The man is looking at me now so I answer. “It is our job to unwind them. So we remember the truth.”
“Even when we do remember, we can’t seem to stop men in our world from killing each other,” the man says, and his English—at least when he is angry—is quite good. He’s at least three decades too young to have fought in World War II, but I wonder if he’s fought in another war. “Why are you in Austria?”
Josh introduces us properly, shaking his hand as if we are meeting at a dinner party. “I brought some students to dive the lake with me.”
“Treasure hunting?” the man asks as if it’s an accusation.
“I’m looking for what the Nazis would have called ownerless treasure.”
“There’s nothing left to be found in this lake.”
Josh isn’t ready to be dismissed, especially after he already found a list of names and the silver coins. “My uncle met a woman while he was here who told him about things that were hidden.”
The man is paying closer attention now. “What was her name?”
“Annika Stadler.”
The man swings his pail into his other hand. “Frau Stadler doesn’t live here anymore.”
My pulse speeds up. “But you know her?”
“Ja, but the memories here, they are hard.”
A glance over at Josh and I see the interest pique on his face too. I don’t think either of us truly thought Annika would still be alive.
“Callie has found a book of Annika’s from her childhood. We thought Frau Stadler might want it returned.”
“What book is that?” the man asks.
Josh glances at me.
“An early edition ofBambi,” I say, carefully guarding my words. “It contains some sort of list.”
“I will ask her about it. Where are you staying?”
“At Gasthof Simony,” Josh says.
“I am Jonas Stadler.”
“Is Frau Stadler your grandmother?” I ask.
The man gazes out at the lake, toward the village of Hallstatt. “Do either of you have children?”
Josh slips his phone out of his jacket pocket, and I glimpse a recent picture of Ella holding her stuffed bunny, sitting in front of a bowl of Cheerios and glass of orange juice. He turns it to show Herr Stadler. “This is my daughter.”
“She looks like she is full of life.”
“In abundance.”
“And you would do anything for your daughter, would you not?” Herr Stadler asks.
“I’d give my life for her.”
“I would give my life for my family as well.” The man steps away. “I will contact you at Gasthof Simony if Frau Stadler would like to speak with you.”
Josh nods. “Fair enough.”
“Auf Wiedersehen,”Herr Stadler says, tipping his cap.
