“It will be unpleasant,” he said. “And it will not be what you want to hear.”
A knot formed in her stomach. “I don’t care.”
“All right.” He turned toward her. “But please know that what I say, I say with a heavy heart, and that I only want what is best for you.”
“Of course,” she said.
For several minutes, Max told her about his conversation with Bruno, including details of how he was blinded by a ruptured chlorine gas cylinder, which was one of thousands of cylinders that were installed in the trenches by a special squad called the Disinfection Unit. Also, he informed her that Bruno and he were both at the front near Ypres, Belgium, at the same time—on the eve of the German military’s use of poison chlorine gas, which broke the Hague Convention treaty that banned the use of chemical weapons.
“Oh, God,” she said, lowering her head into her gloved hands.
“It’s been on my mind,” he said. “And I was struggling with how to talk with you about it.”
“Is there more?” she asked, raising her head from her hands.
“I’m afraid so,” he said. “Would you like a moment before I continue?”
“Nein, please finish,” she said, dreading what she was about to hear.
“Bruno mentioned earlier in the week that he began the war in Pioneer Regiment Thirty-six.”
“Ja,” she said, looking at him. “But what does this have to do with anything?”
“I’ve been racking my brain for the past few days, trying to determine why Pioneer Regiment Thirty-six sounded familiar. And while speaking with Bruno last night, I realized that I knew the regiment by another name.” He faced her. “It was also known as the Disinfection Unit.”
Anna felt like she was punched in the gut. “You must be mistaken.”
“It’s possible, but—”
“Bruno would have told me if he was ordered to perform heinous acts,” she said, interrupting him. Her heart rate spiked. “Did you ask him about it?”
“I did.”
“And what did he say?”
“He said his regiment was in charge of building bunkers.”
She looked at him, his eyes staring straight ahead. Her skin prickled. “You don’t believe him, do you?”
“It’s possible that his unit was building bunkers. There are many pioneer units that construct everything from roads to trenches. But there were things Bruno said that I’m struggling to make sense of.”
Vexation surged through her. She fought away an impulse to get up and leave. “Tell me what is bothering you.”
“First,” Max said, “Bruno began the war in the infantry, but now he’s assigned to artillery.”
“What’s wrong with that?” she asked. “I would assume that changes in duties often occur in the military, especially at the front.”
“Duties often change, but soldiers, as well as officers, typically remain within the same division.” He rolled his cane between his gloved hands. “Poison gas was first released from cylinders by infantry units at the front lines. But now, most poison gas is delivered by artillery shells.”
Anna hugged her arms. Her head ached. “What else is troubling you?”
“Bruno’s family business is an ink and dye manufacturer, and he commented that hisvaterobtained military contracts.”
“I assume that you asked Bruno about this,” she said.
Max nodded. “He said that it’s for the colorant of uniforms and military supplies.”
She looked at him, his head slightly tilted. “You don’t believe him, do you?”
