“What you’ve been doing this morning.”
Shirley took a piece of paper from her jeans pocket and lay it on the table. “I have a list,” she said. “I’ll put this first so you can all yell at the same time. Let Schmidt out of prison.”
“Why?” Daniel asked.
“So we can see what he’ll do,” Johann replied. “I must admit I agree with Shirley there, maybe even let out Brandt, Loesel and Nagel.”
“At the moment they’re our only leads,” Shirley said.
“They may realise why they’ve been let out,” Daniel said.
“Maybe. Probably not.”
“I agree, probably not,” Helen said. “They’re all reasonably intelligent but not particularly perceptive. But Schmidt is potentially dangerous and particularly where you and Daniel are concerned, Shirley.”
Which was a risk that had to be taken, Shirley thought. More than that, maybe the only real way to know what was going on was for her to be abducted by Schmidt. She knew from experience that he was likely to boast about what he was doing because the approval of his peers he always seemed to crave.
But she was not going to say anything about that to anyone and definitely not to Daniel, she decided. He would hit the roof and follow her everywhere. They finished the meal and Johann had to leave soon afterwards to meet Mrs. Nagel. Shirley asked if she could switch on the news.
“You can do whatever you like without asking,” Helen replied. “And take any food if you’re hungry. This is your home while you’re here.” She went into the hall to get her coat. “I need to leave for the clinic. I’ll see you later.”
Shirley sat with the remote control, her eyes on the screen as the news began. US 67th manned space mission STS 41 Discovery 11 launches into orbit, the newsreader said. She watched with interest. It was an historic moment but not what Shirley wanted to hear. Berkeley, California. She watched in some horror as the story unfolded. For more than seven hours early the day before a well armed gunman with an apparent grudge against American blondes took over a popular college pub, taunting and terrorizing thirty three patrons after he killed one student and wounded seven other people, including a policeman.
The newsreader continued. “The gunman, Iranian-born Mehrdad Dashti, aged thirty, was fatally shot in a brief gun battle with police who stormed the pub at 7:23 a.m., 10:23 a.m. EDT, first tossing in flash-bang devices that permitted the hostages, many of them students at nearby University of California, Berkeley, to escape out of the back and side doors.”
She had not seen the news since leaving England, she suddenly realised, and nobody had mentioned this. It was all so pointless. It was horrifying. It was unnecessary. It was cruel and here even more cruelty might occur. It was occurring because of what Schmidt had done to Daniel in England.
Because Shirley was not at all sure that Schmidt was involved in what was going to occur. That was, if anything was going to occur. She felt it was more a personal vendetta. Surely even Schmidt would not arrange for a truck to crash into someone just to get their attention.
And Daniel could so easily have been killed. Shirley shuddered as the thought hit her, in the way she had done a few times. How could she do without him again and if he had died there would have been no hope in the way there had been before.
But probably there would be nothing much about current events in this country in the news because East and West Germany were already united and nothing could be done about it. Except that these men were a bit fanatical. They had to be fanatics to do the things they did. But why Schmidt asked for help and then captured Daniel she still did not know and maybe it had been a personal vendetta. She went to the phone and dialed a number in Amsterdam.
“They’re asleep at the moment,” her father said.
“Are they missing us?”
“They’re fine, darling. They know us well so they feel at home. How are you?”
“Well, thank you.” But Shirley was not convinced after she spoke to her mother, knowing her parents would not want to worry her. Except that maybe it was her who was being the baby because she desperately wanted them. She went back to the computer and began to look for things on the internet. She had been working for a couple of hours when a knock came on the front door.
It was Susan and Stefan, her sister and brother-in-law, and the last people she was expecting to see. She went to make them coffee. Susan followed her into the kitchen. Both Shirley and Susan were dark haired though they did not look alike in any way and Susan was a few years Shirley’s senior. They were close as sisters and always had been. Susan sat on a stool to look at Shirley.
“We saw Johann,” she said. “We were having a burger in MacDonalds and he came in. He said he was meeting Mrs. Nagel but she hadn’t arrived by the time we left. I’m wondering why she wants to meet him.”
“I think everyone is wondering that,” Shirley replied.
“You should come and stay with us now we’re back.”
“We’ll ask Helen what she thinks when she gets home from the clinic later and I’ll let you know.”
“I miss Lisette.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Because you miss the babies. Do Connie and Paul know you’re in Germany?”
“I didn’t tell Connie we were coming here,” Shirley replied.
“Daniel filled us in a bit on what’s going on.”
“The problem is that nothing is going on,” Shirley said. “Apart from what Schmidt did in England and I don’t trust in or believe anything he says. You don’t run trucks into people just because you want to speak to them. Maybe we’re all over reacting concerning what may occur here.”
“I don’t think so,” Stefan said from the doorway. “A bloke we know says he’s heard rumours that something is being planned.”
“How did he hear that?” Shirley asked.
“Through the usual channels.”
“And what are they?”
