Hidden Depths

by Ally Rose

  ‘Bernd, I presume you take an oath of secrecy to serve the community as well as your country?’ asked Kruger.

  Bernd nodded. ‘Every time I’m re-elected and sworn in as Burgermeister.’

  ‘How long have you been Mayor of Zossen?’ Stefan asked.

  ‘About 15 years.’

  ‘The news will break any day now, therefore I’m not being indiscreet,’ Kruger began. ‘To answer your earlier question, yes, all three men found in the lake worked together in East Germany, as wardens at a notorious institution near Dresden.’

  Bernd had a gut feeling Kruger was talking about Torgau. He didn’t think it was a good idea to mention his family links to such a place.

  ‘Have you heard of a place called Torgau?’ Kruger asked.

  Bernd sighed, thinking of Felix. ‘Who hasn’t?’

  ‘The killer seems to be an ex-inmate with a grudge who took his revenge on the wardens on the banks of Muggelsee. As far as we are aware, he was successful at least three times,’ Kruger announced.

  Bernd was intrigued. ‘You mean, he tried to kill others but was unsuccessful?’

  ‘In 1992 there was a fourth crime at Muggelsee, where he left a woman, the “Lady of the Lake”, for dead,’ Kruger said.

  ‘Wasn’t she the coma victim?’ Bernd asked.

  Kruger nodded. ‘We’ll put photos up of the Muggelsee three in all the towns in this area and maybe someone will come forward with new information.’

  ‘Maybe the murderer is from around here or lives near a lake, being that he likes water crimes. Maybe he’s under your very noses,’ Bernd said, prophetically.

  Chapter Thirty-three: The Ides of March

  HANNE CELEBRATED HER 37th birthday on 15th March. It was going to be a busy day. Brigitte left earlier that morning after breakfast, taking Audrey and dropping her off at school. Hanne worked at home till lunchtime, then allowed herself the rest of the day off, a rare treat.

  Lotte Holler’s case had troubled her more than usual. As a mother, she knew that sexual abuse of a child was one of the worst things that could happen to her daughter and she found it hard to stay neutral. She had formed a certain bias in favour of Marine Boy, even though she didn’t have all the facts. Hanne couldn’t hide this from Kruger but behind his gruff exterior he had insight and empathy, which was edifying.

  The same questions kept repeating in Hanne’s head. What had happened to Marine Boy that had compelled him to kill these three Torgau colleagues and include Lotte Holler in his murderous plans? Unless he was insane, which Hanne didn’t believe, what was his motive? Marine Boy seemed to find all four of them equally culpable for crimes against him. Surely it wasn’t a case of mistaken identity where Lotte was concerned?

  Hanne didn’t think so. On her last visit to the hospital when Lotte revealed details of the abuse that went on at Torgau, Hanne had the feeling she was hiding much more than she was letting on and skirting around the details. When she’d asked Lotte outright if she knew of any sexual abuse that took place, Hanne had scrutinised Lotte’s facial movements for any signs of discomfort. Hanne felt Lotte was being selective with the truth and lacked empathy – and without empathy, she thought, there’s usually little compassion for others because it has been replaced by a narcissistic projection of the self.

  Hanne often found herself wondering what had happened to Marine Boy. He’d let his mask slip, albeit briefly, when he told Lotte he was an orphan. Surely there was one family relative that could have looked after the boy, protecting him from ending up in Torgau? The system in East Germany had failed him but what had become of him after Torgau’s closure? Without the love of a family, had he drifted in and out of mental institutions or managed to find a job? Did Marine Boy continue the cycle of abuse with children once he himself became an adult, as is sometimes the case, or was he connected and involved in the Torgau Three’s activities before he murdered them? It was even questionable whether Marine Boy was still alive and quite possibly he had died at some point after he’d completed his mission at Muggelsee.

  There were so many imponderables. Hanne had a gut feeling Marine Boy was still alive and was sure he’d never told anyone about his long-forgotten crimes. She hoped he’d found some happiness and security with a new family of his own. Was it coincidence that Marine Boy encountered one of the Torgau Three and that changed his destiny?

