Chapter 14
After Max had closed his store for the day, he turned his attention to the problem at hand. How to get word to the Colonel's men that he was alive and needed their help. He knew the radio was out of the question because of the radio detector trucks. Then it came to him. Untying and removing his apron, he tossed it on the counter. Hurrying to the back of the store, he came back shortly with a medium size cardboard box. He quickly went around the store filling the box with various food products until it was full. He then put it back on the counter, removed a pad from under the counter and began to write furiously.
"Kurt!" he shouted without looking up or stopping what he was doing. "Kurt!"
Moments later, a teenage boy appeared from the back room. "You called for me, Mr. Max?" he asked.
"Yes." Finished writing, Max folded the paper and tucked it into the boy's apron pocket. "I realize it's closing time, but I want you to deliver this box to Oskar Schnitzer, the vet. Also, give him the bill I just put in your pocket. After you do that you can go home. Can you do that for me?"
"Yes, sir. No problem." Kurt, reaching in his back pocket, pulled out his cap and put it on his head. He then picked up the box in his arms. He and Max walked towards the door.
"Be careful," Max advised him opening the door. "That box is a bit on the heavy side."
Kurt smiled. "I've got it, Mr. Max. No problem. Goodnight, sir."
"Goodnight, son." Max closed and locked the door and exhaled deeply. He could only hope now that once Schnitzer got his 'bill,' he could handle what he had to do with no problem. He found himself wiping 'something' out of his eye as he chuckled at the thought that if anyone could find a way to survive the explosion of the Berlin Express, it would be Colonel Hogan.
Hogan rested his good hand behind his head and continued staring at the ceiling. He was bored and anxious to get moving. He needed to be moving. Staying where he was, he knew, was very risky, and not only for him. But there was nothing he could do until he had made contact with his men. He would need their help if he was going to get himself and the Lehmann family to Stalag 13.
The Colonel also knew that if everything went as it was suppose to in Hammelburg, Max would find a way to contact Schnitzer and have him pass word to his men that he was alive and where he was. Then, it was up to the men to find a way to get him and the family out of the safe house. He was brought out his thoughts by a knock on the door.
"Come in," he said, sitting up slowly.
The door opened, and Greta walked in carrying a tray. She placed it on the Colonel's lap, glanced at him with a blank expression, then turned and walked out the room closing the door. Hogan sighed and, bowing his head, sadly shook it.
A few short hours later, Dr. Lehmann entered Hogan's room to find the Colonel easing himself out of bed and carefully walking around. He noticed the tray on the bed. Approaching the bed, he picked it up noticing the Colonel had eaten everything on his plate.
"It's good to see your appetite is getting better, Colonel," the doctor remarked with a smile.
Hogan smiled slightly. "It was delicious, Bruno. Did Josef get back?"
"Just a short while ago. That is why I came upstairs. He had no trouble delivering your message to Max."
Hogan let out the deep breath he had been holding. "Good," he replied. "Now we must wait until I hear from my men. Have you and your family packed everything you want to take with you?"
"We are all ready except for Josef. He is doing that now before he goes to bed." Lehmann noticed the expression on the Colonel's face. "Colonel, what's wrong?"
Hogan looked at the doctor. "How's Greta? When she brought my dinner she didn't say a word. She just turned and walked out."
Lehmann sighed wearily. "I know. She hasn't said much to me either. But I must believe she is thinking about what she has been told by both of us. I have a feeling she will not remain angry at you much longer. Once she comes to terms with it, she will be herself again. Try not to worry."
"I'm not worried so much, Bruno, as I would hate to have hurt her anymore than she's already been hurt."
"I realize how you feel, Colonel. But you did what had to be done. And sometimes a person must be hurt in that process. Greta had to understand the situation."
"I suppose you're right." Hogan grinned. "I can't tell you how glad I'll be when we're outta here and on our way. Not that I haven't appreciated what you and your family have done for me, but my men will tell you, I don't like be cooped up in one place for too long. Makes me nervous."
"How are you feeling otherwise?" asked Lehmann.
"I feel fine," Hogan lied.
"Uh-huh," Lehmann replied knowingly. "I'll be back in a few minutes. I want to examine you."
"I said I feel fine, Bruno."
"Colonel, in this house I am the doctor and you are my patient. If we are going to be traveling, I don't want you to be passing out along the way."
Hogan chuckled. "You remind me of the medic back at Stalag 13. The two of you are exactly the same."
Lehmann chuckled as he left the room.
