Read Online The Defeated Aristocrat by Katherine John - Free Book Online
Authors: Katherine John
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avoid answering, Lilli picked up the telephone. ‘Connect me to police headquarters please.’
‘Certainly, Frau Gluck,’ the operator replied.
A few clicks and a masculine voice snapped. ‘Duty officer.
‘It’s Lilli Richter, Konigsberg Zeit . I need to speak to Kriminaldirektor Hafen urgently.’
‘He’s not available, madam.’
‘Is he at Koggen Strasse?’
The officer blurted, ‘How did you know?’
‘I’ve received another communication.’
‘An officer will be with you in five minutes, madam.’
Lilli replaced the receiver. She rolled her stockings on under her nightdress, fastened them with garters, pulled on a pair of long drawers, and stepped into a thick woollen skirt.
‘You’re not taking off your nightdress?’ Bertha reprimanded.
‘It’s too cold. The flannel makes a warm petticoat and blouse.’ Lilli had no intention of showing Bertha the full extent of her bruising. She donned a sweater, fur coat, hat, gloves, scarf, and boots. After checking her reflection, she pulled her hat lower and her scarf higher to conceal the damage Dedleff had inflicted. She thrust her keys into her coat pocket, folded the note into an envelope, tucked it into her reporter’s bag and made her way downstairs, leaving Bertha to turn down the lamp.
Ernst was in the hall talking to a fresh-faced boy who looked as though he should be in school, not in the uniform of the lowest grade police officer. The boy clicked his heels and bowed.
‘Kriminalassistent Blau, at your service, madam. The Duty Officer instructed me to pick up a communication for Kriminaldirektor Hafen.’
‘I need to hand it to the Kriminaldirektor personally at Koggen Strasse.’
‘I was given orders to fetch the communication, not escort you anywhere, madam.’
‘Then I will go alone. Be so kind as to call me a cab, Ernst.’
‘Are you sure you’re well enough go out, madam?’
‘Quite sure, thank you, Ernst.’
‘I could accompany you.’
‘I need you to stay with Amalia, my father, and Bertha.’
‘I will watch over all three, and Sister Luke, madam.’ Although he was dressed only in a nightshirt, cloth slippers, and dressing gown, Ernst opened the street door.
Blau hesitated. He’d been given a thorough dressing-down for signing in the murdered von Braunsch as well as himself at an incorrect time by the kriminaldirektor, who didn’t usually acknowledge officers of the lowest grade, let alone speak to them. He’d also been left in no doubt that one more transgression would lose him his post. Torn between his orders and Lilli’s assertion that she had to see the kriminaldirektor, he ventured, ‘Are you certain you have to give the communication to the kriminaldirektor personally, madam?’
‘And quickly. If you have a sleigh it won’t take us ten minutes to reach Koggen Strasse. I assure you, the kriminaldirektor will be grateful, Kriminalassistent Blau.’
‘My orders were to pick up the communication, madam.’
Lilli had become an accomplished liar since she’d become an editor. ‘And mine to retain it until I hand it to the kriminaldirektor. Shall we go?’ Before Blau could collect his thoughts, Lilli was out of the door.
Konigsberg, Early hours of Saturday January 11th 1919
Snow was falling thick and dry, but the wind that had blown for days had dropped. Blau helped Lilli into the back of the sleigh. Around them the city glowed blue-white, clean and deserted. The driver clicked his tongue and the horses moved on through the square that fronted the lake, past elegant four- and five-storey buildings. The few houses that weren’t medieval had been built to match in the Gothic style. All were in good repair. Germany and Konigsberg might have just lost a war but defeat was no excuse for neglect.
Ahead lay a fairy-tale illustration come to life amidst the swirling snowflakes: the castle built by the Teutonic Knights in the thirteenth century. The driver took the road that circumvented its east wall.
‘Certainly, Frau Gluck,’ the operator replied.
A few clicks and a masculine voice snapped. ‘Duty officer.
‘It’s Lilli Richter, Konigsberg Zeit . I need to speak to Kriminaldirektor Hafen urgently.’
‘He’s not available, madam.’
‘Is he at Koggen Strasse?’
The officer blurted, ‘How did you know?’
‘I’ve received another communication.’
‘An officer will be with you in five minutes, madam.’
Lilli replaced the receiver. She rolled her stockings on under her nightdress, fastened them with garters, pulled on a pair of long drawers, and stepped into a thick woollen skirt.
‘You’re not taking off your nightdress?’ Bertha reprimanded.
‘It’s too cold. The flannel makes a warm petticoat and blouse.’ Lilli had no intention of showing Bertha the full extent of her bruising. She donned a sweater, fur coat, hat, gloves, scarf, and boots. After checking her reflection, she pulled her hat lower and her scarf higher to conceal the damage Dedleff had inflicted. She thrust her keys into her coat pocket, folded the note into an envelope, tucked it into her reporter’s bag and made her way downstairs, leaving Bertha to turn down the lamp.
Ernst was in the hall talking to a fresh-faced boy who looked as though he should be in school, not in the uniform of the lowest grade police officer. The boy clicked his heels and bowed.
‘Kriminalassistent Blau, at your service, madam. The Duty Officer instructed me to pick up a communication for Kriminaldirektor Hafen.’
‘I need to hand it to the Kriminaldirektor personally at Koggen Strasse.’
‘I was given orders to fetch the communication, not escort you anywhere, madam.’
‘Then I will go alone. Be so kind as to call me a cab, Ernst.’
‘Are you sure you’re well enough go out, madam?’
‘Quite sure, thank you, Ernst.’
‘I could accompany you.’
‘I need you to stay with Amalia, my father, and Bertha.’
‘I will watch over all three, and Sister Luke, madam.’ Although he was dressed only in a nightshirt, cloth slippers, and dressing gown, Ernst opened the street door.
Blau hesitated. He’d been given a thorough dressing-down for signing in the murdered von Braunsch as well as himself at an incorrect time by the kriminaldirektor, who didn’t usually acknowledge officers of the lowest grade, let alone speak to them. He’d also been left in no doubt that one more transgression would lose him his post. Torn between his orders and Lilli’s assertion that she had to see the kriminaldirektor, he ventured, ‘Are you certain you have to give the communication to the kriminaldirektor personally, madam?’
‘And quickly. If you have a sleigh it won’t take us ten minutes to reach Koggen Strasse. I assure you, the kriminaldirektor will be grateful, Kriminalassistent Blau.’
‘My orders were to pick up the communication, madam.’
Lilli had become an accomplished liar since she’d become an editor. ‘And mine to retain it until I hand it to the kriminaldirektor. Shall we go?’ Before Blau could collect his thoughts, Lilli was out of the door.
Konigsberg, Early hours of Saturday January 11th 1919
Snow was falling thick and dry, but the wind that had blown for days had dropped. Blau helped Lilli into the back of the sleigh. Around them the city glowed blue-white, clean and deserted. The driver clicked his tongue and the horses moved on through the square that fronted the lake, past elegant four- and five-storey buildings. The few houses that weren’t medieval had been built to match in the Gothic style. All were in good repair. Germany and Konigsberg might have just lost a war but defeat was no excuse for neglect.
Ahead lay a fairy-tale illustration come to life amidst the swirling snowflakes: the castle built by the Teutonic Knights in the thirteenth century. The driver took the road that circumvented its east wall.
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