Rising Sun, Falling Shadow Part 22

Franz leaned closer to the boy. "What exactly is she holding for you?"

Freddy's head twitched again. "She has one of my books. For homework. I can do without it for another day." He backed away from the door. "My parents are expecting me home for dinner."

Esther slipped between Franz and Sunny, only stopping when she was inches away from Freddy. "Where did Hannah get that money, Freddy?" Her voice was frantic.

"Money?" Freddy grimaced. "I don't know what you mean."

Esther grabbed him by the elbow. "This coat, it's brand new."

Freddy tried to shrug his arm free, but she hung onto it. "My parents bought this for me. It was a birthday gift."

"Was your family not living in a heim only last year, Fritsch?" Esther replied angrily. "The five dollars Hannah gave me. What do you know about it?"

Franz turned to Esther with a grimace. "Five dollars? What nonsense are you talking, Essie?"

Esther didn't take her eyes off the boy. "You know where that money came from, don't you?"

Freddy's face reddened and he looked away. "I have nothing to do with it."

"I don't believe you," Esther said. "If something has happened to her and you are somehow responsible . . ."

Franz lunged forward. He grabbed Freddy's lapels and shoved him back against the hallway wall. "Is Hannah in trouble?"

"I . . . I don't know," Freddy grunted. "She never came back."

"Came back from where?"

"Frenchtown."

"Frenchtown?" Franz gasped. "Why did Hannah leave the ghetto?"

"You should ask her."

"Tell me!" Franz shouted, tightening his grip on the boy's collar.

"Cigarettes," Freddy croaked.

"What was Hannah doing with cigarettes?"

"Bringing them back. To sell in the ghetto."

Esther took her head in her hands. "Smuggling? You forced Hannah to smuggle for you?"

Freddy struggled to shake his head. "We never forced her!"

Franz shoved Freddy aside and headed down the hallway. Sunny raced after him. "Where are you going?" she called.

"To Ghoya's office!" Franz said without slowing. "They must have her!"

They were panting when they reached the Bureau of Stateless Refugee Affairs. Despite the late hour, a line of refugees waiting to apply for exit pa.s.ses spilled out the front door and onto the street. Franz bolted past the queue, ignoring the cries and complaints of the people in line. Sunny followed him as he elbowed his way down the narrow corridor and burst into Ghoya's office.

An older man who stood cowering in front of the desk spun around in surprise. A soldier rushed inside after Sunny and Franz. Ghoya leaned back in his chair, watching the commotion with an amused grin. He waved the soldier out of the office before he turned to the old man. "No pa.s.s for you today. Go. Go. Leave me now!"

As the old man scuttled out of the room, Ghoya turned his attention to Franz. "I believe I know why you have come here, Dr. Adler. Yes, yes. I believe I do."

"Mr. Ghoya, please, sir," Franz said as he approached the desk. "Where is my daughter, Hannah?"

Ghoya motioned to the ceiling. "Right here, Dr. Adler. We have her. Right here."

Franz clasped his hands together. "May I see her, Mr. Ghoya? Please."

Ghoya leaned back and patted his belly contentedly. "Such a big lunch today. Do you know the Cafe Aaronsohn?"

Franz gaped at him, bewildered. "On Tong Shan Road?"

"Yes, yes! Mr. Aaronsohn and me, we have an understanding." Ghoya nodded knowingly. "I eat lunch there. Every day at twelve thirty. They feed me; I sign his wife's pa.s.s. She buys their supplies on Nanking Road." He laughed again. "A good deal for everyone. The wife, she needs a pa.s.s. And me? I need lunch."

"Mr. Ghoya, I have to-"

"Today I had such a big plate of gebratenes." Ghoya butchered the Yiddish word. "Too much, too much! But the chicken was so good. The Aaronsohns, they cook good chicken."

Franz held out a hand imploringly. "Mr. Ghoya, about Hannah . . ."

Ghoya shook his head repeatedly. "Do you know what your daughter has been up to? Do you?"

"I have heard only just now."

Ghoya put his hands on the desk and launched himself to his feet. "I warned you," he cried as he raced around the desk toward them. "Did I not tell you? The smuggling must stop!"

Sunny stepped forward. "She is just a girl, Mr. Ghoya. She didn't know what she was doing."

"Who are you, woman?" Ghoya demanded.

Sunny reached for Franz's hand and squeezed his damp palm. "I am Mrs. Adler."

Ghoya turned to Franz, his face scrunched up. "This? This is your wife? You are not married to a Jewess? But the girl-she has no Chinese in her."

"Hannah's mother is dead. Mrs. Adler is my second wife. Mr. Ghoya, please, Hannah is only a child-"

Ghoya raised a finger and let it sail up over his head. "Child or not. This must stop! Examples must be set."

Franz thrust out his hands in surrender. "Then take me instead. Let me be the example."

"No, no, no!" Ghoya shook his head wildly. "The girl is the smuggler. We must punish her."

"Mr. Ghoya, I put Hannah up to this!" Franz cried. "She didn't want to do it, but I insisted. The cigarettes were for me to sell. You see, Hannah doesn't need a pa.s.s to leave the ghetto, so I-"

Ghoya's eyes widened in fury. "I will stand you in front of a firing squad right this instant!"

