Tidal Shift

by Dora Heldt

  “Okay, I’ll think about the position in Bremen, and…” She stopped in surprise as she saw her parents’ house come into view. “What’s going on?”

  It was almost midnight, but the house was fully lit up. Heinz’s car was in the middle of the driveway, which was unusual, as he normally drove it straight into the garage. The key was still in the outside of the house door, and the back gate was wide open.

  “Something’s happened.” Christine undid her seat belt in a rush. “They’re usually asleep at this time.”

  Christine jumped out of the car before Johann had even turned off the engine, and she ran up to the front door. By the time she opened it, her fingers shaking, Johann was already behind her, putting his hand reassuringly on the small of her back.

  “Dad?” She rushed into the hallway. “Mom? Where are you?”

  “In the kitchen.” Heinz’s voice sounded the same as it always did. Christine took a deep breath and looked at Johann. He nodded and nudged her forward.

  Heinz was sitting at the kitchen table, Charlotte opposite him, and there was a bottle of Bullenschluck liquor and two glasses in front of them. They both looked up as Christine and Johann came in. Charlotte stood up.

  “Would you both like one too?”

  “What’s happened?” Having pictured an accident or some catastrophe, Christine sank down onto the bench in relief.

  “Bullenschluck.” Heinz lifted his head and looked at Johann. “It’s good stuff. Rummy and herbal. Sit down, Johann. It makes me nervous when you hover around like that. Have one. It was a dreadful evening.”

  Charlotte put two glasses on the table and sat back down. Heinz reached for the bottle and poured. After that, he made a fuss of screwing the cap back on and looked at Christine and Johann with a dramatic look on his face.

  “Inge was almost murdered.”

  “Heinz.” Charlotte pushed the glass toward her daughter. “It wasn’t that bad.”

  “Not that bad?” Indignant, he turned his head around. There was a large gauze bandage on the back of his head.

  “Dad!” Christine stared at his injury in shock. “What happened? Did you have an accident? And…”

  “Christine.” Her mother poured herself another measure. “It’s just a little cut, and it has nothing to do with Inge. Dad had a fall after the attack.”

  “Could I have one too?” Johann pushed his glass over to Charlotte.

  “Just a cut! I could have broken my neck. Then I would have been dead!” Heinz downed his glass in one go and shook his head in distaste. “This is intense stuff, this Bullenschluck.”

  “Could one of you please tell me what happened?” Christine was slowly losing her patience. She felt Johann’s warm hand on her back and leaned against it.

  “I fainted.” Heinz threw Charlotte a self-pitying look. “But luckily there was a doctor there. Dr. Keller from Wenningstedt. He gave me something for my circulation too.”

  “But why did you faint? And what happened to Inge?”

  “I fainted because of Inge. It was the shock.”

  “Dad!” Christine felt Johann’s hand stroking her back calmingly. “Could you just…”

  “A burglar broke into Inge’s apartment, through the living room window.”

  Charlotte had lost her patience now, too, and couldn’t wait for her husband’s explanation. “Inge heard something and went to see what was going on. Luckily she had called Dad on the way, but before she could say anything, she ran right into the door, presumably because it was dark in the room. Then she passed out. She has a concussion.”

  Johann’s hand stopped stroking Christine’s back. “Is she in the hospital?”

  “I heard this tremendous crash and immediately knew that something was wrong. I mean, you see that kind of thing on TV, people becoming witnesses to a crime over the phone…”

  Christine gave Heinz a warning look. Then Charlotte turned to Johann and answered, “Yes. They want to keep her there for a day or two. It’s for the best. She had quite a shock.”

  “And so did I. I fainted and cut the back of my head. But luckily it didn’t need stitches.” Heinz touched his bandage gently. “I don’t think that was your average burglar. There’s more behind it, believe you me. Inge was attacked.”

  “You watch too much TV.” Charlotte stood up and fetched a water glass from the cabinet. “Inge can’t even remember what happened. She’s still in shock. And the man fled immediately. He didn’t even steal anything. Despite the fact that her handbag was on the sofa. He could easily have taken it with him.”

