It was not an overly lavish house like the ones just up the road. It had belonged to a banker who had the unfortunate fate of being Jewish in this time and place of hate. The banker had been shot by the Nazi’s, his wife and two children sent to one of the work camps leaving the house barren. It was a relatively modest three story home with a roaring fireplace in almost every room, and while all the gold, silver, and jewelry had been taken, the library and furniture were still intact. It was a house that politely stated wealth rather than threw it in every onlookers face.<br/><br/>Hamish had found the house a few months ago, looking dark and bleak and understated in the affluent neighborhood it rested in. The simple stone outer walls with black trim giving a nod to its simplicity as the waist high white picket fence acted as a futile sentry to the innocence of the grounds. At the time Hamish was unsure of its current ownership, so had inquired and learned of its brutal history. Hamish had also learned that no officers wanted it because of the houses lack of ostentatious greed regardless of where in town it sat. Why have a simple three story house painted white when a five story house with huge chandeliers and plenty of expensive paintings still hanging on the walls to make an officer feel proud?<br/><br/>Hamish like the simple white home for all the reasons others did not want it. It was humble, peaceful, and would disappear in the gnarly grandeur of blood soaked wealth that surrounded it.<br/><br/>The inside of the house was no different in its humility except when it came to the fireplaces. They were large voids in the walls of almost every room where a roaring fire would easily chase out the chill of these deep winters. Somehow, to Hamish, this made the home even more welcoming. To his mind it showed a design that put comfort before gilded candlesticks. It welcomed the guest into a warm environment rather than attempting to belittle them with garish items or uncomfortable stone chairs.<br/><br/>Once Hamish had found the house he had immediately sought out caretakers. This was again easy enough for him to accomplish and had his pick of several candidates. He ended up with Josef and Myra Roth, a Jewish couple who were on the short list for a work camp. Hamish had brought them to this house and set them up as the caretakers. He asked them to change their name to Dahl and if anyone gave them trouble to show them his badge of<span style="font-style: italic">Reichinspektur</span>and to send for him immediately.<br/><br/>Nothing had happened in the following months and Hamish would sometimes drop in to find the place clean, and the spirit beginning to return to its once cold hearth. Josef and Myra never questioned what he did or where he went, although Hamish had spent several nights listening to Josef and Myra talk. They were grateful but Hamish also knew they were frightened. Whether of him or not he didn’t know. He cared nothing for them, try as he might, they were tools bought cheap.<br/><br/>Hamish went here after dropping off the letter at the clinic. Josef and Myra greeted him at the door, they always seemed to know when he was coming, and while they greeted him warmly, something was off. Hamish was generally terrible in a conversation, he had a horrible stutter that seemed to get worse over the years, and his training had not prepared him for regular chatting. But he could read people very well, and he knew these two were nervous about something.<br/><br/>“Is all well,” Hamish asked in perfect Yiddish. “Has there been a visit?”<br/><br/>“No, no Herr James,” Myra replied with her big smile. She was a short woman with broad shoulders and a thick waist. Her smile was always genuine and warm. Hamish found he had missed that smile. “We just never know when we are to see you.”<br/><br/>Hamish looked back and forth between them and knew she was lying. But it was of little consequence right now. He had more important details to discuss with them.<br/><br/>“Very well,” Hamish said, “I will hopefully have a guest arriving sometime today. Please set the dining table for two and prepare some food. I am unsure of what she likes…”<br/><br/>“She?” Myra gasped with her smile somehow getting bigger. “Are you bringing home a lady friend, Herr James?” Hamish had no idea what she meant, a lady friend? Myra mistook his silence, “Forgive my interruption Herr Buchannon, I did not mean to pry?”<br/><br/>“D-D-Do not w-w-worry yourself,” Hamish stammered out. His damn stutter was coming back. “P-p-p-please, just prepare for our g-g-g-guest.”<br/><br/>“It will be done my friend,” Josef responded, his face wide with astonishment. “Perhaps you would like to lie down? You look as if you have been to hell and back!” Josef was a tall, thin man with a large laugh and an easy going personality. When Hamish had hired them, their shoulders were bent with stress and fear. To see them standing tall again, smiling, and worrying about him caused a flutter to pass through Hamish. Just a tiny trickle of the warmth he had experienced earlier leaked out and snaked its way through him.<br/><br/>“I think that is a g-g-good idea,” Hamish responded. Hamish turned to walk up the simple staircases that lead to the main bedrooms. He paused about halfway up, unsure of where the question sprang from but turned back to see them watching with true concern in their eyes. Another trickle shot through him. “How m-m-much d-d-do I pay you?”<br/><br/>“Enough Herr Buchannon,” Josef responded, confusion now fighting with the concern.<br/><br/>“T-t-t-triple it,” Hamish replied continuing his climb up the stairs. “And please, call me James. It will be nice to have friends I think.”<br/><br/>Hamish went into the first bedroom he came across and found a fire already roaring in the fireplace. Did they light all the fires then stand at the door every day waiting for him to walk in? Hamish wanted to consider this but simply could not. With meticulous routine, Hamish removed his clothing and crawled onto the firm bed. Again, the beds were not garish in any way and built for comfort. Hamish thought of nothing as his body dragged him into a slumber he had not known in many years.<br/><br/>It was a dreamless sleep. It was deep, and healing. As the sun continued its journey into the world, and souls were busy saving themselves, Hamish unknowingly smiled.