El Alamein by Jack Murray (most popular novels of all time txt) 📕

Agatha Becker appeared just behind her husband demanding to know who it was. Becker opened the door wider. Rather like her husband, she was shocked to see who it was. Felix moved forward and jumped up on Brehme. At least someone was glad to see him, thought Brehme grimly. He stepped forward into the kitchen. The elderly couple were too much in shock to object. But they felt something, too.

Fear.

‘What brings you here?’ asked Becker nervously. Gone was the irritation.

Brehme stared at Becker and decided to get to the point.

‘You are both in grave danger. You and the people you are harbouring.’

Agatha Becker’s hand went to her mouth. Her husband was speechless for a few moments. Then he began what sounded like a denial before being silenced by Brehme. There was no time for this.

‘Take me to them,’ ordered Brehme. ‘Now.’

The elderly couple looked at one another and then Agatha nodded. In silence, they led Brehme outside to a small doorway. Becker unlocked it and they descended down a wooden flight of stairs to a cellar. Becker gave the door a knock and a few moments later it opened. A face peeked through the crack.

‘It’s me,’ said Becker.

The door opened reluctantly, and they entered. Inside it was a small, cold room lit by a couple of candles. It housed an elderly man and woman. With them was a young girl. She couldn’t have been older than five. There was a straw mattress that acted as a bed, a table with two chairs, some books and a few toys. Who could live in such an awful life? Yet, Brehme recognised them.

‘Doctor Glickman,’ said Brehme, looking at the man who had once been his dentist, ‘You and Frau Glickman are both in serious danger. The Gestapo are going to raid a dozen houses they suspect of harbouring Jews. The Beckers have been identified as one such household. The raid will happen tomorrow night. You have to leave, now.’

Even in the candlelight Brehme could see the fear etched into the deep lines of the elderly couple. Brehme glanced down at the child. He knelt down and said, ‘What’s your name?’

‘Eliana,’ responded the little girl. She was clutching a doll and a teddy tightly to her chest.

‘Well, you will have to be a brave girl and help your grandparents. Do you understand?’

She nodded. Glickman finally found his voice and asked, ‘How do you know this?’

Brehme, shook his head, ‘There’s no time to explain. Collect your belongings and meet me at the alleyway in twenty minutes. Otto, you and Agatha have to make this place look like no one has been living here. Then, you have to reach anyone else who is harbouring Jewish people and let them know of the raid. Do you understand?’

‘Yes, but what can they do? Where can they go?’

Brehme had been thinking of this for the last twenty minutes since he’d uncovered the plan for the raid. There was one possibility. It was a risk. However, at this stage, they were fresh out of any alternatives.

‘I need to use your phone. I will organise this.’

Glickman looked at Brehme. There was gratitude in his eyes but also something else.

‘Why are you doing this? You are putting your life in danger.’

Brehme had no answer for this. It was certainly unusual. He’d spent a lifetime avoiding danger. He shook his head and pointed upstairs to Becker. His heart was pounding. The next few minutes would either be a moment of release or it would condemn them all to death.

They returned through the back yard back to the house where Felix was eager to greet them again. At any other time, this would have been welcome but there was simply too much to do. A disappointed Labrador watched his master and the visitor disappear into another room.

Becker pointed to the phone in the study. Brehme took a deep breath and looked at the little man whose life he was about to endanger.

‘This may not work. He may say no. He may tell the Gestapo. You understand this?’

Becker nodded. Then a thought struck him.

‘How did you know?’

‘The bags of food, Otto. The bags of food. I’ve watched you this year. Always carrying food for the five thousand. I didn’t realise initially and then…’ he left the rest of the sentence unfinished.

Becker nodded. He watched as Brehme picked up the phone. After a year living in fear, Becker felt peace descend on him. He had acted with the best of intentions. If this meant breaking the law, then so be it. The Nazis represented no form of authority that he would ever accept. He hated them and what they stood for. His chest began to swell with emotion. It wasn’t much, but he’d stood up against thuggery, hatred and brutality. Whatever will be, will be he thought.

Brehme fought to control the anxiety in his voice. He’d already stepped forward into an unknown world. The most dangerous moment for him had now arrived. He would now declare what he had done, if not to the world then to someone who could conceivably give him up to the Nazis. However, this was the one man in the area who had more reason to hate the Gestapo than most.

‘Hello, can you put me through to Lucas Kramer, please. Yes, Kramer farm.’

37

El Alamein, Egypt: 23rd October 1942

‘What time is it?’ asked Danny. He wasn’t even trying to hide the edge in his voice now.

PG looked up and replied irritably, ‘Ten minutes from the last time you asked.’

They were sitting outside the tank. Waiting. Benson joined them a few minutes later and they sat silently gazing up at the silver-shining full moon set amid a billion pin pricks of light. It gave the desert a strange pale blue glow before the darkness enveloped it fully.

‘What a place,’ said PG. ‘You spend half the day with your arse boiling and the other half frozen. But what a sky. I’ll miss this place.’

‘Are you off anywhere then?’