‘Hartmann has a lot to answer for.’
‘Yeah. Ingrid must have grown up on stories of his evil doings. Her father got addicted to heroin. Her mother, who’s still alive I believe, took to the booze in a big way. Ingrid must have been poisoned by their bitterness as a child. Must have been born into it.’
‘What I don’t understand,’ Lauren said,. ‘is why those photofits were issued. Of you and me. What was that all about?’
‘It was a blind, Lauren.’ Gunther half-smiled. ‘To throw the others off the scent. If nothing had been reported that would have been suspicious.’
Lauren sat in silence as the BMW swished through freshly fallen snow. The windscreen wipers slowly beat time to her thoughts. She almost felt sorry for Ingrid now. Allowing the past to ruin the present. What was the sense in that? So, it must have been her who tipped the goons off she was at Axel’s place. Shit, Axel!
Lauren lurched forwards. ‘Have there been any shootings in town?’ she said. ‘I’ve just remembered Axel. I don’t know his other name. That pair of goons, the ones who grabbed me the first time, they were taking shots at him when I legged it. Have you heard anything?’
‘Sorry. Meant to tell you. They were picked up a few hours ago. One of the guys just told me. Somebody reported hearing gunfire. No reports of any deaths or injuries, though.’
‘Thank God for that. I’ll be glad to help get them banged up. Jeff and Zak, or whatever they’re called.’
‘Zef and Jak.’
‘Whatever. Where do they fit into the scheme of things anyway?’
‘Cousins,’ Gunther said. ‘It’s a family affair. Viktor and Zamir were brothers.’
‘Sammy was Viktor’s brother?’ Lauren turned full body to face him. ‘He killed his own brother?’
‘Money, Lauren. Zamir put the whole operation at risk.’
Lauren was silent for a moment. ‘You’ll have a solid case against Viktor, for killing Sammy, won’t you?’ she went on at last. ‘You won’t need any of the girls to testify against him.’
‘Yeah, we’ll put him away no bother. Katti must have witnessed the shooting.’
‘Shit. I’d forgotten that as well.’
‘There’s another brother too. Kristo. Somebody just reported him for downloading pornographic images of children, apparently.’ Gunther shook his head. ‘Tied him up next to his PC and phoned the police.’
‘Good. He’s the one Alina was terrified of.’ Lauren glanced into the back seat again. ‘She lived next door to Katti.’
‘I thought the address was familiar. Hartmann owns the building.’
‘So what about Hartmann, anyway?’ Lauren said. ‘Do you really have something on him too?’
Gunther nodded. ‘We’ll be having a word with Herr Hartmann shortly. If he co-operates it shouldn’t go too badly for him. Tell the truth, I don’t think he fully knew what he was getting into – latterly anyway.’
He shot a glance over his shoulder to check Katti was still asleep. ‘Though he’s by no means an innocent in all this. He’ll be very lucky if he escapes prison. Very lucky – and in possession of a great lawyer. Which of course he will be.’
How would Katti take it when Hartmann went on trial, Lauren wondered. What if he was sent down? They weren’t what you’d call close for father and daughter, but still...
Gunther pulled the car into the hospital car park. ‘Let’s get you both checked out first. Then someone will come along to interview you. If you’re up to it.’
‘Thanks, Gunther –’ she stopped. ‘What is your real name, anyway?’
Gunther smiled and put a finger to his lips. ‘Top secret, I’m afraid. Unless, of course, we got to know each other better.’
Lauren smiled. ‘Tempting offer, Mr Undercover. But I’m afraid I’ll have to pass it up this time.’
Ninety
Wolf stared out of the hospital window.
‘Ingrid worked for Hartmann, according to the police,’ he said. ‘He didn’t know she was involved with me though.’ He sniffed and rubbed his red eyes. ‘She helped him sort out the sex side of things. The girls. She wasn’t in recruitment at all.’ He paused. ‘Well, I suppose she was, in a way.’
The corridor echoed with the clatter of a tea trolley being wheeled from ward to ward. Lauren traced a pattern on the green rubber floor with the toe of her hospital slipper. She had no idea what to say. The stink of disinfectant was making her queasy.
‘She must have been following Hartmann’s progress for years,’ Wolf went on. ‘Managed to get herself close to him. He had no idea who she really was. That she was this Binsbergen’s daughter.’
He looked up. ‘Do you think she was crazy?’ Answering his own question, he went on,. ‘She must have been crazy. She was obsessed with Hartmann. With what he did to her father.’
‘I’m so sorry, Wolf.’
