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Authors: Simone van der Vlugt
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a cosy restaurant in the village. She had accepted the invitation, even though alarm bells had begun to ring in her head, and all her senses were telling her sheâd have been better off driving back to Amstelveen as quickly as possible.
But she didnât. They went to the restaurant and talked for hours, off the record of course.
Senta knew she had entered a danger zone. She was falling in love with this man; perhaps she was already in love with him, with every minute spent in his company just fuelling these feelings.
In the restaurant she had kept her left hand in sight at all times, so that the white gold wedding ring with its small diamond couldnât escape his notice: a last attempt to keep something of a barrier in place. If youâd asked her a year later what the conversation had been about, what theyâd eaten and drunk that afternoon, she wouldnât have had a clue.
She sat there looking at him as if she were bewitched. And vice versa. That first smile of recognition, that first special glance â she saved everything in her memory, larger than life. Not that they were flirting with each other. There was no question of double entendres or teasing â just a calmconversation, with a natural accord that rendered such nonsense unnecessary.
After a while they both fell silent and listened to a song playing in the background.
He looked right inside her. I want you , his gaze said. I love you .
Thatâs a bit quick, donât you think? her eyes answered.
I donât need any more time .
Senta dropped her eyes, as shy as a teenager, but not before she had conveyed an answer. He pushed a beer mat towards her and she wrote down her number.
Iâve been punished, Senta thinks; this coma is my punishment. Nothing happens without a reason. Please, God, can we make a pact? If you let me wake up, I promise Iâll do the right thing, I really promise. Just let me wake up . . .
14
Police are still hunting escaped psychiatric prisoner Mick Kreuger, who disappeared on Sunday afternoon during an escorted day-release. Despite television appeals for help in tracing the man, and the allocation of extra manpower, nothing is known of his whereabouts. Kreuger was responsible for the death of his 25-year-old escort at a petrol station on Sunday afternoon; surveillance cameras recorded the convicted criminalâs violent assault. In the last few hours, the body of a 52-year-old woman has been found in her home, and the police have issued a statement saying that the circumstances are suspicious. RTL has learned that a man fitting Kreugerâs description was sighted in the area shortly before the discovery of the body .
After the RTL News thereâs the eight oâclock news, The Heart of Holland and various talk shows, all of which lead with Kreugerâs escape.
Lisa and Anouk follow the coverage, but Kreuger doesnât seem bothered by this. Without appearing to pay them even a minute amount of attention, he sits on the edge of the sofa, though Lisa knows he is watching their every move.
Anouk, exhausted from coughing, leans against her. âI want to go to bed, Mummy,â she mumbles, her eyes already closed.
After a brief hesitation, Lisa asks Kreuger if he minds her putting her daughter to bed.
Kreuger slowly turns his head towards her. He seems vacant, as though he has been in a completely different world and is slowly re-entering reality.
After rubbing his face with his hands a few times, he mutters that thatâs fine.
Lisa is overcome with an immense feeling of relief. Sheâll let Anouk sleep in her bed and shut the door firmly behind them. Behind the closed door, theyâll be able to escape from the atmosphere of constant threat. Kreuger will probably sleep on the sofa, watchful of everything happening outside the house, the television on all night.
She starts to get up, but Kreugerâs voice stops her. âYouâll both sleep in the
But she didnât. They went to the restaurant and talked for hours, off the record of course.
Senta knew she had entered a danger zone. She was falling in love with this man; perhaps she was already in love with him, with every minute spent in his company just fuelling these feelings.
In the restaurant she had kept her left hand in sight at all times, so that the white gold wedding ring with its small diamond couldnât escape his notice: a last attempt to keep something of a barrier in place. If youâd asked her a year later what the conversation had been about, what theyâd eaten and drunk that afternoon, she wouldnât have had a clue.
She sat there looking at him as if she were bewitched. And vice versa. That first smile of recognition, that first special glance â she saved everything in her memory, larger than life. Not that they were flirting with each other. There was no question of double entendres or teasing â just a calmconversation, with a natural accord that rendered such nonsense unnecessary.
After a while they both fell silent and listened to a song playing in the background.
He looked right inside her. I want you , his gaze said. I love you .
Thatâs a bit quick, donât you think? her eyes answered.
I donât need any more time .
Senta dropped her eyes, as shy as a teenager, but not before she had conveyed an answer. He pushed a beer mat towards her and she wrote down her number.
Iâve been punished, Senta thinks; this coma is my punishment. Nothing happens without a reason. Please, God, can we make a pact? If you let me wake up, I promise Iâll do the right thing, I really promise. Just let me wake up . . .
14
Police are still hunting escaped psychiatric prisoner Mick Kreuger, who disappeared on Sunday afternoon during an escorted day-release. Despite television appeals for help in tracing the man, and the allocation of extra manpower, nothing is known of his whereabouts. Kreuger was responsible for the death of his 25-year-old escort at a petrol station on Sunday afternoon; surveillance cameras recorded the convicted criminalâs violent assault. In the last few hours, the body of a 52-year-old woman has been found in her home, and the police have issued a statement saying that the circumstances are suspicious. RTL has learned that a man fitting Kreugerâs description was sighted in the area shortly before the discovery of the body .
After the RTL News thereâs the eight oâclock news, The Heart of Holland and various talk shows, all of which lead with Kreugerâs escape.
Lisa and Anouk follow the coverage, but Kreuger doesnât seem bothered by this. Without appearing to pay them even a minute amount of attention, he sits on the edge of the sofa, though Lisa knows he is watching their every move.
Anouk, exhausted from coughing, leans against her. âI want to go to bed, Mummy,â she mumbles, her eyes already closed.
After a brief hesitation, Lisa asks Kreuger if he minds her putting her daughter to bed.
Kreuger slowly turns his head towards her. He seems vacant, as though he has been in a completely different world and is slowly re-entering reality.
After rubbing his face with his hands a few times, he mutters that thatâs fine.
Lisa is overcome with an immense feeling of relief. Sheâll let Anouk sleep in her bed and shut the door firmly behind them. Behind the closed door, theyâll be able to escape from the atmosphere of constant threat. Kreuger will probably sleep on the sofa, watchful of everything happening outside the house, the television on all night.
She starts to get up, but Kreugerâs voice stops her. âYouâll both sleep in the
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