by Jim Reeves
Joe was stunned. ‘How did you know that?’ he asked nervously.
‘I saw Bruno Stadler driving the SUV,’ said Magda. ‘He works for Otto Braun.’
‘They’re people I don’t want to see again,’ Joe told her. ‘If they’re friends of yours I’d better leave now.’
‘I didn’t say they were friends,’ Magda smiled. ‘Bruno is sometimes in the club I go to.’ She moved towards Joe and slipped her hand behind his neck. He didn’t know what she had in mind but he wasn’t in the mood. He eased her arm off his shoulder and moved away.
Magda looked surprised. ‘What do you want me to do?’
Joe sipped his whisky. ‘Not a lot. I just need somewhere to rest a while.’
‘For a hundred Euros I usually allow half an hour,’ Magda told him.
Joe glanced at his watch. ‘That would give me maybe another four or five hours running to do before I can get a bus out of town and I won’t have any money for the fare.’
Magda looked at an old clock on the wall and shrugged. ‘It is late. I have finished for the night anyway. You can stay until morning but no longer.’
‘You probably just saved my life.’
‘Bruno has something of a reputation,’ Magda smiled.
‘He’s a mean piece of shit. I know that much,’ Joe nodded.
‘Sit down. Enjoy your drink. Would you like a coffee to warm you up?’
‘You read my mind,’ Joe said.
Magda went through to a small kitchen.
Joe sat down and shuddered slightly. He still had the chill in his bones. He started to think about what he might do when he left Magda’s flat. Braun’s men were trying hard to find him. It seemed likely that they would be watching the station in the morning. He would have to approach the place with care. He heard Magda talking in the kitchen. He tried to listen but couldn’t make out what she was saying.
She entered the room after a couple of minutes carrying two steaming mugs of coffee. She put one down on a small table by Joe and sat opposite him holding the other mug.
‘You got somebody out back?’ asked Joe.
Magda looked puzzled. ‘No.’
‘I heard you talking to somebody.’
‘Ah,’ she smiled and held up her mobile telephone. ‘A customer. I told him I was finished for tonight.’
‘Sorry if I’m losing you money by being here,’ Joe said.
‘No problem,’ Magda smiled.
They talked and Magda told Joe that she had grown up in a small town twenty kilometres away, but Eichl was better for business. The room was snug and Joe was feeling better as he drank his coffee. He asked Magda about bus routes. He was thinking it might be a good idea to travel in the opposite direction to Salzburg. She couldn’t offer much help.
He heard a noise on the street. A car stopped. A door slammed. He went to the window and looked at the street. The SUV was parked below. Bruno was standing by the car. He looked up and saw Joe. A smile lit up his face. He ran towards the alley followed by another thug.
Joe turned to look at Magda. She was standing, looking towards the door.
‘You bitch,’ he snarled. ‘You turned me in.’
‘They pay me good I think,’ she smiled. ‘I hope so.’
Somebody hammered hard on the front door. Magda moved to open it. Joe grabbed her arm and spun her around to face him. What he did next shocked even him. Maybe it was borne out of fear, or anger at her betrayal. Maybe it was some inbuilt sense of self-preservation. Whatever, he would tell himself later that he had no choice. He just had to stop her opening the door for Bruno. As she turned to face him, Joe drove his fist hard into her chin. He had a brief glimpse of her startled expression before she fell backwards over the chair she had risen from.
The hammering on the front door continued and Joe heard Bruno’s voice. He looked around, grabbed Magda’s bag and retrieved the Euros he had given her. Hopefully, he would need them later. He ran through to the kitchen. There was a small window on the left hand wall. A quick calculation told Joe that should take him away from Bruno. Joe clambered onto a cluttered worktop and pushed the window fully open. He could see a sloping roof about four feet below. It covered a single storey building at ground level. He crawled onto the window sill then lowered his feet onto the roof. He let go of the window sill as soon as his feet reached the roof. His feet slid from under him, he sat down very hard, tobogganed off the roof and landed in a heap in some sort of backyard. There was no time to lick his wounds. He scrambled to his feet and threw himself at the wall that skirted the yard. The wall was about five feet high and Joe was over it in a second. He turned and ran up a narrow gradient. He thought that would take him away from the road and give him more places to hide. He had covered about twenty yards when he heard Bruno’s voice again. He had obviously gained access to Magda’s flat and was venting his fury at the kitchen window. Instinct told Joe to change course. There was another low wall to his left. He had no idea what was on the other side but he leapt at it and dropped down onto the snow in yet another back yard. He hoped the falling snow would cover his tracks but knew Bruno and his friends would be there much too soon for that.
