Chapter 11-Aftermath
Hogan and Gertrude both stared anxiously at the door, expecting at any second for total disaster to strike. The sound of someone pressing against the door trying to force it open followed.
Hogan felt like somebody had stuck a fork in him and let the air out of his body. His heart raced.
"Gertrude! Answer me! Why is this door locked?! Open this door right away!" Burkhalter demanded, pounding again.
"What do you want, Albert?" Gertrude answered, her hands gripping Hogan's bare upper arms for support.
"I heard you cry out, and wanted to see if you were all right."
"I had a dream of Otto, that's all. Besides, you lost the right to ask me about my wellbeing after you humiliated and embarrassed me in public on the most important day of my life. Go away and leave me alone, Albert."
"But, Gertrude…"
"Leave me alone! I'm not ready to forgive or talk with you yet. Perhaps tomorrow. Goodnight, Albert."
"Gertrude…"
"Goodnight, Albert."
Both of them waited in the silence that followed before they heard Burkhalter's heavy footsteps become fainter and fainter before disappearing followed soon by the slamming of the outside door indicating the General had left the guest cottage. Gertrude pressed a tender kiss to Hogan's cheek. "He has left and returned to his own quarters. Are you all right?"
Hogan closed his eyes and let out the deep breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. The mental image of being found naked in bed with the sister of a German General and executed still flashing through his mind. He found it difficult to breathe as well as waiting for his heartbeat to return to normal.
"I…I can't believe I'm still living." Hogan was stunned. Discovery had been too close tonight, but being still alive, he needed to touch the woman beneath him as much as he knew she needed to touch him. He looked into Gertrude's face and concerned eyes studied him closely as she ran her fingernails up his bare back. She began nibbling on Hogan's neck and blowing warm breath in his ear while running her fingers through his thick black hair hoping to rekindle what had been interrupted. She tightened her legs around him as if to keep him closer. Hogan placed a quick kiss on Gertrude's forehead.
But after thirty minutes, Hogan wasn't able to lose the image of Burkhalter walking in on them in bed and drawing his weapon. He inhaled and exhaled through his mouth before looking at the woman. He had wanted to make love a second time to erase the tension that had been building once the pounding on the door began.
"I…I can't. I think I need to return to my quarters and regroup. I'm sorry."
Gertrude was disappointed. "I apologize for my brother interrupting our evening and causing you this distress."
Hogan's face remained impassive as he rolled over and lay beside her before throwing the duvet back and sitting up, planting his feet on the floor. He sat on the end of the bed with hands gripping the edge of the mattress, head bowed. He never had problems performing even after an interruption, but this time he could not, and it bothered him.
He still experienced too much 'fight or flight' rush from Burkhalter's sudden near appearance. He shut his eyes and sighed wearily. He soon felt the gentle caress of fingers running up and down his back. Looking around, Hogan observed Gertrude sitting close behind him now running one hand over his shoulder before placing a kiss on his bare shoulder. She began smoothing down his hair.
"It's all right, Robert." She hoped Hogan would get over the near disaster of tonight. She watched the American get to his feet, begin gathering his discarded clothes, and get dressed. He put his crush cap on his head and pushing it back, turned and looked at Gertrude with an apologetic expression. He bent over with arms straight, fists on the mattress, and kissed her on her forehead.
"Tomorrow is my last day here in camp," she explained. "Albert and I will be returning to Berlin following breakfast this Saturday. Will I be seeing you after dinner tomorrow night?"
"I'm not sure. I have to think about it. Tonight really shook me."
"I understand."
Hogan allowed the corners of his mouth to curl upward as he looked at the woman one last time; her eyes followed him as he climbed out of her bedroom window and disappeared into the night.
