Chapters (61)
“It was me who argued with her at that picnic, but it was you the police came for. I thought I could apologize before she stirred up any more trouble.” My voice grew more desperate as I tried to explain myself. “I want to build a home here, Jürgen. I don’t want some woman whispering to other Americans about me, telling them not to talk to me, telling their kids not to play with ours—gossiping about the worst moments of our lives. We need to build bridges here—not let rifts develop between us and your colleagues’ wives. So I tried to reach out to her.”
Jürgen dropped his hands from my face and rubbed his eyes. “Christ.”
“I don’t think she was home, but there was a man there.” I swallowed a lump in my throat. “Do you remember the second time the road was graffitied? The man in the brown uniform who was staring at us while you painted?” Jürgen nodded slowly, and I whispered, “He comes past all the time. I just assumed he was walking to work since he’s always in the uniform. But sometimes I see him several times in the one day, and not just in the morning and night. He stares at me.” I shivered anxiously.
“You haven’t mentioned this before.”
“Well, it’s not just him. Lots of people stare at me,” I said, laughing weakly. “You must notice it too.”
“Maybe I’ve grown used to it,” he sighed. “So what happened, my love? Did he say something to you about your disagreement with Lizzie Miller?”
“I didn’t get a chance to say my name, but he already knew who I was anyway, and he knew about my argument with Lizzie. I asked him to give her the cake and he called me a Nazi, then threw the cake against the pillar right behind me. Plate and all,” I blurted. Jürgen’s jaw dropped as his nostrils flared, and I hastened to explain, “He didn’t hurt me, Jürgen, and he could have if he’d thrown the cake a little to the left of where I was standing. I think he just wanted to give me a fright.”
Jürgen nodded slowly, his expression dark.
“Calvin did mention Lizzie’s brother lives with them.”
“His shirt says his name is Henry.”
“That rings a bell.”
“Lizzie Miller must have told her brother you broke into her house. He told me today we ‘need to stop coming round there,’” I said, shivering.
“I have to talk to Calvin, don’t I?” Jürgen sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“You said you wanted to stay out of this,” I whispered.
“I want to stay out of a disagreement between you and Mrs. Miller.” He pursed his lips. “I will not remain quiet when someone threatens my wife.”
32
Lizzie