Berlin blood

October 1935 August has been in custody for more than a year, his once beautiful uniform is completely disheveled and now looks like rags. They saw Charlotte, but through the prison window, and August misses her warmth so much. He wondered how she was, what it would be like for her to work again for Walter, to whom she had now been transferred. He understood that he couldn’t do anything now, so all he could do was look and kiss her hand through the small window every time. Their souls were much closer than their bodies. August worked like everyone else. It seemed that not a trace of his aristocracy remained. What would his father say to this? He began to take more care of the memories he had from his family. The hope of creating new memories, already from the life of his own family, was fading every day. Charlotte simply won’t wait for him, and Walter will not miss the opportunity to undermine her resolve and break her will. August was always on the alert. It was impossible to rest, so he made many acquaintances with prisoners who, like him, ended up here for political reasons. Among them were fanatics, but there were also reasonable people who advised Augustus to stop counting the days until his release. He followed the advice, the days merged into a monotonous sequence, and a year passed unnoticed. On one of these usual working days, August was warned about a visitor and led along a rather cold, dark, windowless corridor. Sometimes it seemed as if they were underground, although Augustus knew very well that this was not the case. The atmosphere was oppressive. Therefore, when, instead of the usual meeting rooms, he was taken somewhere to external interrogation rooms, he took it as a way to the surface. The guest was now arousing curiosity; he must be a difficult person for the prisoner to be taken to the outer corridors. Did they find anything else? Now they’ll give him more time? In the room, at the table, with his palms relaxed on it, sat a guy who looked the same age, about twenty-five. Brown hair, green eyes. Augustus was allowed to sit opposite and the visitor smiled. He’s cute, because of his shape you can’t tell whether he’s a frail little boy or just skinny. — Hello. My name is Heinrich Wenger, I’m from the Gestapo,” he extended his hand for a handshake. “August Scholz,” August accepted his hand. “However, you probably know my name,” he glanced at the case file that was lying on the table. “Yes, I know,” Heinrich opened it and began to look for something. — I am here on the personal orders of Reinhard Heydrich. August shuddered. Gestapo manager, too big a boss to be interested in August. — Sorry to rush things, but… Did you find anything else? Heinrich laughed pleasantly. — Against. My task is to interview you again, now impartially,” he took out all the papers and put them in the way that was convenient for him. I took my pens and prepared a piece of paper to write on. — So, August Scholz, tell me everything first. — Fine. I woke up in the morning and, as usual, began to get ready for work. I took a shower and made myself some coffee. Other usual little things. Then I took the car and drove to the main office. There was nothing remarkable along the way. I met my secretary, Charlotte, and we went to camp together, nothing out of the ordinary. The only thing that bothered me was the feeling that someone was watching us, but I attributed everything to the effect of the pills that the psychiatrist prescribed to me. “Okay, tell me what happened when you arrived at the place,” Heinrich wrote everything down for him, and didn’t miss a single word. — The first impression is too empty and quiet. Usually, even when construction is far away, you can hear it, but there wasn’t a single person in sight, which alarmed me. I went further to the administration. We left the car at the entrance, and while we were walking, which is about five hundred meters of barracks, we didn’t even see a mouse. In the administrative building at the very entrance we found one of the security guards. It seemed to me that he was drunk, maybe he was, because there was a bottle very close by. You didn’t have to sniff to smell the apples. I didn’t immediately remember how I knew such a scent, but as soon as we left the building, I remembered and immediately told Charlotte. “This is reflected in the report, but it does not say how you know the smell of poison.” “My father owned several pharmaceutical factories; among other things, they produced hazardous substances for other industries. We visited the workshops more than once, my sister and I. — Did you find out what kind of drug it was? — Yes, strychnine. It is also used in medicine, even for poisoning, but in large doses it kills, and quite quickly. “When I took up this matter, it almost immediately became clear that the reports were full