“I’m sorry, Lotte ... I was just so frustrated yesterday. You were right, of course you’re right when you say that Lars is wildly stressed! It was very fortunate he was there for you when you slipped in the shower. He found you passed out in a pool of your blood.”
Lotte had tears in her eyes now but not because she was in the hospital and not because Marie was so sweet. It was because she knew that Lars had lied to both Marie and the doctors and now she had to go along with the lie. She just nodded and that was the moment that Lars came humming into the room.
“Well, here we have the Guardian Angel Marie and the little klutz. How are you this morning, sweetheart?”
His voice was cheerful, but Lotte knew him well enough to hear the underlying hint of sarcasm.
“Marie was coming up to you when I called the ambulance. She had forgotten her purse and had gone all the way home before she realized. She was lucky I was there to let her in or she may never have seen you again.”
A strange and eerie mood settled in the room. There was so much wrong with what Lars had just said; his words hovered in the air and made the two women feel quite uncomfortable. Marie avoided looking at Lars, but Lotte tried to catch his eye while he tried to make eye contact with Marie; he wanted her to confirm what he had just said.
Having failed with that, he turned and stood behind Marie and began to massage her shoulders.
“She sat with you all night, Lotte. I think she was afraid of losing you.”
Marie stood up and turned to Lars and Lotte saw that she was tense, seeming embattled, but then she drew a deep breath. Perhaps she had seen through him, thought Lotte.
“Yes, I was afraid of losing Lotte. You never know with head injuries and it’s very dangerous to get hurt when one is alone.”
Something lay hidden beneath the words. A threat? Lotte felt confused. Why would Marie threaten Lars?
“It’s okay, Marie. I’m so grateful that Lars found me and got me to the hospital, and I’m so thankful that you were with me when I woke up. I would be dead if it were not for Lars.”
She tried to smile, but she had a terrible headache; she whimpered slightly, and suddenly felt very, very tired. Marie leaned over the bed and took her hand.
“I have an offer for you two, something that I think you really need right now. I’m going on a working holiday; I need to go to Bali and Hong Kong to sort out some papers, and have some meetings about my property. Lotte needs to rest to get well again so I would like to invite you both on a week’s holiday to Bali. I will pay for everything.”
Lotte gasped and tried to sit up, but had to lie down again. She became dizzy at the thought of Marie’s offer. “But ...” was all she could say, and then she broke down in tears. Lars too appeared to be nonplussed.
“It’s really sweet and generous of you, Marie. I would love to go, but I need to make sure I can fit it in my schedule. I really hope we can go so thank you!”
Lars gave her a charming smile before adding, “I’m sorry, but I have to go now. Work calls.” He kissed Lotte on the forehead and smiled at her. “See you tonight, honey. Take care of yourself.”
Then he was out the door. Lotte was still crying, but she managed to say “thank you, thank you” as she sobbed. Now it was impossible to tell Marie what really had happened. She felt really bad lying to her friend, but there was nothing to do about it.
“So, you want to go?” Marie looked at her as if she was unsure of what Lotte wished to do and Lotte nodded with a comfortable tiny smile. A small gesture that would not provoke pain.
“I can’t smile, it hurts too much. Sorry. I am really pleased at the thought going to Bali. But, Marie, it’s too much. I can never pay you back!”
“Pay me back? Lotte, if I can’t share what I have with the people who mean the most to me, then it’s all worthless. You and I, we share our thoughts, feelings, friendship.” She laughed and her eyes beamed and Lotte could not help but laugh, even if it hurt.
22
Lars was in a great mood when we met at the airport. We had decided to meet early and have lunch and do some shopping before our departure. He spoke loudly and with much fuss about his other trips and emphasized the funny experiences as if he had been asked to entertain the whole airport. He was trying to make Lotte and me laugh, but he was a little too committed, and our response sounded artificial and awkward. The situation resembled a bad stand up comedian in prison; the audience couldn’t just leave.
He claimed he was a very well-traveled man who had mastered all aspects of it. He splayed his arms as though flying while he described in detail his suitcase packing strategy, and all the people he’d met who couldn’t understand how their suitcases had suddenly shrunk and no longer appeared to fit all of their clothes. “It’s as though the dirt in the clothes took up valuable suitcase space!” he said and it might have been amusing but Lars was not funny. He was an arrogant and violent bastard and it was hard to find amusement in his stories.
He made fun of people who couldn’t find their gate, and stood at the cafe and walked around in circles with stiff legs and his arms bent like a T-Rex, as he looked up and nodded his head like a hen. Maybe it would have been funny had he been a good person, but he just reminded me of a wind up monkey clashing some tinny cymbals. I was like the onlookers, just waiting for the mechanism to die down.
A father sat nearby with his three children, grinning with slight amusement at Lars and, unfortunately, this only served to encourage him. Lars did his best to continue acting like a fool and a little girl asked her mother why the man was acting like a chicken. This reminded me of the Indonesian word jayus, which refers to a joke that is so badly told one can’t help but laugh anyway. Lars was a jayus.
