“As I said, I’d rather not.”

“Please,” said Himmler, “I insist.” He nodded ever so slightly at Helmut who took a step forward. Malchus slid down further into the chair, as if trying to disappear.

“Well, perhaps I will have one of yours,” he said.

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly foist one of these on you when you roll your own,” said Himmler. “Surely an alchemist such as yourself must roll a perfect cigarette.” He slid the lighter to the far edge of the desk, just in front of Malchus, and pressed down on the brass handle. A flame popped up and flickered in Malchus’s face.

“I’m not sure I have one with me,” said Malchus.

“I have no doubt Helmut here can help you find one, if you’re unable to do so yourself.”

With a look of abject misery, Malchus reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a cigarette that looked almost as crumpled as he did. With shaking fingers he brought it to his lips and leaned forward to accept the light.

“Now, isn’t this lovely,” said Himmler. “Two friends enjoying a smoke together. Friends who are always completely honest with one another, isn’t that right?”

“Yes, I suppose,” said Malchus quietly.

Himmler leaned back in his chair and blew a cloud of smoke into the air above his head. A moment later there was a loud click as something fell from the tip of Malchus’s cigarette onto the floor.

“Why, whatever can that be?” said Himmler. “It seems something was hidden inside your cigarette.” He nodded to Helmut who stepped forward and leaned over to retrieve a nugget of pure gold, still soft from the heat of the cigarette in which it had been hidden.

“Gold,” said Helmut with a smile, setting the nugget on the desk in front of Malchus.

“Now how in the world do you suppose this piece of gold could have gotten into your cigarette?” said Himmler, picking up the nugget and holding it under Malchus’s nose. “Ah yes, as you said—you roll your own.”

On Himmler’s orders, Helmut oversaw the transfer of Karl Malchus from his comfortable quarters next to the laboratory at Dachau to the prisoner enclosure. Again Himmler had been taken in by a phony alchemist, again other Nazi leaders would ridicule him. It infuriated Helmut. Yet, a few days later, when he stepped into Himmler’s office, the Reichsführer’s mood was as jolly as Helmut had seen it in a long time.

“You won’t be having any more trouble from Karl Malchus,” said Helmut.

“Karl Malchus is of no concern to me,” said Himmler.

“I never did trust the man.”