فصل 95

alfred

Fulfilling a woman’s request swayed emotions, giving a man the upper hand. Hannelore’s heart always seemed to soften when I brought her sweets or swept the sidewalk. Yes, if I wanted to bait the pretty nurse, I must fulfill her request. I would find the young recruit.

I walked through the halls, looking for the tall rogue. If he were on board, he would be easy to find. There weren’t many men his age in civilian clothes.

“Frick,” someone called to me from a group. “We need you to issue life vests.”

I put my hand up in protest. “My apologies, gentlemen. I’m on an important assignment.”

“Bettn?sser,” the sailor replied. They all laughed.

Bed wetter.

I scraped at my hands. They would be sorry they had laughed. Very sorry.

The ship’s speaker system buzzed with announcements, calls for lost and found children, and misplaced belongings. No smoking belowdecks. Life jackets must be worn at all times.

After several rounds of the ship, I felt energized both in body and in mind. Perhaps there was something to this physical fitness curriculum the military recommended. As I rounded the corner on the upper promenade deck, I saw the old man and the little boy. The boy was hard at work, shining shoes for coins.

“Greetings. I’m looking for the young fellow from the movie house. Have you seen him?”

The old man’s eyes narrowed to unbecoming slits. He looked down at my boots. “I saw you do it, you know.”

“Do what?” I responded. Had he seen me snatch the crystal butterfly?

“You took your boot to that poor dog.”

“Oh that.” I sighed. “Our Führer would remind you that it makes no sense to support the weak or crippled. In nature, the weaker species simply die.” I leaned in toward him, examining his face. “I believe some might classify you as weak? Now, have you seen the fellow from the movie house?”

“What do you need with him? He had to wait for additional inspection.”

“Inspection, right. Very careful we must be. Can’t allow any riffraff or deserters,” I said. I left their footwear enterprise and went down a few decks to the gangway entry.

“I’ve been sent to find a young civilian man who just boarded. Tall, brown hair.”

“We just sent someone to the infirmary who matches that description. Maybe that was your man?”

I ran to the closest stairwell. I spotted the recruit and called out. He stopped and I made my way up. He looked genuinely happy to see me.

“Well, you’re exactly who I was looking for.” He clapped me on the shoulder and we continued up the stairs.