“There are always people who do this kind of thing. Informants, I suppose you would call them. He was a great help before the wall came down. Usually he likes to be paid but you can’t blame him for that. He’s put himself in danger a few times. But we were able to help quite a lot of people because he told us what was going on. He seems to know all the right people though I would imagine they would be regarded in general as the wrong people.”
“And what is the information he has?” Shirley asked.
“There are a group of people who are planning to disrupt the reunification celebrations on the third. I think probably disrupt is a mild word. They are planning to take over and stop the signing of the treaty. The problem is, nobody knows who they are, except for a couple of suspects, and people cannot be arrested on rumours. Even that could all be concocted by twisted minds of people who like to cause panic. The Underground in East Berlin and here never were liked by many.”
“Do the government know about this?” Shirley asked.
“Not as far as we know. Some of the people involved could be part of the government.”
“So how are we going to find out?”
“Not y…..” Susan paused as Shirley spun. “Sorry.”
“How are we going to find out?” Shirley repeated the question.
“By following people of whom we are suspicious, bugging their phones, doing everything we can to keep tabs on them,” Stefan replied. “Johann says he’s contacted the powers that be and Schmidt, Loesel, Brandt and Nagel are going to be let out of prison day after tomorrow. It cannot be before because of certain formalities.”
“We only have a few days,” Shirley said.
“Yes.” Stefan took the outstretched coffee. “Once they’re out we’ll have a twenty four hour tail on them.”
“Which they will probably realise is happening if they’re as good as they’re supposed to be.”
“Schmidt might guess. Brandt, Loesel and Nagel aren’t so good at such things.”
“But they were double spies,” Shirley said. “They must be good a
t something.”
“Double spying?” Stefan grinned as Susan pushed his hip with hers. “All you need to do for that is listen in to conversations and access files. As all three were trusted by the East Germans they would find that easier than most. We will be very careful at all times.”
“Who is doing all the following of them and things?” Shirley asked. “Is it German Intelligence?”
“A division of it. It is composed of people that are to be trusted who do most of their work separate to the rest of Intelligence unless there is something to which they both need to attend. You and Daniel do not have to be involved and it’s not fair to keep you from the babies. Nobody knows where they are so you could go somewhere safe but away from your home until everything is resolved.”
“It would be good if you do that,” Susan said. “Please, darling. Don’t stay.”
“Will you come with me?” Shirley asked. Susan looked at Stefan. Shirley smiled. “I thought not. Your baby needs a mother as much as my two. All of us need to be able to live our lives without fear. I’m staying for the moment.”
“It’s me,” Johann called through. They had all decided to call out when they arrived home though not just by saying their names. Schmidt had impersonated Daniel, Shirley said, and they had to be ultra careful. “Operation vendetta,” Johann added. He walked through with a pile of paper bags and set them on the table. “For later though if you want something now you’re welcome. There’s far more than we need. There’s enough to feed an army.”
“You weren’t long with Mrs. Nagel,” Shirley said.
“She rang to say her husband was home and she wouldn’t be coming. That means they’re all out. I did just check if everything was arranged concerning following them.”
“I thought that was to be day after tomorrow.”
“Obviously it’s been put forward, I suppose because we havn’t much time before the reunification.” Johann peeled some paper off a burger. “Have one. There’s also fillet ‘o fish and chicken burgers. Loads of chips.”
“Okay.” Stefan grinned at his brother as he took one too. The two men were quite a lot alike in looks, also in some of their ways. About six foot three, broad shouldered, dark haired, positive. A bit bossy on occasions but both very caring and thoughtful. Stefan put his cheeseburger to Susan’s mouth. “Have some.”
“I’ll have one of my own,” she said, taking one. “Thank you, Johann. I’m not too sure I like them all being released. It brings everything closer.”
Much closer, Shirley thought, and she did not like it either because it involved making decisions, decisions she thought she would not have to make for a couple of days. She must ring Lindell and she had a couple of other people to ring too. But privately when she was on her own because what she planned was not going to be common knowledge. She took a fillet o’ fish and began to eat, her thoughts distant as the others chatted around her.
Susan and Stefan left an hour later and Daniel was still out. Shirley fetched her coat, made for the bedroom door and paused. Turning back she went to the cupboard and took out a gun. She had a licence to use one in Germany which Johann had obtained for her from Intelligence. She had a licence in England courtesy of Lindell. In all ways she belonged to Intelligence in both countries apart from actually working for them and being paid.
But she did not want to work for them and she did not want their money. All she wanted was a bit of peace and quiet. She wanted people like Schmidt to give her the courtesy of leaving her alone. She even wanted Daniel to work for someone else though that she rather felt he would never do.
And she was not going to be a nagging wife though maybe she would become one if he caused her anymore hassle. She smiled, put the gun in an inside pocket and left the house. She would scout around in the old East Berlin, she thought, maybe even visit a couple of people she knew. She would have to be careful, of course, in case anyone showed enough interest in her to follow her but she rather felt she would know if anyone did. Maybe she should work for Intelligence. She wasn’t bad at what she did.
Except that she had the babies and they needed at least one stable person as a parent. They needed her now and how were they doing in Amsterdam? She made for the nearest u-bahn and travelled to the outskirts of Berlin.
