The Berlin Vendetta: Book 3 in the series 'The Enigmatic Defection'

by Sylvia Wheatley

  “I was showing Shirley this little house my parents made for me when I was a child,” Anna said.

  Daniel bent to walk inside. “It’s great,” he replied.

  “We’re buying a wendy house for Samuel and Michael when they come,” she said.

  “You must come and see our tree house at The Sylvans. We really would like you to come. Maybe we can arrange it when we get home.”

  They had been invited a few times but never accepted. They always had some excuse but Shirley felt it rather embarrassed them and was pleased Daniel was inviting them personally. But the future at the moment seemed a bit unreal for Shirley, even the babies who she so desperately missed. They went into the house and were shown into the dining room where the table was laden. “Take what you want,” Ada said. “Then we’ll go and eat in the sun lounge. There’s plenty there so we expect to see your plates as full as you can manage.”

  “Thank you,” Shirley said and Daniel did as he was told. Shirley looked at his plate with a little smile.

  “I’m hungry,” he said. “Breakfast was early and this looks delicious, Mrs. Groenewald.”

  “Call me Ada,” she replied. They took their food and drinks through to the sun lounge and she turned to her husband. “Will you say grace please, darling?”

  Grace, Shirley thought, and unusual in most circles. Rolf prayed and they began to eat. Rolf turned to Shirley.

  “Are you dreading what I’m going to ask Daniel?” he asked with a little smile quirking his lips upwards.

  “Not actively. Anyway, that’s his problem because he’ll have to answer you.”

  “True.” Rolf looked at Daniel. “Do you think I’m going to disturb the reunification celebrations?”

  “I can’t say I’d given it much thought,” Daniel replied.

  “I think you have. I know you won’t take my word for it but I am quite pleased concerning reunification. It’s brought my daughter back to us and I was beginning to despair that would ever happen.”

  “It brought a lot of people together,” Daniel said.

  “But not Joshua.”

  “No. I’m really sorry about that.”

  “It gave you Shirley back,” Ada said.

  “Yes, but I didn’t want Joshua to die for that reason. I knew him before I went to East Berlin and regarded him as a good friend. Not a close friend but we had worked together.”

  “And what would you have done if Shirley had still been married to him when the east and west came together?”

  “Probably asked her to leave him and remarry me. I love her with all my heart and all is fair in love and war. I don’t think she would have left him though because she’s very loyal.”

  “I am here,” Shirley said.

  Ada smiled. “We’re giving you a hard time, aren’t we?

  “Shirley has been amazing,” Hugh said. “I’m not sure that many people in her position would have done what she’s done. She’s visited us regularly. She’s allowed us to regard her little boys as grandchildren. She wouldn’t take any of Joshua’s money and gave us their house. She is also an amazing mother and never leaves anyone else to care for her children. The only time they go in a crèche is when she’s lecturing and they enjoy that. She has never once said anything derogatory about Joshua. He was our son and we loved him deeply but he did do things he shouldn’t. Both Anna and I know that.”

  “In other words, give her a break,” Anna added. “As for her following up every lead she can concerning the reunification I think she has a right. We have heard rumours that there may be trouble.”

  “And do you suspect us of being involved?” Ada asked.

  “I don’t know. I really don’t.”

  “Well, at least that’s honest,” Rolf said.

  “Are you?” Anna asked.

  Rolf smiled. “Would I tell you if we were?” He put his tray on the table and walked over to kiss his daughter on the cheek. “We’re not, liebling. In fact, we have being trying to find out if anything has been planned for tomorrow. I have dossiers on people who might want to do something which I would like to show Shirley and Daniel after we’ve eaten. We’ve been watching them for some time.”

  “We?” asked Daniel.

  “I work for a branch of West German Intelligence. I did before the wall was put up which was why we stayed here. I have been fortunate to have Ada to support me because it meant having to get Anna out and that tore us both to bits. Over the years we have done quite a bit to help get us to this point. You can check up on all this with the Chief of Intelligence if I give him permission to do so but I would like it to be kept quiet because our work concerning the reunification and subsequent elections are not quite complete.”

  “Did Joshua know anything about this?” Shirley asked.

  “I do not think so though he was spying on both sides, as you know.”

  “Then why was he so interested in doing what he did?” Hugh asked. “Because, although he spied for both sides, his sympathies were more with East Germany.”

  “That was not because of us,” Ada said. She looked at her daughter rather intensely. “Did you think we had something to do with it?” she asked.

  Anna’s voice was rather weary as she replied. “I havn’t known what to think.”

  “You have a lot to sort out between yourselves,” Shirley said.

  “Yes.” Rolf walked over to the table to refill his plate. “And at last we can.”

  “I love you both very much,” Anna said.

  “Thank you. That’s a nice thing to hear from a daughter.”

  And Shirley hoped the couple were on the level after they looked at the dossiers Rolf showed them except she felt they weren’t being a hundred per cent honest. But not about his work, she felt, and she did believe what he said about that. To verify it absolutely they could go to Intelligence. When it came time to leave Anna walked out with them to the car. Daniel got in and Anna put her arms round Shirley.

