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Back The German Wife
Chapters (61)
  1. Cover
  2. About the Author
  3. Praise
  4. Dedication
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. A NOTE FROM KELLY
  58. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  59. The German Wife - Reader's Guide
  60. Discussion Questions
  61. Booklist

“Of course it wasn’t me!” Jürgen exclaimed. “Why would I break into my boss’s house, then go to work the next day as if nothing happened? That’s insanity.”

“The intruder had a German accent, Mr. Rhodes. And seemed to be looking for Mrs. Miller. I understand you—” his gaze moved to me “—and Mrs. Miller had an altercation last weekend.”

“It wasn’t an altercation,” I said, my voice small as I stared at the carpet, unable to meet the detective’s gaze. “It was a disagreement. I’m very sorry this has happened to them, but it had nothing to do with us.”

The officer folded up his notebook and slipped it into his pocket. He stood, and Jürgen did the same. The two men stared at one another, both standing tall.

“I’m sure you know by now that this town didn’t ask for you to come here.”

“I appreciate that,” Jürgen said calmly. “But your government did. We are committed to being good citizens and to contributing something to your nation. I want no trouble from you or from the Millers, Detective Johnson. You have my word on that.”

“Frankly, Mr. Rhodes, the words of a Nazi don’t mean much to me. That’s what the graffiti in front of your street said, right?” He dropped his voice, his tone dark as he repeated the word. “Nazi?” Jürgen opened his mouth to protest, then thought better of it.

“I was not at the Miller household last night, sir,” Jürgen repeated steadily. “I have no problem with Mrs. Miller, nor does my wife. I work very closely with Calvin Miller. His family has had no trouble from me, and they’ll have no trouble from me.”

“You should know, Mr. Rhodes—if there’s one thing the boys at the station agree on, it’s that if there’s a chance to throw one of you in our cell, we’re taking it.”

After the detective left, Jürgen and I sat on the sofa, side by side.

“What on earth is going on?” I asked him uneasily.

“I don’t know. And I don’t know what to do.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. “I saw Calvin in the lab early this morning. He seemed a bit weary, but he didn’t say anything about this.” Jürgen squeezed his eyes closed. “Things have been a little tense since the party.”

“I’m sorry,” I said weakly.