Surprise! Surprise! Surprise!

Gertrude entered into the darkened room and shut the door behind her. Throwing the latch, she pulled off her gloves and laid them with her purse on the side table. She thought about the dinner party she had just come from, which Klink had hosted for her brother. Gertrude had looked forward to meeting and speaking with the young nurse who recently had found a place in his care. Unfortunately, there had been an incident, which resulted in the Lieutenant sustaining a minor injury necessitating her having to go to the infirmary. Gertrude frowned at the thought. The young woman seemed so timid, warily watching everyone's movements, prepared to flee at any moment if the circumstances warranted. It would have been nice if she had gotten to know the Lieutenant better. Gertrude was lonely for intelligent female company.

Carefully, she bent down in the dark and switched on the little next to the door. Standing up and turning, she immediately noticed a bearded man dressed in peasant clothing sitting in Otto's leather club chair smoking a pipe. Startled, she opened her mouth to scream but the twinkle in his blue eyes and the curve of his lips announced the identity of her visitor.

"Odie, you scared the life out of me," Gertrude admonished as she hung her jacket on the hall tree. She crossed the room and settled her tired bones down on the sofa with a soft sigh. Odie watched in silence as she kicked her shoes off, leaned her head back against the back of the sofa and closed her eyes.

"How was the party?" he said as he slowly exhaled a cloud of blue-grey smoke.

"Let us just say that it ended rather abruptly."

"And how was Klink? No worse for wear, I hope."

"Klink is as Klink always is," she said with a weary and bitter edge to her voice.

"No adverse side effects from the kidnapping then?"

Gertrude opened her eyes, lifted her head and looked at Odie. "No, I doubt he spent much time thinking about it. I think the only thing he thinks about is the next bubble headed girl whose only interest in him is how much he can spend on her. Once the money is gone, so is she."

"You are not usually so acrimonious, what is wrong?"

"Nothing...and everything. I do not know. Lately I think I spend too much time thinking of Otto but I cannot will myself to stop. It is counterproductive and dwelling on his death does not change anything. I know this and yet I cannot stop myself." She turned from Odie and looked up at the brass anniversary clock sitting on the mantel. "Otto gave me that clock when we got married. It kept terrible time and he was always fiddling with it. He threatened to throw it out one day and I had to snatch it from the mantle to keep it safe. I can see him standing there scowling at me just as sure as I can see you."

"M'lady…"

She turned back to look at her friend. "He was a good man. How come I did not know just what a good man he was until it was too late?"

"He didn't want you to know. He loved you too much to risk involving you."

"He should have told me," Gertrude insisted.

"He couldn't, you know that."

"I could have helped him."

"And who would have taken care of Lotte if the worst happened. And it did happen, didn't it?" Odie gently reasoned. "The General was right to keep you in the dark, just as you have kept Lotte and Burkhalter in the dark."

"I know your right, "Gertrude said as she stood up and walked to where she had set her purse. She spent a moment digging around in it before coming up with her handkerchief. She softly dabbed her eyes as she returned to her seat. "But he should have told me anyway."

"What would he have said?" Odie said as he laid the pipe down on the ashtray on the side table.

"He could have told me British intelligence had approached him when we were living in America. He could have let me know that he sent money to Gregor to flee Paris and get safely to America through Spain and Portugal. Would it have been too much for him to tell me how he risked everything to help Jewish families get money and papers in order for them to flee to Belgium before the invasion?" Gertrude said as her anger increased. "I am so mad at him. He should have told me he was Nimrod, he should have let me help. Instead he kept quiet while Hauptmann Hochstetter was steadily gathering the evidence to denounce him."

Gertrude put the crumpled handkerchief to her face as she tried to stem the growing indignation inside her. Odie watched unable to help as her body silently shook with grief and rage. "They could have at least shot him as was his due as a military officer. Then he could have died with some honor. But no, that micro phallic son of a diseased harlot thought that was not good enough. They took him to a slaughterhouse and hung him with piano wire from a meat hook. All the while, laughing and making jokes as my Otto danced. The fact the High Command turned around and gave that maniac a promotion for all of it is more than I can bear. I am tired of pretending not to know what that monster did."

"M'lady…" Odie began.

"You should have helped him," Gertrude said accusingly. "He was your friend."

Odie stood up and walked over to where she sat. Sitting next to her, he pulled her close. He gently put his arm around her shoulders, he allowed her to rest her head on his chest. He held her hand as he gently stroked her hair with his other hand.

"He was one of my closest friends. You know I would have gladly sacrificed myself to save him but he did not want to jeopardize the entire underground movement. He withstood days of unending torture without giving away any important information. Because of what he suffered, the Nazis still do not know who Nimrod was. Nor do they know he is no longer a man but the man's wife."