  “Thank you for coming,” she said. “It’s put my mind at rest about quite a few things. When will you be seeing the babies?”

  “Soon. Will you be at the concert?”

  “We wouldn’t miss it for the world. We’re all coming.”

  But what would happen before that, Shirley thought, and what surprises would come their way. She didn’t want tomorrow to come except that when it was over she would have Samuel and Michael again. She got into the driver’s seat.

  “Why aren’t you driving?” she asked.

  “I am secure in my masculinity,” he replied. He took her hand as she squeezed his thigh. “Would you have stayed with Joshua?”

  “Don’t ask me questions like that,” she replied. “All I know is that you are the only man I have ever loved and that will remain for the rest of my life.”

  “Which wouldn’t have comforted me at all.”

  “You would have found someone else. There are plenty of ladies who would give their back teeth to have you.”

  “I don’t want someone without any back teeth. Well, when you get old and toothless I’ll still love you but nobody else.”

  “I’ll keep flossing,” Shirley said.

  “So will I. Do you mind if I check on Rolf?”

  “I expect you to do so. What are you doing this afternoon?”

  “Johann and I are interviewing Brandt, Loesel and Nagel. We may speak to Schmidt as well. Where are you going? Why don’t you come with us?”

  “I may go to see Helen again so we can look more at the computer. Maybe I’ll ask her to go shopping with me for outfits for the concert.”

  “You won’t go anywhere dangerous?” Daniel asked.

  “I don’t know where that would be. I promise to be good. What time will you get back to the lodge?”

  “About six.”

  But Shirley had a couple more things to do, she thought after she dropped Daniel off in the middle of Berlin. A couple more and they would probably be the most painful of everything. They could be the most dangerous.
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br />   A few miles away Johann was collecting together a few papers before going to meet Daniel just after lunch. Helen sat on the sofa watching him, her laptop beside her.

  “Daniel says he thinks you and Shirley know more than you’re letting on,” Johann said. “Do you?”

  “Would we tell you if we did?” Helen walked over to stand beside him. “We agreed on honesty, darling, and honest we will be. Does that answer your question?”

  “No, because I don’t trust either of you. Richard von Weizsäcker is giving a speech after the flag is put up tomorrow.”

  “Oh? Do you think he’s the target? That is, if there is a target.”

  “I don’t know if anyone is the target. There will be plenty of policemen around.”

  “That doesn’t guarantee safety. There are a lot of places where people could hide and from which they could take a pot shot. Not everywhere can be covered by Intelligence men.”

  “I know. I don’t want you anywhere near the Reichstag.”

  “Oh? And how will you stop me being there?”

  “I’ll lock you up.” Johann grinned as Helen bumped his hip and caught her in the crook of his arm. “You have a baby to protect.”

  “I am well aware of that. You also have a baby to protect so if I don’t go nor do you.”

  “I have to go,” he said.

  “Then so do I and we’re not staying here any longer after tonight because I’m not going to keep hiding. Why are you and Daniel going to the prison? I thought you’d talked to Schmidt.”

  “We’re going to talk to Brandt, Loesel and Nagel and then have another session with the others. We’ve told them it’s for their safety and we’ve arranged for their families to be kept safe also, just in case. I spoke to Abel but he doesn’t want protection, he says. Do you think Shirley thinks any of those men are involved?”

  “She didn’t say.”

  “They’re all Jewish.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  Johann shut his briefcase. “Why them then?”

  “I don’t know. I’m going to keep looking at the sites this afternoon to see why Shirley picked them. She said it had nothing to do with nationality but you know how Shirley keeps a lot to herself. There is one thing I know.”

  “What’s that?” Johann asked.

  “The community was relatively safe in East Germany. Maybe a sense of safety has now disappeared in view of what is going on now.”

  “Abel would know about that,” Johann said.

  “Yes, he probably would. What will happen to our four in prison?”

  “I think they will probably be let out of prison despite the things they did. Schmidt didn’t actually kill anyone though I’m sure he pointed in the right direction on occasions. But he would have got someone else to do his dirty work because that was his way. Loesel, Nagel and Brandt may not get away with it so lightly because of their spying.”

  “I think many people will get away with a lot,” Helen said. “I thought Intelligence felt that Schmidt, Nagel, Loesel and Brandt might lead them to whatever may be happening tomorrow.”

  “Maybe nothing will happen. All Intelligence and the police can do is be very careful.”

  “What if it’s someone with a personal vendetta?” Helen asked.

  “Could be but why was the Fitzgerald’s house broken into and trashed and why did Schmidt do what he did to Daniel and then go after Shirley?”

  “I don’t know. What are you going to be doing after you leave the prison?”

  “I have a meeting with the powers that be and we are all going to be briefed as to our role tomorrow.”

  “Will Daniel be at the meeting?”

  “Yes.”

  “What about Shirley?”

  “She was invited but she refused. I think she and Susan are going somewhere but I’m not sure where. That’s what Daniel thought earlier but I havn’t spoken to him since early this morning.” Johann turned to put his arms round Helen from behind. “This should be a time of triumph. Why does it have to be spoiled?”