  “Exactly.” Heinz waved his index finger around in front of his wife. “He didn’t want to steal anything. That shows there’s something else behind it. It might have to do with how strange Inge has been acting recently. Maybe she’s gotten herself mixed up with some dangerous people. Who knows? She’s certainly been behaving oddly enough. These things can happen quickly. You meet someone, and suddenly you’re involved with the Russian mafia or drugs or…”

  “Dad, that’s enough. It sounds like a normal break-in to me. I’m sure the guy thought that it was worth taking a look to see what was around. After all, there are some rich people in Kampen.”

  “And the bag? Why didn’t he steal it?”

  “Because Inge disturbed him. He panicked and fled.”

  Heinz shook his head in disbelief. “Do you believe that, Johann?”

  Johann nodded. “I’m sure the police will—”

  “I don’t believe it. There’s no way it was a coincidence. My gut tells me that Inge is in trouble. By the way, does anyone know this Renate woman?”

  “Yes,” Johann and Christine answered in chorus. Heinz looked up in alarm.

  “You do? Where from?”

  “The beach sauna.” Johann’s voice was calm and reassuring. Christine laid her hand on his knee. “We ran into Inge and Renate there this afternoon.”

  “And?” Heinz’s voice was vibrating with tension. “Tell us then, what’s she like?”

  Johann’s answer was perfectly composed. “She didn’t seem like a criminal. Just a little…extroverted.”

  “There you go.”

  Christine looked at her father. He nodded triumphantly and pressed his lips together.

  “Well, she’s clearly a bad influence on Inge. I knew it.”

  Charlotte got up and put her glass in the dishwasher. “I’m going to bed. And, Heinz, before you start planning your next detective mission, may I remind you of what happened on Norderney last summer. You made enough of a fool of yourself then—don’t start up again. Just go brush your teeth and go to bed.”

  Christine put her hand on her father’s arm. “Johann said extrovert, not criminal. Your imagination is running away with you again. Wait to see what the police say and just be happy that nothing more serious happened to Inge. Johann and I will go to the hospital first thing tomorrow morning and see how she’s doing. I’m sure everything’s fine.”

  “Yes, I’m sure you’re right.”

  But his facial expression said otherwise. Johann leaned over. “It’s much more likely that it was a junkie who needed money. The break-in doesn’t exactly sound professional. There’s clearly no organization behind it—take comfort in that.”

  Heinz looked at them with an inscrutable expression on his face. Then he breathed out, long and slow, and asked, “Another Bullenschluck?”

  Johann locked the car and looked over at the hospital building. “Your parents could at least have written down the wing and room number for us.”

  “We’ll just have to ask. I don’t understand why they didn’t wait for us though.”

  When they had come down to the kitchen shortly before midday, there was a note waiting for them on the kitchen table.

  We’ve gone to the hospital (ten o’clock). You can come join us if you want. Mom. When you finally get up, that is. D.

  The night before, Christine and Johann had passed on the last Bullenschluck and gone upstairs. Christine was preoccupied wi
th concern for Inge and anxiety about the argument with Johann. As soon as they reached their room, he sat down on the sofa and said, “I’m just grateful that you refrained from saying that this is what happens when people try to change things.” After that, they talked until three o’clock in the morning trying to find a compromise. Christine promised to think seriously about his suggestions over the next few days, and in turn, Johann promised to leave her in peace while she did. By the time they woke up the next morning, things felt a lot better between them.

  The hospital porter told them the wing and room number. After getting lost twice, they finally found it and knocked on the door.

  Inge was in a single room. She lifted her head briefly as Johann and Christine walked in, then let it drop again, closing her eyes.

  “Oh, thank God, it’s you two.”

  “What on earth have you been getting up to, Aunt Inge?” Christine laid a bunch of flowers next to two vases with other bouquets and sat down on a chair. “You gave as a real scare.”

  Johann sat down on the other chair. Inge stretched her hand out in greeting.

  “Hello, Johann. Hello, Christine. Well, I had a real scare too. But it’s even worse today than yesterday.”

