“It’s okay, Anno. We’ll figure something out. Please don’t cry. I need you to be strong. Be strong for me, and for your sister. We promised we’d bring you back home to her.” Sarah whispered these words to him as she rocked him like a baby in her embrace. “Have they hurt you?”
“Not really. But that man scares me, Sarah. He’s always staring at me and touching me.” He spoke the words into the crook of her neck and shoulder.
Anthony came and sat on the other side of Anno, and Paul stood in front of them all, determined to provide a wall of protection. He couldn’t believe what his eyes were seeing. It became clear that his uncle was making the most evil, most disgusting form of illegal films in this space. He’s fucking filth! If he hurt Anno...so help me, God, I am going to kill him!
OUTSIDE, THE RAIN CONTINUED to fall. It drowned out the sounds of a tactical unit entering the building and gaining positions from which to make their move.
Limmer nodded at Oleson, who sank down as he climbed in through an upstairs window from the fire escape onto the scaffolding. Touchard and Heinz stood behind their vehicle under the only awning in the alleyway.
Limmer’s two-way radio crackled. “We’re in position.” Oleson’s voice spoke low. The decision was made quickly. There was no more time to wait. One civilian was injured with a gun shot wound, and the boy was inside. Touchard could see exactly where Sarah was sitting in the building on the screen of his portable GPS from the tracing device she still carried. It pulsed a bright red beacon, an SOS. The officers within would notify them of everyone else’s whereabouts, and then Limmer was prepared to make the call as soon as he was informed of a clear opportunity to take Knudson down.
INSIDE, PETER KNUDSON watched as the boy clung to Sarah Brown. His expression could not hide his longing, but there was no time for that. He needed to confer with Gruber. It was time to make good on his promise to make Paul suffer. He spoke low to his henchman as the other three formed a protective barrier around Anno.
Gruber recognized an opportunity to take advantage of his boss’s change of plans. “This wasn’t what we discussed. If you want me to do this, it will cost you, old man.” He had no desire to end up back in jail for any period of time. If he was to expand his criminal rap sheet to include murder, it was going to come at a hefty price, one which he would need in order to leave the country.
“That’s extortion!” Knudson did not like being in a position where he did not have the upper hand, but he needed the thug.
Gruber sneered, and spat on the floor. He hooked his thumbs into the belt loops of his ripped and dirty jeans, waiting.
A vein throbbed in Peter’s forehead as he stared back at his hired man. He blew out a breath, reluctantly giving in. “I’ll pay your price, damn you. Just do it.”
He stepped aside and Gruber approached the trio with gun drawn. “Move!” He pointed the weapon at Paul, who turned to face him, shielding the others. “I said move it, pretty boy!”
Gruber waited, but Paul wouldn’t budge. “No way in hell.” Paul squared himself, determined not to let the low-life get his hands on the boy. Gruber swung the gun at Paul, catching him on the side of his face with the force of the hit. Paul went over sideways, knocked to the ground. Ears ringing, he steadied himself, and reached up, feeling his temple. His head bled from the gash created by the blunt force of the metal.
Gruber ignored Paul and reached over him. Anthony swung out his good right arm, punching the man in the jaw. Gruber reacted quickly, swinging out to pistol-whip Anthony. In his weakened state, he fell over sideways on the bed. The thug grabbed Sarah and pulled her to her feet away from Anno and the others. She was dragged to the open space nearest the vat where Gruber pushed her to her knees on the concrete. He pointed the gun at the back of her head.
Anthony struggled back up into a sitting position. “Let her go, you dirty motherfucker!” He started to rise, but Knudson stepped forward shoving his Luger, point blank, in his face.
“Stand down!” Peter shouted the words and brought Anthony’s attention away from the gun at Sarah’s head to the one pointed at his own.
Paul sat up, holding his wound and appearing too disoriented to stand. “What the hell are you doing, Uncle?” He looked to where Sarah trembled on her knees, terror in her eyes.