Alone, Hogan sat back down on the bed and pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. The pounding headache was relentless and the dizziness, fortunately, came and went. The fatigue, thankfully, wasn't as bad as before. He knew he was gonna have to 'suck it up,' so to speak, if he was going to do what had to be done. Hell, Hogan told himself. I've endured worse things and made it. Why should this be any different? He smirked at that last thought. It was different this time because he would have four lives depending on him. Taking a deep breath, he looked up when he heard footsteps. He saw Lehmann enter with his medical bag.
"Back so soon?" Hogan quipped.
"I want to give you what may be your last examination by me, Colonel. So, if you will kindly remove your robe."
Kurt, having arrived at the home of Oskar Schnitzer, knocked loudly on the door. Moments later, the door was opened by a middle-aged man wearing a light brown cap. Kurt recognized the veterinarian immediately.
"Kurt, what are you doing here at this hour?" asked Schnitzer, puzzled. "I didn't order any groceries."
"Mr. Max at the grocery store said to bring these to you along with your bill."
"Of course," Schnitzer remarked shaking his head. He immediately realized Max must have had a reason to contact him. "I forgot my wife had gone to the grocery store earlier and asked for the items to be delivered. Please thank Max for me, Kurt." Taking the box from the teen, Schnitzer sat it on the nearby counter. Then, removing a small change purse, he dropped a few coins into the teen's hand. Kurt reached into his pocket and pulled out the message the grocer had given him.
"Thank you, sir. Here's your bill." He handed the vet the message. Taking it from the lad, Schnitzer thanked him again and after closing the door, unfolded he paper and read it. His eyes widened as he put a hand over his mouth. The hand holding the message began to tremble.
Colonel Hogan is alive!!! he thought. Mein Gott! He's alive!
He continued reading the message and saw what the Colonel needed him to do. In addition to being the only vet in town, Oskar Schnitzer periodically changed and cared for the guard dogs at Stalag 13 as well as working often for the underground helping bring escapees to the camp in his truck along with delivering supplies to Colonel Hogan and his men. Schnitzer was very fond of the American officer and thought him a good man, and glad to consider him a close friend he knew he could count on. He had mourned the death of such a fine and brave man when he had heard of the sabotage of the Berlin Express and that Colonel Hogan was a passenger on the train.
The vet considered the timing perfect because he had to go to Stalag 13 the next day anyway to change the guard dogs. He would simply slip a message into one of the dogs' collar.
Letting out a deep breath, Lehmann closed his medical bag and helped Hogan with his pajama top.
"So how am I, Bruno?" asked Hogan. "Really."
"Well, your shoulder is healing nicely with no sign of infection. Your vitals are good and your lungs are clear. However, try as you might, I am aware you still are suffering with headaches, dizziness and from fatigue. The dizziness and fatigue, though, are not as bad as they were originally. The headache on the other hand…"
"As I said before, it can't be helped. We have to be ready to leave here in two days, maybe less, depending on how quickly my men can get here. Any longer than that could be dangerous, if not fatal, for all of us." He sighed wearily. "I don't care if I fall flat on my face, in two days we go. Understood?"
"We'll be ready, Colonel. Which reminds me. Greta has finished the repairs on your shirt and trousers, but the jacket unfortunately she could not fix the rip in the shoulder. I will see that tomorrow your clothes are brought to you and hung in the closet."
"Thanks. I appreciate it and everything you've done for me. I'll always be grateful to you and your family."
"I prefer to think of it as fate that brought us together, Colonel Hogan. Both of us happen to be in the right place at the right time."
The switchboard lit up and Newkirk plugged in. "Heil Hitler. Guten abend. " He listened carefully; then smiled. "Ein moment" He handed the headset to Kinch who stood nearby. "It's Bluebird," he said.
Kinch, putting the earpiece to his ear, listened carefully to their Gestapo contact for a few minutes.
"You're sure? Okay, thanks for your help, Captain. We'll let you know if we hear anything. Goodbye." Nodding to Newkirk, he watched the Englander unplug from the switchboard and look up at him. Kinch dropped the headset on the table and sighed wearily.
"Well? Are you gonna keep the bloody news to yourself or tell me what he said?" Newkirk asked with some irritation.
"Bluebird said the radio detector trucks will be pulled tomorrow morning, and the guards at the sight have finished examining the area and will also be gone in the morning. He adds that even though Hochstetter's been forced to close the portion of his case regarding the Colonel and list him as deceased, he believes the Major will unofficially continue looking for the Colonel while officially looking into the sabotage. Other than that, he's heard nothing about Colonel Hogan from anybody."
The Englander muttered something under his breath that Kinch couldn't make out. Sighing finally, Newkirk looked up at Kinch with a tired grin. "So we go out tomorrow after evening roll call and look for the Gov'nor?"
Kinch grinned in response. "We go out tomorrow after evening roll call."