  “Because human beings have a way of spoiling things. Well, some of them do. I don’t think Shirley is meeting Susan. She spoke earlier about shopping for clothes for the concert. She asked if I would like to go.”

  “Ring if you want me to pick you up. What about arranging to meet?”

  “You’d probably be late. I know how you get caught up in things.”

  “Ouch.” Johann turned to put his arms round Helen and held her closely. “Be careful. I don’t like leaving you or having you wander around.”

  “I’ll be fine, darling. Be careful yourself.”

  Johann went. Helen turned back to her computer, her expression pensive. She wanted to talk to Shirley but Shirley had not communicated with her since they last met. And what would Johann and Daniel get out of the four men? They hadn’t managed to find anything useful so far. She dialed a number on the mobile phone.

  “Shirley? How are you doing?”

  “Fine, thanks. I was going to ring you. Would you like to come shopping with me for outfits for my concert? I have a practice at the Philharmonie until four but then I’m free. Susan rang and she’s coming too. How has your morning been?”

  “I’ve been looking at the sites but have come up with nothing. Where shall we meet?”

  At the park near the Reichstag, Shirley suggested. Susan was coming there. She closed her phone, put it in her pocket and it rang again.

  “Shirley? This is Paul. How are you?”

  “Fine, thank you. And all of you?”

  “The children are enjoying themselves. There’s all sorts of activities for them, including the babies. We’re coming to Berlin tomorrow.”

  “It’s not necessary to come here for the celebrations,” Shirley said. “It won’t be the same as when the gates opened last year and it could get a bit rough. I don’t want the children around.”

  “We don’t plan to go to the Reichstag,” Paul replied. “Susan invited us to stay with them. We feel we have some affinity with Germany because of you, also because of Daniel, Susan, Stefan, Helen and Johann. Are you still with Johann and Helen?”

  “Yes. Are you sure, Paul? We’ll probably be home in a couple of days.”

  “Quite sure. We want to be at your concert. Connie wants to speak to you.”

  There was a pause before Connie came on the line. “Hello, Shirley. Is everything alright with you?”

  “Yes, thank you. It’s fine. You shouldn’t come to Berlin. You often hear me sing at my concerts. It won’t hurt you to miss one.”

  “We’re coming. They found the people who robbed the house. I don’t think it had anything to do with you. They’ve been involved in robberies before and evidently a few places near us have been robbed recently. I had heard of one but didn’t realise how many there were.”

  “That’s good,” Shirley said.

  “Being robbed?”

  “Definitely. Everyone enjoys that. Don’t come to Berlin.”

  “We’ll see you at the concert.”

  Shirley put the phone in her pocket eventually, her expression pensive. Hopefully by the time the family arrived everything would be straightened here but what would happen before that? She made her way to the Philharmonie and afterwards she, Susan and Helen shopped. When they finally separated Shirley rang Daniel to arrange a venue to pick him up.

  She did not say much while they ate though Daniel made a few efforts at conversation. For no reason, every reason and a reason he could not fathom he felt that Shirley was sad about something. Not because she gave any indication in her dealings with him. More of the way she looked when she did not realise he was looking. It was probably his imagination, he felt, but then maybe not. They had become very close since his return from East Germany eleven months previously.

  He said he would wash up after the meal and she accepted with alacrity. She wanted to look at the computer again and had not had any chance to do it during the day. Tomorrow she probably would not have time. Daniel
took the dishes through to the kitchen and she turned on her laptop.

  She studied each page carefully, her face screwed in concentration as she did so. The group who had been imprisoned she did not feel had planned to be involved in anything but she preferred them where they were, also their families. They could be in some danger and maybe so could Abel. But he had refused to go anywhere and it was his decision whether to accept protection or not.

  Of Gros she was not so sure despite him working for the government. He seemed to be on the level but she felt probably not despite the things he had given her. She wore the shoes now and had a mobile phone in one though not the phone he gave her. She had checked everything was in working order. She felt relatively prepared for anything.

  But her visit to Anna’s parents that morning had unnerved her though Daniel told her that what Rolf said about working for Intelligence was correct. She did not suspect them of trying to bring down the government or of any possible involvement in a coup. What she did feel was that there was more to them than was apparent. That more could bring her a lot of trouble, she knew.

  Daniel walked through after a while to sit next to her. “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “I’m fine,” she replied.

  “Did you do your shopping?”

  “Yes. I took the clothes to The Philharmonie. You’ll like them.”

  “I’m sure of that,” he said, putting his arm round her.

  “Will I see you in the intermission? I’ll need someone to wash my back.”

  “I shall be there like a streak of lightning.”

  “Singing always makes me want you.”

  “Your singing definitely makes me want you. Are you going to sing my song?”

  “Of course, plus a lot of new songs which I’ve written for an album. Susan says they’ve started a new project which has something to do with orphans in Russia. She’s going to bring me the gen tomorrow.”

  “Poverty, here we come,” Daniel said.

  “We don’t know the meaning of the word. Poverty to us is probably our last million. To many people it’s the last penny.”

  “Does that worry you?” Daniel asked.

  “Their plight does, not our money. We have a choice as to what we do with that.”