Anno moved closer to Anthony and climbed up further on the bed behind his back, prepared to bolt. Anthony reached his good arm around to shield him. Peter offered a self-satisfied smirk to Paul. “It’s time for you to understand just how disappointed I truly am in you, nephew. You were my first love. Did you know that? It was all so perfect, and then you had to grow up. You left me, Paul. After all I did for you, you left me.” Peter shook his head sadly as he rattled on.
“You’re crazy, Uncle! All you ever did for me, you did to me! You abused me. You hurt me! You sick fuck! And I hated you for it. I still hate you for it.” His eyes squinted to slits as his anger and years upon years of fear and torment came to a boiling point.
“I know.” Knudson’s simple reply was completely without remorse. “And then you tried taking away my Berlin angel.” He turned to gaze at Anno. “My angel.”
Anno ducked down behind Anthony’s back, refusing to look at the monstrous man. Anthony sat up straighter offering more protection, and helping to keep the boy hidden behind him.
“Well, you can’t think I would let your betrayal slide, did you? Of course I knew all along who Miss Brown was. That’s one of the reasons why I had Gruber follow you. To find out what, if anything, you care about. I have to admit, I was surprised. You formed such an attachment to this women here while fucking the real Nadia. That takes balls, boy.” Peter kept up the conversation as if they were simply talking over coffee.
Sarah looked at Paul with raised eyebrows. He hung his head in shame. Anthony smirked.
“Still...” he continued. “Still, I’m happy that you did because had I not discovered a way to hurt you as you have hurt me, I would simply have had to kill you. And that just wouldn’t do. Don’t know how I would explain it to my dear sister, your mother.” Knudson’s insanity lit his eyes with self-righteous zeal.
“What are you talking about, you mad old man? What are you going to do?” Paul’s eyes grew wide as understanding slowly dawned on him.
“Why, I’m going to kill your woman, of course!” Peter watched as horror dawned on his nephew’s face. He began to laugh. It was a maniacal sound straight out of a nightmare that seemed never-ending. Paul, Anthony, and Sarah all stared, horrified.
Zing!
The laughter stopped abruptly as Peter Knudson’s eyes grew wide and then fixed. A small trickle of blood oozed out, then ran in rivulets down his face from a single hole in his forehead. He fell forward, landing hard. His gun flew from his hand and skittered across the floor. Paul lunged quickly, grabbing the Luger as Gruber looked up in surprise.
Thinking fast, he ducked and ran as a second shot rang out. Sarah was suddenly free, and Anthony reached out for her as she stumbled forward into his arms. He held her tight as she cried. Looking over his shoulder, she spied Anno sitting in the middle of the bed, shocked. She broke free of Anthony’s embrace and climbed up, enfolding the boy protectively in her arms. Anthony leaned in, holding them both. Paul stood with the Luger in hand, looking at his uncle’s body lying, unmoving, on the cold concrete floor. The back of his head was blown out and bits of brain, blood, and bone covered the floor behind him.
Oleson and four officers in full tactical gear came running from overhead, while Limmer ran up from the corridor by which they’d entered almost twenty minutes before.
“He’s getting away!” Paul spoke out, informing Oleson and Limmer of Gruber’s escape.
“Stay here.” They turned to run out the direction Paul indicated. Time passed, and Limmer returned empty-handed. No one had moved.
“We lost him, but we’ll get him. He has nowhere to run. We know his aliases and we have an all-points out on him. He won’t get out of the country.”
Touchard and Heinz approached. The expression on the detective’s face was one of gratitude, and of personal redemption. Despite everything going wrong, they saved the boy. Heinz pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and started to light it up, then stopped. “Fuck it.” He flicked it away. Time to quit.
Oleson leaned down and rolled Knudson’s body over. Lifeless eyes stared back at him. Paul stood two feet away still holding the gun, still not believing it was over. The monster of his nightmares lay dead before him. Tears welled in his blue eyes, spilling over. Something broke inside him. He ran up and began furiously kicking his uncle.
“You miserable fuck! You bastard! You stole my life. You stole my childhood. I hope you rot in hell, you sick fucker!” He kicked the body in the ribs, arms, head, and legs as he ranted, releasing his inner demons.
