experience in such matters. Involving discretion, that is. Now, will you tell me what you wish to say?’

Direct and to the point. This was what Hans wanted.

‘Yes, sir,’ he said, faltering at first, but then gaining confidence. ‘I have something to offer you and I’d like something in return.’

Weber smiled. ‘A bargain. Yes, we can manage that, within rea-

son. It has to be right for both of us, however. How can I help you?’

‘My parents are foolish, sir. We both know that. I can’t help but

love them. I know what they’re doing is likely to lead them to prison but there’s nothing I can do to dissuade them.’

‘Have you talked to them?’

‘No, it’s not worth beginning to.’

‘That’s probably just as well. The less they know of your feelings, the better.’

‘That’s what I thought. But I’d like to save them from

themselves.’

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‘Admirable. Go on.’

‘I have information I think you’d want. But I want to protect my

parents as well.’

Weber smiled again, that smile that said every problem had its

solution. ‘I understand. A dilemma. Let’s see whether we can sort it out. What’s the information?’

‘I thought, sir, we might agree first on what should happen once

I’ve told you.’

‘Well, that depends, really. What did you have in mind?’

‘I’d like my parents to leave the country. I’d prefer to stay, but I’d have to go with them. They wouldn’t leave without me.’

‘I see. The information would have to be very important for us to

permit this. And while we might be prepared to see your parents

leave – the greater the number of disloyal irritants outside the Fatherland the better, in one sense – actually to cause them to leave without making it obvious why would seem a problem. Deporting

them wouldn’t be a good example to set. Whereas if they simply

fled . . . Do you see?’

‘Yes. I’ve thought of that,’ said Hans.

‘Oh, good. Very good.’ Weber smiled again.

‘And on the first question, yes, I think my information would be

important enough.’

‘Hmm. We shall see. If I were to say yes in principle you’d have

to trust me first with this information. I’d give you my word, but

obviously if I genuinely believed what you told me was merely triv-

ial, there’d be no deal. Does that sound fair enough? Do you

trust me?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Good man. Then we can move forward. Deal?’

‘Yes, sir. Could I have it in writing?’

Weber laughed. ‘Deals like this aren’t usually subject to contract.

But yes, I’d be prepared to put my signature to something if it made you happier. For your own safety, however, I’d need to retain the

document.’

‘That’s all right, sir. I trust you.’

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‘All right, then. Fire away, Hans Taub.’

‘I overheard Albert Schröder and my father talking in Herr

Schröder’s study.’

‘This is the factory owner Schröder?’

‘Yes, sir. They were discussing the government and saying that

war’s inevitable.’

‘Yes?’

‘Herr Schröder said it was terrible. He and my father discussed

what could be done about the situation. He offered money to help

Jews leave the country. He wanted to help opposition to the Führer.

Later they discussed damaging the war effort in Herr Schröder’s

factories.’

‘Sabotage, you mean?’

‘Yes, sir. Herr Schröder told my father he was willing for his fac-

tories to be damaged if it harmed the German war effort. He asked

my father to pass this information outside the country.’

‘Anything else, Hans?’

Hans sensed that what he had said might not be sufficient.

‘Yes, sir. Herr Schröder told my father he’s a Jew. He has Jewish

blood.’

‘I see,’ said Weber, who had been noting this down. ‘This could be

important. Or possibly not. I simply don’t know. Can you remem-

ber exactly what was said, and by whom?’

‘Yes, sir, and it’s all true.’

‘I don’t doubt it. But I do need to think about it.’

‘Our deal, sir?’ said Hans tentatively.

‘You’ve no need to worry. I’ll keep my side of the bargain. The

question is whether we can do anything with this. That’s what’ll

make it important or unimportant. Would you be prepared to sign

a statement?’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘Good man. You said you had ideas about how to make your

father go overseas?’

‘Yes, sir. It involves Herr Professor Wolff.’

‘I see. Tell me more.’

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Later, Hans was asked to leave, with an agreement to talk again

the next day in the principal’s office.

‘Do you believe him, Wolff ?’ asked Weber. ‘Might he have got this

wrong?’

‘He’s a very intelligent boy. Yes, I believe him. But we have some-

thing of an ethical problem.’

‘Yes?’

‘The boy is a minor. It is one thing denouncing your parents for

insulting the Führer when he comes on the radio. This is quite dif-

ferent. The consequences could be significant.’

‘I’m aware of that. But the difficulties may be surmountable.’

‘Do you have any corroboration for what he says?’

‘That’s something I’ll have to check. Frankly I doubt it. They may

have talked out of turn in front of little Hansi, but Taub and

Schröder are generally cautious individuals. Of course we know of

Taub’s visits to the house, but beyond that . . .’

‘You would not wish to see whether the boy can obtain further

information about Schröder and his father?’

‘I doubt he’d be able to. What he said would be sufficient to con-

demn both of them anyway, if we could prove it in a court of law.

Also, the time when we have room for manoeuvre for arrange-

ments like this may be limited. By this time next year . . .’

‘This is the unsupported testimony of a fourteen- year- old.’

‘I suppose so. If you put it like that. But it’s compelling and I suspect even more so when we get the detail down on paper. His age

doesn’t damage his credibility. What he said is entirely believable.

And there’s this. There’s a great deal of doubt about the Schröders.

They have bohemian connections. They make no effort to espouse

the right ideals. To be candid, my colleagues could welcome a con-

crete reason to edge Albert Schröder out of the picture. His business is a good one and can make a contribution to the war effort. The

wrong man’s in charge, though. Schröder is regarded as unreliable.

With good reason, it seems. And it’d be good to have Taub senior

out of our hair. There may be the possibility of a little latitude.’

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‘What do you mean, latitude?’

‘It may be more convenient to gloss over the fact of Hans’s age,

for instance.’

‘But when it comes to examination in court . . .’

‘Oh, there’s no question Hans would actually appear as a witness.