But every joke has an ending and Lars was no exception. His assault was unacceptable and his life flowed like water in a bucket with a hole. I would pump the last of his life out of him in Bali. Or rather, his heart would pump the last of his life out of him.
Lotte looked at him, then to me, her cheeks blushing. It was obvious that she was embarrassed by the way he was behaving, but he thought she was embarrassed with herself and asked her not to feel so unsure. She should not be worried since she had two experienced fellow travelers! He bought a glass of champagne to go with her lunch thinking that it would relax her, but it appeared to have the opposite effect. Her body was tensed with discomfort around him, a muscle memory from his violence towards her even though Lotte attempted to dismiss the seriousness of his assaults
I love the airport. It’s a pocket of time where all responsibilities bleed away and there is only a single task one must attend to: wait. People who are waiting have a certain nervous vibration around them. They constantly glance at their watch or phone, change position, eat, drink and otherwise behave restlessly as they are waiting to catch their flight. Others shift into a relaxed gear, they lean back and maybe doze off. A girl might rest her head on her boyfriend’s shoulder and some sit quietly enjoying a book or engage in casual conversation. My travel companions appeared to be in the first category.
When Lars was finished entertaining the others he got up and walked nervously to a sunglasses shop, where he stood and looked at the displays with a distracted gaze, while he ran his fingers through his hair. Lotte said she wanted a new bikini so I suggested we look in the airport while we waited, but Lotte thought they might be cheaper in Bali. The problem with that is Balinese women are much smaller than Scandinavian women and the bikinis we could find for Lotte there would be like a string across sausage.
We found a swimwear shop and as we looked at different options it became apparent to me what a struggle Lotte was in, suffering the throes of an internal battle. The two parts of her fought furiously - wild woman and nice girl – as she considered two bikinis. One was a discreet beige with no pattern and it would cover as much as possible; no one was liable to confuse her for a wild child in that. The othe
r had a jungle pattern in vivid green and pink which sought hide as little as possible. This would be a beacon to attract and invite anyone in her vicinity.
Lotte was of two minds and as she looked imploringly at me I could see the woman she could be pushing to the surface. Then Lars interfered. With an ultra-sarcastic tone and a shrug of the shoulders he was there to put her in her place.
“Go with the beige. I think you have to be much more interesting to go with the jungle one. You would just look like a clown and that would be a pity for you. I want you to be happy, but you would regret buying a wild bikini!”
Lotte paid for the beige colored bikini with red cheeks and bright eyes as no one said anything else. We stood in a bubble of silence in the otherwise bustling and noisy airport. When we had finished shopping and walked towards the gate, I asked the others to forgive me and just meet me down at the gate, I had just forgotten something.
Lotte looked at me like a little girl whose mother had just walked away; for a moment I felt irritation over her insecurity. I ignored the pleading look and went back to the swimwear shop to buy the jungle patterned bikini, but just when I was about to go into the store something caught my eye. It was not the movement of an awaiting passenger; this person did not belong here. I looked again and was annoyed to discover it was Weeble.
He didn’t hide and probably would be pleased to know that I’d seen him. He absent mindedly adjusted his pants which had slipped too far below his belly. I continued walking towards him adjusting my expression to a neutral one and letting my body language find an “I am calm and innocent” attitude.
He was standing outside a watch shop and admired the tasteless yet expensive pieces. Then he looked up as though he were just discovering my presence; I know the type. They know nothing about power, yet they try to use the silly advice they read in books with titles like ‘Use body language to reveal criminals’.
He shifted his weight and put his hands on the back of his pants and angled his body so he could peruse all the different watches on display. Not even third rate actors could play so badly. I almost laughed but controlled myself, knowing that I was the smarter of us two. I’d let him believe he’d won as I went to stand beside him.
“You must be a great police officer if you can afford such a watch!”
“Detective,” he corrected me, and again I was just about to laugh at his pathetic ego. I thought of his partner, the delicious dark one with the bedroom eyes that spoke to me with sex in his voice. I wished that it was he who was interested in me and not the pathetic Weeble standing there right then.
“Where’s your buddy? Philippe or whatever his name was?”
He rocked a little on his feet before saying:
“I know what you’ve done, Marie.”
“Oh, I’ve done many things.” I said in a cheeky and fresh tone, and smiled at him.
“I’m talking about Verner … and Mikael.”
I looked at him, measured him, and had to give in to the temptation to tease him.
“So, are you here to arrest me? That’s going to affect my holiday plans very badly…”
He interrupted me.
“Stop your bullshit. You’re not fooling me. And frankly if I were here to arrest you I would have already done it.”
Yeah, right, I thought.
“I had something else in mind. I was thinking of retiring to Thailand soon. At your expense.”
He was not a man of tact nor was he burdened with an abundance of intelligence and no God had found favor to bestow him with charm. He was a dim witted man who was lucky enough to have a bit of information fall in his lap. The only thing, I’m sure, to have spent any time there.
But right then I had to deal with Peter Hansen and a crude plan took shape in my head. For the time being it would have to do.