Chapter 4
29th September, 1990
It was early morning and Shirley had been up since crack of dawn. Lala led the way into hers and Emile’s house in Moser, an early riser herself as the wife of a farmer. A large house on a farm which they both owned but from which they had escaped with the two youngest children. Emile had been shot and Shirley had flown them and the two youngest children into West Germany in an old plane. After recovering they had rented a house in West Berlin but moved back to their house earlier in the year.
“I thought you might come and see us,” Lala said. “Would you like a hot drink? I’ve just finished a batch of cooking so we can have cake too.”
“That sounds wonderful,” Shirley replied. “From what I remember when we were with you before your cooking is outstanding. I’m not a great cook though I improved when I was with Joshua in order to make him happy. I didn’t want him to think I’d married him for convenience even though I had. I still feel a bit guilty about that.”
“You do not have to feel guilty,” Lala said. “Tea or coffee?”
“Could I have hot milk?”
“Of course you can. What do Anna and Hugh think about your marriage to Joshua and you remarrying Daniel?”
“We only spoke about it recently. Hugh asked what I would have done when Daniel returned to the west if Joshua was still alive. I havn’t really got an answer to that because I love Daniel with all my heart.”
“It is not good to live on what could have been,” Lala said.
“Yes, I know. I told Hugh I probably would have stayed with Joshua. I would have felt I should, I know, but I wanted Daniel all the time. They still miss him a lot. The thing with all of us is that we had happy outcomes and they didn’t. You have Kurt and Gerard and I have Daniel. Paul has Daniel. Hugh mentioned that.”
“Yes. It must be very hard.”
“How are the children?”
“Beautiful, healthy and happy. We’re all glad to be back here.”
“I’m glad you’re back here. Has Emile flown the plane since it was brought back?”
“Once or twice. It’s a miracle it wasn’t totally wrecked when it blew up.”
“It didn’t actually blow up,” Shirley said. “Though I thought it at the time. There was a loud explosion and it was burning but the fire engines got the fire under control quickly. I’m glad about that because I know Emile loves it. Samuel and Michael are with my parents and I’m missing them. We havn’t been apart since they were born.”
“Do you think things are that volatile?” Lala asked.
“I have no idea but it’s better for them to be away. What do you think about everything? Do you think it’s likely that people will try to stage a coup?”
“It’s possible.” Lala poured hot milk from a saucepan into a mug and mixed coffee for herself. She picked up a plate of cakes and led the way into the lounge. “There are always a certain amount of fanatics around and a lot of people were upset when the government in East Germany toppled.”
“I suppose they were free because they agreed with its policies,” Shirley said. “It doesn’t cross people’s minds that if one strata of society is oppressed they might offend the oppressor themselves. Do you think those who were oppressed before the East German government toppled would want revenge?”
“That’s a good way of putting it,” Lala replied. “No wonder you’re such a good writer. Do you mean, members of the Underground?”
“No, not them. Many people couldn’t do what they wanted who had nothing to do with the Underground. I met all those people in that secret church in Berlin.”
“They wouldn’t do that because of their beliefs,” Lala said.
“Yes, I know. I didn’t
mean them either. A lot of people couldn’t live freely because they spoke out or because they wrote literature against the regime. Nagel was supposed to have been one of them. Does anyone know who actually wrote his books?”
“No, I don’t think so, but he can’t claim it anymore because of what they discovered about him afterwards. Talking of books, I’ve just bought your new book and am looking forward to reading it. I always buy your books.”
“Thank you. That’s nice of you.”
“I only bought the first one to be nice. I buy them now because I like them. What do you think of Schmidt’s part in all this?”
“I don’t know. I’m unnerved because of what he did to Daniel and none of us knows if he was aiming to kill him or if he really did want his attention. But then why did he abduct Daniel and come to the house?”
“He’s out of prison now, isn’t he?” Lala asked.
“Yes, so are Brandt, Loesel and Nagel. What do you think of it?”
“I’m not sure I believe that Schmidt has the brains to lead a coup and maybe not even Brandt, Loesel and Nagel. If they are involved I think someone else would be the brains behind the enterprise. Personally I don’t think Nagel did his spying on his own. They did an IQ test on him in prison and it was rather low.”
“I didn’t know that,” Shirley said. “And we didn’t have much conversation in the submarine which is the only time I’ve seen him. Don’t you need to be fairly intelligent to be a spy?”
“It depends on what your assignments are. I think that often people dictate that and with Schmidt he just did as he was told. I think he enjoyed doing it but that didn’t mean he made the decisions.”
“Then who would have been helping Nagel when he was spying?”
“Nobody knows but Emile and I have a theory which is one we do not share because we feel bad about thinking it.”
“So you can’t tell me,” Shirley said.
“Yes. I’ll tell you. Ada and Rolf we always felt were in sympathy with the East Germans.”
“Anna’s parents?”
“Yes.”
The Berlin Vendetta: Book 3 in the series 'The Enigmatic Defection' Page 7
