Contract With God

Contract With God Read Free

Book: Contract With God Read Free
Author: Juan Gómez-Jurado
Ads: Link
I’m not. If I were one of them you’d be dangling from a noose in Tel Aviv. My . . . affiliation is with the people who facilitated your escape in 1946.’
    The doctor repressed a shiver.
    ‘The Holy Alliance,’ he muttered.
    Fowler did not reply.
    ‘And what does the Alliance want from me after all these years?’
    ‘Something in your possession.’
    The Nazi gestured at his surroundings.
    ‘As you can see, I’m not exactly a rich man. I have no money left.’
    ‘If I were after money, I could easily sell you to the Attorney General in Stuttgart. They’re still offering 130,000 euros for your capture. I want the candle.’
    The Nazi stared at him blankly, pretending not to understand.
    ‘What candle?’
    ‘Now you’re the one being ridiculous, Dr Graus. I’m talking about the candle you stole from the Cohen family sixty-two years ago. A heavy candle without a wick, covered with gold filigree. That’s what I want and I want it now.’
    ‘Take your bloody lies elsewhere. I don’t have any candle.’
    Fowler sighed, leaned back on his chair and pointed at the upturned glasses on the table.
    ‘Do you have anything stronger?’
    ‘Behind you,’ Graus said, nodding towards a cupboard.
    The priest turned and reached for a bottle that was half full. He picked up the glasses and poured two fingers of bright yellow liquid into each. Both men downed the drinks without making a toast.
    Fowler grabbed the bottle again and poured another round. He took a sip then said: ‘ Weizenkorn . Wheat schnapps. It’s been a long time since I tasted this.’
    ‘I’m sure you haven’t missed it.’
    ‘True. But it’s cheap, isn’t it?’
    Graus shrugged his shoulders.
    ‘A man like you, Graus. Brilliant. Vain. I can’t believe you drink this. You’re slowly poisoning yourself in a dirty hole that smells of piss. And you want to know something? I understand . . .’
    ‘You don’t understand a thing.’
    ‘Pretty good. You still remember the techniques of the Reich. Officers Regulations. Section Three. “In the event of capture by the enemy, deny everything and give only short answers that will not compromise you.” Well, Graus, get used to it. You’re compromised up to your neck.’
    The old man pulled a face and poured himself the rest of the schnapps. Fowler watched his opponent’s body language as the monster’s resolve slowly crumbled. He was like a painter, stepping back after a few brush strokes to examine the canvas before deciding which colours to use next.
    The priest decided to try using the truth.
    ‘Look at my hands, Doctor,’ said Fowler, placing them on the table. They were wrinkled, with long delicate fingers. There was nothing strange about them except for one small detail. At the top section of each finger near the knuckles was a thin whitish line that continued right across each hand.
    ‘Those are ugly scars. How old were you when you got them? Ten? Eleven?’
    ‘Twelve. I was practising the piano: Chopin Preludes, Opus 28. My father came over to the piano and without any warning he slammed the lid of the Steinway down as hard as he could. It was a miracle I didn’t lose my fingers, but I was never able to play again.’
    The priest gripped his glass and seemed to lose himself in its contents before going on. He had never been able to acknowledge what had happened while looking another human being in the eye.
    ‘From the time I was nine years old my father . . . forced himself on me. That day I told him I was going to tell someone if he did it again. He didn’t threaten me. He simply destroyed my hands. Then he cried, asked me to forgive him, and called on the best doctors money could buy. No, Graus. Don’t even think about it.’
    Graus had slid his hand under the table, feeling for the cutlery drawer. He quickly withdrew it.
    ‘That’s why I understand you, Doctor. My father was a monster whose guilt went beyond his own capacity to forgive. But he had more guts than you. Rather than

Similar Books

Imagined Empires

Zeinab Abul-Magd

Do You Know the Monkey Man?

Dori Hillestad Butler

Mother Daughter Me

Katie Hafner

Cold Hit

Linda Fairstein

Maude

Donna Mabry