of omissions. I had to interview the police officers who responded to the call that day, everyone who buried the dead, in order to complete the picture. Here’s what turned out to be: among the dead, not all were poisoned, some were shot dead immediately, and one was completely strangled. Do you know if there were any conflicts among the prisoners? — Maybe. No such incidents were reported to me. — It’s clear. Okay, what happened next, how did you find the bodies? “They were dumped at the far end of the territory, near the outer barracks. Probably not everyone was there, but the mountain was quite high. I sent Charlotte to call the police as soon as I realized what I was seeing. August sighed. The picture of dozens of dead people dumped in a bloody heap was still before my eyes. — Well, I know the rest. Tell me, August, where were you at the time of your arrest? “My office was searched by Walter Sachs’s people. Charlotte and I were not allowed further than the threshold, so we went out into the street, and after a while the Gestapo followed us out. Zaks, as a sign of the legitimacy of his actions, only waved the discovered poison. I don’t even know where it was found, and how, I’m sure, it was planted. I saw the bag for the first time. Already in prison, I remembered that storing strychnine in this way is dangerous. — Yes, I also noticed these inconsistencies. A knowledgeable person like you would not store poison like that. Moreover, it was found literally in the first drawer of your desk. You don’t seem like an idiot. — Thank you. They had little evidence. “They explained all the strangeness by your unstable psychological state. As you can see, this turned out to be a powerful argument. — Why am I in a regular prison, and not undergoing treatment in a psychiatric clinic? Such a thing could not have been pulled off by one person, even if he was a little more than completely insane. There are many involved here, they should have the power to give orders. — You say “they”, who are you referring to? — Walter Sachs and Friedrich Lehmann. — I understand why you blame Sachs, but Lehmann seems to have absolutely nothing to do with it. “He, like Walter, had a motive to frame me.” — Stop, it’s not my place to listen to accusations now, it will confuse the matter. You see, Himmler is seriously interested in your case, and my boss considers it suspicious. The chances are slim, but we will take the case to court and try to convince the judge of your innocence. The case will be reviewed and you may be released early. — This… You really encouraged me, Mr. Wenger. I’m ready to help. — Great! Wenger said goodbye to him and August was taken away. The man tried not to rejoice in advance, but the very fact that his case was not abandoned made him filled with a belligerent mood. He will soon show his worth. Enough of these childish games and pretending. He became different. *** Walter Sachs’s personal secretary, Charlotte Brown, confidently clicked her heels along the corridor in a place that was terribly familiar to her. She is back in the Gestapo and, as if to spite the place itself, she again behaves as defiantly as possible. She was late or did not show up at work, was rude, slammed doors and slammed her heels into the floor with the firmness of hatred, but she was incredibly tactful in words and impeccably attentive to documents. Charlotte did everything to show how much he disgusted her. However, Walter endured everything. His goal is accomplished: Charlotte is with him. And now no Augustus could take her away from him. He enjoyed it and didn’t even hide his bias. Walter watched from the windows of his office as Charlotte leisurely walked up the stairs, once again late. The record is a full thirty minutes. Walter was surprised, apparently the girl decided to anger him as much as possible today. She will not succeed, Walter is calm, like a spider observing the resistance of its victim. She has nowhere to go. August has been in prison for a year, he cannot be rehabilitated, the best way out for her would be to give up. Walter looked forward to her morning ritual — Charlotte flew through the corridors, burst into his office, casually threw papers on the table and asked something like this: — Today as always?! She breathed with gloomy malice, but Walter took this, like her other touching games, for the passion of her nature. Woman. Since she was transferred, she wears exclusively black suits, provocative bright lipstick and never, ever smiles. Walter looked with delight at her thin waist, emphasized by a trouser belt and large transparent eyes. Charlotte has lost a lot of weight this year. The girl couldn’t control herself, started taking medication again and could barely restrain herself from sticking a pencil into the pleased Walter’s eye. He doesn’t care about anything, the bastards. “Good