Page 218 of Valor

“You don’t need to do that.” She gently brushed his hands away, then pulled off her soaked running shoes. Meghan rubbed her toes. “You can continue. I don’t require silence to get the circulation back into my feet.”

She had not forgiven him yet. That much was clear from her tone. Oliver moistened his lips.

“Your grandfather moved into Dr. Weiss’s villa after the war.”

“What?”

“Once the Germans were gone, there were many vacant properties in this area, so the government created a program for Czechs. Anyone willing to live in this region was able to buy any property they desired, as is, where is.”

“How would he get the money to buy a house? He was in his early twenties after the war, right?” She leaned back against the wall.

“The assets were sold for a symbolic price. No one had money back then, and the post-war government wanted the Czech people to settle here so there would be no chance for the Germans to return. Ever.”

“But you said the family was Jewish.”

“With a German name. When no one returned after the war, the house was added to the list of vacant properties, and Fred was able to take possession of it. I think he did it in case Hedvika or Jakob returned.”

“That’s kind of twisted.” Meghan rested against him. She was shivering. “So, what does that have to do with the mill?”

“Fred, as the only eligible surviving family member, also secured the title to that.” Oliver moved to the right. “Give me your feet.”

Meghan looked at him quizzically.

“You are freezing.” He stretched his arms toward her and wiggled his fingers, an open invitation.

After a moment of hesitation, Meghan shifted and gently laid her feet in his lap.

“Cold as ice,” he said under his breath and began to massage her toes.

“What happened to the rest of them?”

Oliver looked at her. “Let me just say Fred’s father didn’t meet a good end.”

“What happened to his mother and sister?”

“Marta, since she was married to Fritz Eisenhart, had to leave. If they stayed, they would have been executed, of course. He was a high-ranking Nazi officer. At that time, no one would care that her father forced her into the marriage.”

“What about grandpa’s mom?”

“She didn’t make it through the winter of 1944. I assume that working the mill with Fred’s father was beyond exhausting, and she got ill. With no available medicine?—”

“That’s so sad.” Her voice was filled with empathy.

“It was a terrible time.”

“What about the names on the wall?”

“My research led me to believe that those are the names of people who were trying to escape the Nazis. This cave became a transfer station of sorts. The members of the resistance would hide here, before hiking across the mountains, or arranging for places to hide the Jewish families.”

Silence settled between them as Oliver continued to work on her feet. A few moments later, he cleared his throat.

“Would it be okay if you switched on your phone light so that I can save some battery power? Once we get out of this cave, I will need to contact the team with our location.

“Okay.” She did as he asked. “Tell me what happened to Fred’s father.”

“You really want to know?” He looked deeply into her eyes.

Meghan nodded.

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