24
Munich Police Department
AT HIS DESK, DETECTIVE Inspector Thomas Bauer read the morning’s edition of the Munich Post. It was the day after the publication of Gerlich’s detailed, inflammatory missive in his periodical.
“You got a rise out of him, Fritz, I’ll say that much,” he mumbled. “You definitely got his attention.”
“Sir.”
Bauer flipped to the next page of the paper, continuing the article, ignoring his young kriminalassistent, Helldorff.
“Sir.”
“I told you I don’t answer to ‘sir.’” Bauer looked over the paper at him, with his mop of blond hair and skinny neck.
“Sir—Bauer—may I have a word?”
“Go ahead.”
The inspector’s office was buzzing, with new work coming in every day. Given the band of roving Nazi patrols every night, there was no shortage of crime in Munich these days.
“If you’re still working the Raubal investigation, Bauer, I’d like to help.”
Bauer’s internal radar clicked on. There were spies throughout the kriminalpolizei. Munich was no different from any other department. “I’m not,” he said.
“I believe you are.”
Bauer flipped his newspaper back to the previous page, folded it, and showed it to Helldorff. “Read this, Hergenmeister. Did you see it? Hitler responded for the first time to all the news accounts about Geli.”
Helldorff leaned forward and took a look. Bauer read Hitler’s words along with him:
It is not true that I was having fights again and again with my niece Raubal and that we had a substantial quarrel on Friday or anytime before that.
It is not true that I was decidedly against her going to Vienna. I was never against her planned trip to Vienna.
It is not true that she was going to get engaged in Vienna or that I was against an engagement. It is true that my niece was tormented with the worry that she was not yet fit for her public appearance. She wanted to go to Vienna to have her voice checked once again by a voice teacher.
It is not true that I left my flat on September 18 after a fierce row. There was no row, no excitement, when I left my flat on that day.
“See?” Bauer said. “That clears up everything. The Führer is innocent!”
Helldorff shot him a look. “Come now with the sarcasm, Bauer. I’m young. I’m not stupid.”
“You wanna grow old someday, Heinecke?” Bauer rolled up the newspaper and whacked the kriminalassistent in the arm. “Stay away from this.”
“Sir—Bauer.” Helldorff straightened his back. “I did not join the kriminalpolizei to look the other way.”
Bauer sighed. “Look, kid, I appreciate your—”
“I’m Jewish,” said Helldorff.
Bauer measured him up. The kid’s shirt collar was too big for his neck, and somebody needed to teach him how to knot a necktie. He seemed way too young to take this project on. But then again, Bauer almost got his head shot off on the western front when he was that age.
In truth, he could use all the help he could get. If this young cop was willing to get his hands dirty, who was Bauer to make life choices for him? He leaned closer to Helldorff. “Let’s get a few things straight. You can’t tell anyone. Not a soul.”
“Agreed.”
“We don’t discuss it here. We don’t work on it here. This is off-time only. Evenings, mostly.”
“Understood. Accepted.”
“And one more thing, Hergenhoffer.” He put a finger on Helldorff’s chest. “And this is the most important. Because I know you’re a young, idealistic cop, and I don’t want to be corrupting your principles or anything.”
“Go ahead, Bauer.”
Bauer glanced around to ensure that he was still merely blending in with everyone in the office. “I’m done playing fair. I’m not going by the book on this one.”
“Fine with me, Bauer.” Helldorff even allowed a slight smile.
Bauer took a moment, then nodded presumptively. “Are you hungry? I could use some decent schnitzel.”
When they were outside in the open air, each man lifting his coat collar on a cold, gloomy day, Bauer felt freer to speak. “So what did you make of that letter from Hitler in the Post?”
“I thought it was very defensive,” said Helldorff. “And it left out a lot.” He looked over at Bauer. “What did you make of it?”
“That he’s worried,” said Bauer. “Which means there’s something out there that worries him. Something or someone. And that, my good kriminalassistent, is what we have to find.”