Because his daughter is with an SS-SD officer? Or because he’s meeting the man in whose bed his daughter spent the night?
“I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Herr Professor Doktor,” Müller said. “As soon as your charming daughter relieves me of this burden, I will offer my hand.”
Gisella giggled. Her father nodded his head, just perceptibly, but did not smile.
“What’s in there, Johnny?” Gisella asked.
“It should go, I think, in the refrigerator,” he said.
Gisella stepped up to him and opened the flaps of the carton.
“My God!” she said. “Where did you find all that?”
“Is there a refrigerator?”
“There’s an icebox,” she said.
“I’ll have Peis bring you a refrigerator,” he said without thinking.
“No,” Gisella said quickly.
“We manage quite nicely with our old icebox,” Dyer said. “Thank you just the same,” he added, clearly not meaning it.
“Professor, I am here as a friend,” Müller said.
“I’m sure,” Dyer said, very carefully. He smiled. But the smile was artificial, and his eyes were wary. And contemptuous.
Müller had a sudden insight: I could work on Dyer for the next twelve hours without making a crack in his hostility.
“Would you come here a moment, Herr Professor Doktor?” Müller asked, taking Dyer’s arm and leading him into the kitchen. He went to the small FEG Volksradio and turned it on, raising the volume. Then he turned on the water in the sink.
Gisella looked at him with both concern and curiosity.
He took her arms in his hands and pulled her to him so that he could bring his lips to her ear.
“Peis may have this place wired,” he said. “If you have to talk in here, make sure the radio is going and the water is running. It would be better if you talked in the woods, or a park. Not near a lake.”
She nodded.
He motioned Professor Dyer over and put his mouth close to his ear.
“Your daughter is going to tell you what’s going on,” he said. “Pay attention. And keep your mouth shut, or we’ll all wind up dead.”
When he let go of Dyer, he saw the confusion in the man’s eyes. He went back to Gisella.
“Tell him what you know. And make sure he understands how dangerous this is. Find out what you can. Anything. Wild guesses, anything.”
Gisella nodded and then, as she spoke into his ear, he could feel her warm breath:
“You’re going? Now? Why?”
“He’s made up his mind not to like me,” he said. “So he wouldn’t trust me anyhow. You have to make him do that.” He looked into her eyes until she nodded understanding and agreement. Then he added,“And I have to drive to Berlin, remember.”
He resisted the temptation to kiss her ears, and let her go.
He shut the water off and turned the radio volume down.
“It has been a great pleasure to meet you, Herr Professor Doktor,” he said. “I look forward to that pleasure soon again. And I shall be in touch with you, my dear Gisella, just as soon as duty permits.” He paused and said loudly, “Heil Hitler und auf Wiedersehen.”