morning,” again her voice, cold as steel. “Good, Charlotte Brown,” he looked at her. — What are your tasks for today? — she looked straight at him and didn’t even want to look away, she looked and the man felt uneasy about it. — So today we have. We submit reports, hold a meeting, and then… — he didn’t have time to finish when he got a call. Charlotte watched as the morbid amusement on his face gave way to a frown of concern. — Yes, of course, we will come. Ten minutes downstairs, good. We will,” he hung up and sat silently for a minute. Charlotte did not give free rein to her curiosity and waited to see what he would say. — Take the documents, you need to go downstairs. Charlotte suppressed the desire to find out who called him and, with apparent indifference, picked up the documents from the table. Whoever was on the other end of the line brought bad news to Walter, which means that for her it may be news of the exact opposite nature. *** In one of the “public” interrogation rooms of the Gestapo, bright and in some ways even comfortably furnished rooms, the young Heinrich Wenger, who had just been recruited into the service, was waiting for them. He had not yet managed to distinguish himself in anything, so the essentially closed case was transferred to him. — Good afternoon. Walter Sachs,” Wenger nodded to the man. — Charlotte Brown. I have been ordered to interview the participants again in case No. 5234, the murder of workers at the construction site of a concentration camp led by August Scholz. Charlotte barely contained a shocked gasp. Have they really resumed the investigation? — Excuse me, Private Wenger, by what right will you question us? The case has long been closed,” Walter was on edge, one single small detail and the whole web will become clear. — By order of Reinhard Heydrich. I hope you, like everyone else here, know this name? “Henry was not going to stand on ceremony. During yesterday’s conversation with August, he realized that Walter had set him up, and he was not the only one. He wanted to restore justice himself. “Yes, I know this name,” Walter was internally in a cold sweat. Can’t be. So that after a whole year someone would be interested in this matter. — Fine. Then go out, I’ll start with Charlotte,” Heinrich watched as Walter stood up and walked towards the exit. — Charlotte, tell me, is it true that at the time of the search you were not allowed into the office and until that moment you were not there either? — this was the first question that Heinrich asked after the door slammed. — Yes, it’s true, we waited for several hours, but I understand why that is. Can I be honest with you? — the man nodded. Charlotte decided to trust him. “Walter was stalling for time. He needed to create the feeling of a real search, even though he knew where the powder was. “We can’t verify this,” Heinrich shook his head, accepting that she was right. — How did the arrest take place? — Yes, how… very quickly. Two people approached him, took off his belt and tore off his shoulder straps, and said that he was under arrest. They didn’t say anything more, they didn’t even give the reason for the detention. They just showed me a bag of poison. “Yes, I talked about this with August personally today,” he tiredly rubbed the bridge of his nose. — Tell me, why did management become interested in this? A year has passed, even a little more. “The re-check was initiated personally by Himmler almost immediately after the arrest, but there was no one to entrust it with, in addition, the crime scene had already been cleared, all the evidence had disappeared. I had to collect information bit by bit. — Himmler? — Charlotte immediately noticed. — I don’t know the details. However, the case will be considered in court, as it should be. I think Himmler noticed something fishy here, so he decided to bypass Walter. He will appear in court as a suspect. — Do you hope to find out the truth? Do you think he will confess? — Yes, I hope he will have no other choice. However, I think he won’t give up with his hands up. — It’s right. — Tell me, what was the relationship between August and Walter? — Bad ones. Very bad. Walter didn’t like him. He always wanted to make fun of him somehow, to hurt him. They rarely crossed paths, but when Walter found out about my transfer from the Gestapo to personal secretaries, he was very upset. “I think the first time, he paid to get you under his command.” I did not find any documents about your transfer. — What?! — she was amazed. Yes, Walter really tried. He has woven such a web that just a little more and he himself will find himself in it. — In any case, we still have to prove this in court. You can be free, Charlotte, I will interrogate Walter. “Thank you,” she stood up and, leaving, did not collide with Walter. He followed her in. Nervous and disheveled. Before