Barbarossa by Tony Roberts

Author:Tony Roberts [Roberts, Tony]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2015-04-20T06:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

The night had come and the wind was chill, blowing through the corridor and under the gap under the door. Isabella shivered and huddled up even tighter on the worn sofa in front of the wood fire, the chipped enamel mug of coffee in her hands. By the drawn curtains stood her contact, the trilby-wearing Gerhard Ecken. Ecken was a political, one of those who did what they did because their politics was radically opposite to that of the Nazis. He had spoken to Isabella of his fervent wish for a socialist revolution to sweep through Europe and replace the evil hand of fascism, but to Isabella the revolutionary socialism of idealists like Ecken was just as bad as Hitler and his cronies.

She kept her own council, however, as she did not want to annoy the man, who was after all, helping her remain free of the clutches of Hans Frank and his minions. Krakow had been subjected to a severe house-to-house search in the wake of Isabella’s disappearance, and the authorities had, according to Ecken, taken the opportunity to arrest dozens who they suspected of being a threat to the ruling apparatus.

They were frustrated as it seemed the killer of an SS officer had escaped, and the original head of the police investigation had recently been shipped off to the eastern front, demoted to the ranks as a punishment. Even the Burgmeister had been questioned, simply because his nephew had been connected to the woman, but after a few hours he had been allowed to return to his duties. All that had done, so Ecken had told her, was to result in Curt Luttens being sent out of Krakow to another posting. Banished, rather than arrested.

Isabella hoped that nobody had missed the destroyed file, as that would highlight the fact she had sabotaged the entire investigation. She wanted them to carry on wasting their time, and if they were doing that, then resources were being diverted away from hunting for her. “When can I leave Krakow, Herr Ecken?”

“When it is safe, Fraulein. At present they are watching all exits by road, and rail. Your identity is too well-known, and the risk is far too great. I shall work on an escape route for you. Now please do not worry unnecessarily; I shall arrange everything. I am to go out for a while to meet a contact. Do not allow anyone to see you.”

He left. Isabella was not satisfied that he was keeping her hidden away. All she knew about him was that her family had sent him from Vienna. She determined to write to her uncle, telling him of her situation, for she had a feeling deep down that her communist guardian was not being totally honest. Swapping one totalitarian employer for another, albeit different, one was no different to her. She had a deep distrust of both.

All her belongings had been taken in the police raid on her lodgings, so she had very little with her. No papers, no weapon, no spare clothes except for the poor quality rags Ecken had provided.

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