  Christine leaned in closer. “Why? Is the pain that bad? I’m sure they can give you something for it.”

  Inge shook her head. “No. Not for this they can’t.”

  Reports about post-traumatic depression suddenly came to Christine’s mind. Her aunt had been attacked, in a strange apartment, and in the midst of a midlife crisis to boot. And only her phone call to Heinz had saved her. It was a terrible experience for her.

  “Have the police found any clues?”

  Christine gave a start at Johann’s abrupt question and took Inge’s hand to comfort her, but her aunt immediately pulled it away again.

  “What is there for them to find? After all, the burglar didn’t steal anything, so they’ll probably never find out who it was. But, Christine, if your father’s corpse ends up being found on the floor of the hospital, then I’m the culprit. Just in case they ask you.”

  “Oh, come on, now you’re being unfair. If he hadn’t come out, you would have been lying there unconscious in the apartment for hours on end.”

  Inge looked at her with a frown. “Bull! I don’t have a fractured skull. It’s just a light concussion. I would have woken up again of my own accord. But Heinz had to make such a fuss! And then he goes and faints like an old washer-woman just so he can be the center of attention.”

  Christine wondered whether this behavior was the result of complications from the head injury. She just didn’t understand why her aunt was getting so worked up. It had to be that, surely. Cautiously, she reached for Inge’s hand. But again without success.

  “Your father has been telling every staff member, patient, and visitor he sees just how incredible his act of rescue was. He’s telling everyone I was in mortal danger. I think he wants to get into the paper or something. Every two minutes someone comes in here just to get a look at me, and he’s always there, too, standing behind them and smiling. I’m going to go crazy here if it carries on like this. And I’ve got a headache.”

  “So where is he now?” Johann had leaned forward slightly. “We can take him home with us if that would help.”

  “That’s sweet of you, but luckily Charlotte still has her wits about her. She seized him by the collar and hauled him out. She went around the block with him and is going to bring me some chocolate on her way back. She said it would help my nerves.”

  At that moment there was a knock at the door, and a second later it was flung open. A voice bellowed out from behind a huge bouquet of flowers, “Inge, for heaven’s sake, I almost had a heart attack when I heard. I thought you were on the mainland and…Oh, hello, you’ve already got visitors.”

  Renate, dressed completely in black, shoved the bouquet into Christine’s arms with the words, “Here, find a vase for these,” then she practically threw herself onto the bed in sheer compassion for Inge.

  “I was coming round to bring you a little something before you set off, then Petra told me the shocking news. I felt so sick when I heard. My knees went all shaky, and I broke out in a cold sweat…I mean, think what could have happened. You could have been killed! Did you have valuables in the apartment? I always lock everything up in the safe. It’s the only way to do things, as I’m sure you’ll agree now. The world is a bad place, you know, but everyone gets lulled into a false sense of security, thinking things are still fine on Sylt. Then something like this happens. Did you notice any clues? Have the police caught them yet? What was stolen?”

  There was another knock at the door. Christine, who was still holding Renate’s flowers, kept quiet, while Renate turned to the door. “Hello. Who are you? Frau Müller already has visitors.”

  Inge groaned.

  “Hello, Mom. Hi, Dad. I’m just fetching a vase.” Christine went past her parents, but not without a quick glance at her father, who was staring at Renate with his eyes wide.

  “Hello. Are you from the police?”

  Renate paused for a moment and then flung her hair back with a flourish, flicking some of it into Charlotte’s face. She burst out laughing.

  “Police? Do I look like a policewoman? Please.” To emphasize her point, she leaned wantonly against Inge’s bed frame and stretched her hand out toward Heinz. “You must be Inge’s brother. I’m Renate. Lovely to meet you.”

  Heinz shook her hand with fervor and answered in his most charming voice. “Very lovely indeed. We’ve already heard a lot of good things about you. Is this your first time on Sylt?”

  Christine came back with a plastic bucket in her arms. She had shoved the flowers into it unceremoniously. She pushed past Heinz and Renate and put the bucket on the floor. “There aren’t any vases here for bouquets like that.”

