Part 20 (1/2)

”Aunt Martha, would you mind taking William upstairs while Louisa and I talk to this gentleman?” Robert sounded calm but looked troubled.

The man looked straight at me. ”Are you Louisa Schmetterling?”

I nodded.

”Do-you-understand-English?” he asked, as if I had a hearing problem.

”Yes,” I answered. My mouth felt dry.

”I'm a field officer for the INS.”

I glanced at Robert, puzzled.

”Immigration and Naturalization Services,” he explained.

The officer pulled out some papers from his briefcase. ”Ma'am, it has been brought to our attention that you might be in this country under false pretenses. You have until Monday morning to prove that you are here legally. There's a hearing scheduled on Monday for your internment at Crystal City, Texas. We will return for you at 10 a.m. on Monday for the hearing.”

He handed me the papers. ”And I'm compelled to warn you that if you flee, you will be cla.s.sified as a fugitive and arrested when found. Also, the Reverend will be considered an accomplice and charged accordingly. Do you understand what we're telling you?”

I was stunned. Robert reached over and took my hand.

”What kind of proof do you need?” asked Robert.

”Legal doc.u.mentation,” he answered.

Of which I had none.

The officer saw the panic in my eyes. ”Don't you fret, Ma'am. Crystal City isn't a bad place. Think of it as a vacation paid for by the U.S. Government. It's just until this war ends. That'll be soon. It's just government policy to not take any chances with possible domestic disloyalty.”

”Why Texas? Why not the internment camp in Phoenix? Pagogo Park?” Robert asked.

”Pagogo Park is only for male POWs. Crystal City has families living there. She'll make lots of new friends,” he added.

The absurdity of that comment gave me a moment to pull myself together. Robert walked the officer to the door. Then he returned and stood next to me. Still stunned, we watched his car disappear through the parlor window.

Finally, Robert turned to me. ”Mueller did this. I still can't understand how he knew who you were, that your pa.s.sport was false.” Then his eyes lit up. ”Unless...unless he got into my lock box at the bank! Louisa, what time is it?”

I thought back to the clock in the kitchen. I had looked at it, nervously, when I heard the officer knock on the door. ”Around half past three.”

”I'm going to run to the bank and check the contents of my lock box. I'll be back as soon as I can, but I have to wait until Mueller is out of the bank. I don't want to make him suspicious. Louisa, please try not to worry.” He brushed my cheek with his hand.

Miss Gordon, who had been listening all along, raced out of the front door onto the porch as Robert bolted down the steps. ”Robert! Do something! We can't let her go.”

Robert didn't return for hours. I tried to not worry; I tried to pray until I could find peace. I prayed about it, left the matter entirely in G.o.d's hand, trusted Him to control the outcome, then I grabbed it back to worry all over again. I felt the same fear that a siren elicits at night-a fear I had hoped to leave behind in Germany.

It wasn't that being interned troubled me. On my long and lonely train ride, zigzagging from New York to Arizona, I had pa.s.sed internment camps of j.a.panese Americans in some of the western mountain states and asked the train conductor about them.

He explained that President Roosevelt had signed Executive Order 9066, ordering all j.a.panese Americans, who had been living on the west or east coast, to relocate to these camps. It was obvious the conductor was pleased with the President's decision.

As I pa.s.sed the camps, I didn't think the camps looked very threatening. Still, it gave me a chill to see them. I knew they weren't like prisons. Workers came and went through the day; the camps offered schools and activities. But I worried about Herr Mueller's connections. I had met many Muellers in my Resistance Work. Upstanding citizens with a secret, evil life.

I wondered what lay ahead of me. I felt desperate for a specific message from G.o.d as I thumbed through my Bible. ”Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in h.e.l.l, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” Reminded of those ancient words of King David from the book of Psalms gave me some consolation.

Finally, Robert came in through the front door after Miss Gordon had gone upstairs to give William a bath. I was grateful for the timing; it gave us the opportunity to talk alone. ”Your pa.s.sport is gone. So is Ruth's ring and some stock certificates. Mueller has emptied out my box.” He sank down on the davenport and motioned for me to sit down next to him.

