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REQUIEM FOR A POET -SAMPLE

It was a crisp autumn Sunday morning at 8.00 am when Crump drove in Magdeburg and booked into The Europa hotel in the centre where he bought a street map of the town.

Crump retrieved the paper on which David had listed the seven names and addresses. Other than Stavross Beans, the other six were in Magdeburg which was not a large place. ‘This is going to be a doddle’, thought Crump. Made weary by the travelling, Crump spent the rest of that Sunday casually wondering around the city, taking in some sights then went to bed early.

At 11.30 that night, Hans Lenk, the regional Stasi senior officer picked up the phone to an officer in the national headquarters.

“Yes.” Came the annoyed response from the voice on the other end of the line.

“I’m sorry to disturb you at this hour but the instructions on file are that you are to be notified immediately.”

“About what?”

“Our border personnel report that this afternoon one Perry Crump crossed the check point early this morning. Who Perry Crump is we don’t yet know but he works for Dextra Enterprises, Florida, USA who the other one worked for in the Nathan Paulson matter. He flew into Hannover and rented a car there rather than Berlin presumably to make his get away quicker. He’s booked into The Europa hotel in Magdeburg. What do you want me to do, haul him in?”

The voice paused. “No. Let him run but have him followed twenty four hours a day. I want to know where he goes, who he talks to, what and where he eats everything. If he farts, I want to know. Also put out a full alert for any Mossad operatives entering the country. In the mean time put the Hennig sisters onto Crump to see if they can find out anything. I want this mess cleared up once and for all, it cost me a close friend some years ago.”

Rested and refreshed on Monday morning, Crump set about his task. Two of the addresses were close together on the other side of town. Rather than drive, Crump chose the walk along the footpath on the banks of the Elbe River.

Peter Nordmann, Nathan’s partner, and the Blohms lived in apartments in the old part of town. Peter Nordmann, Crump was told, had died ten years previously. “Did he have any surviving family?” Crump asked. “No,” came the reply. Crump detected a guarded reluctance bordering on fear in the man to answer his questions.

A middle aged man strode up to Crump with an air of authority verging on belligerence. Crump turned to face the man head on.

“What are you doing?” the man asked.

“I’m in Magdeburg on business and looking up some people. Who are you?”

The man looked astonished that anyone would have the audacity to ask such a question. Without another word, he turned around and walked away.

As Crump walked to the Blohm’s apartment he became aware that he was being followed but his follower was none too subtle about it. As he entered the Blohm’s building, the tail was joined by a younger man. They followed Crump as he made his way to the Blohm’s apartment where they stopped at some distance from him. They had a menacing presence but made no move towards Crump. As Crump knocked on the door the younger man came over to Crump.

“Can we help you?” the man asked Crump politely.

“I’m looking for the Blohms who live or lived here.”

“They don’t live here any more.”

“Do you know where they are now?”

“No.” replied the man as his facial expression changed to that of mockery and amusement.

The two occupants of the apartment starred blankly at Crump from behind the door which they held ajar.

Clearly Crump was not going to get any further so he thanked the man for his ‘help’, and left.

Crump made his way back to his hotel.

That afternoon he used the Hotel’s commercial directory and made a list of those companies he could call on in his capacity as an importer exporter.

After his evening meal at his hotel, Crump stayed at his table and drank a leisurely beer. The place was beginning to fill up.

Two girls came over to Crump and asked if they may join his table. Crump had no objection. They introduced themselves as Elsa and her sister Lisa. When they discovered that Crump was English they insisted in practising their English. They asked what Crump was doing in Magdeburg. He replied by saying that he was on business, import and export and he came from Florida. There followed conversation which Crump took to be genuine interest by them about life in the USA, the state of business, what he thought of Magdeburg etc.

Although their similarity in looks left no doubt that they were sisters, Crump noticed the particular gestures of affection that they displayed to each other. The way they touched each other, one would touch the bare arm of the other but then gently run the fingers down the exposed skin. They would laugh at each others jokes then rest the head on other’s shoulder, looking lovingly into each others eyes, sneak a look at each others cleavages etc. This did not go unnoticed by some of the other customers. It seemed that they were more than sisters, they were also lovers. Even so, thought Crump, it takes all kinds to make a world and they were good company.

Elsa began to rub her forehead and stared blankly at the table. Lisa asked if she was alright. Elsa shook her head and explained that she had had a bug that was doing the rounds and was feeling dizzy.

“I’ll take her home, please excuse us, Perry.”

Elsa was almost out of her chair, when she stumbled. Crump and Lisa steadied her.

“Could you help me to get her home?” Asked Lisa. “We only live around the corner.”

“Of course.” Replied Crump.

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