Free The Berlin Connection by Johannes Mario Simmel Page B

still producing movies I shall suggest that he ostensibly engage you as a cutter and send you to a different movie location for a few days. This way Joan will not become suspicious.
    These letters will be on the jet leaving Hamburg tonight on a direct flight to Los Anpples. They should be in vour post office by tomorrow morning. Please arrange to see Gregory at night. I shall telephone him at his apartr ment at eleven o'clock.
    Shirley, dearest Heart, you know I'm making this movie here in Hamburg for both of us. J must, 7 will be as good an actor as I can possible be. Don't despair. Be as brave as J know you can be and believe me when I say this is for both of us.
    In my thoughts I am alwavs with vou — united with you on the b^nrh, on our boat, in th'^ hi/n'^nlnw and the dunes: evervw^pre where we were happy together. Soon we will be again. Forever.
    Peter P.s. As always, destroy this letter at once.

    "In his speech before the First Soviet in Moscow, Prime Minister Khrushchev again threated Berlin . . ." The voice of the newscaster came softly through the dark little restaurant.
    Mrs. Gottesdiener and I were sitting at one of the scrubbed tables. She was having sandwiches and a beer. I had ordered whisky.
    The contents of Mrs. Gottesdiener's package, a heavy scrapbook, was before me. "Surely there isn't another collection like this anywhere," she said, her mouth stuffed with food. "Take your time. There are pictures from all your movies and travels."
    Old magazine stills, postcards, pictures cut from newspaper had been carefully sorted and pasted in, bordered with colored pencils, decorated with little stars and flowers. There I was, sitting on Mayor La Guardia's lap. There was the tickertape parade on Broadway. There was my mother, her smile distorted after her face operation. There were the premieres of Huckleberry Finn, Oliver Twist and Treasure Island. These yellowed pages were my youth. This old book, emitting the smeU of mothballs, evanescence and poverty reflected the years of my fame.
    "Algeria. A new wave of terror hit several towns. Bombs killed 17 people, injured 65 . .."
    "This is only the first of three scrapbooks," said Mrs. Gottesdiener.
    She spoke between quick, hungry bites, while eyeing other sandwiches stacked on the bar. Food had not eased her unhappiness; she ate greedily, without enjoyment, her knife and fork in staccato movements.
    "Where did you get those scrapbooks?"
    "Good God! My husband owned the largest newspaper

    clipping service in North Germany!" She used a finger to capture an elusive bit of ham. "A very successful business with branches overseas . . ." Now her face was flushed.
    "Wouldn't you like to take off your coat and hat?"
    "I have very little hair. And I have pawned all my dresses. Vm wearing a duster. Oh, I'm so ashamed . . ." A piece of cucumber. "We were rich once, Mr. Jordan. We had a villa in Cuxhaven. And now . . . now . . . no, I must not think about it. We started the scrapbooks for Victoria . . ."
    "Your daughter?"
    "Yes. She admired you greatly! She treasured her scrapbooks, even when she was grown." Another sandwich on her plate, yet she kept her eyes on those on the bar.
    "Would you like—"
    "You must think me brazen ..."
    "Waiter!"
    "Perhaps I could also have another beer?"
    More sandwiches, another beer, and whisky for me. Another drink then I would feel better. I was uneasy and restless. I was sympathetic to this old woman. But did I not have my own problems? T was just wasting my time here. That's what I thought. A few minutes later I had changed my mind.
    Mrs. Gottesdiener attacked her last sandwich. "I have a lot of debts, Mr. Jordan. The erocer won't give me credit any more. The electricity has been cut off. If I don't pay my rent I will be sent to an institution. Charity! For me? and we once had the largest clipping service . . ." The waiter came. She pushed the empty plate away, took the full one from his hands and ate and talked with little pause. "Victoria's