"It's not true!" Sunny exclaimed. "My husband didn't know. I swear to you. We both only found out minutes ago. The children planned this themselves."

Ghoya's face calmed and he nodded to himself. "The girl told me the same."

"For G.o.d's sake, she is only a child," Franz murmured. "You can't put her in front of a firing squad."

Ghoya raised his arm and slapped Franz across the cheek so hard that Sunny winced. "Who do you think I am? I do not shoot little girls!" he screamed. "Still, examples must be set. Yes, they must be set!"

Franz recovered and stared at Ghoya. His face bore an angry welt and a long scratch left by Ghoya's ring. Sunny resisted the urge to reach out and stroke his cheek.

"What kind of example, Mr. Ghoya?" Franz asked.

"Tomorrow at noon." Ghoya's tone turned conversational. "Your daughter will face her punishment in the street."

"What kind of punishment?"

"She will be flogged."

Franz wiped the blood from his cheek. "No . . . please. Lash me instead."

Ghoya raised his hand, ready to strike again. But a moment later he dropped it back to his side. A smile crossed his lips. "Yes, of course. Why not both of you? That would be a better example still."

CHAPTER 32.

The windowless cell reeked of sweat and urine. Franz crouched in the corner, as far from the filthy pail that served as a toilet as he could get. At least an hour had pa.s.sed since the soldiers had tossed him into the concrete box. He a.s.sumed that they planned to hold him until the flogging.

Ghoya had let Sunny go-that was some consolation-but Franz's concern for his daughter consumed him. He kept picturing Hannah terrified and alone, cowering in a cell of her own.

Franz didn't fear the whipping, not after the torture he had lived through at Bridge House. But the idea of having to watch as they flogged his daughter in front of him broke his heart. No father should have to endure that.

"d.a.m.n that Herzberg boy," Franz said under his breath. But he was just as upset with himself for not having kept a closer eye on his daughter. Esther had always predicted that Hannah's spirit and curiosity might lead her into trouble. He'd already caught Hannah sneaking out of the ghetto once; Franz cursed himself for not paying more attention since.

A key turned in the lock. Franz rose to his feet as the heavy door creaked open.

Colonel Kubota stepped into the room and heaved the door close behind him. Leaning heavily on his cane, he made his way toward Franz.

"Thank you for coming, Colonel." Franz bowed deeply.

But the resigned look on Kubota's face dimmed Franz's hope before it could even take shape. When Kubota finally spoke, his tone was subdued. "Dr. Adler, I am afraid that Mr. Ghoya is perfectly correct in this instance."

Franz said nothing.

Kubota tapped his cane on the floor. "We can no more turn a blind eye to unlawfulness in the Designated Area than we can tolerate subversion."

"I understand, Colonel, I do."

Kubota's expression softened. "You are looked upon as one of the leaders in your community, Dr. Adler. It reflects poorly on you for your daughter to be caught smuggling. On us as well."

"Of course, but Hannah is only thirteen. She doesn't know better. I only ask that you punish me instead."

Kubota closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. "I would not interfere with your punishment even if I could, Dr. Adler."

Franz nodded vehemently. "But surely Hannah . . ."

Kubota turned clumsily and hobbled back to the door. He pulled it open. "You may come in, young lady."

Hannah took a tentative step into the cell, stopping just inside the doorway. She hung her head.

Franz rushed over to her with arms extended. "Hannah, darling!" he said as he enveloped her in a hug.

She trembled wordlessly against him like a puppy in a cold rainstorm. "I'm so sorry, Papa," she murmured into his chest. "So very, very sorry."

Franz inhaled her hair's familiar scent. "Everything will be all right, Liebchen."

"You are in such trouble," she said. "It's all because of me. I had no-"

Franz held her face between his hands. "We are together again, Hannah-chen. Nothing else matters. You understand?"

"If only it were so simple, Papa. What have I done?"

Franz stared into his daughter's eyes. Something had changed in her. He could sense the difference but could not quite put it into words. It was as though she had lost something.

She reached up and eased his hands away. It was then that Franz spotted the welts on her cheeks. Rage ripped through him at the thought of Ghoya hitting his daughter. He caressed her wounds delicately while he imagined tearing Ghoya's limbs out.

Hannah removed his hands from her cheek again. "They don't hurt, Papa."

Franz kissed the welts. "You are brave."

Kubota coughed. "You and your daughter may return home now."

Franz turned to him with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Colonel."

Kubota shook his head. "Tomorrow, Dr. Adler, you will be required to report to Mr. Ghoya shortly before noon." His gaze shifted uncomfortably to Hannah. "You as well, young lady."

"But . . ." Franz began.

"The girl will not be lashed. I have seen to that." Kubota's eyes found Hannah's again. "However, you will have to witness your father's flogging. I'm afraid it is . . . only fitting."

Her lips twitched as she fought off the tears. "I understand, Colonel."

Franz stroked her hair. "It will be all right, Hannah-chen."