  Renate looked at the arrangement disapprovingly. “That just won’t do. I’ll ask the staff right away.” She turned back to Heinz, fluttering her eyelashes. “Not my first time, no, but it’s been a long time. Too long.”

  Inge had sat upright in bed. “Renate, may I introduce my sister-in-law, Charlotte, my brother’s wife? Charlotte, this is Renate. We met at the spa.”

  Renate nodded curtly, then gave Christine a long, hard stare. “I’ll go and arrange a proper vase. The flowers were far too expensive to be shoved in some cleaning bucket like that.” She disappeared, leaving a cloud of perfume behind her. Heinz sniffed the air as she left.

  “Oh, by the way.” Johann had vacated the seat and was now perched on the windowsill. “There are chairs here. Don’t you want to sit down?”

  “Oh, I’m fine.” Heinz leaned casually against the wall. “I’m okay standing. But maybe Mom or Renate want to sit down. Charlotte?”

  “I’m sure Renate will be happy standing there with you.” Charlotte sat down and laid a half-pound bar of chocolate on the table. “Come on, Inge, open it up. I need some now too.”

  Heinz was oblivious to his wife’s tone. “So that’s your friend Renate—she’s not how I imagined her. She’s actually really nice.”

  Inge broke the bar through the middle with a violent crack and held some out to Charlotte. “Have as much as you want,” she said. “It’ll help.”

  Inge was already shoving huge pieces of it into her mouth as she spoke. Another knock came. Till, one hand held by his mother, and the other holding a little bunch of flowers, came into the room.

  “Frau Müller! Are you really sick?”

  Christine sat down next to Johann on the windowsill and watched as Aunt Inge stretched out her arms joyfully. “Oh, how lovely, it’s my little friend. Hello, Till. Hello, Anika. How did you know I was here?”

  “We kept phoning your cell, but no one answered, and I said to Mom that we should drive to your place, to where you’re staying. I’ve got tickets to the aquarium. And you have to come with us.”

  Till sat down on the bed and laid the flowers gently on the blanket
.

  His mother looked at Inge apologetically. “We just kept getting voice mail. I was worried.” There was something questioning about her gaze. “And I had to go to Kampen anyway, so I did a quick detour past Petra’s to find out what was going on. Once we found out, Till wanted to come straight here.”

  “So, are you? Are you really sick?” Till’s voice sounded impatient.

  Inge stroked his head. “No, Till, I’ll be able to go home soon. And then I’d love to visit the aquarium with you.”

  He beamed at her. “Because they have these really big—”

  “Hello, who do we have here then?” Renate came into the room heaving a seemingly incredibly heavy vase, which she set down on the windowsill with a groan. “This is turning into a real party. I’m Inge’s friend, Renate.”

  “Anika Jakob. And this is my son, Till. Which reminds me, I haven’t even properly introduced myself.” She shook hands with Heinz, Renate, and Charlotte and nodded to Christine and Johann with a nervous smile. “I forgot my manners amid all the excitement.”

  Heinz looked Anika up and down. “Weren’t you there, in Kampen, when my sister, well, how should I put it?”

  “Right then, Frau Müller.” The doctor was trying in vain to get the door open; Renate was blocking it. Charlotte took another piece of chocolate.

  “What’s going on here?” He just about managed to squeeze into the room. “We need to examine you again, so it would be helpful if your visitors could wait outside for a moment.”

  “All of us?” Heinz positioned himself in front of his sister’s bed. “I’m her brother.”

  “Heinz, for heaven’s sake!” Inge sat up straight. “Go and save someone else for a minute, will you? You can buy Till something to drink. Till, I’m sure you’re thirsty.”

  He looked at his mother, who nodded. “Sure, go ahead, we’ll wait in the hallway.”

  There was a bit of pushing and shoving until everyone was out of the room, then the door closed behind them. Heinz marched off to the nearest vending machine with Till. Renate hesitated, looked at the others, then hurried after them. Anika watched them go.