The German Child: A totally heartbreaking and page-turning World War 2 novel by Catherine Hokin

Author:Catherine Hokin [Hokin, Catherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2024-01-24T00:00:00+00:00

‘What is this about, Evie? What point are you trying to make? Are you so disappointed in us as parents that you have to cast your father and me as villains? Really? Are you still playing the aggrieved child at your age? Don’t you think it’s time to finally grow up?’

Evie had to hand it to her mother – the woman’s ability to maintain an ice-cold composure whatever the situation was remarkable.

Helen had lost interest as soon as she picked up the call and realised it was Evie on the other end. She’d sighed when Evie led straight into her discovery of ‘questionable photographs’ dating from the war. And then, when Evie asked if she could provide an explanation for why she and Alex had featured in those, Helen had not only dismissed the idea that she should explain anything, she’d implied Evie was needy and a nuisance and not to be taken seriously. Helen had, in fact, done everything that Evie had expected her to do, short of immediately putting the phone down.

Which will also be an answer, if that’s the next tactic she tries.

Evie gave her mother a moment to assume she would apologise or fold. Then she continued.

‘Villains is an interesting word choice, and not one I would argue with. Let me be clearer. The photographs I’m talking about were taken in Berlin, in 1943. Does that ring any bells? They weren’t holiday snaps; they were your wedding photographs. A whole newspaper filled with them, and a caption calling you and my father a perfect couple, which – given the context – was a disturbing choice of words.’

Evie paused. She didn’t expect a response, not yet. She presumed her mother would be waiting to find out what else Evie knew. But her voice had started to rise, and she wasn’t prepared to offer her mother the slightest hint of weakness.

It seemed, however, that this time she’d broken through the ice. Helen’s immediate and unexpected, ‘What on earth are you on about?’ had menace running through it, but it also had shock. Evie forced herself not to seize on that but to remain factual instead and to use her lawyer’s calm voice.

‘I’m talking about the coverage of your wedding at Berlin Cathedral on the twentieth of February 1943, which was featured in a newspaper called the Völkischer Beobachter, a publication I now know to be the Nazi Party’s mouthpiece. There was a studio portrait of you and Father on the front cover and a dozen more pictures inside. You were shown posing on the cathedral steps and waving at the crowd, and standing outside its main doors with your arm linked through Heinrich Himmler’s. And there was a series taken at the reception too, of you and my father laughing and smiling with⁠—’

The names were too much. Evie’s voice broke. She forced herself to continue anyway.

‘With Hitler and Goebbels and Göring. It looked as if you were all the greatest of friends. Which explains the lack of photos

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.