Burkhalter paced back and forth in his bedroom with hands clasped behind his back, and eyes focused on the floor. He was still angry at Gertrude for ordering him away from her bedroom door, and refusing to speak with him. The nerve of her! He had half a mind to storm back over there, and demand that she explain herself. But he no longer blamed her when he took the time to think about it while driving back to the prison camp after leaving the Ratszeller. He had been obnoxious during dinner on the day of his sister's wedding anniversary, and should have been more considerate of her feelings. But she had been a widow for three years, and well, he believed it was time for her to move on and remarry. Also, she was no ravishing beauty either, never had been. As far as Burkhalter was concerned, she could not afford to wait. That was why he pushed for her to remarry. He didn't want her to be alone if something should happen to him.
He should have realized his sister would still be upset the minute he returned to Stalag 13. The porch light outside her guest cottage was off, and everything inside was dark. Having the need to apologize to Gertrude before he went to bed, Burkhalter went inside her quarters and cursed softly when he couldn't see anything. Not wanting to stumble into the furniture, he cautiously made his way to the windows, raised one of the shades, and that's when he noticed them.
There, on the coffee table, sat two used goblets beside an ice bucket with a near empty bottle of champagne sitting in melted ice, along with the remnants of what looked like caviar and crackers. In the center of the table sat a vase holding a bouquet of assorted flowers which he recognized as having come from Klink's garden. The corners of Burkhalter's mouth began to curl upward forming a smile.
He began to understand at last. That's why she was so annoyed when I knocked on her door. Gertrude must have been entertaining a man, he thought to himself. She had a man in her bedroom. The same man who gave her those flowers and brought the champagne and caviar. I should have known. Burkhalter smiled. Curious about this man in Stalag 13 who apparently caught her sister's eye, he needed to meet this man and see if he was worthy of his sister. He had to be a noncom as Klink was the only German officer in camp. And obviously Klink wasn't who Gertrude was 'entertaining'. It would not do for the sister of a General to be involved with a Sergeant or a Corporal. So when he found out, and if he turned out to be worthy of Gertrude, Burkhalter would have to promote the man to a respectable officer's rank so he could marry her.
Burkhalter walked around his living room trying to figure out who it might be. He had already dismissed Klink for the obvious reasons, and Sergeant Schultz was married and unworthy of joining the Burkhalter family. All the other men in the camp were Corporals, Sergeants and Privates and equally unworthy. The one other man in camp who came close to meeting Burkhalter's standards was Colonel Robert Hogan.
Burkhalter chuckled as he thought of Hogan because it was a ridiculous thought. The General dismissed it as soon as it came to him. Besides being arrogant and obnoxious, being an American and a POW, automatically eliminated Hogan. Also, Gertrude would never humiliate herself by getting involved with a prisoner. In addition to Hogan, all prisoners understood better than to touch the sister of a German General. To lay a hand on Gertrude would be an automatic death sentence. Besides him being a skirt-chasing playboy, it was stupid to even consider Hogan. Burkhalter realized he only had one day to find out the man's name before leaving Saturday morning.
"I will find out who this man is tomorrow," Burkhalter announced to the open air as a smirk appeared. Satisfied, he walked into his bedroom and started changing into his silk pajamas and get ready for bed.
Keeping to the sides of the buildings, Hogan stayed in the shadows until he reached the back of barracks two. After looking around warily, Hogan eased open the shutters, slipped inside his quarters, and closed the shutters. He tried and failed to relax after sitting down on his lower bunk. Running his hands down his face, he kept seeing Burkhalter firing a shot between his eyes killing him, claiming he had been caught attempting to rape Gertrude to cover up his execution. Hogan realized Major Hochstetter would be forced to accept it but would never believe it. Nor would he even care as he wanted Hogan dead anyway. Burkhalter would make sure Klink accepted it even though he knew the Kommandant would never believe it. In the end, Hogan believed his men would never accept nor believe the lie and would want to avenge his death.
Standing up, Hogan exhaled through his mouth as he stuck his hands in the back pockets of his brown trousers and began to pace. He wondered if these liaisons with Gertrude Linkmeyer were worth nearly being caught tonight? Worth risking his life?
Tonight was almost too much as adrenaline still shook through his body, but the experience brought back an old memory. At seventeen, he and his sixteen-year-old girlfriend, were nearly caught in her bedroom after he sneaked in through her bedroom window while her parents were awake, and entertaining in the living room. Her father was also a police officer.