There was a door in the wall on the left side of the yard. It was the entrance to a building that overlooked the yard. Joe went for it. It might be a place to hide from Bruno. He turned the handle and pushed the door. It opened with a noisy squeal of rusty hinges. Joe stepped inside and listened. All was silent. He pushed the door closed to another chorus of protesting hinges. He listened again but heard nothing from within. He was in another kitchen. Washing up was piled high in the sink. A faint smell of garlic hung in the air.
Joe heard shouts outside. Bruno had followed his tracks and was in the passage on the other side of the wall. He would be over the wall and at the door in seconds. Joe’s eyes were growing accustomed to the darkness and he saw a small stool across the room. He grabbed the stool and rammed it under the door handle. That would delay Bruno for all of two seconds. But those two seconds might just save his life. Abandoning all caution, Joe ran out of the kitchen and along a narrow hall towards the front door of the house. He heard muffled voices from upstairs as he pulled the door open and ran out into the night again. Which way to go? Right again. Uphill was away from the street and would at least deprive Bruno of the use of his SUV. Joe was running up a narrow alley that veered right and ended at a tarmac road. Thirty yards away was a four storey block of flats with a large car park facing it. There were maybe a dozen cars parked. All deeply covered in snow. If there was more time, Joe might have tried his luck with the cars. But he was no expert at hot-wiring and he knew Bruno wouldn’t be far behind.
He turned left and struggled up a short gradient. The road soon levelled out and swung to the left. He kept going, throwing caution to the wind. No longer worrying about slipping on the snow, he made quicker progress. He expected to hear Bruno’s dulcet tones piercing the night air behind him at any moment but he reached the end of the road unchallenged. Maybe the occupants of the house that Joe had passed through had delayed Bruno’s progress. Somehow, Joe didn’t think Bruno would spare them too much of his time. Maybe he was checking out the area around the flats and parked cars.
There was a hospital to Joe’s right at the end of the road. He turned left and ran down a short hill. He turned left again and was running down a steep hill on a wider street that must lead back towards the town centre. He quickly realised the road would take him right past Magda’s apartment building. That didn’t seem like such a good idea so he crossed the road and turned right into another narrow street. Every twist and turn made him feel better. The whisky and coffee that Magda had given him had helped revive him but the cold night air was still worrying at his lungs. His coughing was getting worse. His raincoat was in a desperate state and gave little protection against sub-zero temperatures. He leaned against a wall, coughing more violently than ever and sank to his knees as he tried desperately to clear his lungs. Then using every last bit of strength he had left he st
ruggled to his feet and staggered on. After a couple of hundred yards he saw the river to his left. He slowed to a halt and looked around. The bridge where he had met Magda was maybe two hundred yards up river, to the left. To the right was what looked like a railway bridge running across the river? It was hard to be sure as he squinted through darkness heavily laced with snowflakes.
He considered his next move. It seemed he had shaken Bruno off, at least for the moment. He could head for the railway line and check it out or turn left and take his chances with the hotel by the bridge.
His condition was worsening. He was feeling lightheaded and felt like he might blackout at any moment. He guessed he had only minutes before his body would lose the fight altogether. The hotel seemed like his best bet, even if he had to break into the place. There was a chance that he might meet Bruno at the bridge but right then the plummeting temperatures posed an even greater threat. So he turned and staggered alongside the river. Every yard, every painful step, seemed like a major achievement. Several times he had to stop and steady himself against the buildings on his left. He saw no sign of the searching vehicles and guessed that Bruno and his friends must still be scouring the area up the hill.
