Five
THE FüHRER ABSORBED GELI’S words like a punch. He was momentarily stunned by her stupidity, her arrogance. Silence hung between them like a curtain.
Suddenly, Geli pulled the heavy, boxy portmanteau to the floor. Hitler’s eyes narrowed with anger.
“No!” he yelled at her. “You will not leave this house.”
He was the Führer. He didn’t reach his high position through weakness.
He’d risen as the undisputed leader of NSDAP not by compromise, not by give-and-take or negotiation, not by asking permission.
He took it. He declared absolute authority, even infallibility—it is right because I say it is right—and he didn’t stop until he got it.
The political graveyard was filled with bodies—Strasser, Stennes, von Salomon, to name a few—who had dared challenge him.
He removed his tailcoat, already overheated with rage. He raised a finger. “You will not… go to Vienna,” he said, his voice strong, commanding. “Not tomorrow. Not ever. You will not marry him. You will never see him again or even talk of him in my presence.”
Geli moved toward him. Her back straight, jaw set, eyes up, she said: “I am marrying him. I’m not asking for permission. And as long as we’re clearing the air—yes, you’re right, he is Jewish—”
The Führer’s fist flew forward, striking Geli hard on the nose, his knuckles breaking cartilage. Arms flying out, she flailed backward, butting hard against the dressing table. Bottles of her perfume and makeup flew. A mirror fell from the wall, crashing onto the vanity.
Geli landed awkwardly on her side and an elbow. She made no immediate sound. She was stunned. In shock. Clearly hurt.
The Führer fished a handkerchief from a pocket and tossed it to her. “Clean yourself. You’ll need makeup tomorrow. We will speak again at breakfast.”
“No.” Blood spilling from her nose, her eyes watering, she stumbled to her feet. “No! No! No! Not anymore. I don’t belong to you.”
He bull-rushed her, grabbed both shoulders, shook her hard. “You little fool. Do you not understand what sacred privilege you have? The status you enjoy? The things you and I do together—”
“They’re disgusting,” she hissed. “The things we do make me sick to my—”
“Enough!” He shook her one last time then shoved her away.
It was only then that he saw the gun in her hand.
“You sneaky girl.”
He hadn’t felt her hand, hadn’t noticed the sly movement. He patted his side, feeling his holster, searching for his sidearm. The Walther pistol he carried for security—it wasn’t there.
Now Geli raised the pistol. Both of her hands were trembling.
“Give me the gun,” he demanded. “I won’t ask a second time. I’ll call my guards. They will kill you, Geli.”
“I’m leaving Munich. I’m leaving you!” she screamed. An ugly bruise was already forming across her face. Her nose was surely broken. Maybe a concussion.
He grabbed the gun’s barrel and pulled hard, yanking the gun from Geli’s hand. Her body was shaking terribly.
“You’ll see a medic in the morning. Hess will see to it. You tripped and fell. Yes. You tripped and fell. You can’t be reasoned with in this condition.”
He turned away from her and started for the door.
“My… condition,” she whispered.
“Yes, your condition. You’re hysterical and emotional. Like most women—”
“I’m pregnant,” Geli said.
He turned his head, almost as if he hadn’t heard her correctly.
“I’m pregnant with his child. We’re going to marry—”
Hitler responded instantly. He pulled the trigger of the Walther. He heard the loud report of gunfire. He smelled cordite.
Then he lowered the gun to his side and watched.
Coldly. Objectively. He saw the hole blown through her chest, above the diamond brooch on her bodice.
The expression of shock on her beautiful face; the small o her mouth formed; the rush of blood from the wound; the slurping sound as she struggled for air; the panic in her eyes; her long legs buckling before she fell face forward to the carpet.
“Nobody says no to the Führer,” he said. “No one. Not even you. Stupid cow.”
He left the bedroom, finding the telephone down a long hallway.
His voice was deep and hoarse, in command, as he spoke into the phone.
“Rudolf,” he said, “I need you at once.”