Hogan enjoyed the excitement back then, but didn't feel the same way tonight. At seventeen, Hogan only had himself for which he was responsible. Now, he had over one thousand men to be responsible for, as well as in charge of an operation. Could he afford to risk everything for a few nights of pleasure? He never thought about it until Burkhalter had almost caught him with his sister tonight. So, he had a decision to make before dinner in Klink's quarters later.
With a weary sigh and needing sleep, Hogan removed his jacket and hung it over the back of the chair at his desk, and hung his crush cap on the nail outside his closet. He went about changing into his pajamas before climbing up on the upper bunk and letting himself fall into a restless sleep.
Hogan tossed and turned most of the night, eventually giving up trying to sleep. He got up and once dressed, walked out into the common room where the aroma of coffee greeted him. He found LeBeau and Carter awake and dressed; the Frenchman was checking the supplies he would use for breakfast, and Carter was sitting at the table.
LeBeau saw his commanding officer approach and noticed the lines of weariness under his brown eyes. "Mon Colonel, the coffee is ready if you want any."
"Thanks, LeBeau." Hogan grabbed a coffee cup from the table and poured a cup of steaming hot coffee. He took a drink, savoring the hot amber liquid as he sat down at the table.
LeBeau and Carter exchanged looks as the Frenchman sat down at the table opposite Carter. "Colonel, why are you awake at this hour of the morning? Are you all right? You look like you haven't slept at all."
"Did you get anything useful while pumping Burkhalter's sister last night?" asked Carter innocently.
Hogan removed his cap, sat it on the table, and ran a hand over his thick dark hair. "Burkhalter almost caught me with his sister last night. He started knocking on the door while we talked, and I barely managed to climb out the window without him seeing me." He exhaled through his nose.
LeBeau's eyes widened. "Mon Dieu!" he cried. "Colonel, you are taking such a risk to obtain this information from her. Is it worth it?"
Hogan took another drink of coffee. "More than you'll ever realize, LeBeau."
"You think he knows you're meeting with his sister after dinner to get information from her?" asked Carter.
"I doubt it," Hogan shrugged his shoulders. "Burkhalter's given no sign he suspects anything, and tomorrow, both of them will be heading back to Berlin."
"Boy, Colonel," Carter shook his head. "I understand you have one more day to get this information from her, but I wouldn't be able to wait to complete the mission so I'd be able to get some sleep. I mean, other than not getting much sleep, you have been a bit more relaxed of late if this makes any sense at all."
Hogan took a long drink of coffee and stared into his coffee as he swirled it around in the cup. He was thinking about what Carter had pointed out. Oddly enough, it did make sense in a way.
"Raus! Raus! Everybody outside for roll call!" Schultz bellowed pushing open the barracks door and stomping inside the barracks. He slapped the side of Newkirk's upper bunk hard, startling the Englander awake. Newkirk's head shot up as Schultz walked around the barracks repeating his awakening of other prisoners.
"Blimey, Schultz," Newkirk yawned and rubbing the crustiness from his eyes. "You're worse than a bleedin' rooster. Bigger too,"
"Jolly joker," Schultz complained approaching the Englander's bunk again.
Hogan, having put his cap back on his head, got to his feet after finishing his coffee.
"Morning, Schultz," Hogan said. "What's up today?"
Schultz shrugged his large shoulders. "I know noth-ing. Noth-ing. But, General Burkhalter is in one of his moods this morning."
Hogan arched both eyebrows. "Huh. Wonder why? Don't tell me he struck out with Klink's girlfriend last night?"
"That I have no idea, Colonel Hogan. But he asked the Kommandant questions this morning at breakfast."
"What about, Schultzie?" asked LeBeau.
"I have no idea. He ordered me out of the room so he, the Kommandant, and Frau Linkmeyer could be alone."
Hogan wrapped his arms around himself and sighed. "You can wait outside, Schultz. We'll be out in a few minutes."
