“Did you suspect him of being anything other than he appeared to be?” Shirley asked.
“No, though I suppose everyone was under suspicion to some degree.”
“Even Daniel?”
“No, not Daniel. He proved himself reliable over and over again.”
“You must not feel you need to stay married to Joshua,” Lala said. “It will do none of you any good and particularly those babies of yours. Divorce him and marry Daniel again.”
“Yes.” But maybe Daniel wouldn’t want her anymore, Shirley thought when she left an hour later, because she had been decidedly less than truthful all the time they were in Berlin and because he might regard her as too much hassle. But then he would want the babies and she could not bear to be without them. She made her way to the outskirts of Brandenberg and it was Anna who opened the door to her.
“We visited him,” she said, leading the way into the house.
“I’m glad of that,” Shirley replied.
“I don’t like what he’s done but he’s my son. Would you turn your back on him?”
“No,” Shirley said. “I wouldn’t do that.”
“He says you’ll divorce him. You musn’t feel guilty if you do. He will probably be kept in prison for a long time for what he’s done. He said he wanted to contact us but couldn’t because he would have been arrested for his part in the Chain Quintet and probably killed by the East Germans. Hannah and Adam are coming to Berlin though they hadn’t intended to do so. They are both very angry with Joshua but we are a family and families should stick together, shouldn’t they, what ever happens?”
“They should,” Shirley agreed. “Are Ada and Rolf back yet?”
“We’re here,” Ada said, walking through. “They let us go early this morning. Were you very shocked about Joshua?”
Shirley smiled weakly. “No. I knew he was alive after I visited you.”
“How did you know that?”
“The toiletries in your downstairs bathroom.”
“We never used that bathroom,” Anna said. “We used the one upstairs and the toilet on its own down.”
“Joshua was only with us for a week,” Rolf added. “I’m resigning from my post. I think it would be best and it’s time I retired from the rat race. I’m not sure Joshua will be kept in prison. He has a lot of information which would be useful internationally. He’s used to giving information. I love him very much but I do not approve of what he has been doing.”
“Nor do I,” Hugh said. “But he’s our son and we love him.”
“Yes. I wanted to ask you a question about Joshua.”
“What is that?” Rolf asked.
“What was his first wife’s real name? He called her Cal.”
“Clara Brunner. She was Austrian.”
“He never told me that,” Shirley said. “I think he didn’t like to mention her.”
“He murdered her,” Anna said.
“Yes. I promise to stick by him though the future I dare not think about at the moment. I’m sorry, Ada and Rolf, for stirring things up but it was very important.”
“We know that,” Rolf said. “Will you stay for lunch?”
“I have a practice at The Philharmonie soon but thank you.”
“We will all be at the concert,” Ada said.
“Thank you. I’ll see you there.”
But Shirley didn’t want to think that far ahead, she thought, and she still had to get through today. They all had to get through today. She made her way to The Philharmonie and did not finish her practice until four. Afterwards she went to the records office.
When she came out she was not quite sure what to do. It was six hours until reunification was officially announced and she should see Daniel before that. But she had tried ringing him a couple of times while at The Philharmonie and he was not replying. She had more work she felt she needed to do but she could not until the morning. She was loathe to see anyone else.
She walked to the u-bahn. She would get her car which was on the outskirts of Berlin and decide then what to do. She made her way down the steps and the phone rang.
Daniel? Not Daniel as she recognised the voice at the other end of the line.
“Darling, we’ve just arrived in Berlin. Well, about an hour ago. We’re with Susan and Stefan. They insisted on us staying with them. What are you doing this evening? You’re not going to join in the celebrations, are you?”
“No, I’m not doing that.”
“Susan says to tell you to stay here with Daniel. She’s also invited Helen and Johann. She’s just gone out for a few minutes. Will you come? I feel as if it’s years since I last saw you, and Katy and Martin are keen to see you too.”
Centuries, Shirley thought, but in reality only two or three days. “We’ll get there when we can,” she replied. “Give my love to everyone.”
“I will.”
Shirley shut the phone, her expression inordinately lonely. She had a husband. Well, maybe she did. She had friends who she knew cared for her deeply. She had family. But at this moment and probably for the next few hours she was totally on her own. She made her way to the car, drove towards the Havel and parked.
It was so beautiful, she thought. So beautiful yet a great deal of its surroundings was still full of hate and intrigue. She slid down a bit in her seat, leaned her head back and slept, the tiredness from early mornings, late nights and very little sleep the previous night finally overcoming her.
When she woke it was ten in the evening. She frowned as she looked at her watch. She had not meant to sleep that long and she now needed to get back to the centre of Berlin. She got out of the car, went to the boot and took a strong coil of rope from it. Putting it round her waist she pulled it as tight as it would go. She put a gun in her inside pocket and a couple of other items before getting back in the car.
She took out her phone and texted Connie. “Sorry I didn’t get to you. We’ll see you tomorrow, God willing. Tell Susan I may stay with Daniel somewhere else tonight. I need to conserve my energy for tomorrow evening.”
