The houses they passed were dilapidated, and the air smelled vaguely of refuse. From somewhere beyond the end of the street a bugle sounded, establishing the proximity of the barracks. They arrived at their destination, a decrepit hovel, and paused to examine the filthy exterior. Pieces of stucco had fallen off the façade, revealing the underlying brickwork, and the windows were streaked with bird droppings.A door was thrown open on the opposite side of the road, and a plump red-faced woman stepped out. She frowned at the two well-dressed young women and proceeded to shake some bed linen.Anna lifted the cast-iron knocker and rapped loudly. Nothing stirred in the house, so she tried again.“Excuse me,” Anna called over to the red-faced woman. “Do you know if Herr Sachs is in?”The red-faced woman shrugged and continued with her work. Anna turned and struck the door with her fist.“Herr Sachs, are you in? Herr Sachs?” She tilted her head and addressed her companion. “Did you hear something?”“Yes,”