"And don't be late!" Schultz ordered before leaving the barracks to wait outside for roll call to begin.
Five minutes later, the prisoners of barracks two stood in formation as Schultz did his counting. Hogan stood with hands clasped behind his back. He had reached a decision to Gertrude's question from the previous night. He would visit Gertrude tonight after dinner and make the most of it as it would be the end of their rendezvous. And he had Carter to thank for his decision. The young Sergeant had, unintentionally, pointed out that because of Gertrude, he was somewhat calmer and relaxed. And Hogan had to admit that he found after spending the night with her, it made him a better commander because he rid himself of a lot of his stress and tenseness. Gertrude was making him a better, more effective leader. When Schultz finished his count, Hogan stared over his shoulder to see Klink emerge from the Kommandantur and approach the formation, with Burkhalter remaining on the porch watching.
"Schuuuullltzzz, repoooooort!" Klink bellowed. Schultz turned and exchanged salutes.
"All prisoners present and accounted for, Herr Kommandant."
"Gut." Depressed, Klink glanced over his shoulder at a smirking Burkhalter before turning back to his Sergeant-of-the-Guard. "Schultz, you can dismiss your prisoners. Colonel Hogan, General Burkhalter and I would like to speak with you in my office." He exchanged salutes with Schultz again.
"Jawohl, Herr Kommandant. Prisoners, dissss-missed!"
When the prisoners started returning to the barracks, Hogan followed Klink to the Kommandantur; seeing Burkhalter leave. He knew the eyes of the men were on him, worried and knowing they would be listening on the coffeepot.
Hogan reacted when he spotted Frau Linkmeyer seated in Klink's office in the chair under the picture of Hitler which contained the hidden microphone. But fortunately for him, nobody had noticed. Burkhalter sat in a chair beside Klink's desk.
"Guten Morgen, Colonel Hogan," her face impassive. Hogan winked at her with a small smile, and nodded subtly. There was a light in her eyes indicating her answer to his decision.
He removed his crush cap and held it between his hands waiting as Klink walked around his desk and sat down in his chair.
"You're probably wondering why I had Klink summon you here, Colonel," Burkhalter had an amused smirk. He studied the American hoping to spot something, anything out of the norm. He refused to believe an entire week could go by without Hogan making a pest of himself and giving him a pain below his waist.
"You want me to drive you back to Berlin?"
Klink slammed his hand onto his desk. "Hogaaaaannnn! You will control yourself when speaking to General Burkhalter."
"Sorry, sir. You need me to help you pack for your return to Berlin?"
"Hogan, you will stop with the wisecracks," Burkhalter demanded. "Now, as today is my last day here, is there anything you wish to bring to my attention?"
Hogan pretended to be thinking the General's question over for about a minute before he faced the General. "There is one thing, General, that if you can get us it would be great."
"And what is that?" Burkhalter hissed.
"Well, we'd like several shovels for tunnel digging. I mean it takes so long using spoons and tin plates and…."
Burkhalter's eyes bulged so big and his face turned so red, Hogan feared the General would have a stroke.
Frau Linkmeyer covered her mouth with a hand to stifle the amused smile that appeared on her face.
Klink's face turned red as well. "Hogaaaaan!" he warned.
Hogan shrugged. "Well, the General asked but never indicated which topics were taboo, sir."
"I'm aware of that," Klink stammered. "But he didn't mean shovels for digging tunnels."
"Well I understand that now, Kommandant."
"Dissss-missssed, Hogan!" Klink hissed with a salute.
"Yes, sir," Hogan offered a sloppy salute of his own and put his cap back on his head, turned, and headed for the door.
"Tell me, Colonel Hogan…" Frau Linkmeyer began with a smile. "I trust you will be joining us for dinner tonight as scheduled?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Gut. We shall expect you at 1930 hours this evening." She glanced at Klink. "That is the correct time, Kommandant?"
Klink swallowed the lump in his throat, and nodded. "Correct, Hogan. Be on time."
"I'll be there," Hogan replied before he exited the office and headed back to the barracks.