The nurse gestured him out. “Well, you can go do your public service in some other hospital. This lady needs rest and not visits from some strange man. And there are no visitors allowed in this unit.”
“Just two more minutes, please.”
“Absolutely not. Out.”
Gage glanced back at Katja but didn’t risk further communication. At the mechanical doors leading away from the neurological unit, the nurse told Gage she was phoning security. As the doors swung shut, Gage watched Nurse Glinke lift the phone and press three numbers.
Dammit!
He’d been on the verge of critical information. Instead, he was about to have a run-in with the hospital’s security. Rather than hang around and cause a problem with Katja’s anonymity, he departed the neurological floor and rode the elevator down. As Gage passed by the reception desk, he noted the security officer eyeing him with a cocked eyebrow. The man didn’t react but continued to watch Gage as he exited the building.
Frustrated, Gage walked in the direction of the Audi.
At least he’d confirmed that someone had tried to kill Katja. The paint and scratches had nearly confirmed it, but now he knew for sure.
Inside the Audi, Gage phoned Boris and told him what he knew.
* * *
After his discussion with Boris, Gage desired some quiet. He switched off the radio and cruised slowly, elated that Katja seemed to be doing better but frustrated he didn’t get to speak longer. During his call with Boris, the attorney agreed to attempt to get an update on their anonymous patient through the hospital administration. Somewhat mollified, Gage was now content to have some quiet in an effort to clear his mind.
It didn’t last.
The car’s Bluetooth system notified him of an incoming call. It was Michael Boden.
Though he didn’t really feel like talking, Gage touched the button on the steering wheel and answered.
“Gage, my God, I woke up to take my jog and I had a message that Katja Vogel had been killed in a car accident. I don’t…” he stuttered. “I don’t even know how to react. Just a complete and total shock.”
Gage didn’t know how to respond, either, so he simply whispered a confirmation in a continuation of the ruse. Lying to the Ministerpräsident wasn’t something he’d planned for, but he certainly didn’t trust the man enough to let him in on the truth.
Of far greater interest to Gage was who told Boden this bit of misinformation.
“We were trying to keep it quiet, sir. May I ask who told you?”
“My chief of staff.”
“How did he or she know?”
“He gets briefed on many things.”
“I was told this wasn’t publicized at all.”
“He’s well-informed, Gage. The Vogels are very important. Any news involving them is going to get out, especially within the government.”
Rather than harangue Boden, Gage set aside this line of questioning. It certainly seemed possible that Boris didn’t plug all the leaks. Besides, if Katja was being reported as having been killed, then Gage’s ruse was working.
“Sorry, sir. I know you cared for her.”
“Do you know what happened?” Boden asked.
“I don’t know all the details. From what I do know, she was driving through the Taunus Mountains and lost control of her car.”
“When?”
“The night before last. Late.” Gage looked at the Audi’s clock. “It was only about thirty hours ago. We didn’t find out until yesterday morning.”
“I hate to ask this, but what exactly killed her?”
“Her car flipped over a number of times. I haven’t heard the exact cause of death, but the accident was very bad.”
Boden cursed. “She always had a wild side, but I don’t ever recall her speeding unnecessarily. What have the polizei said about the wreck?”
“They seemed to believe it was a classic one-car, curvy road accident. The said speed was almost certainly a factor.”
“That family can’t handle anymore tragedy.”
“That immediate family consists of only Ina, now.”
“I hadn’t even thought of that.” Boden was briefly quiet. “Anything, Gage. Anything you need.”
Gage didn’t know what to say. While he did feel miserable for misleading Boden, a seed of suspicion began to bloom in Gage’s mind. It had been there before, then disappeared, but now it was back.
Could Boden be fishing? Gage chose his following words carefully.
“I realize this is probably harder on you since you were involved with her. And I saw how she acted to you at Claudia’s funeral.”
“All of that makes me sick to my stomach.”
“I’m not sure I understand, sir.”
“Our relationship ended badly—a dark period of my life, for sure. When I was still seeing Katja, my wife agreed to take me back, so I had to go. Katja was upset, understandably so. I still have a great deal of regret over how it ended.”
“I understand.”
“Despite so many built-in advantages, Katja had a rough life. I obviously didn’t help. I shouldn’t have ever gotten involved with her.”
Gage decelerated, steering the Audi onto the exit ramp leading to a quiet Parkplatz on the side of Autobahn 3. “Sir, are you still with your wife?”
“Of course.”
“You two live where?” Gage asked as he stopped and pulled the parking brake up.
“We live in the Villa of Schertel—it’s similar to what you would call a governor’s mansion.”
“In Wiesbaden?”
“Yes, why?”
“I don’t know, sir,” Gage said, feeling intrusive for the line of questioning. “I’m grasping at straws.”
“Gage, are you suggesting she was with me before her accident?”
“I honestly don’t know where she’d been, sir. I’m looking at all angles. The wreck itself was near Grosse Feldberg.”
“Not much up that way.”
“Exactly. Do you have any ideas?”
“I don’t. Perhaps the polizei can pull her car’s history?”
“Already checked. That particular Mercedes doesn’t track where it’s been.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
Gage