Everyone stood back, refusing to interfere. If anyone deserved to defile the dead, it was Paul Christiansen. Finally exhausted, Paul stopped. Heinz put his arm around the man to lead him away. They walked outside together into the rain-soaked air. The night was quiet and oddly peaceful.
Anthony, Sarah, and Anno followed. Sarah kept Anno’s face tucked into her shoulder as she led him out so he wouldn’t see the dead man on the floor. Touchard brought up the rear while Limmer and Oleson stayed behind to confer with the investigative unit that had been called in.
An ambulance pulled up behind the police vehicles. Anthony was escorted to a gurney where they laid him out and buckled a safety strap around his chest. The gurney was lifted inside and locked into place. Sarah and Anno climbed into the back to ride to the hospital with him. No one spoke. No one had the energy. Anno leaned on Sarah as she sat holding Anthony’s hand. The paramedic started an IV as the ambulance pulled away, the siren blaring into the humid, silent night.
Chapter Twenty-Six
NEARLY A MONTH LATER, Sarah and Anthony boarded a Eurostar train bound for Berlin. He’d spent a week in the hospital after having the bullet removed. With a possible risk of sepsis from the wound, doctors erred on the side of caution, pumping him full of antibiotics and making sure he received plenty of rest. The local newspaper ran a feature on the American travel photographer who helped save a young boy from a vile pedophile. The mention of Amsterdam Canal Cruises as his current employer created such good advertising for the company that they paid Anthony’s medical bills and gave him an extension on completing the last three cruises, which he shared with Sarah during the past week. She made for a pretty good assistant, helping him carry his camera equipment and to set up shots using the tripod.
Heinz escorted Anno home to a grateful and tearful sister. Elsa smothered the boy in hugs and kisses, causing her brother no end of grumbling although he didn’t seem in any hurry for her to stop fussing over him. For her part, Elsa vowed to find a more stable career, one that would have her at home every night. She would not let Anno out of her sight ever again, or at least, not until he was grown and off to university.
Kriminalkommissar Joseph Heinz regained his purpose. For the grizzled detective, it felt good to be fully alive again. He returned to duty feeling that all was right in the world...for now.
On the Eurostar, the conductor gave the all-clear sign to the engineer and hopped up the steps behind them as the doors closed.
“I think it’s up here.” Sarah walked ahead of Anthony, reading the doors of the private cars as they passed looking for theirs.
“Should be the next one, right?” Anthony pointed with his left hand only recently free of the sling he’d had to wear for two weeks. It was still a bit stiff. He hefted his bag on his right shoulder. Sarah dragged her suitcase, and then stopped in front of their car.
“Oh, look. It just slides,” she said as she moved the door to the right. A huge smile decorated her face as her excitement bubbled over.
Anthony was again struck by how much he loved that smile. “How about that, princess?” He followed her inside. Dove gray upholstered benches faced opposite of each other. They stored their bags overhead, then closed the door. Sarah sat down and looked out the window as the train slowly pulled out of the station. He sat next to her, stretching out his legs. Her phone rang.
“It’s Elsa.” She laughed as she answered. “Yes, ma’am!” Anthony watched as his girl talked to her friend. She was so animated and happy, nothing like the young woman he met almost two months ago in Barcelona. Then, she’d been sad, unsure of herself, and alone. Now, she was happy, confident, and had not only accumulated good friends, but gained a boyfriend. Yeah, a boyfriend. How about that?
Although the word ‘love’ bounced around in his head, he was reluctant to say it out loud. He had no problem telling her he ‘loved’ her laugh, ‘loved’ her body, ‘loved’ how she took such good care of him. He even told her he ‘loved’ how she made him feel his world was complete, because for him, when he was with her, it was. He wanted to say it in that way all women want to hear, but he admitted to himself that he was afraid. Anthony wasn’t quite sure of what, but the thought of putting it completely out there terrified him. He knew it would leave him fully vulnerable, and the real fear was that somehow, he wouldn’t be good enough for her. What if she met someone else? Someone younger and less jaded? Someone like Paul Christiansen.