“I am, as you’ve probably already surmised, about to make my flight. But I’ll be in Hong Kong for a week or two on business. Can we meet at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel? I have a part of my business and finances in Hong Kong so we can make a deal and there’s nothing to be traced. I am very cooperative.”
I looked searchingly at his face to see if he was as dumb as I suspected and hoped. He was not cunning nor suspicious and he looked quite confident, but a small alarm rang uneasily in my head. I chose to ignore it since I had other things to think about right then.
“How do I know that you will be there?”
“I’m in Bali for a week and then I travel to Hong Kong. I’ll book and pay for a room in your name for the two weeks I plan to be there and I’ll leave a message at the front desk when I arrive. I’m interested in learning what you think you’ve discovered … and how you came upon it. I’m sure arrangements can be made to benefit us both.”
“Well don’t think about trying anything with me.”
“I have no interest in killing you because I don’t need to. You can rest easy.”
I looked him straight in the eye with a fixed gaze although it was hard to look at him because he triggered strong revulsion in me. I kept his eyes on mine so that he could feel that I meant what I said.
He nodded and he was mine. I sighed imperceptibly. If someone like him could dig up information that might implicate me in my crimes then anyone could. I needed to get this information from him, but it was naïve if he thought I would allow a potential threat to me to go running around Thailand.
I reached my hand out to him and we shook. The agreement was sealed, just like Peter Hansen’s fate. Now I had to wash my hands.
23
Bali’s hot air was like a heavy, physical and all-embracing hug. I stopped outside the airport building, ignoring all the men with big smiles who implored me to take their taxi.
“Give me a moment,” I said to Lotte and Lars; I closed my eyes and breathed in the Bali air.
From the moment I set foot in Bali I sense the slower pace. I enjoy the energy as it fills a room and I feel whole, more connected and stronger. My heartbeat slows, and I feel the calm overtake my senses.
I took a deep breath and inhaled the characteristically sweet scent of Bali. This time was no different. I felt a warm and fuzzy feeling in my chest when I thought that Lotte was here with me. It meant something to me and I froze for a moment for fear of the unfamiliar feeling. I was happy for Lotte and this sentiment was not an emotion I was used to experiencing. I opened my eyes and looked at Lotte, she seemed astonished.
“You look very happy, Marie. I think Bali does something really great for you.”
“Oh yes. In so many ways Bali just makes everything wonderful.” I smiled at her and tried to ignore Lars’ rolling his eyes and making his little “pfff” sound.
“Why don’t you live here?” she asked.
“Because the magic would disappear. It’s like a close friend. You have to spend some time apart, to really enjoy their company. We need to leave each other to fall in love over again. That’s how Bali is for me.”
Lars was a few steps ahead of us, negotiating with a guy for a taxi to the hotel. He seemed wary and a bit aggressive. I walked over to him and put my hand on Lars’ arm.
“I speak a little Indonesian. I’m sure of your great negotiating skills, but I can get us a better deal because of the language. Would it be okay?” I asked.
Lars was irritated but gave a wave of his hand that indicated it was okay.
I looked around and tried to determine which of the men who might be Balinese and not who was from nearby Java.
One of the guys stood out. His nose was very wide and flat, one of the Balinese characteristics and he had numerous, large stoned rings on his fat fingers. Choosing Balinese people over others is my little rebellion against the forces that are taking over the island, both culturally and mentally. I walked over to him and greeted him in Balinese and his face lit up. In his own language he offered me a warm welcome and then we quickly fo
und a good, fair price for the journey to the hotel.
I had decided to show the lovebirds a bit of Bali before we went up to the north side of the island where we hopefully, and according to my plan, wouldn’t have to travel quite as much. While we drove to the hotel, I enjoyed the familiar sights, and watched the small villages where there always seemed to be a ceremony going on. The Balinese Hindus always find a reason to have ceremony, with religious offerings at temples followed by a celebration of eating and talking together. If there wasn’t a day appointed to a celebration there was either a wedding or a funeral and the Balinese love their feasts.
Many villages have a temple along the roadside, decorated with very tall and thin poled umbrellas in white or yellow, adorned with fringes on the edge. All houses, whether made from bamboo with a corrugated iron roof to a grand house with a large courtyard, have their own small temple where offerings are made every day. The larger houses have very detailed carved stones depicting deities in different shapes and sizes. These are flanked by ornaments that signal respect for the spirit world, as the Balinese not only have a reverence for heaven but also the deep relationships between people here on earth.
Often there are two entrances into a home, one a simple door for guests who will enter and be greeted by a smiling Buddha-like God carved in stone. The god is there to greet the guests and welcome them as well as to bring good luck for the guest and the residents. The second entrance is of wood and is really high and painted red with lots of ornaments, and just beyond the huge ornamental door there is a stone wall. The visual jumble on the door will attract evil spirits approaching the house and, because evil spirits can’t move diagonally, they will walk through the door and meet the stone wall, causing them turn around and disappear. Because evil spirits are known to be attracted to ornaments and decorations, they will ignore or overlook the simple door which is used as the main entrance for all earth-bound individuals.
Dead Men (Marie and Lotte Book 1) Page 14
