by B C Schiller
‘Your name is Kaspar Trauner and until a year ago you were employed by the Agruna Company. Why were you dismissed? You’d worked there for two years in middle management.’ Olivia looked up from the file and waited for a response.
‘I wasn’t dismissed. I quit the job,’ Trauner said. ‘I wanted to do something different.’
‘But the file from the unemployment bureau says that you were dismissed, otherwise you wouldn’t have been entitled to benefits straight away.’
‘That’s wrong. I wanted to realise my potential for once in my life. It’s that simple,’ Trauner said, his voice shrill.
‘OK, OK. It’s not important.’ Olivia removed her glasses and put them on the desk. ‘I can offer you confidential counselling. Not here, but in my private practice.’
‘I can’t afford that.’ Trauner shook his head and flicked an imaginary speck of dust off his grey suit. Olivia observed him closely. The man was in his late fifties, clean-shaven, well groomed and wearing a suit and tie. He’s trying with all his might to keep up the appearance of being a successful manager. The thin red veins around his nose and the watery eyes, however, told her that the man might have a considerable alcohol problem.
‘Social services will pay for ten sessions, then we’ll see. It’s up to you.’ Olivia turned to her computer and opened her diary. ‘What about next Tuesday at eleven o’clock?’
‘I’ll check to see if I can fit it in,’ Trauner said and took a diary, seemingly unused, from the inside pocket of his jacket.
‘Have you seen the people waiting outside?’ Olivia asked. ‘They all want counselling. Please tell me if you want the appointment or not. Otherwise I’ll give the session to someone else who might be more in need of it than you.’
‘We’re in luck. I have it booked as a day off.’ Trauner got up and offered Olivia his hand. ‘Looking forward to working with you.’ He shook her hand as if he’d just been offered a job.
Olivia watched him walk to the door, then went over to the window. On a park bench, a man and woman were sitting together, then a little blonde girl ran towards them and was embraced by both. Watching the scene, Olivia swallowed hard. It could be her and her family down there. She took a deep breath and quickly left the office.
The cafeteria was in the old stables of the palace and when she entered, she noticed Simon sitting at one of the tables by the back wall, leafing through a psychology magazine. She didn’t want to talk to him so went straight to the counter. Waiting in the queue, she saw Nils Wagner enter. He was involved in a conversation, his mobile to his ear and didn’t notice her.
It’s now or never, she thought, taking a deep breath.
20
Nils Wagner felt relieved as he sent off his report to the board of the clinic. Nothing could possibly happen now.
He was just leaving for the cafeteria downstairs when there was a knock at the door.
‘Can I talk to you for a moment, Doctor Wagner?’ It was one of the nursing assistants who now nervously averted his eyes. ‘It won’t take long.’
‘What is it?’ Nils asked, but didn’t offer the man a chair.
‘I was on night duty yesterday,’ the nursing assistant began slowly, ‘and I had to take two bodies to the morgue with a colleague.’
‘Please get to the point. I don’t have much time.’ Nils began to drum his fingers on the desk in irritation.
‘The door to the archive in the cellar was open. That’s never happened before.’
‘The door to our archive was open?’ Nils repeated. ‘But only doctors and directors have access.’
‘I know. We didn’t want to go in, but then we heard sounds inside, and I went to check. There was an open cardboard box on the floor. In Aisle M. It struck me as very suspicious.’
‘In what way?’ Nils asked, feeling his hands getting sweaty. Who on earth could be looking for something in the archive in the middle of the night? What could be so important that it couldn’t wait until the morning? ‘What else struck you as suspicious?’
‘The open box had the letter M on it as well.’
‘M, you say.’ Nils frowned. It might not mean anything, but he couldn’t afford to get careless now, just as everything was falling into place. ‘Anything else?’
‘My shift was nearly over and my wife was waiting for me in the car park. We both had a cigarette before we got in the car. It’s too unhealthy, smoking in the car.’