Connie looked at the message, her expression worried. Something was wrong but she did not know what. Daniel had spoken to them briefly on the phone but said he probably wouldn’t be coming tonight. Now Shirley was saying the same. Were they both caught up in anything that might happen at The Reichstag? Nothing, Stefan had said at dinner, because the people they thought might cause trouble were apprehended. Connie was not to know that Johann had not told Susan and Stefan what had been occurring in the last few hours nor did she know about it herself.
“Daniel said he wants Shirley to go to bed early tonight,” Susan said when Connie showed her the message.
“And you think Shirley will do as she’s told?”
Susan smiled. “Probably not but I rather suspect we won’t see her until the concert.”
But where was she, Susan thought after she said goodnight to Connie and Paul, and what was happening at The Reichstag at this moment? She heard the front door open and went into the hall to meet Stefan.
“Where is she?” she said. “I’m worried.”
“Me too. I’m going to The Reichstag in a minute. I think maybe she and Daniel have gone there. It is a night to celebrate.”
“It’s also a night when trouble was expected and I don’t think Johann is being totally honest with you.”
“Nor do I. Has everyone gone to bed?”
“Yes. I want to be there.”
“Then ask Connie to babysit.”
“I’ll babysit,” Connie said from the doorway. “Will you find Shirley and look after her?”
“Shirley will be fine,” Susan said. “Thank you, Connie. I thought I’d be okay with not going but what’s happening tonight is a triumph for which we’ve been waiting for years.”
“I understand that,” Connie said. “Go and join in with them.”
Susan looked at her watch. Nearly eleven and the streets would be packed. She took her coat from the coat stand, put on boots
and she and Stefan went out to the car.
Near the Reichstag Shirley stood forty five minutes later looking round, a frown on her face. Where? Where would someone be able to take a pot shot in an area that was totally open without being seen or would that person not care, anyway? If what she thought was correct maybe he wouldn’t because he must have gone a little mad. The chancellor and president would come out to the front to make a short speech, she knew, but only short ones, they had been told. Apart from shooting from a tree there was nowhere and Shirley was sure she had got her facts right where an attempt on their lives was concerned. Not a coup this time but something personal. She looked up at the building.
The roof in front of the dome. It was the only place or else a window of one of the rooms. But people could see the windows and the area was crawling with police. Johann and Daniel were bound to be there. Shirley ran round to the side of the building knowing she could not get in the front without being seen. Maybe she would be let in because of her part in apprehending the men in the planned coup but that would hold her up and these next few minutes needed to be very private.
But how to get onto the roof, she thought after she had let herself in the side door as she had done before. The only way would be to get onto the top floor and access it from the small side area where there were two more floors.
She knew the Reichstag in detail. Not from visiting but from the plans she had been studying for a few days. She would go up the back stairs and access the floor she wanted from there. There would be people but not too many. She dialed Johann’s phone but there was no reply.
Shirley looked at her watch. Fifteen minutes until midnight and the president and chancellor would appear soon after. She picked the lock and let herself into the building, walked along the passage and peeped round the door to look at who was in the hall. The chancellor and the president stood near the front door with a few officials near them. Round them were a few men. Probably some of them were guards, Shirley thought, and how was she going to get past them? A young lady walked across the hall carrying a tray with drinks on it. She put the tray down and went back towards the kitchen.
Shirley walked forward, picked up the tray and bent her head as she carried it across the hall. Really she should offer drinks but she hadn’t the time. She turned sideways in order to see if anyone had noticed her, set the tray on a table and tore up the stairs. As she reached the top she heard footsteps ahead of her. She dived into a room and stood behind the door. The footsteps walked past the room and she peeped out to look down the passage.
Clear and she must get upstairs because time was of the essence. She raced up the steps to the second floor and made for the door which would lead her to the third one.
But it would not open and she felt a bit desperate. There was only minutes until midnight and the chancellor and president might go outside before midnight struck. If only she had thought of it earlier she could have gone into the dome and hidden.
She would have to climb out of a window on the second floor and somehow shin up to the roof. It was her only way. She went to a window on the side of the building, looked up and cringed. She had been good at athletics but it was high and how would she get from one floor to the other? The windows were tall and there seemed to be no footholds on the wall.
She took the rope from round her waist and looked up. At a distance she might have been able to throw it up but she did not have much leverage from the window and she did not know how strong were the posts which stood at the edge of the roof all round the building.
She had to try because she had to get on the roof. Hopefully she was wrong about everything but she must make sure. She put one end of the rope round her waist and aimed the other end upwards but it fell short of the post. She aimed again and it did the same. Climbing onto the window ledge she held the window with one hand and aimed again. The rope slid over the post and she pulled. As she did so the window she was holding swung outwards. She went off the window ledge and swung in midair.
She swung back, hit the wall and gritted her teeth as her one leg and arm scraped it. She swung out again and this time when she approached the wall put her feet out to brace herself. She began to climb up the wall with the aid of the rope. As she stepped onto the roof she opened her mobile and dialed again.
