Fleck looked at Anna, then pointed to the shepherds’ feed bin. “If you needed food, why didn’t you pilfer turnips?”
“I—” Anna said, surprised by his question. “I would never take the shepherds’ food. They barely have enough to eat, and they need their strength to train.”
Fleck smoothed his mustache, and the lines in his face softened. “How much food do you have at home?”
“Sir?” Anna said.
“Tell me exactly what you have left to eat,” Fleck said.
“With the exception of some winter leeks in the garden, we have a few beets and turnips, enough to last a few days.”
“Follow me.” Fleck glanced to Emmi, who was eavesdropping by the stove. “You too, Frau Bauer.”
Emmi tossed a handful of kindling into the stove and joined the group, gathered by the turnip bin.
Fleck retrieved a burlap bag, hanging on a hook. “Frau Bauer, how many days until you’re out of food?”
“Three,” Emmi said.
Fleck loaded the bag with turnips and handed it to Max. “Put it under the bench in my wagon. You can divide it up after work.”
“Danke, sir,” Max said. He clasped Nia’s harness, and the dog guided him out of the barn.
“But sir,” Anna said. “What will the dogs eat?”
“We have a few more days until the shepherds with kennel cough return to the barn. In the meantime, I’ll arrange to get more turnips through the Ambulance Dogs Association.” Fleck shook his head in disgust. “The military and support units get food, while Germany’s people are left to starve.”
Anna blinked back tears. “I don’t know how to repay you.”
“You can start by following my orders,” he said firmly. “And to never permit a veteran to deviate from my protocol.”
“I will, sir.” She clasped her hands to keep them from trembling. “Does this mean we’re not being terminated?”
“Not today.” Fleck walked toward the door.
A mixture of relief and curiosity stirred within her. “Sir, may I ask how you knew that I hadn’t taken turnips from the bin?”
He paused, lighting a cigarette from his pocket. “I conduct frequent inventories of our supplies. I know precisely how many scoops of chopped feed that can be produced from a sack of turnips.” He took a drag on his cigarette and blew smoke through his nose. “If you were stealing food, I’d know about it.”
Give them each one level scoop, Fleck’s voice echoed in Anna’s head.
“And to be clear,” Fleck said, “if you or Max should have another error in judgment, I will remove you from this school.”
“Ja, sir.”
Fleck left, his jackboots thumping on the frozen ground.
Anna wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her coat.
Emmi approached Anna and placed an arm around her shoulder. “I can’t believe he gave us food.”
“Nor I,” Anna said.
Emmi gave her a squeeze. “Best we get to work.”
Anna and Emmi went about their morning chores until the trainers arrived with their assigned veterans and shepherds. While a few of the trainers, armed with shovels, cleared paths on the obstacle course, Anna approached Max and Nia.
Nia nuzzled Anna’s side.
