Just before noon, Kirstin Beck stepped into the Church of Reconciliation and sat in the rear pew on the left side. The church was empty, as expected for a weekday, and she took a moment to admire the awe-inspiring interior, something she had never done during Sunday service. She sat quietly and thought about her conversation with Karl Hofer, demanding cooperation or she would never see her daughter. She wondered how he knew about Lisette – from government records or had Steiner told him. Or maybe it was both.
She kneeled and was deep in prayer when she heard the door open. A moment later Dr. Werner appeared and sat in the pew in front of her. He opened a Bible, thumbing through the pages.
“Dieter should be here shortly,” she whispered.
The doctor gave no indication he heard her. He simp
