Twenty One

Untitled Part 4

                                                                                     Chapter Four

                                                                                      The Meeting

"Father I must speak with you regarding my case" said Rachel walking briskly into the lounge where her father, Peter Riesen was as usual reading a Steven King novel. Her Mother was working on the Bowling Team accounts and brother Steven could be seen disappearing through the front door, anticipating an argument. "I know you have your own feelings on the subject but I have no one else to turn to with your knowledge of these times, therefore please Father listen to what I have to say"

Peter Riesen raised his right hand, "Stop speaking Rachel" he said, "enough is enough" He had a lost look on his face or was it disappointment. Rachel wasn't sure.

After 6 or 7 minutes of stony silence staring at the wood burning fire he spoke, "Come into my study Rachel, we will have this discussion in private"

"Why is it private" asked her mother, Kristina Riesen, "why the secrecy?

"Not now woman" snapped her husband, "another time"

Rachel knew she had touched a nerve this was important, never before in her time at Budleigh had she ever gone into her Father's study while he was present. She and Steven would at times sneak in and play when they were young, that was scary. But this gave scary a whole new meaning, she was about to have an adult conversation with her Father for the first time in her life. A discussion that nothing on earth could have prepared her for.

Peter Riesen sat comfortably in the huge leather chair positioned behind an even more impressive writing desk. "Have a seat my dear" he said, "I really don't know where to begin. You see Rachel you have stumbled onto something that in truth you should never know of. A situation if known to certain people could have dire consequences for you, me, and all of our family. The outline of what you have related to me is absolutely correct, and the reasons behind them I will now explain. The facts that I give you are known only to a small dedicated band of Brothers and I would ask that you listen to me with an open mind before passing judgment. The group that I speak of have a passion for what they are doing, so much so that they are willing to kill or show clemency, which ever the situation dictates"

"Then they are murderers" snapped Rachel" surely you understand that Father?

"Hear me out and the I will listen Rachel" said Peter Riesen, now looking very serious, "In 1942 Adolf Hitler had a vision, to rid Germany and subsequently Poland of all Jews. At first moving them across borders into Belgium and Yugoslavia, but this was slow and required many troops, He had taken everything from these people, their fortunes, their possessions and most of all their dignity. Great Art treasures , Gold and Bank accounts were confiscated and hidden away in secret vaults, the whereabouts only known to high ranking Nazis. Realising the expense in moving so many people Hitler decided on a path of extermination, either by firing squad or the Gas chambers, which were now being assembled in every camp. I do not need to tell you the millions of men, women and children who died in this way, including your Great Grand-parents. My Father, your Grandfather only escaped by hiding under dead bodies as the Allies arrived. Realising that the War was lost the German High Command plundered the vaults and fled, mainly to South American Countries where corrupt regimes were only to pleased to give sanctuary to these people and the wealth that came with them. Over the years many became wealthy businessmen stashing their ill gotten gains in off shore bank accounts mainly in the Bahamas where much of it still remains. With their identities changed they were almost impossible to track down, and on their deaths these accounts transferred to their children, who may or may not have had the same name. As these monies by the 1970s were still being withdrawn albeit in relatively small denominations of around 30 to 50 thousand pounds, it was clear that the siblings were aware of where the money came from. It was therefore decided by Jews Against War Crimes to give these relations the chance to withdraw from the use of these funds, and an age of 25 years old was agreed as the cut- off point. If they then continued to use these funds they would be executed as a sign to others that they were being monitored. Many tried the option of moving all over the World but their bank accounts either remained in the Bahamas or if transferred were easily followed by our people, after all we are Jewish. So you can see Rachel you are in a very dangerous place, I would advise dropping this immediately and say no more"

"You say Father that theses people the J W C, made a decision, are you one of these people" asked Rachel, "have you killed anyone?

"Yes I have" answered Peter Riesen.

"Oh my god" thought Rachel, "my Father is a murderer"

"Don't judge me please" said her Father, "look into your case a little more, Ican let you have Bank account numbers and lists of withdrawals, anything you need, but please as I said before look at this with an open mind. Take one Month and we will talk again"

"What about Steven, Catherine and my Mother, do they know? asked Rachel feeling quite faint.

"No they do not" answered her Father, "and I would like it to stay that way"