”I went to see Judge Pryor. I showed him the internment orders. He said they're legitimate. He said we can appeal the papers, but it would take a long time. He said you could also seek political asylum, but again, in both cases, you would have to go to the internment camp and start the proceedings there.”

I took a deep breath. I had expected something like that. Herr Mueller exacted reparation for rebuffing him. ”I'm not afraid of going to the camp. It's all right, Robert. I'm ready. Dietrich often said that being safe and being at peace is not the same thing.”

”Wait, Louisa. You need to hear this. Judge Pryor called his nephew in Was.h.i.+ngton. The one that works for the federal government.”

I nodded.

”Well, apparently, Crystal City is not just an internment camp. It's a camp run by the Justice Department. It's used for hostage exchange. With Germany. The United States agrees to exchange valuable individuals for American citizens held in Germany. If you're right about Mueller, then it's likely the German government will want you back. Probably to be used as evidence against Dietrich. And who knows what they'll do with you when they're done.”

He paused. ”Even the judge's nephew couldn't help us. He told the judge that when the Justice Department is involved with hostage exchange, there aren't many loopholes.”

Those icy fingers of fear reached into my heart again. Ironic that I should leave Germany to be safe, only to land in a town with an individual who had the power and connections to send me back. I knew Herr Mueller was shrewd, but I hadn't antic.i.p.ated such a clever trap.

An entirely legal one.

Robert stood up and walked to the fireplace. He took a deep breath, and turned to face me. ”But there is one loophole. The judge told me there is still one ironclad way to keep you here. He called it the 'old fas.h.i.+oned way'.”

I looked up at him, not understanding.

When our eyes met, he took another deep breath. ”Marry me. Tonight. You could become an automatic citizen with proper doc.u.mentation.”

For a moment, I was speechless. I covered my cheeks with my hands. Recovering my powers of speech with difficulty, I finally sputtered out, ”I can't. I can't do that to you. I can't! No, Robert, the war will be over soon.”

He shook his head. ”Louisa, listen to me. And don't interrupt me. For once in your life, woman, do not interrupt me.” He came over and sat down on the davenport beside me. He was quiet for a moment, his hands clasped together, gathering his words.

Then he said, ”Louisa, when I was in seminary with Dietrich and Frank, I knew that they had a pa.s.sion and a conviction that I lacked. I've always been keeping something back. From Ruth, even from G.o.d. I think G.o.d has given me a second chance, to give myself to Him wholly, without reservation.”

He raked a hand nervously through his hair. ”When I married Ruth, I never even asked G.o.d for His opinion. Look at how that turned out. But for this, for you, I have asked G.o.d what is the right thing to do. That's why I took such a long time getting back tonight. I was praying. Louisa, I believe that He is blessing this decision. I really do. Please say yes, for me as well as for you.”

”But what about William? What will he think of marriage? As a joke? As a legal agreement for convenience? The last thing I want to do is to turn his world upside down again. And then, after the war, you end up as a twice-divorced minister. No, Robert. I will not damage your lives like that. Like Ruth did.”

”Then don't. I mean, don't leave. Stay here with us. You belong here with us. We need you, Louisa. I need you. William needs you. Even Aunt Martha needs you.”

Miss Gordon? That, I doubted.

Robert quickly read the look on my face. ”Well, maybe not quite like William and I need you.”

Then he gave me that straight-in-the-eyes look of his that always made my stomach flip-flop. ”Louisa, I love you. I don't want you to go. Please. Give us a chance.”

I searched his eyes as I did that first night I arrived when I told him about my involvement with Resistance Work and asked him if I should stay or go. Tonight they were warm. Trusting. I couldn't believe this was the same man who had met me at the depot station. Then, he was a man who looked beaten down from life. Burdened. But now, his eyes had life and strength inside of them, such resolve.