‘Of course,’ Tayte said.
‘We understand only too well,’ Jean added. ‘We were sent a very clear warning not to ask questions about Volker Strobel after we visited The Friends of the Waffen-SS War Veterans yesterday.’
‘Ah,’ Tobias said. ‘The FWK. We know all about them.’
‘I was threatened,’ Jean said.
‘By a gang of neo-Nazis,’ Tayte added. ‘At least we think so.’
‘Their leader had tattoos on his neck—a skull on one side and the SS Sieg runes on the other.’
‘That would probably be Max Fleischer,’ Tobias said. ‘He’s a nasty piece of work. The symbols represent the military insignia of the SS-Totenkopfverb?nde—the SS Death’s Head Units. It’s illegal in Germany to display these symbols publicly, so the fact that he’s been so blatant about it suggests he thought it would add to the intimidation.’
‘To let us know who we’re up against?’ Tayte said.
‘Precicely. I expect he keeps his tattoos hidden beneath a shirt collar at other times. I should take his threat most seriously if I were you.’
‘We aim to,’ Tayte said. ‘Although we’re not going home just yet.’ He brought the conversation back to something Elijah had just said. ‘What’s about to change?’
Tobias looked uncomfortable for a moment. Then he glanced over at his father.
‘Tell them,’ Elijah said, his tone impatient.
Tobias sighed, ‘We have an insider at the FWK. He’s been working under deep cover for three years now. He’s heard that Volker Strobel is coming to Munich. Soon. We were beginning to think we were chasing a ghost, but this confirms Strobel is still alive, although as my father just pointed out, the time to bring him to justice is running out. It’s for that reason we’re working more closely than ever now with the Simon Wiesenthal Centre and the German government.’
‘And how can we help?’ Tayte asked. ‘It sounds like you already have all the help you need, and if Strobel’s coming to Munich, surely your nets are already closing around him.’
‘Volker Strobel has managed to evade capture for seventy years,’ Elijah said. ‘Let’s just say that we don’t like to put all of our eggs in the same basket. This lead we have may come to nothing, as it has many times before. But now you two are in Munich asking questions about Strobel, and with a possible family connection that quite frankly I find irresistible. Your skills in genealogy offer us a new angle. You can perhaps ask questions of people who will not talk to us.’
‘I see,’ Tayte said. ‘So, you’d just like us to share our findings with you? Let you know if we hear anything of interest about Strobel?’
‘Precisely. Nothing more dangerous than that, although you clearly already have need to exercise caution.’
‘I’ve been having trouble getting access to the records I’d like to see,’ Tayte said. ‘Primarily for Strobel and Langner, and the people associated with them. Can you help us with that?’
‘We can see what we can do,’ Tobias said. ‘With the German government on board, I don’t see why not.’
It was an interesting proposition, and Tayte couldn’t see how it put them in any more danger than they were already in, given that he and Jean had already decided to carry on. Access to records which would otherwise be denied him was also a great incentive.
Tobias Kaufmann’s next line sealed the deal as far as Tayte was concerned. ‘If Volker Strobel does meet with the FWK here in Munich, he’ll be arrested, and it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever get to speak to him. In return for any information you can give us, we’ll make sure you can, before it becomes too late. Maybe then you can confirm whether or not he’s your grandfather.’
Tayte was all for it, but he wanted to make sure Jean was, too. ‘How about it?’
‘I don’t see what we’ve got to lose.’
Tayte reached across the desk and shook Tobias’s hand. ‘It’s a deal.’ He handed Tobias a business card. ‘My cell number’s there, or you can reach us at the address I wrote in the file.’
‘Thank you,’ Tobias said as he took the card. ‘We’ll be in touch.’
Chapter Eleven