“What might happen,” Frau Hinkel reminded her, fixed on the cards. “Still two. Decide on the man. If you have done that, then you will be at peace. You have had sorrow in your life. Now I see-” She stopped, scooping her cards together, and when she began again her voice had become airier, now truly the voice of a fortune cookie. Good health. Prosperity. Love given and received.
When Lena gave her the money, smiling, Frau Hinkel patted her hand in a kind of benediction. But as she opened the curtain for them, it was Jake’s arm she took, holding him back.
“A moment,” she said, waiting until Lena was in the other room. “I don’t like to say. What will be. It’s not my place.”
“What is it?”
“Her cards are not good. You cannot hide everything with hearts.
Some trouble. I tell you this because I see your cards mixed with hers. If you are the protector, protect her.“
For a second, flabbergasted, Jake didn’t know whether to laugh or be furious. Was this how she got them all to come back, time after time, some worrying trick? Thoughts that go bump in the night. A hausfrau with a waiting room full of anxious widows.
“Maybe she’ll meet a handsome stranger instead. I’ll bet you see a lot of those in the cards.”
She smiled weakly. “Yes, it’s true. I know what you think.” She glanced toward the other room. “Well, what’s the harm?” She turned to him again. “But who’s to say? Sometimes it’s right. Sometimes the cards surprise even me.”
“Fine. I’ll keep an eye out-looking both ways.”
“As you wish,” she said, dismissing him by turning her back.
“What did she want?” Lena said at the door.
“Nothing. Some American cigarettes.”
They started down the stairs, Lena quiet.
“Well, there goes fifty marks,” Jake said.
“But she knew things,” Lena said. “How did she know?”
“What things?”
“What did she mean-close to death, a woman?”
“Who knows? More mumbo-jumbo.”
“No, I saw you look at her. It meant something to you. Tell me.” She stopped at the doorway, away from the glare of the street.
“Remember the girl in Gelferstrasse? At the billet? She was killed the other day. An accident. I was standing next to her, so I thought she meant that. That’s all.”
“An accident?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“I didn’t want to worry you. It was just an accident.”
“Frau Hinkel didn’t think so.”
“Well, what does she know?”
“She knew about the children,” Lena said, looking down.
“Two.”
“Yes, two. My Russian child. How could she know that?” She looked away, upset. “A mother’s cards. And I killed it. No hearts for that one.”
“Come on, Lena.” He put his hand to her chin and lifted it. “It’s all foolishness. You know that.”
“Yes, I know. It was just the child. I don’t like to think about that. To kill a child.”
“You didn’t. It’s not the same thing.”
“It feels the same. Sometimes I dream about it, you know? That it’s grown. A boy.”
“Stop,” Jake said, smoothing her hair.
She nodded into his hand. “I know. Only the future.” She raised her head, as if she were physically pushing the mood away, and took his hand in hers, tracing the palm with her finger. “And that’s me?”
“Yes.”
“Such a line. In a man,” she said, doing Frau Hinkel’s voice.
Jake smiled. “They have to get something right or people won’t come. Now, how about the bath?”
She turned his hand over to see his wristwatch. “Oh, but look. Now it’s late. I’m sorry.” She leaned up and kissed him, a peck. “I won’t be long. And what will you do?” she said as they started for the square.
“I’m going to find us a new place to stay.”
“Why? Hannelore’s not so bad.”
“I just think it’s a good idea.”
“Why?” She stopped. “There’s something else you’re not telling me.”
“I don’t want you to be bait anymore.”
“What about Emil?”
“Hannelore’s still there, if he comes.”
She looked up at him. “You mean you don’t think he’s coming. Tell me.”
“I think it’s possible the Russians have him.”
“No, I won’t believe that,” she said, so quickly that Jake looked over at her, disturbed. Two lines.
“I said it’s possible. The man who got him out of Kransberg had Russian money. I think he was selling information-where Emil was. I don’t want them getting to you.”
“Russians,” she said to herself. “They want me?”
“They want Emil. You’re his wife.”
“They think I would go with them? Never.”
“They don’t know that.” They started again across the square, where the women were still sorting bricks. “It’s just a precaution.” She looked up at their building, standing whole in the stretch of damage. “It’s not safe anymore? I always felt safe there. All during the war, I knew it would be all right.“
“It’s still safe. I just want something safer.”
“The protector,” Lena said wryly. “So she was right.”
“Come on, get in,” he said, swinging up into the jeep.
She glanced again at the building, then climbed in, waiting for him to start the motor. “Safe. At the hospital they wanted me to be a nun.
Wear the robes, you know? ‘Put this on, you’ll be safe,’ they said. But
I wasn’t.“
