Page 47 of The Last Library of Paris

‘Frau Reed?’

Gathering myself, I leaned against the door, feeling my legs wobble with the shock.

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘Ja, ich bin Frau Reed.’ I didn’t want to tell him I went by Fraulein and make it clear I was a single woman with no man expecting me home.

‘Sorry to startle you.’ It was one of the Nazi officers I’d seen when Alain and I were loading the van.

‘You didn’t,’ I lied.

The German raised an eyebrow and I sighed. ‘You did. But it’s fine.’

He didn’t smile.

‘Can I come inside?’

‘Is there a problem?’

‘No problem. I have been asked to check some paperwork.’

Slowly, reluctantly, I straightened up and led him inside.

‘You were locking up?’ he said. His face was in shadow under the brim of his hat and it was hard to see his expression.

‘I was. There’s no one else here.’

‘Carry on.’

I looked at him for a moment, not relishing the idea of being locked in the building with the enemy. But he didn’t move and so I pulled the door closed and turned the key.

‘There’s no one else here?’ he repeated.

‘No.’ My voice was shaking.

‘Is there an office?’

‘Upstairs.’

‘Let’s go there.’

I took him up the wide, winding staircase from the main entrance, and along the corridor to my office. My mind was racing; was there anything incriminating on display anywhere? Anything that could reveal what we were doing with the loans to Jews? I thought not – we were very careful – but I couldn’t be absolutely sure.

We reached the office and I turned the handle and showed him inside. He took his hat off and for the first time I saw his face properly. He had sharp eyes and a sombre expression.

‘Shut the door,’ he said. I did as he said, my breathing ragged.

‘What paperwork …’ I began. He held his hand up to quieten me and I shut my mouth.

Quickly, efficiently, he paced the room, feeling under the windowsills, and looking beneath the desk. On the wall was a painting of a beach and he took it off and examined it before he replaced it. As he moved, I saw he had a pistol in his belt. The realisation made me icy cold.

This man could shoot me now. He could shoot me and leave me bleeding on the floor for Guy to find. I steadied myself on the desk, worried I was going to pass out through sheer terror.

The Nazi looked at me.

‘Sit,’ he said.

He didn’t have to tell me twice. I almost collapsed onto the chair, trying to concentrate on my breathing as he continued his sweep of the room. What was he looking for? There was nothing here to interest him.

The officer looked in the light fittings and checked the telephone, and then finally he looked out of the windows for a long minute or two.