  Going by the evidence, Hanne, thought, Horst’s murder was likely to be the first and the primary motive was revenge. There was no other explanation for such horrific crimes. If Marine Boy found his stability threatened he would feel the need to act, especially if there was someone he wanted to protect in the process? A child, possibly?

  Unfortunately, Marine Boy’s mental health could be troubled again, hearing news reports about Lotte Holler and the Torgau Three and knowing the police were on his trail. In her job, working alongside the police, there was the belief in the rule of the law: Marine Boy should be caught and punished. Hanne had been politically correct most of her life but with this case she felt she was losing her bearings. As a parent, Hanne sympathised with the rule of revenge: paedophiles are rapists and rapists get what they deserve.

  Of late, Hanne was juggling her time more than usual and often went to bed exhausted but she tried to make sure she made enough time for Audrey and now Brigitte. Today she decided she would try to switch off from the case and enjoy her birthday. It was a bright, breezy, sunny spring day when Hanne cycled into town and met up with Brigitte for lunch at her workplace – Kadewe, one of the most prestigious department stores in Berlin, where she was a pharmacist. The food was expensive yet exquisite and staff had a 10 per cent discount. Regarding quality, Hanne thought, you get what you pay for but expensive food often tasted better at a reduced price.

  Lunch was a compromise for Hanne and Brigitte. They’d decided they wouldn’t spend the evening together as Hanne’s mother Traudl was coming for an evening meal, which Audrey was cooking, and as yet Traudl hadn’t met her daughter’s new girlfriend. Hanne and her mother had a love/hate relationship and felt it was better left as a family affair. The most important thing was that Brigitte was adjusting to Audrey and so far, enjoying the process. There was no need just yet for her to have the extra pressure of meeting her prospective mother-in-law.

  Hanne met her girlfriend on the restaurant floor. Brigitte had kept on her white, clinical work coat with her name badge but removed her protective cap revealing her short, chestnut hair. Brigitte was a few years older than Hanne and short like Audrey, so Hanne towered over her. She had never felt the urge to become a mother but enjoyed being around kids of all ages. She liked Audrey and hoped it was reciprocal. It was too early for Hanne and Brigitte to be talking of future plans but after six weeks they were getting on rather well and just trying to go with the flow.

  Brigitte could see that Hanne’s job as a criminal psychologist was highly pressurised, on top of bringing up a teenager mostly single-handedly. Hanne didn’t talk about her work with Brigitte, partly because it was highly confidential but also because she discussed it enough during her working day and tried not to bring her work home with her. If anyone asked her what case she was working on she painted an overall picture but didn’t divulge sensitive facts.

  In Kadewe, Hanne and Brigitte enjoyed a pleasant hour together in the busy food hall, toasting one another with a glass of champagne filled with strawberries. Brigitte had bought tickets for them to see the German singer Nena in concert in a few weeks and presented Hanne with the tickets.

  Hanne smiled. ‘Oh, thank you, that’s so lovely. I’ll look forward to it.’

  ‘I asked Audrey if she wanted to join us but she said no,’ Brigitte said.

  ‘I feel bad you’re not coming tonight. Are you sure you won’t come?’ Hanne asked.

  Brigitte shook her head. ‘You haven’t seen your mother since she came back from her trip to South Africa.’

  ‘She’s annoyed I didn’t pick her up at the airport last week but Audrey wanted me
to go to the opening of her art exhibition at school. Mutti thought I could see Audrey’s artwork any time but it was a chance to talk to some of her teachers. As it transpired, though, only her art teacher was there.’

  ‘My mother’s the same. She doesn’t think my time is limited,’ Brigitte admitted.

  Hanne was adamant. ‘I’m not apologising. No, Traudl clicks her fingers and expects me to jump.’

  ‘I’ve only known you a short while and you don’t jump to anyone’s tune.’

  Hanne laughed at Brigitte’s insight to her character. ‘Well, maybe Audrey’s tune. No, I simply couldn’t disappoint my daughter and not go to her exhibition on opening night.’

  ‘Kids come first, your mother knows that,’ Brigitte ventured.

  Hanne laughed. ‘You don’t know her! Traudl likes to come first and that’s only one of the reasons why we clash!’