He reached the road that crossed the bridge and stood listening. The wind still whistled in his ears but he heard no sound of approaching vehicles. He staggered forward across the road and turned into the narrow street that housed the hotel. A handful of cars were parked along the street. The hotel seemed to occupy most of the left hand side. Joe passed several dark windows and reached what looked like the main entrance. The doors were locked. The area inside looked to be in complete darkness.
‘Shit!’ he whispered out loud. He swayed slightly, close to surrender. He stood forlornly in the centre of the narrow street uncertain what to do next. Snow fell on him and all around him. The sound of a car engine somewhere off to his left jerked him into sudden movement. His brain told him to run in the opposite direction. Running was beyond him by then but he managed a slow shuffle alongside the hotel. He stopped about fifty yards further on. A steep concrete ramp ran down under the hotel to what looked like an underground car park. A dim light lit up the entrance to the car park. Joe turned and walked gingerly down the ramp, trying not to slip on the treacherous surface.
He reached the bottom of the ramp and looked around. The area was lit by a low wattage economy light in the centre of the ceiling. There were maybe ten cars parked around the walls. Several were heavily caked in snow. Others obviously hadn’t been out in the snowstorm. There were several empty parking bays. What struck Joe immediately was the absence of wind and swirling snow. By normal standards the place was probably very cold but it felt like a big improvement on what Joe had endured in the last few hours.
As he stood surveying the car park, the street above him was suddenly illuminated by headlights. A car was approaching slowly along the road. Joe stepped away from the bottom of the ramp but peered around the corner to watch the car as it passed by. It was the SUV. They were back on the road and searching again. The SUV passed the ramp and continued for several yards before coming to a halt. A second later Joe could hear it reversing back towards the ramp. Bruno must have seen the ramp and decided it was worth closer inspection. Joe saw the SUV come to a halt across the entrance to the car park. A door opened and Bruno got out.
Joe drew back into the darkness. He looked around, then hurried quietly across to the far corner of the car park and slipped behind a Renault MPV that was reverse parked into the corner, close to the wall. He crouched down, crawled into the corner and turned and sat with his back to the wall. The floor was dank and layered in dust. A faint smell of diesel prevailed in the cold air. Joe heard slow footsteps walking down the ramp. The footsteps stopped at the bottom of the ramp. Joe assumed it was Bruno. If he searched the whole car park, he couldn’t fail to find Joe cowering there. Bruno walked slowly across the car park. Joe’s heart was racing again. He struggled desperately to stifle the sound of his ragged lungs. He dug his heels into the concrete floor trying to push himself deeper into the dark corner. The footsteps stopped for several long seconds. Joe was shaking violently. He didn’t know if it was from fear or the intense cold. Maybe both, he decided. He lowered his head to look under the Renault and across the car park floor. Bruno was standing in the centre of the car park deciding on his next move.
Joe saw Bruno’s knee touch the floor as he started to crouch down low. He was going to look under the cars. From that central point, he could cover the whole car park. Joe raised his head off the floor, drove his feet into the side of the Renault then pushed his back hard against the wall and raised his backside well clear of the floor. He felt his feet grinding grit into the rear door of the Renault. The door buckled slightly. Joe felt bad about damaging the paintwork, but not bad enough to stop doing it. The Renault creaked and groaned as it rocked slightly sideways. Joe thought Bruno would be sure to hear the sound. He held his breath and held his position off the floor. Waiting.
Suddenly a car horned sounded loudly at the top of the ramp. Somebody shouted something in an angry voice. Joe heard Bruno straighten up. It sounded like he was walking back towards the ramp. More shouting followed. Bruno shouted back some abuse as he hurried up the ramp.
The loud voices continued for several seconds. Joe relaxed and slid back onto the floor. A car engine roared into life at the top of the ramp. The sound receded as the car was driven away. Seconds later, headlights lit up the car park. Joe lay still as a car rolled slowly down the ramp. The car paused at the foot of the ramp then swung into an empty parking place next to the Renault. Joe lay still and listened. The driver killed the engine and switched off the car lights. Car doors opened, and then slammed. A man and woman chatted in German as they walked across the car park, away from their car. Joe rose to his knees and peered through the Renault windows. He saw the man and woman, both smartly dressed, pass through a door that must lead into the main body of the hotel.
