“I’ll try,” I said and looked at each photograph.
“You are very lucky that you got out of that elevator with just a bruise. It could have been a hell of a lot worse,” Woods said. “We’ve been after the killer for many years. He has been using plastic surgery to change his appearance. You may be the only person who can identify him. He left no fingerprints, as usual.”
A female officer in her forties entered the room. She had a pad and pencil in her hand.
“I am Wendy,” she introduced herself. “When you have finished please let me know and describe the subject as best as you can. I’ll try to make a sketch of him.”
“Do any of those photographs like him?” Woods asked. I shook my head and handed him the folder.
“Sorry.”
“What did he look like? It’s very important that you try to remember as much as possible.”
“Bluish eyes, shortish blond hair - that was all I can remember.”
Agitated, I asked him, “Can you tell me if the man I saw was Jules?” I held my breath, no answer. “Do you know anything? You know, don’t you?” I sprang up from my chair, my heart beating faster.
“This is a very delicate situation,” Woods said, pacing the room.
“Please, tell me. You do not know what I have been through,” I begged, “I need to know if it’s him.”
“We have to be very careful. Under normal circumstances, I could not give you any information but we have to make an exception this time. You are already too involved.” “Please sit down,” he said kindly. “Let me tell you first that you are in danger from now on.”
I sat down again, my whole body alert as a cat ready to attack its prey.
“I am working on a case that involves this particular subject and followed a lead to Germany.” That was the reason why the FBI was here.
“We know where your friend is. Before I tell you more, you must promise not to talk to anyone about our conversation, not even to your brother.”
It was he! Yes! In addition, he had seen me. We looked into each other’s eyes. All I could do was to stare at Woods. Although I was in shock, a massive burden fell off my shoulders. I had known it all along the man was Jules with a fake beard. In a moment, I would find out the truth. “You figured it out by yourself a long time ago, didn’t you?” Woods looked at me.
I nodded.
“Kevin is under witness protection,” Woods said. “He is working for the FBI.”
“Who is Kevin?”
“Kevin has been under witness protection for a few years now. He had seen the face of the killer once, too. Nobody had ever before and the murderer made it his primary goal to kill Kevin. Since then he has been hiding. We have been watching you since you arrived in Germany, hoping you would not find out, but now you have, that changes everything. He will try to kill you, too, after what happened, when he does not need you any more. I am sure.”
“Witness protection?” I asked slowly. It felt like the sky was crashing down on me. This was something you only read about in books.
“Kevin is hiding because he is the only person who has ever seen The Say and now you,” Woods continued.
I hardly listened to what he said. Jules was alive! He had not cheated on me! My heart began to beat faster, the blood rushing through my veins. It was he! I knew it all along. The expression on his face when he saw me was without doubt, his eyes connected with mine. Nobody had believed me. How could I have ever doubted myself? Quickly joy and relief changed to horror. Witness protection meant I could not be with him.
“You’ve probably heard about the serial killer. He calls himself The Say. Kevin witnessed a murder five years ago. Since then his life has changed. So far, the killer has been very clever; never changing his patterns, but that might change any day. And that’s the day we’re waiting for.”
Slowly it all started to make sense to me. I closed my eyes, not knowing what to expect next.
“We couldn’t tell you before, Allie. You understand, don’t you?”
“The FBI has been watching me the whole time?”
Woods nodded.
“I hope you understand how delicate the situation is,” he said. I felt a tear landing on my hand and wiped it off. The sketch artist handed me a tissue.
“But what does this have to do with me?” I asked.
“The killer knows that you will eventually lead him to Kevin, and once he has found him you would be next.”
My mind was numb. I was not able to say anything. My whole body felt sick.
“I know how hard this must be for you. Now all we have to worry about is getting you home safely and ensuring you don’t talk about it to anyone.” Agent Woods laid his arm around my shoulder. “Not to your brother or anyone else.” The door opened and another woman entered the room. Then Woods said, “Allie, I want you to meet Juliet, undercover agent and psychologist. Whatever you want to say to Kevin tell her, and she will pass the message on.”
I looked up and recognized the woman who hung on Jules’ arm, when they left the building. This time she was wearing long navy trousers and a pale blue shirt, no make-up. Her hair was done up in a bun.
It was like putting a jigsaw puzzle together: I just found the pieces.
“Let me know, if you need anything,” she said in an unexpectedly warm voice.
My head was spinning. They were not fooling with me. This was real.
“You are one of them?” I asked.
“We are sorry to put you through all this but we didn’t have any other choice,” she said.
“Why?”
“First we thought you would back off, but you didn’t. You are very stubborn. I tried my best. Was I so bad?”
“You did a damn good job. I still can’t believe I fell for it.” “It was hard for Kevin. He didn’t want to kiss me, and he was thinking about you all the time.”
“How do you know?”
“I am his psychologist as well.”
“Juliet was the only one who kept him sane. She is very good at her job,” Woods said.
