Snow White Must Die (Bodenstein & Kirchhoff, #4)(134)

“Well, that was fast,” Cosima said sharply. “So you’ve already written off the whole marriage.”

Oliver sighed.

“No, it wasn’t me,” he said. “It was you. I merely accepted your decision, the way I’ve always done. And now I’m trying to figure out the new situation. You’ve chosen another man, and I can’t do anything about that. But I intend to keep on living in spite of it.”

For a second he considered telling Cosima about spending the night with Nicola. He remembered some pointed remarks that Cosima had made about Nicola, since she knew he was working with his ex. But that would have been a cheap shot and beneath him.

“Alexander and I work together,” Cosima said. “I haven’t ‘chosen’ him, as you put it.”

Oliver continued stacking his shirts in the suitcases.

“But maybe he’s a better fit for you than I ever was.” He looked up. “Why, Cosima? Have there been so few adventures in your life?”

“No, that’s not it.” She shrugged. “There isn’t any reasonable explanation. And no excuse for it either. Alex simply crossed my path at the wrong time. I was so pissed off at you on Mallorca.”

“So you just jumped into bed with him. Because you were pissed off at me.” Oliver shook his head and closed one of the suitcases. He straightened up. “Well, that’s just great.”

“Oliver, please don’t throw everything away.” Cosima pleaded. “I made a mistake, I know. And I’m truly sorry. But there are so many things that still bind us.”

“And even more that divide us,” he replied. “I will never be able to trust you again, Cosima. And I cannot and will not live without trust.”

Bodenstein left her standing there and went into the bathroom across the hall. He closed the door behind him, undressed, and got in the shower. Under the hot water his cramped muscles relaxed and the tension eased a bit. His thoughts drifted to the previous night and then to the many nights to come in his life. Never again would he lie awake tormenting himself with worry about what Cosima was doing on the other side of the globe, whether things were going well, whether she was in danger, had had an accident, or was even in bed with another guy. It surprised him that this new scenario did not make him feel melancholy, only deeply relieved. He could no longer live according to Cosima’s rules of the game. In fact, he decided at this very moment never to live according to any rules but his own.

* * *



He hoped that they hadn’t arrived too late, but they had been waiting for less than fifteen minutes in the car when the black Mercedes drove up and stopped briefly in front of the spike-topped gate of the Terlinden plant. As if by magic the gate slid to one side. The brake lights of the Mercedes went out as it moved forward.

“Okay, go!” said Tobias. They jumped out of the car, ran like mad, and just made it through the gate before it closed. The gatehouse was empty. At night only the cameras watched the grounds. There hadn’t been any security service for quite a while, as Tobias had learned from his friend Michael, who worked at the Terlinden plant. Had worked, he corrected himself. Now Michael was in the slammer, just like J?rg and Felix and Nadia.

A light snowfall had started. Silently they followed the tire tracks that Terlinden’s Mercedes had left. Tobias slowed down a bit. Amelie’s hand felt ice cold in his. During the days of her imprisonment she had lost a lot of weight, and was really too weak to take part in an escapade like this. But she had insisted on coming with him. Without speaking they walked past the big workshops. When they turned the corner they saw the lights go on in the top floor of the administration building. Near the front entrance stood the black Mercedes in the orange glow of the portal’s lights. Tobias and Amelie dashed across the unlit parking lot and reached the entrance of the building.

“The door isn’t locked,” Amelie whispered.

“I’d rather you wait here,” said Tobias and looked at her. Her eyes seemed gigantic in her sharp, pale face, but she shook her head firmly.

“No way. I’m coming with you.”

“All right then.” He took a deep breath and then gave her a big hug. “Thanks, Amelie. Thanks for everything.”

“Stop screwing around,” she answered gruffly. “Let’s go in.”

A smile flitted across his face and he nodded. They crossed the big lobby, went past the elevator, and entered the stairwell, which was also unlocked. Claudius Terlinden didn’t seem to be afraid of break-ins. By the time they reached the fifth floor Amelie was out of breath and had to lean on the banister for a moment. The heavy glass door clacked when Tobias opened it. He paused briefly and listened in the dark hallways, which were only dimly lit by tiny lamps near the floor. Hand in hand they crept along the hallway. Tobias could feel his heart hammering with tension. He stopped when he heard the voice of Claudius Terlinden coming from the half-open door of a room at the end of the hall.

“… hurry. If it starts snowing any harder the plane might not even start.”

Tobias and Amelie exchanged a glance. Terlinden seemed to be on the phone. Apparently they had arrived in the nick of time, because it sounded as though he wanted to take off in a plane for parts unknown. They went closer. Suddenly they heard a second voice. Amelie gave a start when she heard it and grabbed Tobias’s hand.