Just the thought of Christiansen made the line between his eyebrows deepen. He didn’t hate the guy. It would be difficult to hate someone who’d gone through what he had, and still found it within himself to risk his life to save others. Still, he was a good-looking fuck who’d taken his girl on a romantic date. Sure, Sarah explained it was only a date, and that she’d actually thought about him during most of it, but that didn’t ease all of his anger and frustration.
“We’ll be there in less than seven hours, Elsa. Tell Anno I miss him and can’t wait to see you both again. Love you guys!” She ended the call.
She looked over at her Anthony. That was how she thought of him now—as her Anthony. It was his own fault because he literally told her he was hers just the other night after they made passionate love. Right in the middle of orgasm, he’d held her face, kissed her, and said, “You’re mine. And I’m all yours, baby.” The emotions combined with the physical connection and her world exploded. For Sarah, being with Anthony was the best thing in the wide world. She was blissfully happy.
A knock at the door interrupted her introspection. They looked up as a waiter slid the portal open.
“Good afternoon. I have a delivery for Miss Sarah Brown and Mister Anthony de Luca.” He reached down to the rolling cart and picked up a silver bucket containing a bottle of champagne. He stepped in and lowered the table that came out between the two benches, and then sat the bucket down. He reached for two crystal champagne flutes, placing them in front of each on the table and began uncorking the bottle.
“Anthony, how wonderful! You’re so thoughtful, sweetie.” Sarah grinned and clapped when the cork popped.
“It wasn’t me, hon. Much as I’d like to take the credit.” They looked at the server.
“Compliments of Mister Paul Christiansen. There’s a card and a package. Hold on.” He looked behind him and found the card and small pink and white package sitting on the trolley. He placed them both into Sarah’s outstretched hands.
Sarah tore open the pretty pink and white wrapping paper, revealing a book on art. Eyebrow raised, she then opened the envelope as the bubbly liquid was poured into her glass. Anthony eyed the book dubiously looking over her shoulder, but she leaned away, laughing, knowing it would drive him crazy.
“Well? What the hell does it say? What?” Christiansen! Goddammit. Anthony didn’t like that the man made such a magnanimous gesture to his woman. He didn’t care that it seemed to partially include him. No other man was allowed to put that kind of smile on his woman’s face but him.
“He says he’s doing well. He’s taken over his uncle’s businesses and promoted Greta. Together, they’re cleaning up the clubs and brothels. All the girls now have their passports back and can come
and go as they please. Greta is starting a union for them. Good for her! He’s still having difficulty dealing with things, though. Says he’s seeing a therapist to try and work through it. That’s really good. Oh! He’s got an art dealer interested in his paintings. That’s fantastic. I can’t think of a better way for him to work out his issues. Good for him.”
Anthony took a swig of the champagne. “That’s nice.” His non-committal reply didn’t fool her. Feeling cheeky, she kept reading. “And what’s with the book?” He tried to seem only mildly interested, but he was burning to know just what the hell that was all about.
Sarah knew, but telling Anthony would probably set him off. Although, messing with him just a little would be fun. “Well, he’s an artist, so I guess that’s what that’s about. So that I won’t forget him, I suppose.”
He looked at her askance, trying to keep cool. Then Sarah began reading the card again.
“Oh. Well...” Her voice sounded a little surprised and disturbed.
“What? What is it?” Anthony looked at her. His alarm bell was going off.
“Um, well. He says he really misses me and that he hopes I’ll come back and let him paint me...in the nude.” She waited.
“What the fuck! I’ll kill him first! I’ll be goddamned if he’s ever going to see you naked. I forbid you to pose for him, to see him for that matter. Promise me, Sarah. Goddammit!” Anthony’s outburst had Sarah doubled over laughing. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she watched her man turn red, ranting. She knew she could never, ever tell him the truth; that Paul had already seen her naked, as had Elsa, Nicolette, and Nadia too. Some things were just better left unsaid, although his reaction now was still hilarious.
Anthony saw her laughing. “What? What’s so funny? I don’t find this funny...wait. You putting me on? Seriously, please tell me you’re just joking?” A smile slowly replaced his outraged expression and he realized his girl was not only the most beautiful woman in the world, but she was a fucking comedian too.
The Checkpoint, Berlin Detective Series Box Set Page 21