Twenty One

Untitled Part 6

                                                                                       Chapter Six

                                                                                     Decision Time

"The following  morning Rachel contacted her Father to arrange their next meeting, a meeting that he had recommended to discuss her findings. She could sense a nervousness in his voice. He agreed to meet the coming Saturday, five days hence, as he was off on a business trip all week. While Rachel not meaning to be pessimistic could not help but wonder what task he was undertaking, had some young German from the wrong family reached the age of 25, while ignoring the threats that had come his way from the J.W.C. She now had four day's to ponder the facts and what to do going forward. Does she tell Professor Timms, would he understand and relate to both sides, or would he go straight to the Police. There was no way that she could take the chance, the meeting with her Father would need to come first.

Keeping to herself in the days prior to heading back to Budleigh, Rachel stocked up with enough food and the necessary quota of Wine to keep her out of circulation. Milling over her notes she would occasionally close her eyes to rest, but the words Murder and Father would scream in her brain, forcing her to stand up and walk around her small bedsit flat. She would glance out of the window at the hundreds of people just going about their business, "why have I been burdened with this" she thought, "what happened to cat stuck up a tree stories. What I wouldn't do for one right now"

Arriving on the Friday evening Rachel was met with a barrage of questions from her Mother. "What is going on between you and your Father, since you were last here he has been stomping around like a bear with a sore head"

"We are collaborating on the case I mentioned to both of you, Father has a great knowledge and passion for the subject and is helping me with some details, no more than that, I promise" answered Rachel, realising she had just lied to her Mother for the first time in her life.

"I don't know if I believe you or not" said Kristina Riesen, "but I suppose it is between you and your Father, now let's have some tea"

Peter Riesen arrived home late on Friday evening, but there was only cordial family chat passed between himself and Rachel, it would be Mid-day on the Saturday when he finally raised the subject. "My office in fifteen minutes Rachel, is that good for you? he said walking briskly through the lounge.

"Fine Father" answered Rachel, "I will bring my notes"

"Come in my dear" said Peter Riesen, sitting cross legged in his favorite chair. "you have carried out you investigation, now what have you found?

"Its all true Father" answered Rachel, "everything you said is true, but does  it justify the end game? I have looked into the three names you came up with and I can honestly see the reason for your feelings towards them and their children, but is killing really the answer?

Peter Riesen sat up in his chair, "Maybe not" he replied, "but the choice dose not come down to you or I, an oath has been taken by a passionate and determined group of people. Their passion I must say born of events that had taken place against innocent Jewish People during the Second World War. Therefore who are we to judge, their remit has never changed, as long as their children continue to spend this money following fair warning, then they are signing their own death warrant, and will be eliminated at the age of 25. There have however been cases of people when realising where their inheritance came from, either left the money in the bank or in some cases transferred the full amount to a Jewish charity. These individuals have never been named. I must warn you once more Rachel" he went on, "the information that you have and what you decide to do with it could have dire consequences for our whole family. Firstly, the J.W.C could be of the opinion that their secrecy, which is paramount to their existence  has been compromised, and our whole family could be eliminated. Secondly, if you take your case to Scotland Yard, who are by the way sympathetic to the Jewish cause, they could have you arrested on some made up charge, or have you running around for years chasing rainbows. You are not the first person to have looked into this, but they all seem to go away. These people are after all descendants of German Nazis and when they put greed in front of human decency , their death warrant is signed. By the age of 21 when the money begins to come their way they are well aware of its origin's, therefore if their decision is to use it to enhance their lifestyles, then they have a price to pay. So I ask you Rachel, as difficult as it may be, when you reach your decision make sure it is the right one"

"I just don't know Father" answered Rachel, "I can see the plight of the Jewish people, but murder in any form is murder, can we leave it for a few day's and speak again?

Peter Riesen caught her gaze and with a stare that scared her from head to toe, issued his final statement, "There will be no more talk, I have no interest in your thoughts. I have laid out my case, I have warned you young lady" and once again he rose and left the room.

Rachel traveled back to Bristol for a time of reflection. She contemplated speaking to her younger brother Steven, realising that at some stage he would be pressured into replacing his Father, but decided to hold off for the time being. 

In the day's that followed she tried to live as normal a life as possible. When asked by Professor Timms where she was with her project, she smiled and said she was in the middle of compiling the evidence she had found. Her friends on Campus had no idea what she was working on, therefore time spent with them was a welcomed release. She would spend evenings alone pouring over her paperwork and the immensity of what she had discovered. How many people had died for this all over the World? She thought of asking her friend in Chicago for numbers, but decided not to. What would her Mother think of this man she had been married to for the past 30 years. She thought of her older sister Catherine who was completely oblivious to what was going on. How much money was left in these accounts? How many accounts were there? The killings could go on for decades to come. Rachel decided that she must take a chance and pass on her information to the authorities at Scotland Yard. She would travel to London on Monday morning.

But the Monday morning she had in mind never came.

Nine p.m. on the Saturday evening, Rachel received a phone call from her Brother Steven telling her that her Father had been found hanged in his Study and that she should come home immediately. The overnight train from Bristol to Exeter was the worst hour and a half of her life. She had caused the death of her own Father either by suicide or at the hands of the J.W.C, how could she have been so selfish. Catherine was at Exeter station to meet her she was inconsolable, "Why, why, why she repeated over and over again. Rachel knew there was a discussion to be had, but this was not the time or place. At home Rachel's Mother and Brother along with her Uncle David and his family were all seated in the Lounge.

"They are saying it was suicide Rachel" said her crying Mother hugging her close, "but that makes no sense, we had no financial worries, he was not ill, things are never perfect but why this, why would he take his own life?

Rachel took hold of her Mothers hand saying, "I need to speak with you, Steven and Catherine, come into the Dinning Room"

As they entered the room and sat down a voice began whispering just to Rachel's left hand side. "Be careful Rachel, be very careful" It was Steven, her brother, he knew.

Rachel hesitated, "I think it was his job Mother" she said, "it was becoming too much for him. He told me that at two previous meetings they wanted him to take on more assignments which would have kept him away for almost the whole year. He seemed lost but I did not expect this" As they hugged and cried, "That is it" thought Rachel, "I must put an end to this"