"I know it is shameful and unreasonable to be so angry with him but I am. I miss him."

He smiled into her hair. "On the plus side, I hear Colonel Hogan got your note. What I wouldn't give to have been a fly on the wall for that discovery," Odie replied.

A half sob and half chuckle made its way out of Gertrude. With her face still buried in her friend's chest she responded, "That's what he gets for trying to kidnap by brother. And poor Klink. He does not have the best of nerves on a good day." She lifted her head and looked at Odie. "What about the Wagner brothers?"

"They are now in southern France, working with the Marquis. Hopefully they can keep out of trouble."

"What time do you meet with Papa Bear tonight?" Gertrude said, thankful for the change in topic.

Odie looked down at his watch, "In about two hours. I am to meet him on Seeshofer Straβe near the old wooden bridge at 0200 hours to pick up his intelligence on the troop movements headed towards the French border."

"If we can get that information to our operatives, we might be able to harass them enough to slow down any mobilization and give the Allies more time to secure their hold in France."

"I will meet with you on the 14th at 1600 hours, at the Deuteches Haus to discuss the petrol depot on the outskirts of Schweinfurt. I will be at the back table wearing a sprig of heather in my lapel," Odie said as he released her and stood up. He picked up his cap and pipe off the table and bent down to kiss her cheek.

For a moment, she clung to his hand. "Be careful Odie, I cannot lose you too."

"I am always careful," he said.

He quickly exited through the back door leaving the house eerily quiet. The house seemed to be holding its breath, waiting. Almost as if, it sensed something evil and foreboding, lurking around the bend in the road. She shook her head to free herself of such fanciful thoughts.

Gertrude put her shoes back on and began to prepare for bed. After locking the back door, she went to the front of the house to turn off the lights. Just as she placed her hand on the small lamp by the door, she saw a set of car lights shine through her window. She immediately thought of Albert but when the second and the third set of lights made an appearance, she knew it was not her brother.

Though she was expecting it, the sharp rap on the front door startled her. "Gestapo, open the door," demanded the all too familiar voice.

Gathering all of her courage, she opened the door. "Major, it is rather late for you to be out making house calls."

"I would not be so flippant if I were you Frau Linkmeyer," Hochstetter said as his pushed his way into the small cottage, knocking her back against the oak hall tree. Two subordinates hurried in after him carrying MP40s.

"Search every inch. Leave no stone unturned. I do not want to see two pieces of wood nailed together when you are finished." His men immediately began tearing the room apart with an almost gleeful air. Outside she could hear pounding and breaking glass. Turning to Gertrude Hochstetter sniggered, "Did you really think I wouldn't mind you stealing my pet project from me?"

Gertrude remained silent, too afraid to make the smallest sound of protest, yet determined not to give him the satisfaction of seeing the fear that was threating to overtake her. Hooking his gloved thumbs into his belt, he drew closer to her, until she could feel his breath upon her face. Like a baby bird caught in the hypnotic stare of the devouring snake, she could not look away.

"You are like your husband. Both of you traitors to the Fatherland," he said in a tone barely above a whisper. "I have been watching you, gathering evidence." He smiled a savage smile. His hand came to her face and with the barest of touches; his index finger traced the curve of her face. Leaning closer to her, he hissed in her ear, "I wanted to see you dance on the end of a rope but I guess I won't get that particular pleasure. But make no mistake, you will beg, plead and in the end, you will die."

He stepped away from her without breaking eye contact, "And as for your friend who was here earlier. We know about his meeting with Papa Bear. I have troops on their way to ambush them. Soon I will have your contact and Papa Bear. The three of you will keep me entertained for a long time as I am a man without pity."

At that moment, one of Hoschstetter's men swept his arm across the mantle, sending its objects crashing to the floor. As the glass dome to the anniversary clock shattered, so did all of Gertrude's hope.

Next: The Trial

A/n:

The party is from the Southern Skies story. It is not important this story to know the exact events that occurred at the party. However, if you're feeling froggy, you can take a peek at it.

The kidnapping, note and Wagner brothers are from "The Missing Klink".

Odie's assignment and ultimate fate, is from "That's No Lady. That's My Spy".

MP40 was a machine pistol or "sub machine gun", which replaced the MP38. It carried 9mm x 19mm rimless Parabellum cartridges and had 32 rounds per magazine. Most ground forces carried at least seven loaded magazines. The cyclic rate of fire was 500 rounds per minute but tended to jam if fired more than 8-10 round bursts.