‘Get to the point,’ Nils said sharply.
‘Someone ran quickly across the car park.’
‘Did you recognise the person?’ Nils asked, folding his arms.
‘It was Doctor Hofmann.’
‘Are you sure? There are no lights in the car park.’
‘Absolutely. She got on her old bike. I’d recognise that bike anywhere.’ The assistant nurse broke off and cleared his throat. ‘You’d ordered us to tell you whenever we saw something unusual. Doctor Hofmann was not on duty that day, I know that. I know the rota by heart.’
‘Well done, good man.’ Nils got up and patted the man on the shoulder in a patronising manner. ‘How is your wife, by the way? Have you been on holiday recently?’
‘Well, we can’t afford it this year,’ the assistant nurse said sheepishly. ‘My wife’s ordered so much stuff online and unfortunately we can’t return it.’
‘Well, that’s bad,’ Nils said. ‘Maybe our legal department can do something about it, Herr . . .’ He glanced quickly at the nurse’s name badge. ‘Herr Goranowitsch.’
‘Really? That would be ever so generous, Doctor Wagner.’ He was visibly moved and pressed Nils’s hand.
‘Well, I can’t promise but I’ll do what I can.’
When the nurse opened the door to leave, Nils called after him, ‘This has to stay between you and me. Not a word to anyone or I can’t help you.’
Nils waited a few minutes, then left his office as well. On the gravel path to the stables he took out his phone and dialled a number.
‘There might be a problem. Somebody has been sniffing around our archive.’
The answer he got didn’t reassure him.
‘Don’t worry. I informed the board of the clinic today.’
He opened the door to the cafeteria and ended the call. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Olivia Hofmann in the queue by the buffet counter.
How awful to have to stand in a queue with all these other people, he thought and forcefully pushed his way to the front.
21
Balancing her full tray, Olivia headed towards Nils Wagner’s table. He was checking his emails on his phone.
‘Do you mind if I sit down?’ Olivia didn’t wait for an answer and took a chair. ‘I’d like some information from you.’
‘Olivia, how lovely to see you.’ Nils smiled, beckoning for her to join him. Then he leaned back and ran his hands through his thick grey hair. It was a bit too long, as usual. ‘To what do I owe this honour?’ he asked. Then casually he placed his mobile on the table so Olivia could see the photo of an attractive woman he’d just received. ‘I always get this kind of photo,’ he said and then switched the phone off. ‘You have no idea how keen women get when they hear that I’m the head of the clinic,’ he continued, leaning forward conspiratorially.
When Olivia didn’t respond, he straightened and looked her up and down openly. ‘You’re looking good,’ he said.
Olivia thought she detected a condescending or ironic tone in his voice. Why did she always get the impression that Nils had an ulterior motive or meant the exact opposite of what he said?
‘Considering how you looked only a few years ago,’ Nils added with a smile.
Olivia didn’t want to think about that. When her whole life collapsed, she hadn’t been able to look after herself for a while. She’d always been the one to cook the meals for her small family, but after they disappeared, she couldn’t be bothered and started to live on fast food. As a result, she’d piled on the weight and had become increasingly unhappy with her body.
She’d compounded the problem when she’d started to turn to sweets for comfort. It was a vicious circle. Olivia lost all confidence and gave up on her social life. Soon all her friends had vanished, and she stayed hidden in her flat most of the time. Even her work at the clinic no longer gave her any satisfaction.
When she learned about her father’s illness, however, she’d realised that she had to take control. She changed her eating habits and went into therapy herself, more for her father’s sake than anything else. She couldn’t bear how quickly he was deteriorating in front of her eyes.
To be able to afford the increasing costs for his care and medication, she also took over his private practice. Her life changed from senseless vegetating to meaningful work, and within a short time Olivia had lost weight and discovered a new passion: cycling.
Nearly every day, in the early morning, she cycled through the empty streets of Vienna. She relished the cold air on her skin and the opportunity to think without being disturbed or distracted. It also had the added bonus of burning a lot of calories.
