Puzzle People (9781613280126) by Doug Peterson Read Free Book Online

University working to bring people across the border. They were called the Kappel Group, for one of its founders was a law student, Geert Kappel. Peter, still confused and feeling guilty about not going back to East Berlin to be with Elsa, decided to check into the possibilities of bringing her across before the border security became even tighter. After he did some investigating, a friend suggested he talk with Katarina Siemens, because she was a fellow Easterner and had just become involved in the Kappel Group. But he was finding Katarina to be more Western in her thoughts and behavior than a lot of German students born and raised in the West. The fashions, the freedom, the choices, the music—this woman fit right in.
    “What are you planning to study this side of the Wall?” Katarina asked, resting her elbows on the tabletop and leaning her chin on her cupped hands.
    “Literature.”
    “That’s fantastic. I’ll be studying literature as well. I’m fascinated by the American writers. Hemingway, especially. Who are your favorites?”
    “The Russian writers. And Germans, especially Goethe.”
    Peter was still getting used to the freedom of reading anybody he chose. The warnings against trash literature from the West still echoed in his mind.
    “You should try Hemingway. My favorite is The Old Man and the Sea. Have you read it?”
    Peter lit up another cigarette and shook his head. “No, no, not yet. I have much to catch up on.”
    “I know what you mean. I haven’t stopped reading since the day I came over.”
    Katarina launched into an incredible story about how she drove an Austin-Healey Sprite across the border. If anybody else had told Peter this tale, he would have said they were exaggerating or making it up entirely. But something told him that she wasn’t embellishing the truth.
    “I didn’t even let my boyfriend know I was escaping,” she said, with impish delight.
    “Boyfriend?”
    “Yes, well . . . I’m hoping to bring him across the border before the Wall becomes impenetrable. How about you? Did you leave anybody behind?”
    Again, Peter was staggered by her directness. It took him a while to answer, and he wondered if she had even been paying attention to his unspoken signals, his body language. The conversation was moving out of his comfort zone—although, admittedly, he had a microscopic comfort zone.
    “I left my fiancée behind,” he said.
    “Oh. Sorry. Did she have any idea you were going to flee to the West?”
    “I didn’t even know that I was going to flee.”
    Katarina laughed.
    “I’m serious. I came on the Last Train to Freedom. But only by chance, not by design. Have you heard of it?”
    “Of course! That’s where the engineer drove a train past the barriers, past the Vopos. And you were on board?”
    “Unwittingly.”
    “Incredible!”
    Peter let his eyes drift across the coffee shop to a young blonde in a tight-fitting skirt and heavy mascara. He had noticed her earlier, standing in the midst of a crowd of friends by the long oak counter. It was hard not to notice her. She had glanced in his direction several times. Katarina saw the drift of his eyes and turned to look.
    “Easy, Peter. You have a fiancée.”
    He blushed. Caught in the act. “Uh . . . that’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” he said, bringing his voice down and leaning across the table. “My fiancée.”
    Katarina leaned in closer. She brought her face uncomfortably close to his.
    “I’ve been contemplating helping Elsa, that’s my fiancée, escape to West Berlin. I heard you would know about . . . ways.”
    Katarina went suddenly serious. “I see . . .” A long pause as she turned to study the Buddy Holly poster. “And how do I know you’re not spying for the East?”
    Peter was offended by the accusation, and it must have showed on his face because Katarina suddenly started laughing. “I’m just playing with you, Peter.”
    He looked away uncomfortably, his eyes unconsciously