Jack made a few notes during my recollections of that fateful night, but I doubt if I was telling him anything new. He had the police files and I was sure that he would have read my story before taking the case on. However, they both listened intently, only interrupting on the odd occasion when they wanted me to elaborate on a detail they thought I might have forgotten.
Mary was interested in the driver who was about to murder me before I ran off. My description of him had been detailed, but when I was shown pictures of likely suspects at the police station, I drew a blank.
“Although the German is the mastermind behind the crime, it appears as though he and the others get the driver to do all the dirty work for them,” Mary observed. “And we think that we’re looking for some sort of cult that may have chapters in all the major cities of the world.”
“Or it might be just one group that hops from country to country when the going gets tough,” Jack pointed out.
Either way, I didn’t think that I could be unlucky enough to run into the same psycho twice, so I was beginning to feel quite relaxed about the situation. If they had already murdered in Berlin the chances were that they had moved to another country to stay one step ahead of the law.
“I have to go back to Dennis’s flat to get my stuff, which could be awkward,” I said, changing the subject.
“Beth, I’ll go with you after dinner. What do you need to pick up?”
“Well there’s my passport for a start and my clothes. I’ve got nothing to wear!” I said.
“Let me show you your room,” Mary said, jumping to her feet. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”
The tall detective led the way down the hall to a small, but cosy room which had obviously been prepared for me. I was amazed when I opened the wardrobe, to find that she had already bought a few things for me to wear.
“I guessed you were an 8 from your photo,” Mary said, while hanging around for my reaction.
I didn’t mind her watching me change, so I went right ahead and slipped out of my old blouse, before searching the rail of the ancient free standing wardrobe. I decided to leave my faded jeans on, but chose a blue blouse from the selection that Mary had purchased. I began to warm to the older woman, whose fashion sense was bang up to date.
“It’s great Mary, thanks for thinking of me,” I said.
“I’ll make the dinner. Here, use my phone to ring Dennis. Tell him we’ll be over at 2 o’clock.” I took the phone. “Tell Dennis that you’re on probation and that you won’t be able to go back to live with him for a while. It’s really important that you avoid unnecessary contact with him until you return from Berlin.”
“Sure, I’ll tell him, but he’s a belligerent bastard. When he hears I’m out, he’s going to want me back.”
“Maybe not. You’ve been inside for 6 months. He may… He may well, er, have a new partner!” Mary suggested, hesitantly.
“Partner! Is that what you call me? More like a piece of property!” I scoffed and then fell silent.
The thought that Dennis might have shacked up with someone else shocked me more than I would have expected. Most of the phone conversations I’d had with him had been fairly short and sweet, but he’d always said that he and the boys were missing me. The visits were always uncomfortable affairs, because he hated being anywhere near a prison, and he always talked more about the boys than he did about our relationship!
“I’ll make the dinner,” Mary said, realizing that I was wrestling with the Dennis problem.
Once she’d left, I emptied the contents of my bag on the single bed and put my old mobile on charge. It had been sitting in a box for nearly six months, so I hoped it would work. I sat down on the bed and fiddled with Mary’s phone until I worked out how to dial a number.
Dennis answered on the third ring.