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“When Fred finally made it home after the war, he went to the mill to see what had become of it. He found what was left of his father hanging from a tree. The mill was burnt out, the way you saw it today.”
Meghan placed a hand over her mouth.
“Yeah, it’s terrible,” Oliver said into the silence.
“What am I going to do with such an awful place?”
“The place isn’t awful. It is the history that is horrific. The people who lived there were both good and bad. I believe that history should not be forgotten or rewritten. It needs to be remembered. That’s why I teach at the high school.”
She frowned.
He knew she wasn’t buying that.
“I work for an international agency.”
“Care to explain?”
“Sorry, I can’t right now.”
“You have been lying to me all this time.” She pulled her feet out of his hands.
“No. I didn’t tell you the entire truth.”
“Which is the same.”
“It isn’t. But you are right. You need to decide what to do with the mill. But before you do, you have to know the rest of the story.” He hoped that redirection of their conversation would defuse the tension between them.
“There is more?”
“Yes,” he said and reached for her feet. “Okay?” His eyes were pleading with her.
She wiggled her toes. He wrapped his hands around them. “The old rumor says there is gold hidden somewhere on the property.” He said as he rubbed the heel of his hand against her sole. He could see himself doing this every day for the rest of his life.
“Hello, Indiana Jones,” Meghan chuckled.
Oliver didn’t respond, silently wondering if this was the right moment to tell her that he had feelings for her.
“So, tell me.”
“What,” he looked up as if he had already forgotten the tale he was about to share. His heart sped up.
“About the gold.”
“It’s a bit more serious than a movie treasure hunt.” Perhaps diving into the story would refocus his mind.
“I promise to listen and not make any more jokes.”
He smiled. “In that case,” he said conspiratorially. “After Fred took over their home, he did search it for valuables. He found nothing. But he knew that Dr. Weiss paid his father for the food and shelter at the mill with rings and other small items. So, he returned to the mill and started to search there.”
“What did he find?”
“Nothing. Three years after the war, there was a communist revolution and, subsequently, a change of government. The new regime issued decrees confiscating all private property except residences. Fred lost the mill. He wasn’t happy about it and started to make a fuss. A couple of turncoats raised the issue of his father collaborating with the Nazis and his sister’s marriage to one of the commanders. You need to understand the political situation of that time. Anyone accused of collaboration was tried and executed, often without any due diligence. Fred, fearing for his life, left. That is how your family ended up in Canada.”
Meghan stared at him. Had her mom known any of this? And if she did, why had she never shared it with her?
“You know quite a bit about us.”
“You have met your grandfather. He was a peculiar man, spending the later years of his life searching for this treasure that may not even exist.”