Page 72 of The German Mother

‘Leila, it’s me, Julius. Sorry to ring so late, but I thought you’d want to know right away. You were right…Viktor has been arrested. He’s at the police station at Ettstrasse. We can’t get in to see him now, but the police will permit a lawyer visit. I’ve arranged for a criminal lawyer I know to go first thing in the morning. He’s a good man – they won’t mess with him.’

Leila stumbled from the hall into her bedroom. She lay in the half-dark, dreading the coming dawn, and agonising over what she could tell the children. She imagined the scene: at seven they would get up, go to the bathroom, brush their teeth, squabble over who deserved more time in front of the mirror. She would hear them getting dressed, going into the kitchen. ‘Mutti,’ they would call out. ‘What’s for breakfast?’

How could she stay cheerful and calm? ‘Oh, let’s have some eggs,’ she might suggest. She had to hope they would not notice their father’s continued absence.

At dawn she rose and dressed. In the kitchen she prepared a pot of coffee for herself, and breakfast for the children. When they joined her, they behaved as normal, arguing over who would sit where, buttering their toast, cracking the shells of boiled eggs. But Leila’s mind was elsewhere, picturing Viktor miserably locked up in a police station.

‘Mutti…Mutti!’ Sofia was tugging at her mother’s sleeve.

‘I’m sorry, darling,’ said Leila. ‘I was miles away. Have you finished breakfast? Go and get ready for school.’

The children stood up from the table but, as Sofia reached the kitchen door, she turned and asked softly: ‘Where’s Daddy?’

‘Oh…he’s at work.’ Leila kept her voice light, and, to her relief, Sofia seemed to accept the explanation.

The children gathered up their school books, and were just putting on their coats in the hall when the phone rang. Leila answered it, her hand shaking. ‘Hello…?’

‘Leila, it’s Julius. I’ve arranged for us to meet to meet the lawyer just before nine at the police station. Can you manage that?’

‘Yes, of course. I’ll just take the children to school.’

She went into the sitting room and picked up Viktor’s glasses and the book he had been reading, hoping to give them to him while he waited to be released.

‘Why have you got Daddy’s glasses?’ asked Sofia, as Leila locked the apartment door.

‘He left them behind this morning – I’ll drop them at his office on my way to work.’

As calmly as she could, Leila walked the children to school, but as soon as they disappeared through the wide school gates she ran to the police station. She arrived breathless, bursting through the double doors. To her relief, Julius was waiting for her in the lobby.

‘Ah, here you are,’ he said, getting to his feet. ‘Leila, can I introduce you to Manfred Adler – one of our lawyers.’ He turned towards a slight, fair-haired man, who stood up and shook Leila’s hand.

‘Thank you so much for coming, Herr Adler,’ said Leila. ‘Do you have any news of Viktor? Are they going to release him today?’

The lawyer shook his head. ‘I’m sorry – I was just explaining it all to Julius. It seems they’ve accused him of being an enemy of the state. I’ve got a hearing with a judge tomorrow.’

Leila’s eyes filled with tears, and she sank down onto a hard wooden chair.

‘I’m sorry it’s not better news,’ Adler said gently, sitting down next to her.

Leila stared into space. ‘You said…not till tomorrow…Thursday. That’s something, at least…that he’ll be out by tomorrow night. Out for the weekend.’

Adler took her hand. ‘I don’t want you to get your hopes up. It’s just a hearing, you understand. I have no idea what evidence they have against Viktor. We’ll have to see…take it step by step.’

Leila felt her stomach churn, the panic rising. ‘I understand, but I’m disappointed, obviously. I hoped we might get him out today.’

Adler smiled sympathetically. ‘It’s awful for you, I know, and I’m so sorry. But I’m not sure there’s much else we can achieve today.’

‘But surely they’ll let me see him? I brought his glasses…’ She took the glasses and Viktor’s book out of her handbag.

‘I’ll ask them.’

Adler spoke to the desk clerk but returned a few minutes later, looking downcast. ‘I’m sorry, Leila, but they won’t let you see him. They will allow us to leave his glasses…but not the book, I’m afraid.’

‘But why? Why are they being so petty and cruel?’ She began to sob, gulping down her the tears, as if a dam of self-control had finally broken.

Adler took Viktor’s glasses and deposited them on the desk clerk’s desk. ‘Please see that Herr Labowski gets these,’ he said firmly. Sitting back down with Leila, he put his arm round her. ‘At least now, Viktor will realise you’ve been here, that you know what’s going on. I’ll telephone you after the hearing tomorrow – hopefully a judge will see our side of the argument.’ Glancing at his watch, he stood up. ‘I’m afraid I must go…I have another appointment.’ Bowing, he handed her his business card. ‘Please call me at any time.’

After Adler had left, Julius took Leila gently by the hand and led her outside into the street. ‘Leila…I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to say.’