  Brigitte observed wryly. ‘Families, eh? Is your brother Rolf coming or not?’

  ‘Rolf called earlier but he flies to the States tomorrow for a month. He’ll also miss Audrey’s 16th birthday in 11 days time, but never mind.’

  ‘Is Audrey’s father coming to her party?’

  ‘Yes, but I’m not sure if his wife’s coming.’

  Brigitte seemed somewhat tentative. ‘Audrey invited me to her party. Is that OK?’

  ‘Of course! Audrey wants you there and I want you there.’

  ‘Then I’ll be there,’ Brigitte told her.

  ‘You’ll have the pleasure of meeting Traudl then,’ Hanne said, frowning.

  ‘You and me,’ Brigitte began. ‘Meeting mothers, it’s a bit ominous, but I think it’s time. I guess you’ll have to meet mine, too.’

  Hanne smiled. ‘OK, but be warned. When you meet my mother, don’t forget to bring a thick skin with you.’

  Brigitte winked. ‘Sounds like you! We all have to take after someone.’

  Hanne reached out to squeeze Brigitte’s hand under the table. Berlin was a gay friendly city but public displays of affection, especially in middle class areas and establishments such as Kadewe, could be seen as inappropriate. Before parting, Hanne and Brigitte enjoyed a few private kisses and hugs on the fire exit stairwell in Kadewe. A little tipsy, Hanne cycled slowly along the cycle paths to the office for the pre-arranged celebration with her colleagues.

  Kruger and the team were in the staff canteen when Rutger made an appearance, bringing with him a few bottles of champagne to drink with the spread of sandwiches and cakes. Hanne was still full from lunch but appreciated the gesture and forced herself to eat a little and have another glass of champagne, although she worried she’d be caught drink-driving on her bicycle.

  Kruger raised his glass. ‘To Drais, our psycho cop!’

  Cheers! echoed around the room followed by everyone singing ‘Happy Birthday’ .

  ‘Thank you all,’ Hanne told them.

  Rutger rose to speak. ‘Of course, 15th March is an auspicious day. Not only is it our dear Hanne’s birthday but many centuries ago the Emperor Julius Caesar on this day – known as the Ides of March – was murdered.’

  ‘What are you trying to say, Rutger?’ Kruger asked. ‘Is there a Brutus among us?’

  Rutger smiled. ‘No, only Brut champagne.’

  Glockner cringed. ‘Drais, I do believe Rutger was attempting a joke.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Hanne told Rutger and gave him a hug.

  Kruger took Hanne aside. ‘We got a breakthrough with the case today. Rutger found other fingerprints in Horst’s batmobile, Harald and Gunther’s among them.’

  ‘That’s great,’ Hanne exclaimed. ‘That verifies the witness statements about the Torgau Three and their trips away.’

  ‘I know. But listen to the best news of all. A man has turned up at a police station in Minden, near Hannover, saying he was a Torgau inmate in the 1980s.’

  Hanne was excited to hear more. ‘Did he recognise the Torgau Three from the photos we put in the newspapers?’

  ‘Yes, and he’s saying all three of them sexually abused him,’ Kruger said.

  ‘Bingo!’ Hanne said, clapping her hands.

  ‘As far as I know, this man, Wolfgang, didn’t give evidence back in 1992 but that’s probably a good thing because he can shed new light on the case and only add more credence to the evidence against the wardens,’ Kruger mused, waving Glockner over.

  Glockner joined them. ‘What’s up?’

  ‘You two, whatever your plans were for tomorrow, they’ve just been changed. I’ve booked us all on the first flight to Hannover.’

  Chapter Thirty-four: Klaus and Ingrid

  INGRID HADN’T BEEN SLEEPING well. Her boys were troubled and when she went to bed at night she couldn’t switch off because she was worrying incessantly about Felix and Axel. Since Felix confessed to the Muggelsee killings and his attempted murder of the coma victim, Ingrid felt she’d helped him by letting him get it off his chest. In listening to him, though, she had taken on the mantle of an accomplice and she felt responsible for letting him down in some way.