‘Do you still run the Missing Persons Group?’ Nils said, interrupting her thoughts.
‘Yes, but we’re on a summer break,’ Olivia replied curtly. She didn’t want to talk about it with Nils. The Missing Persons Group was a meeting place for men and women whose nearest relatives had disappeared. While listening to the others’ stories, Olivia could also explore her own feelings.
‘Oh yes, I forgot. I’ve had rather a lot on my plate in the last few weeks and haven’t been at the clinic much, but then you know that, don’t you?’ Again Nils leaned forward and whispered, as if he was telling her a secret, ‘I’ve been put forward for a job in government.’
‘How exciting. What kind of job?’ Olivia pretended to be curious. The man’s vanity was excruciating, but at least she knew exactly how to deal with someone like him.
‘It’s a ministerial post – but that is strictly between you and me.’
‘Of course.’
‘I don’t know whether to accept it, with so many crazy people around.’ Once again he ran his fingers through his hair in a studied manner. ‘Actually, what is it you wanted to know?’ he said abruptly, looking suddenly serious.
‘Do you remember a girl named Lisa Manz?’ Olivia asked, observing him closely for his reaction.
He stirred his coffee, looking bored. ‘No, who is she?’
‘She was a patient with us when she was fourteen. She disappeared from the clinic five years ago. A short time later she was found murdered.’ Her father might have got it all wrong about Nils being her doctor, but it was confirmed in the secret file.
‘Oh, that terrible story, yes. Poor girl. I do remember now.’ Nils looked at her, clear regret in his eyes. ‘Why are you interested in her?’
‘You were working at the clinic at the time, as head of the acute wing.’
‘Yes, that was my department.’
‘My father mentioned that you were trying out some new therapy methods five years ago.’
‘Yes, we wanted to advance with the therapies we were offering and were testing out the theories of “Free Psychiatry” on our patients,’ Nils answered reluctantly.
‘And what exactly did that involve?’
‘I can’t tell you that – it’s confidential. You should know that.’
‘My father mentioned that you kept Lisa awake for twenty-four hours while filming her. Surely that’s against the law.’
‘Ah, all the stuff your father comes up with, but that’s only to be expected with his illness.’
‘Don’t be mistaken, my father often has moments of clarity. And in any case, there are notes covering Lisa’s treatment from that period.’
‘How do you know?’ Nils asked quickly.
‘I just know, that’s all,’ Olivia replied. She’d probably made a mistake in mentioning the notes but it was too late now.
‘How come after all these years you’re suddenly interested in Lisa Manz?’ Nils asked, looking at her sharply.
‘One of my patients found Lisa’s rucksack in a derelict house. A short while later he was dead.’
‘Ah, so that’s what this is all about. You’re referring to your patient Jonathan Stade who committed suicide. I understand.’ Again, Nils made a face that attempted to show something like sympathy.
‘How do you know?’ Olivia was surprised. ‘None of the papers have mentioned his name.’
‘The police informed us.’
‘Why would the police inform the clinic?’
‘Not the clinic, but the board of directors. I’m the chairman. I took the post over from your father – you’re surely aware of that.’
‘Of course.’
‘Well, this is a good moment to talk about it, Olivia.’ Nils lowered his voice and once more looked around furtively. ‘The rules say I’ll have to order an inquiry. You’ll have to give a statement to the board. Stade was your patient, after all.’
‘But I had nothing to do with his death. Jonathan only wanted to give me Lisa’s rucksack – that was the reason I went to see him.’
‘You were in his flat and didn’t prevent your patient’s suicide.’ Nils shook his head as though he couldn’t believe it. ‘Olivia, maybe you have too much on your plate. I mean . . . your private clients, your work here at the clinic, your father who needs care, and I don’t even want to mention what happened five years ago. I think this is all getting a bit much for you.’
‘I wasn’t in his flat, but downstairs out on the pavement. By the way, it has not been cleared up yet whether it was a suicide.’
