The space Pilecki vacated was quickly occupied by Mateusz. When he sat beside me, we didn’t acknowledge each other, but, as he wove, he found my palm. I closed my hand around the pills he slipped me and tucked them into my pocket. In return, I passed him a sapphire, as dark blue as his eyes. Gems were worth a fortune to him, and medication was worth a fortune to me.

“I have news,” he said under his breath, pushing a strand of dark hair away from his face. “I heard from my connections about that man in Flossenbürg, Karl Fritzsch. This news isn’t public yet, but the SS is investigating internal corruption within their organizations, and he’s a prime suspect.”

Corruption. How fitting. “You mean to tell me the SS is concerned with such a thing?” It made sense, given that those like Höss were obsessed with order; then again, others, like Fritzsch, had no regard for rules of any kind. Still, as I focused on my next basket, the thought of the SS disciplining their own sent a little rush of warmth through my veins. “Is he going to be arrested?”

“Not yet. The investigation has hardly begun, so it’ll be some time before they take action. My connections will let me know once something develops.”

“Thank you, Maciek. You don’t know how much this helps.”

“Does it help enough for you to tell me why you’re so interested in him?”

I should have known that Mateusz’s lack of curiosity wouldn’t last. I envisioned Fritzsch’s vicious sneer as he fired the pistol at my family, recoiled as the whip cracked across my back, strained against his firm hand clutching my collar while the guard shoved the injection into Father Kolbe’s arm. “He was our camp deputy at one time,” I said at last.

“If he’s facing a potential corruption charge, I can’t imagine he was the best fit for that job. What was he like?”

How was I supposed to answer that? He was a man who used me for entertainment. He was a man who murdered my family. He was a man I had to find.

“He scared me.” It wasn’t a lie.

Mateusz stopped working, and I corrected my last weave, pretending not to notice, but he waited. I lifted my eyes to his, always surprised by the look I found there. Few people regarded me as if I was more than a number anymore.

“What’s he done to you, Maria?”

If you only knew, Maciek.

“Nothing.” The lie didn’t make me feel guilty, even though it should have. “But he did hurt people. I’m afraid he’ll be transferred back, that’s all.”