him was his death, he was finished. He couldn’t overhear a word, but the sight of Charlotte told him much more. “Sit down,” Heinrich pointed to a chair that stood near his desk. He moved closer and looked at the constrained movements of the man, who realized that now he would have to lie. Yes, he is finished, and he knows it. — So, let’s start the survey. Tell me, where were you from 15:00 to 16:30 when the crime happened? — Where did you get these numbers from? Did you make them up? — No, these are the results of a medical examination. In addition, the call with a message about the bodies came in at five o’clock sharp, some were still alive. — I was in my office, sorting out papers. — Can someone confirm this? Walter thought about it. — Yes, maybe Lina, my assistant. — Where is she now? — She is on forced leave in Austria. — Did you send her there? — Yes I. — Okay, tell me, what kind of relationship did you have with August? Walter crossed his arms over his chest. The question was unexpected. — Quite good. — Is it true? Everyone around me, no matter who I asked, said that you were competing. “Listen, you can compete in a good way,” Zaks smiled slyly. “I only sometimes spoke rudely about him, but it wasn’t serious.” — Let’s assume. Tell me, why did you not allow August to be present during the search? — Wenger switched the pen to the other hand. — Those are the rules. “There are no such rules,” Heinrich snapped unexpectedly sternly. “You just don’t know everything yet,” Walter said haughtily. — I know enough. Tell me, Walter, why was this case closed out of court? Was everything about him so crystal clear? — There was no time, it was necessary to act quickly so that August Scholz did not leave the country. “Do you really think he would do that?” “You can expect anything from this person.” “Let’s assume,” Heinrich said again without expression. Zaks already hated that “suppose.” “Then tell me, Walter, why do you think the poison was kept in the bag?” After all, August is a man who knows how dangerous substances are stored. — He did this only to divert suspicion from himself. Besides, it looks like him. “What about the strangled worker?” — He looked at Walter carefully. Emotions changed barely noticeable on him. Surprise, anger, disappointment, fear. — What are you speaking about? — I’m talking about the worker who was strangled. You wrote the report, you must remember it. “Yes, he was, but I didn’t pay attention to him in the report, because I thought that he was just a victim of a showdown in the camp,” he shrugged and looked up. Wenger did not receive any new information, except that Walter Sachs was lying incompetently. — Well. Then the interrogation is over for today. I think you can be free. *** Rushing into his office, Walter leaned over the table and frantically dialed a number. There was no answer and he had to dial the number again. — Who? — responded a dissatisfied voice on the other end. “We’ll meet you there today,” Walter said, and hung up. We need to calm down, urgently. He rushed around the office, forgetting about all his responsibilities. What could be the matter, his life hangs by a thread. *** Rushing into his office, Walter leaned across the table and frantically dialed a number. He was not answered and had to dial the number again. — Who? — a disgruntled voice answered on the other end. — I’ll meet you on the spot today, — having said that, Walter hung up the phone. We need to calm down, urgently. He was rushing around the office, forgetting about all his duties. What can be the case, his life is hanging by a thread. *** Walter arrived at the place first and began to wait. Friedrich, as always, was in no hurry. “What happened, Zaks, you said so coldly and quickly into the phone that I thought maybe something terrible had happened?” “It happened, it happens and will happen, Friedrich.” We might be exposed. — Didn’t I hear? — Friedrich could not believe his ears, Walter shook his head. — How? “Today an investigator came and questioned me and this bitch, Himmler became interested in our case, the case will be in court. — No, this cannot be. Why are they taking this case again? “I don’t know, they say it’s Himmler’s order, I’m afraid that they will reveal it and find out about me.” “Yes, if I have a chance to save my skin, then you don’t,” Friedrich grinned. “Actually, they’ll put you in prison too, Lehmann, they found out about the worker you strangled when we poured in the poison.” Why did you even kill him? “I didn’t think they’d grab it.” — We’re done. What are you planning to do with Eve? — Nothing. She will die. “Lina will arrive any day now, so I think she’ll have to be removed too.” “We’ll have to clean up the living evidence, eh, Walter,” Friedrich narrowed his eyes sarcastically. — Get your hands dirty. But this is not the first time for us.