Good Lord, she thought. Surely he isn’t sitting here imagining that there is something good about this bloody failure to communicate?
But she didn’t ask. Just increased her speed somewhat: the rain had eased off and would soon stop.
Shortly after Saaren she pulled into a petrol station to fill up, and just as she was getting behind the wheel again and fastening her seat belt, he spoke for the first time.
‘Where are we going?’ he asked.
His voice was reminiscent of an autumn leaf falling to the ground. She didn’t answer.
20
Interrogation of Paula Ruth Emmerich, 19.7.1983.
Location: Lejnice police station.
Interrogator: Inspector Walevski.
Also present: Chief Inspector Vrommel, Chief of Police; Soc. Asst. Bluume.
Interrogation transcript: Inspector Walevski.
Walevski: Your name is Paula Emmerich?
Emmerich: Yes.
W Born on 22 May 1967, here in Lejnice?
E Yes.
W Until 17 June you attended Voellerskolan here in Lejnice?
E Yes.
W You were in the same class as a girl by the name of Winnie Ludmilla Maas for six years. Is that correct?
E Yes.
W Would you say that you knew Winnie Maas well?
E Yes. Although we weren’t such close friends as we used to be.
W But you socialized now and again?
E Yes.
W You know what happened to Winnie, and why we want to talk to you?
E Yes.
W To what extent are you acquainted with Arnold Maager?
E He was our teacher in Social Studies and History.
W At Voellerskolan?
E Yes.
W How long did you have him as your teacher?
E Two years. In class eight and nine.
W How did you rate him as a teacher?
E Not bad. Quite good, I think.
W Can you describe him in a bit more detail?
E /No answer/
W Was he liked by the other pupils in your class?
E Yes. He was good. Handsome.
W Handsome?
E For a teacher.
W I see. Do you know if Winnie Maas thought the same about him as you did? That Arnold Maager was a good teacher. And handsome?
E Yes, she did.
W Are you sure? I’m talking about the time before the disco.
E She liked him.
W Did you talk about that?
E Maybe. I can’t remember.
W But she never said that she was in love with him, for instance?
E No. Not to me, at any rate.
W Were there any other pupils in your class who knew Winnie better than you did?
E I don’t think so. No.
W So if Winnie had wanted to confide in anybody, she would have chosen you?
E Yes. Although she was a bit more private recently.
W What do you mean?
E She didn’t talk so much, sort of.
W I see. Do you know if she had a boyfriend?
E Not now. Not then, in May-June, I mean. I don’t think so at least.
W But she had had boyfriends previously?
E Of course.
W Lots of them?
E Quite a few, but not at the end of class nine.
W Can you tell us what happened at the disco on 10 June?
E What do you want to know?
W What it was like. Who you were with. If you know what Winnie was up to.
E It was the same as usual.
W The same as usual?
E We had a few drinks on the beach first.
W Who’s ‘we’?
E A few pupils from our class. And other classes.
W How many?
E Fifteen or so.
W Was Winnie Maas there?
E Yes.
W And then?
E We went on to the disco at about half past nine or thereabouts.
W And then?
E We danced and chatted and so on.
W Were you aware of what Winnie Maas was doing during the evening?
E Yes.
W Let’s hear it.
E She was a bit drunk. She danced quite a lot, like she usually did. She danced cheek- to-cheek with Maager.
W Are you telling me that Winnie Maas danced cheek-to-cheek with Arnold Maager, her teacher in Social Studies and History?
E Yes. I thought it was a bit of a joke. Some of the other girls danced with other teachers as well.
W How many dances?
E Winnie or the others?
W Winnie.
E I don’t know. Quite a lot.
W With other teachers as well?
E I don’t know. I think it was just with him.
