Found Missing: Day 7

 Word Count: 42,017

Summary of Events:

Dallas and his Oma discovered that the journals went all the way back to 1937, which surprised Dallas; he was also disheartened when his Oma didn't find anything about the chain over the course of the whole afternoon. It wasn't until nearly a week later that she called Dallas; because he was handing out a ticket at the time, however, he had to tell her he'd call her back, which he did as soon as he was finished handing out the ticket . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

“Hello?”

“Hello Oma,” Dallas replied. “I’m presuming you found something about the chain?”

“Yes,” Oma replied. “I translated it into English.”

“And what is it?” Dallas asked.

“‘Thursday, the fourth of November, nineteen forty three,’” Oma replied — Dallas could tell she was reading — “‘Sergeant Jarman Brauer succumbed to his wounds today. I went to see the body after I was told. He was a good soldier, a valiant member of the cause, and I was sad to hear that he had been taken so young.

“‘I was curious to see what he carried with him, so I checked his pockets and found a letter to his sweetheart that probably shouldn’t be sent, for it would do no good. Otherwise he carried nothing really significant, but then I saw that he was wearing a chain around his neck. It is gold, and plain, no pendant on it, as well as looking quite old, I wonder if it was something one of the great kings of the past wore, for surely no commoner would’ve had anything made of gold.

“‘It is Almodis’ birthday soon, and I know she likes pretty things, so I think she might like to have it, after all, what good does it do a dead body? And why should his sweetheart have it? It would only pain her. I took it off his neck just as I heard running feet.

“‘Jarman’s brother, Lance Corporal Talbert Brauer, surged into the room with an anguished cry and took hold of his brother’s corpse, weeping for a long time against the lifeless figure before he looked up at me and saw the chain, for I was still admiring it and pondering the idea of giving it to Almodis, as I have now decided.

“‘Immediately Talbert became angry and demanded the chain from me, snatching at it, as if he deserved to have it any more than his now-dead brother had, so I shot him, not to kill him, but to remind him that I am the Captain, and he is the mere Lance Corporal. I intend to send the chain to Almodis tomorrow, along with a letter. I am sure she will be pleased to receive it.’”

“That’s all?” Dallas asked.

“That’s all,” Oma replied.

“Well, the fact that he used names should help,” Dallas said. “Although I’m surprised that it’s one of his own.”

“I am too,” Oma replied.

“So, are you mostly done reading them all then?” Dallas asked.

“Yes,” Oma replied. “And if you don’t need me to, I’d rather not finish. It has been very hard to read some of the things that this man did, apparently in the name of revenge for at least perceived wrongs.”

“I’m sorry Oma,” Dallas said.

“It’s not your fault,” Oma replied. “You didn’t know how long it would take.”

“But even still,” Dallas said. “I knew he was a Nazi, so it probably wasn’t going to be pretty.”

“As did I,” Oma said. “Don’t feel badly about it.”

Pronunciations:

Jarman: yahrmahn

Brauer: brower