‘The police have given us very definite information.’ Nils raised his eyebrows arrogantly.
‘What exactly happened to Lisa at the time?’ Olivia said, probing again. Nils’s supercilious manner was beginning to get to her. ‘Nobody noticed when she disappeared from the clinic. That’s more than a little unusual, isn’t it?’
‘That’s enough now, Olivia.’ Nils scrunched his paper napkin into a ball and threw it on the table. ‘You should consider your next steps very carefully. Forget Lisa Manz and mind your own business. It would be a shame if we couldn’t supply you with those expensive drugs for your father’s Alzheimer’s any more.’
22
The black diary with the golden clasp was wrapped in a white plastic bag.
‘Someone anonymous sent me pages from Lisa’s diary.’ Out of breath, Olivia held the packet towards Levi, who had just opened the door to his flat. She was soaked through. It was pouring outside – one of those short but heavy summer showers. Raindrops fell from her short dark hair leaving dark spots on her grey T-shirt dress.
‘I wrapped it up so it wouldn’t get soaked,’ she said, opening the bag. The cover of the diary looked scratched and worn and not in any way like the diary of a typical fourteen-year-old.
‘Come in, Doctor Hofmann,’ Levi said, opening the door. ‘I’ll fetch you a towel – don’t want you to catch cold.’
‘Thank you, that is nice of you. Do call me Olivia. We are sort of colleagues now, after all.’
‘Thank you, that would be much more straightforward. So how do you know it’s Lisa’s diary, and why are you bringing it now? I thought we were meeting tomorrow?’
‘Oh, because her name’s on the first page. I thought if I read it on my own, it would only upset me even more. I’ve had such an awful day.’ Olivia told Levi about the unpleasant conversation she’d had with Nils Wagner and of his veiled threats.
‘If we can prove that Jonathan Stade was murdered you have nothing to fear,’ Levi reassured her.
‘I’m a little more optimistic now,’ Olivia replied. ‘There are only a few pages in the diary, but they may offer a few more clues.’
‘It’s not the whole diary? Are you sure?’
‘Of course I am. See how most of the pages have been ripped out?’ Olivia said, opening the book.
‘Where did you get it?’ Levi asked.
‘It was in my letterbox when I came hom
e from work,’ Olivia replied.
‘There must be a sender’s address then,’ Levi said, thinking hard. ‘Only the postman can access the boxes.’
‘The lock on my box is broken so anyone can put things in. There was no sender’s address on the envelope.’
‘Where’s the envelope? Have you only brought the diary?’ Levi asked.
‘I threw it away. It was a simple brown envelope,’ Olivia replied, shrugging her shoulders.
‘You really have no idea how the police work, Olivia.’ Levi shook his head, annoyed. ‘There could have been fingerprints on it. Who knows your private address, by the way?’
‘Well, the clinic does, along with my colleagues and some of my patients in case of emergency,’ Olivia answered sheepishly. ‘Sorry about the envelope but it might still be in the wastepaper bin in the hall. I’ll check as soon as I get home. Could we maybe sit down somewhere to go through the pages in peace and quiet?’
‘I’ve not got much time. My wife will be home soon,’ Levi replied.
‘Is she the jealous type?’
‘Yes, of this thing here.’ Levi pointed to the filing cabinet in the living room. ‘We rowed about it only recently – I had to promise to throw it out, along with all the Lisa Manz files. That’s why it’s better you leave before she returns home. It would cause another massive argument.’
‘Of course, that’s fine,’ Olivia conceded, but from her expression Levi knew she couldn’t really grasp why he wasn’t allowed to investigate the case privately. But then, he didn’t get it either.
‘What does your wife do?’ Olivia asked, taking off her wet sandals.
‘She’s a piano teacher,’ Levi replied. ‘She used to be a concert pianist but gave it up because she didn’t think she was good enough. One of her pupils is performing in a concert tonight.’