a black marble scroll with the names of Holocaust victims engraved on the side of the building.
Despite his claim of being short on time, Sterling took a few moments to talk to the Kingston supporters. Veronica was getting jumpier by the second, needing to get to her kids.
They eventually moved inside the lower level of the building. Sterling bragged that over five million pounds of bronze was used during construction, as they rode an elevator to the top floor. Veronica hadn’t been in the building since she’d picked up Carsten’s belongings after his death, and felt a similar discomfort. When they exited the elevator, they followed Sterling into a lavish office that overlooked Manhattan Island, the guards remaining outside.
No sign of Bormann’s skull.
As Sterling wheeled behind a desk, he noticed Zach looking at the pictures hung on the office walls. “That’s my father Jacob Sterling,” he said, pointing proudly at the picture of the balding man in a suit, sporting horn-rimmed glasses and a gray mustache.
“My father came from a wealthy family in Prague. He didn’t have to work a day in his life, but he chose to become a doctor to help those in need. He worked in the Jewish ghettos of Prague, helping the most weary and poor, and he never took a dime in his life from his patients.”
Veronica’s mind infested with conspiratorial thoughts, centering on Sterling’s eagerness to separate her from her children, and now seemingly stalling, when he previously claimed hurry.
“Then when the Nazis took over,” Sterling continued, “he was arrested for treating Jewish patients. I was a medical student at the time. We were sent to separate concentration camps, and I feared it would be the last time I’d see him. My father wisely used his wealth and connections to get my mother and two younger sisters out of the country to flee from their inevitable capture. Then, after the war, we were able to rejoin them here in America.”
“From the looks of things, America has been good to the Sterlings,” Zach observed.
Sterling smiled. “America is the land of opportunity. And we took advantage of that opportunity to give back to those who were oppressed. My father started his publishing business for the sole purpose of telling the stories of those who suffered in concentration camps. The ones who weren’t as lucky as us. He wasn’t going to let the world forget.”
“You’ve definitely succeeded in that area,” Zach said in a conciliatory tone.
“It’s an ongoing fight, which is why we expanded the business to include the Sterling Center, which promotes Jewish causes throughout the world. And when my father died, back in the 1960s, I took over the entire business.”
He caught himself. “I’m so sorry—I’m babbling—you said you had some questions for me?”
He sat with a satisfied look—the lights of the city reflecting off his old face. Veronica wanted to grab him and shake the truth out of him. But Zach gave her his calming “follow my lead” look.
Her gut told her to follow. She wasn’t going against it again tonight.
Chapter 41
Zach took out a flip-pad and pen. “Your were the last non-relative listed as visiting Ellen’s room at Sunshine Village. Could you tell me the nature of your business?”
“She called me and asked if I’d stop by.”
“What was her reasoning for such?”
“Ellen and I had known each other for years. I believe her purpose was nostalgia. When you get to our age, memory lane is a long and winding road.”
“Did she talk about taking her own life at any point during your conversation?”
His face saddened. “Ever since Harold died, some years ago, she had often mentioned a desire to join him. But after Carsten’s death, she really got bad. It always came up with her.”
“And what did you tell her?”
“The usual—I moved her mind to happier thoughts.” He pointed to a large family portrait on the wall. “I’m up to fourteen grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. It’s the thing that keeps us going at our age. She was excited about the project she was working on with Maggie. She talked about it at length, although she left out the part about her alleged Nazi connection.”
“So you were unaware of Ellen’s Nazi claims, which would create a lot of bad PR for you and your candidate?”
“No, I had been made aware prior.”
“I thought you said you didn’t know?” Veronica responded in an accusatory tone.
“No, I said Ellen didn’t mention it during my visit.”
Zach continued to push forward, “So with this knowledge, maybe you found it