“Johann? I’m on the roof of the Reichstag. Are you in the building or the grounds?”
“The building. How did you get on the roof?”
“It doesn’t matter. Please come quickly onto the roof to the front of the building above the door but come quietly and don’t let yourself be seen by anyone though you may need someone to come with you. Be as quick as you can.”
“I’ll be there in minutes.” Johann grabbed a couple of men who were with him, tore up the stairs and did not think of not doing what Shirley said. On the roof Shirley moved slowly forward. As she came into view of the edge of the roof she crouched in order not to be seen by the crowds.
“Abel.” The man turned and frowned, his finger on the trigger of a large gun he had set up in front of him.
“Go away, Shirley. You shouldn’t be here. This does not concern you.”
“It concerns me very much,” Shirley said. “You’re a good friend of mine and Daniel’s. You’ve done so much for both of us and for many people.”
“You’re far too clever for your own good,” Abel Schneider said.
“Why are you doing this? I thought you wanted freedom.”
“I do but this isn’t the way to get it for everybody.”
“You mean the Jewish population.” The words were a statement and not a question.
“We had some sort of security in East Germany. We were left in peace. What is going to happen now?”
“I don’t know, Abel, but what you’re doing won’t make things any better. Some things we have to leave in the past.”
“They suffered horrendously in Auschwitz. Lots of people did.”
“I know and I’m so sorry but I don’t think your parents would want this, do you? The people you’re aiming to shoot didn’t do the terrible things that happened to so many Jews.”
“Nobody cares about that. You can’t stop a coup, Shirley, whatever you do and there are hundreds of people down there who will take over the minute I’ve shot the president and the chancellor. Gros has organised that part of it.”
“Your five hundred men are in prison,” Shirley said. “So too are Gros, Joshua and Herr Schneider.”
Abel looked briefly at Shirley. “That isn’t possible.”
“It’s possible and it’s true. Don’t be a part of it, Abel. Please. Your parents wouldn’t want it.” She crawled forward slowly, her eyes never leaving Abel’s face. “You won’t hurt them because you know now that it’s a useless enterprise. Those people down there are probably the only ones who will ensure a secure future for you and your friends. You won’t be a part of this madness. You’ve got all this hurt stored up inside you and you need to let it out but not this way. You also have a family for whom to look out who love you and depend on you.”
Abel pulled his hand over his forehead, his face creased in a frown. “You have no idea,” he said.
“I know I don’t and nor do those young people down there. Can you see how young most of them are? They had nothing to do with the war. It ended forty five years ago and should be left in history. I think your parents would want that.”
Abel frowned, looked at his watch and it was three minutes to twelve. Six men from the west and six from the east were carrying the flag towards the tall flag pole. Music played while nearby a group of anarchists was being pushed back by the riot police. The chancellor appeared on the front steps below and Abel’s fingers tightened on the gun.
Shirley threw herself forward, spun the gun in one sweep and aimed it upwards. The bullet went up into the sky to fall uselessly back onto the roof and bounce along it. Johann walked forward and virtually lifted Abel. As he did midnight struck and the crowd roared. The flag was raised t
o the top of the flag pole to the chimes of a replica of Philadelphia’s bell. Fireworks exploded nearby. The dignitaries who stood below watched with the crowd.
“You’re going to have to come with me,” Johann said. “I’m sorry, Abel.”
The president spoke below but was hardly audible. The national anthem began and tears started to pour down Abel’s face. Shirley put her arms round him and held him tightly.
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “So very, very sorry.”
He held her equally as tightly. “I would never hurt you,” he said.
“I know, darling.” She looked at Joshua. “Must this be made public?”
“No. Nothing will be made public, probably not even the attempted coup. Germany has a lot to celebrate tonight. It has a lot of wounds to heal in the future. Thank you, Shirley.”
Shirley drew back from Abel and handed him a handkerchief. “I’ll come to see you soon,” she said. “Johann will bring me, won’t you, Johann?”
“Yes.” Johann beckoned two men who stood nearby as he handcuffed Abel. “Take him to the van. I’ll be down in a minute after I’ve dismantled this.” He turned to Shirley as the three men walked away. “How, Shirley? How did you know?”
“I’ll tell you tomorrow or the day after.” She looked up at the beautiful display of fireworks which were going on around them. “Where’s Daniel?”
“Somewhere down there keeping an eye on things. Susan and Stefan are in the crowd. Do you want to join them?”
“No, thank you. What will happen to Abel?”
“I think he needs professional help. I will take him somewhere safe and secure where he’ll get it.”
“Thank you.” Shirley looked down. “There are a few skirmishes down there. The policemen aren’t gentle, are they?”
“No. I think there may be trouble in a few quarters but most of these people are just pleased about the reunification. I know the government will thank you for all you’ve done but I want to thank you personally. You won’t get credit though and I wish you could.”
“I don’t want credit,” Shirley said. “Just peace.”
The Berlin Vendetta: Book 3 in the series 'The Enigmatic Defection' Page 16