The Antique Silver Box
Part Two: Revelations
*I made a terrible mistake, a mistake all writers dread - I published part three before part two, and I’m so sorry. I’m so embarrassed and ashamed, and I apologize profusely. Please forgive me for my stupidity; things here have been a bit rough this week, and I messed up. I own my mistake. I own my incompetence. I hope you can forgive me.~Robin❤️
PART ONE: DISCOVERY
PART THREE: THE TRUTH
Casey’s mind was a whirlwind of thoughts. The contractors working on the house had found an antique silver box containing Nazi gold bars, loose gems, notebooks and documents in English and German under a loose floorboard in the attic.
Casey had studied German in university but needed someone to translate the paperwork confidentially. Gene! He was a friend from university who became a German professor at the same university from which they graduated.
Googling the number of the university, Casey called the Language Department and asked to speak to Professor Gene Mueller. The secretary transferred her to the graduate program department.
“Professor Mueller speaking.”
“Professor Mueller, this is your old university classmate who sat next to you in German class, barely passing.”
“Casey! How have you been? I heard about your grandfather. I’m sorry. I meant to send flowers, but it slipped my mind. I was the absent-minded student, now I’m the absent-minded professor. Again I apologize. He was a good man.” Gene said.
“Don’t worry about it. I know you cared about Frank. I’m doing well. Frank left me the family home so I’m living here now. I remember you and Grandpa spending hours pouring over the books in his study. If you’re not too busy, I have a project for you. I’ll pay you, of course. But it has to remain confidential between just us.”
“No need. I’m not charging a friend, especially when she makes a project sound so mysteriously intriguing. Approximately how old are the documents? That’ll give me an idea of the equipment I’ll need to bring.”
“I’m guessing the 1900s. They appear to deal with World War II,” said Casey.
“It sounds straightforward. I’ll probably only need basic equipment. I’d love to work in your grandfather’s study. Since it’s a classified project, why don’t I come by your place? I have class until 6 pm but can come afterwards.”
Casey laughed. “Marsha will be happy to see you! Tommy can pick you up from work tonight and drive you back in the morning. But you have to translate the documents and not get distracted by some obscure book on a shelf.”
“I can’t believe you have a driver,” said Gene.
“He’s mainly for the staff. I prefer to drive myself, but my staff is elderly. I don’t want them driving. So I have a driver to help them run errands and drive them wherever they need.”
“It might be nice to be driven around instead of driving,” said Gene. “And I happen to have an overnight bag in my car from a trip last weekend visiting my folks.”
“I’ll ensure Tommy is waiting for you outside the linguistics building at 6 pm.”
“Let me guess. You drive a big, gas-guzzling SUV of some kind,” said Gene.
Casey laughed, “Of course. I have a black Land Rover.”
“I’ll see you tonight at around 7:30 pm. Anything specific you’re craving for dinner? You know Marsha will make you anything you want.”
“I’ll eat anything Marsha cooks.”
“Then I’ll see you this evening. Don’t forget to bring everything you need. It’s a long drive back to the university.”
“Give my regards to your parents. My grandfather was fond of them.”
“I will. They were fond of him too,” said Gene.
After saying goodbye, Casey put everything back in the box, bringing it into the kitchen where Marsha was cooking.
“Do you want to tell me about it? Marsha asked.
“I don’t understand it all yet. You worked for my grandfather for a long time. Maybe you can help.”
Casey opened the box and made piles of the two blue velvet bags, the loose documents, the four passports, and the notebooks.
Tapping the loose papers with a French-manicured fingernail, Casey said, “These appear to be two forged United States birth certificates in my grandparents’ names and two German birth certificates I assume are real with German names. Do you know anything about my grandfather being German?”
Marsha stirred a pot on the stove, her back to Casey. She took a deep breath. “Your grandparents were German. They escaped to the United States after the war.”
“Why is that a secret? Plenty of Germans fled the country during and after the war. Why did no one ever know they were German? I’m going to find out. Remember Gene Mueller from university? He’s coming for dinner and to translate the documents for me. He became one of the university’s graduate department language professors, specializing in German,” said Casey.
Marsha hesitated. Then she shrugged, “You’re going to find out anyways if the box contains what I think it does.” Looking away, she said, “Your grandfather was one of Hitler’s top aids during the Holocaust.”
Casey’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head. “What? My grandfather was a Nazi?”
“Not only a Nazi but a highly distinguished one Hitler greatly admired. He oversaw the transportation of Jews by truck to the concentration camps. It’s why your father left so many years ago. He couldn’t accept his father having been a Nazi.”
“I guess his stature in the Third Reich explains these,” Casey said, emptying the blue velvet bag with the unrecognized medals. “He must have been awarded some elite ones. Maybe Gene will be able to tell me what they’re for,” said Casey. “He’ll be here around 7:30 pm. Tommy will pick him up and drive him back to work tomorrow morning.”
“I’ll prepare the bedroom next to yours for him to use,” said Marsha.
“Thank you. That’d be great. I’ll be in the study going through the box again. I have a lot to process.”
TO BE CONTINUED…