“He loves you more than anything in this world and he is very worried about you, Allie,” Juliet said.
“Can I see him?” I asked Woods.
“I am not sure if that is a good idea. The killer will follow you and mustn’t find out where he is hiding.”
My mood sunk.
“I have an idea, though,” he said.
“Can I talk to him on the phone?”
“Not yet. For now, we will not do anything. Go home to your brother and pretend nothing has happened. I will contact you soon. If the killer calls you again, we will know. We have a tap on your phone line. All calls will go through us.”
“What shall I say if he calls?”
“Agree to whatever he wants you to do.”
I barely heard him, and I was hardly conscious of Juliet still in the room. I got up and did not make it far. My legs gave way and I fainted.
Chapter 29
vv
The springs of the mattress dug into my ribs. I opened my eyes and stared at the cold grey ceiling of the police station. “How is she?” I heard Woods’ voice.
“She is coming around,” Juliet answered.
“What happened?” I asked weakly. Before I finished the question, my memory came back. The last thing I remembered were two strong arms catching me. Juliet handed me a glass of water.
“Here, drink this,” she said.
I sat up, looking at her silky hair, her meticulous skin, and the perfect nose. She was working for the FBI. I wondered if Jules saw her the same way I did. How many men fell for her each day?
“Thank you,” I said and took a long sip.
“How do you feel now?” Woods asked.
What did he care? This was not about me. This was about catching a killer. I hoped that it was only a dream but knew it was not. What would happen next? Woods wanted me to go back to Roman’s apartment and pretend nothing had happened.
“Better,” I sai
d.
“One of our agents will drive you home,” he said.
I was not sick. I could walk home.
“Thank you, but this is not necessary.”
“As long as you’re feeling all right,” he said, “but do expect a phone call from me soon. I am working on a plan to get the killer and need you for it.”
“I don’t think I can help you.”
“You are very important in this operation. Otherwise, I would not ask you. Believe me; we have tried everything to catch the bastard. The top computer experts at the bureau have tried using password-cracking software in The Say’s computer and phone lines but without success. We believe that he is following you, hoping you take him to Kevin. Will you help us?”
“What do you want me to do?”
His phone rang and he answered.
“I’ve to go now,” he said. “I’ll call you soon, and remember, not a word to anyone, especially not your brother or his girlfriend. They’ll start asking questions and we don’t want that.”
I had not thought about Roman and Monika. This would be hard to keep from them.
“You’ve been doing well so far. You have not said anything to them. Don’t do it now.”
Have you been watching them too, I wanted to ask but he already had left.
He was confident that I would not say anything. I did not intend to anyway. How many times had I tried to talk to Roman about it? There was no reason to try now.
“Are you sure you have the right person? It sounds as if this is a big mix-up,” I asked Juliet.
“Absolutely, you’ll understand later. Now I have to go,” she said.
I was not in a hurry when I walked back to the apartment, trying to take in all what had happened in the last couple of hours. Normally, I would have stopped when I passed the Cologne Cathedral with its high impressive towers, to walk inside and say a prayer for my parents, but this time I did not think about it. I felt small and insignificant all of a sudden, as I passed crowds of people, who headed to work or elsewhere, heard them talk, yell and laugh.
After fifty meters I stopped. This was not how I had wanted it to be. Jules was alive! That was so wonderful, such magnificent news, but I could not see him or touch him. I had never imagined how it would feel hearing the news. What would happen was not up to me any more. That was up to a higher force.
I turned around and headed back to the cathedral. When I walked through the enormous swing doors cool air hit me. The smell of incense wafted around me and seemed to be in every stone in the walls. A few people sat on the pews; others were kneeling in front of them. I lit a candle in the semi-dark, hunched onto the wooden kneeler, closed my eyes, and said a prayer for Jules.
It was quiet in here, with no noise from the traffic outside, normally the perfect place to relax. I did not have time. I needed to get back to the apartment; Monika probably wondered where I was. What should I say if they asked me? I had no other choice than to make up something.
When I arrived back at the apartment Roman was watching television.
“Did you catch up with Monika today? She called here twice and asked for you but I didn’t know where you were,” he said.
“I watched a movie,” I lied.
For a split second, I thought he would not believe me. “I see that you feel better than this morning.”
“I feel a lot better.”
“Was it good?”
“What?”
“The movie you saw.”
“Yes, I liked it.”
He seemed to be happy with that answer. I tried not to show him how worked up I was.
“Is Monika coming later?” I asked.
“Yes, she’ll bring pizza.”
I went to my room, took off my shoes, and lay down on the bed. My thoughts kept wandering off to Jules. He had never left me intentionally; the FBI had made him. I could not resist a smile. Juliet said that he loved me. Everything was going to be all right now; I knew it. After five minutes, I had myself under control again and went back to the lounge room. “You have a smile on your face. Does that mean anything?” Roman asked.
“Do I?”
“What’s so funny?”
“Nothing”
He asked all of a sudden, “You didn’t go to the police, did you?”
