Boden didn’t respond and Heck pressed the point of the scissors harder into his throat. ‘Talk to me, Nazi.’

The patient’s eyes opened. He was staring straight past Heck, his expression blank with no semblance of comprehension.

‘Now tell me? Where is he? You have one chance.’

Heck felt a hand on his shoulder and swung around. A nurse in a crisp white uniform was standing there. She reached out and gently removed the scissors from his hand.

‘I’ll take those, my dear. Now, what exactly do you think you’re doing, Lieutenant?’ She spoke the words softly and with a kindly accent that seemed to emanate from America’s Deep South.

He didn’t say anything. What could he say?

‘Oh dear,’ she said, ‘night terrors, I suppose. I’ve seen a lot of men like you in the war. Come on, let’s get you back to your own bed, shall we?’ She smoothed Boden’s sheets, then put an arm around Heck’s shoulders and moved him towards the door. ‘Don’t be alarmed, there’s no harm done, Lieutenant. Mr Boden is sedated – he won’t remember a thing.’

*

Paula Jaeger lowered her rifle. ‘Oh, Mr Wilde, it’s you. My heart was pounding so much I thought my chest would burst.’

‘I’m sorry, Paula.’

‘But why are you here? Why have you come back?’

‘I told you. I want a favour. You know these mountains.’

‘Of course, I have lived here all my life.’

‘I want you to be my guide for a day. I’ll pay you well – in dollars or cigarettes or whatever you like. Will you do that for me?’

‘It’s dangerous, isn’t it? The killers of Uncle August are still out there.’

He couldn’t lie to her; she wasn’t stupid. ‘Yes.’ He nodded. ‘It’s dangerous. And I have already put you in peril, but I’ll do my best to protect you. Once we get near to our goal, I’ll go on alone.’

‘Is this something to do with Uncle August’s map?’

‘It is. I want you to take me to a place he’s marked called Die versteckte Alm. Do you know it?’

‘I have heard of it. I am sure I could find it with the map, but it will be a hard trek. Do you think Hitler is there?’

He shrugged. ‘It’s a long shot, but I have to look. Are you sure about this?’

She smiled at him. ‘I feel I have no option.’ The other words, the ones in her head, remained unspoken, but they both knew what they were. We have kept silent, done nothing for far too long. These people have heaped death, misery and destruction upon us. They must be stopped for ever.

‘I think we should leave before the village wakes.’

‘Let me make you some coffee.’

Chapter 43

Chapter 43