He flopped onto the seat next to her. ‘She was not really my fiancée, you know. Well, obviously not, since she was already married to that thug. But I mean, I only said we were engaged to make you jealous.’
‘Make me jealous?’
He passed a hand over his face. ‘I didn’t love her, Lauren. Most of the time I did not even like her. But she was... well, she was attractive, and she seemed keen on me. Keen to be with me.’
He watched the nursing auxiliary push the tea trolley past. One wheel squeaked. ‘What a fool I have been. Flattered by her attentions, when all the time she was using me to get at Katti. Getting information from me. Planning the kidnap.’
‘And Sammy beat her to it.’
‘She must have revelled in fooling us all. She must have been delighted at involving me and Clara, even though we’ve nothing to do with Hartmann and his schemes. She must have thought everyone who had ever come into contact with him was tainted because of how he treated her father.’
‘She was sick, Wolf. Deranged.’
‘When I think of us... together. I want to vomit.’
‘You made a mistake,’ Lauren said. ‘We all do that. Me more than most.’
‘I’m sorry she hurt you, Lauren.’ He stroked her hair back off her brow. ‘Your poor face. Your poor beautiful face.’
She saw tears glint in his eyes. ‘I’ll live,’ she said. ‘Hey, before you know it, I’ll be as gorgeous as ever. Hell, I’ll be twice as gorgeous. It’ll be like having Botox.’ She touched her battered face. Her nose was red raw and swollen, her cheeks bruised, her eyes puffy, her lips split, but there was no permanent damage. She’d recover. In time.
She squeezed his hand. ‘Let’s be thankful we’re all still here and all still in one piece. And that Katti is safe.’
‘I should have been there. I was no use to either of you, as usual.’
‘That’s not your fault, Wolf. You didn’t know what was happening. And you had Clara to worry about.’ God, so she really did have a bad heart. ‘I feel terrible for doubting her. You saved her life.’
‘It concentrates the mind, doesn’t it? Something like this?’ He fiddled with the loose belt of her dressing gown. ‘Makes you realise how pointless it is to... to be at arm’s length with the people you care about.’ He coiled the belt around his fingers. ‘Don’t let’s be at arm’s length any longer.’
‘That New Year’s Eve,’ Lauren said. ‘I’m really sorry. I was an idiot. That French guy meant nothing to me.’
‘No,’ he said. ‘I was the idiot. Rushing off like that. Acting like a spoilt brat.’
‘We’re all grown up now, though, aren’t we? Eh, Wolf?’
He smiled and unravelled the belt.
Lauren pulled in a deep breath. ‘Anyway,’ she said, heartily,. ‘what’s this about trying to make me jealous? Saying you were engaged to Ingrid?’
‘I was being an idiot. As usual.’ He slid his eyes up to meet hers.. ‘Did I succeed?’
‘In making me jealous?’ Lauren said.. ‘Oh yes. Mission definitely accomplished there.’
He put an arm around her shoulders as the nurse squeaked
up to them on rubber soles.. ‘You can go in now,’ she said.. ‘But please don’t excite her.’
~
Clara lay with both arms outside the bedcovers, pale without her make-up. Her hennaed hair was a bright aureole between the starched white pillow and her milky face, giving her a pre-Raphaelite beauty. She was attached to a monitor that recorded the steady beat of her heart.. ‘Wolfi,’ she murmured.. ‘And... oh Lauren... oh Liebchen... oh you poor baby.’
‘Shhh. Don’t try to speak, Mutti.’ Wolf took her hand.
‘Lauren, Liebchen. Your face... That evil bitch.’
Lauren sat on the opposite side of the bed and took Clara’s other hand. The polish had been removed from her nails and she studied the silvery half-moons, the pure white talons. ‘Don’t worry about me, Clara. Concentrate on getting yourself better.’
‘You saw Katti?’ Wolf asked. ‘She told you everything?’
Clara nodded. Tears glinted on her naked lashes. Lauren studied her. She was still a beautiful woman, and looked so much younger without all the slap.
‘The psychologist is checking her over now,’ Wolf said. ‘She seems in good shape physically, though, considering.’
Clara squeezed Lauren’s hand. ‘And you, my poor darling? Will you recover also?’
Lauren grinned – as much as her injuries allowed. ‘Just been telling Wolf, I’ll be even better looking now my features have been rearranged. I’m exhausted that’s all. A good long rest should put me right.’
‘You are an in-patient here too?’ Clara said, nodding at the dressing gown.