“No.”
“Good.”
The doorbell rang. I opened the door and Monika walked in with a large pizza box in her hand.
“I waited for you today, and called here a few times,” she said, placing the pizza on the table.
“I'm so sorry. I did not have your cell phone number. Otherwise I would have called you.”
“Allie went to the movies instead,” Roman said.
“You went to the movies?” Monika asked. “I was waiting for you at the flower shop and you watched a movie instead?” I felt guilty. Why did Roman not shut his mouth?
“It was not exactly like that,” I said, embarrassed. “That’s okay,” Monika said. “I was late from work anyway and thought you must have left by the time I got there. I waited only a little while.”
I relaxed.
“I’ve picked the flowers, Allie - beautiful white and yellow roses for the wedding bouquet.
“I will decide on the table arrangements tomorrow. Unfortunately, I could not get the day off but they are open until seven. Can we meet then? I can pick you up.” “I’ll be here,” I said, thinking about the phone call from Woods. Any moment he could call.
“Let’s eat before the pizza gets cold. You can talk about that stuff all night. I’m starving,” Roman said impatiently. Monika laughed and opened the pizza box. Although I did not feel hungry, the smell of the pizza made my mouth water. Monika explained, “On one half is pineapple, cheese and tomatoes, the other is ham, mushrooms, onions, and tuna.” She opened a bottle of ginger beer for us.
“Are you expecting any call, Allie? You are looking every five minutes at your watch,” Roman asked after we finished. “I haven’t noticed,” I lied.
Woods did not seem to call any more.
We watched a movie afterwards. At half past eleven, I could not hold my eyes open any more and went to bed. I dragged myself to my room and fell into a long and deep sleep. My last thought belonged to Jules. I dreamed we got married, I in a short silky dress, and he in a white stunning suit, standing in front of the altar of the cathedral, exchanging rings. Mum and Dad stood behind us giving us their blessings. I did not wake up once during the night and next morning I had a smile on my face.
Chapter 30
vv
The phone rang at nine the next morning. I jumped up from my seat, nearly spilling my tea. Was that Woods or the killer? I was not ready for either of them.
It was Michael. He asked if I knew if Roman and Monika had set a wedding date. I told him not yet what and we chatted for a while. He hung up.
Woods still had not called.
Bad thoughts filled my mind. I could not help thinking that he had lied to get rid of me. There was no Jules, no killer. I was under an enormous amount of stress.
Then he rang. He asked if I could come to the police station now.
It did not take me long to get dressed. Half an hour later, I arrived. Two uniformed officers sat behind their desks. “No interruptions in the next hour,” he ordered. He closed the door behind us.
“Thanks for coming at such short notice. Please take a seat,” he said. I sat down in one of the brown leather chairs, wondering what he wanted from me.
He sat opposite me, looking from behind his dark-rimmed glasses. He smiled at me but it was not a happy smile. Rather, it seemed as if he felt sorry for me.
“First of all thank you for trying to help, catching the killer.” “I didn’t say I would help you.”
He looked at me intensely.
“Do you want to help Kevin?”
“Of course I do.”
“Then we agree, don’t we?”
I nodded.
“What are the killer’s motiv
es?” I asked.
“To tell you the truth, we don’t know. What we do know is that he has never changed his pattern. I know that you could not care less about the killer. I would feel the same way, but in this case, it is different because you are part of us. It involves you and that changes everything.”
I took a deep breath.
“I want to see Jules,” I said. “I will only help you if I can see him first.”
He ignored what I said and continued, “He’s been killing prostitutes for as long as I have been in the work force and, believe me, that’s a long time.”
“His trademark is to burn his initials into the victim using a cigarette.”
I shuddered.
He poured himself a cup of coffee out of the machine behind him.
“Want some?” he asked
“No, thank you.”
He turned back around.
“Tell me again from the start what happened back in the elevator - everything you can remember. The slightest thing could be of importance.”
“I have told you everything I remember,” I said.
“You may have forgotten something.”
I took a deep breath and told him what happened. After I finished he said, “What would you say if we used you as bait, Allie?”
I nearly choked.
“You must be joking. No, thank you,” I said disgusted. “I am serious. That is the only way to catch the bastard. It could work.”
“I don’t know what you have in your mind but I don’t think so.” I got up from my chair, ready to leave.
“You’ll have protection around the clock. Our agents will make sure that nothing happens to you.”
I gave him a thin smile and said, “You can’t be serious.” Judging from his expression, he was, and my smile disappeared. “Thanks but no thanks.”
“It’s the only way to help Kevin to have a normal life again. Only you can help him.”
I was speechless that he had even suggested something like that.
“So what do you think?”
“I don’t know,” I said apprehensively.
“You’ll have a microphone device through which we can communicate. That is the plan. Somehow we’ll let the killer know that you know where Kevin is so that he can fall into our trap.”
To Catch A Butterfly You Need A Net Page 12