  She didn’t feel any differently about her beloved nephew and refused to judge him because he was only 17 at the time and probably not in his right mind. On the contrary, Felix had taken these extreme measures to rid himself of the threat from his abusers whilst revenging Susanne’s death in the process, and Ingrid felt a certain admiration for his bravery. An eye for an eye, Ingrid believed, and loved Felix nevertheless, knowing he’d also acted to protect Axel, Susi’s son and now her own.

  Yet Ingrid was finding it hard to block Felix’s actions from her mind, especially with the constant reminders in the media. The case was updated regularly on the news and the victims’ photos were often in the newspapers and on the television. She did her best to make sure it was switched off when Felix visited and reports of the case in the newspapers were hidden away. If the crimes were mentioned, she knew they had a tacit understanding that they could talk about it but only if Felix first brought up the subject.

  As yet, though, he hadn’t spoken about it again. Felix was trying to put it out of his mind and concentrate on his life and the arrival of his second baby. He knew it was a ridiculous fantasy, as if by not talking about it made it unreal and it had never happened. It was foolhardy for Ingrid and Felix to live in denial but after all the secrets they had to keep in the former East Germany, they were both well practised at hiding information.

  Then there was Axel. Felix told her that Axel now knew the truth about his mother’s demise. Ingrid and Klaus wondered why their son hadn’t come to them first but understood why Felix was the one Axel wished to talk to. They spoke with Axel and resolved to put it behind them. When Axel’s school contacted them about their son’s behaviour – he had hit another pupil – this too was dealt without fuss, swept under the carpet and forgotten. However, Ingrid felt the pressure and began to suffer from insomnia. She considered taking sleeping pills instead of admitting to herself that she was emotionally tired from the recent revelations and the stress of keeping such terrible secrets.

  Klaus had noticed a change in his Ingrid over the last month and challenged her for an explanation for her mood swings and low energy. Ingrid told Klaus it was because she was worried about Axel fighting at school in the aftermath of him finding out the truth about his mother. Klaus reassured her that any anxiety and violent reaction that Axel felt would soon pass.

  One night, Klaus awoke in the middle of the night to find Ingrid fast asleep in the living room, with the television on low. Something serious was troubling her. At first, Klaus wondered if it was the menopause because Ingrid had been suffering from hot sweats and insomnia but instinct made him wonder if it went deeper than that.

  Klaus insisted Ingrid join him on a walk, away from the cottage and any prying ears, saying he needed to talk to her alone. Ingrid conceded Klaus was worried about her and a conversation between them was long overdue. It had been a while since they’d walked the circumference of the lake and they went at a steady pace with
the spring sunshine peeping through the tall pine trees shading the wooded pathways.

  ‘Are you going to tell me what’s troubling you?’ Klaus asked, taking her hand.

  Although she felt guilty about not telling what she knew to her beloved husband, Ingrid had promised Felix it would be their secret. ‘How’d you mean?’

  Klaus wasn’t put off. ‘My dear, we’ve been together since we were teenagers. You’re not sleeping, you’re tired during the day and your rosy cheeks have lost their glow.’

  ‘It’s probably just my menopause.’

  ‘No!’ Klaus insisted. ‘You’re worried about Axel and Felix. Axel I understand, but you and Felix? When you think I’m not looking, the pair of you exchange odd, furtive looks. What’s the big secret?’

  ‘I promised I wouldn’t tell,’ Ingrid began. ‘I must keep his secrets.’

  ‘Ingrid! If you don’t tell me, I’ll ask him! There’ll not be any secrets between us.’

  ‘No! Don’t ask him, he’ll never forgive me,’ Ingrid pleaded.

  Klaus realised the importance of her words. ‘What’s happened? Ingrid, please.’

  Ingrid nodded. ‘You and me, we kept Felix a secret from the Stasi, and we both know the importance of keeping secrets. Klaus, I’ve hated lying to you.’

  Klaus stopped in his tracks, faced Ingrid and put his hands on her shoulders. ‘Then tell me the truth, let me help you.’

  ‘You must keep it a secret. Felix’s life depends on it.’

  Klaus felt his pulse race and could see the fear in his wife’s eyes. ‘What’s he done? Has Felix done something… something bad?’

  Ingrid nodded. ‘You mustn’t judge him because he was only 17 at the time.’