The car park was suddenly gloomy and silent again. Joe waited for maybe thirty seconds, then rose to his feet and walked quickly across to the door. If he could get into the hotel, he might be able to find somewhere warm to hide for a few hours. The door was heavy and was firmly locked. There would be no getting past it. There was a keypad on the wall close to the door. The couple must have entered a code to gain access.
Joe still had the shakes pretty badly. He was probably safe for a while after Bruno’s cursory inspection of the car park, but he desperately needed warmth. He had a sudden thought and hurried across to the vehicle the couple had just vacated. It was a big Mercedes SUV parked with the front end facing the wall. He tried the doors. It was locked. He worked his way round to the front of the car and squeezed into the gap between the car and the wall. There was maybe a foot to spare. He leaned forward across the car bonnet. It was still hot and he let the rising heat from the engine radiate through him. Apart from a restless snooze during the journey to Stansted and his frozen sojourn in Braun’s garden, Joe hadn’t had any sleep for well over twenty-four hours. He rested his head gently on the car and closed his eyes. He was asleep within minutes.
Chapter 21
Somebody jabbed Joe hard in the ribs. He awoke with a start to see a frightened and angry looking man staring at him. Every joint seemed to ache. His knees creaked as he pushed himself up from the bonnet. The angry man continued to jabber a Germanic diatribe and gesticulate angrily. He was pointing towards the ramp. Joe didn’t need to translate. It was obvious the man wanted him to leave.
Joe eased his way between the parked cars into the open area of the car park. The sleep had helped to revive him but he was never in the best of moods first thing in the morning. His new acquaintance was already starting to irritate him with his high-pitched heckling. Joe badly needed a hot coffee and a shower to kick-start his day. Neither was available.
‘OK, I’m going,’ he told the man as he was manhandled towards the ramp.
The man was round faced and
quite a few pounds overweight. In different circumstances Joe might well have pushed back, but he realised that he must look like some kind of vagrant who had walked in off the street. That wasn’t so very far from the truth. Although other people had put him in that position, this tub of lard couldn’t know that. So, Joe trudged up the ramp followed by the rotund man who still ranted at him in rapid German.
He was surprised by the bright sunlight as he reached the street. It had stopped snowing but the street was covered in a deep blanket that was largely undisturbed. He squinted at his watch. It was just after seven. He’d slept for about four hours. He stepped warily onto the street and looked both ways. All was quiet. The agitated guy behind him pushed him hard in the back to help him on his way. Joe staggered forward a couple of feet then turned and grabbed the man by his lapels. ‘Don’t push it. I’m really not in a very good mood,’ he rasped. The man looked alarmed at the sudden change in Joe’s demeanour and backed off for the first time. ‘I don’t like your hotel and I don’t like your town,’ Joe continued. ‘So shove it.’ He turned and walked up the street towards where the bridge crossed the river. It occurred to him that the last thing he needed was another enemy in this town. He hoped he would be forgotten as soon as he turned the corner.
In spite of the bright sun, the morning air was cold. Joe pulled his raincoat tightly around him as he reached the junction. He looked both ways again. The road was quiet. The road to the right led towards Magda’s place. He wondered how she was feeling this morning. He had hit her pretty hard. Her face must be badly bruised and she probably wouldn’t be working for a few days. Part of him felt bad about hitting her but she had been prepared to let Bruno have him for a few Euros. He wouldn’t be sending her a get well card. He turned left and walked towards the bridge.
Joe saw one or two people on the street across the other side of the river but the roads were fairly quiet. He wondered what Bruno and his friends would be doing this morning. He guessed they would continue the search. They had to find him and finish what they had tried to do the night before. Joe had to get out of Eichl fast. He continued looking in both directions as he reached the far side of the bridge. He wasn’t sure if he was any safer in broad daylight. He had a feeling that Bruno would take him whatever the time of day, if he got the chance. Joe paused on the street corner. The town was still quiet. Although a couple of cars passed him by, the drivers didn’t give him a second look.