Wolf answered for her. ‘She is. And I’m taking her back to her own bed in a minute.’ He turned to Lauren. ‘And you’ll do as you’re told and sit in the wheelchair this time.’
‘I don’t need it,’ Lauren protested. ‘I can walk. I could go home. I mean, back to Katti’s place.’ They needed some time together, she and Katti, to put all the trauma behind them and learn to laugh again.
‘Stay in hospital overnight like the doctor says,’ Wolf said. ‘Just to be on the safe side. Katti’s being kept in for observation as well, so you can keep each other company here.’
‘You must look after Lauren, Wolfi.’ Clara pulled their hands together on top of the folded bed sheet, as though she was a priest marrying them. ‘Look after each other. I will need both of you to help me keep my Katti out of trouble.’ She shook her head. ‘She is her mother’s daughter, I’m afraid. Very poor judgement when it comes to men.’
Lauren looked directly into Wolf’s eyes. As their fingers touched, he smiled at her.
‘Well, if you put it like that, Mutti, what else can we do? It’s pretty much our duty to stay together, isn’t it Lauren?’
‘Absolutely,’ Lauren agreed. ‘We simply can’t let Katti down now.’
Conclusion
The Meisengeige was crowded but Lauren spotted the flash of orange at the table at the back. Axel stood when she and Katti walked through the door, stretching his hands out in welcome.
‘Katti Hartmann,’ he said. ‘And Lauren Keane.’ He grasped a hand each and drew them to him, kissing each of them lightly on the forehead.
Lauren shivered. Whatever it was Axel had, he had it in abundance. He pulled chairs out for both of them and raised a hand to the barman.
Alina looked up shyly as Katti squeezed into the seat between her and Lindita. She glanced timidly from Katti to Lauren, and Lauren noticed she seemed fuller in the face, rosy cheeked even. The coiled terror inside her had unravelled itself and slithered away.
‘Poor kid,’ Katti said, scrutinising Alina’s face. ‘How you doing, babes?’
The girl said nothing but smiled, her eyes never leaving Katti.
Katti cooed over Alina, and spoke warmly to Lindita, then took both girls’ hands in her own. Just Katti being Katti, Lauren thought, observing from across the table – nurturing those around her, showing her concern, encouraging them to relax. Lauren took one of the silver rings from her finger.
‘Katz?’ she said. ‘Time to renew our friendship vows.’ She reached over and slid the ring onto Katti’s finger. ‘The like-affair continues.’
Katti smiled down at her hand. ‘Thanks babes. Friends forever?’
Axel studied the ring then rested his eyes on each of the women in turn. After a moment he spoke over his shoulder. ‘Five cognacs,’ he told the barman.
‘Erm, could you make that six?’ Lauren nodded towards the doorway. Wolf stood there tall and imposing in his tan leather jacket. He jangled the van keys in his hand as he eyed the party at the table. After a moment’s hesitation, he came across.
‘Alina,’ he said gruffly. ‘I am so sorry to hear about your mother.’
The girl raised her head, eyes wide.
‘And I am sorry if I was rough with you the other night. It was only because…’ He put his hand on his sister’s shoulder. ‘I was worried about Katti.’
Alina nodded. ‘I unnerstand.’
Wolf turned to Axel. ‘And I have to thank you,’ he went on, sticking his hand out. ‘For helping Lauren. Thanks. Shame about your Beetle.’
Axel tilted his head in acknowledgement and took the proffered hand. ‘Six cognacs,’ he said to the barman. ‘And better make them large ones.’
~End~
Other Books by Barbara Scott Emmett:
The Land Beyond Goodbye
A Novel set in Australia
Drowning: Four Short Stories
Wasps & Scorpions: Luv Pomes and Other Lies
For further details see Blog: Barbara Scott Emmett - Writer
~
Other Books from Pentalpha Publishing Edinburgh:
The Bumble's End
by Jimmy Bain
Crime/Dark Humour
Garlands and Shadows
by Karen MacLeod
Romance
Doubtful Blood: Part I of the Warbeck Trilogy
and
Counterfeit: Part II of the Warbeck Trilogy
by Karen MacLeod
Historical Novels
The Iron Lady of the Western World
by J M Syngamy
Political Satire/Humour
The Stiletto Heel and Other Stories
by Barbie Scott
Erotica
All Pentalpha Publishing Edinburgh books
are available at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk
DON'T LOOK DOWN
published by Pentalpha Publishing Edinburgh
copyright Barbara Scott Emmett 2011.
Cover and formatting by MadCow
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