Disclaimer: I do not owe the soap-characters, RTL does. But I owe the plot and the other characters.
chapter content: Warson and Fuller investigate a double murder on the bank of River Thames. Diana comes back from her mission in Albania, only to be sent to Guyana with her new partner Julian Herzog. Their first meeting and the first case proceed different from expected. Ray and Mariah are condemned by Brown and Hendricks to practice shooting.
Two men who were leaning against a desk raised their eyes as the elevator door opened. One of them put his newspaper aside, making the headline "handshake of freedom in Albania" invisible. The other smiled broadly. "Glad you're back, Dead Woman!"
Ray and Mariah, partners who were just about to discuss with their bosses, raised their heads when they heard the steps. They sounded short and hard, military. Then they saw the heavy army boots, scuffed and splattered with something that looked like blood. A pair of faded blue jeans, a simple t-shirt and a leather jacket completed the picture. Not to forget the Ray-Ban placed to hold back a wisp of blond hair.
"Hi everyone," the woman called to the two and dropped her bag on the floor. "Captain Warson has already been looking forward to have you back here in London," said Ray, a dark-skinned man with a three-day beard and black hair, who spent his time in front of the mirror in order to make himself look skillfully unstyled.
The woman nodded and made no effort to knock when she entered the office of her boss. "Supervising Officer Diana Sommer is back in London," she said at the moment she closed the door behind her. Captain Gavin Warson lifted his head and smiled. "Great. I hope you enjoyed your two days off. I've read your report already. Well done. I did not think that it has been possible to stop the fighting in Albania as quickly as that. But now..."
He stopped and looked thoughtfully at Diana Summer. "What's up, Capitano?" When he heard this, he tried to force the smile off his face, but failed. "You have to go again. Today," he continued his speech. Her only response was that she lifted an eyebrow. "Today? And where am I heading to?" she asked. "Guyana. Here's your ticket, please be there on time. ... And be nice," he replied.
"Nice? I'm always nice. What are you talking about?" Captain Warson let his eyes wander around and tried not to look at her. He was displeased when his employees talked to him in this tone, but since Diana Sommer was the best law enforcement officer he had seen in the last 26 years, he did not act on it. He answered her question instead.
"I know how close you have been to Cliff McGowan. He was your mentor and I know that you have suffered from his death even if you'd rather die than admit it. And that he was the reason why you wanted to go to Albania. But it's time to meet someone new. You're sitting next to your new partner. You'll love him, I'm sure. Give him some credit," said Warson and leaned back in his executive chair behind his mahogany desk.
"Someone should replace Cliff McGowan? The man who was almost my father? This I doubt," Diana thought, but nodded. "All right, Alpha." She saluted half-serious, half-humorous in front of him, then turned around and left.
"Oh come on, you can't be serious!" Ray exclaimed. His partner also shook her head. She was almost as tall as he was, but light-skinned. Her light brown hair was tied back in a loose ponytail. Currently she seemed annoyed and stared at her boss, Detective Mary Hendricks. Ray gave his boss Sergeant Lois Brown a similar look. "We are no rookies, we are Supervising Officers!" "We know," said Detective Mary Hendricks, an Afro-American woman in her early fifties.
"But you have deficits in the use of firearms in extreme situations. Therefore do the intensive training now. Imagine someday you get into a stupid situation, an armed attack or something and you miss the hostage taker and shoot an innocent hostage. That would be bad, wouldn't it?!" said Sergeant Brown. Her dark blonde hair was almost as short as Supervising Officer Diana Sommer's hair, but unlike her, Lois Brown had green eyes and not blue-grey ones. "Yes, I know," mumbled Mariah, but sounded annoyed. "Come on! This is really important," insisted Detective Hendricks. "Ok. We're doing it," Ray said after a moment of silence and grabbed his partner's arm.
Three hours later, she was relieved. She had the security check done and decided to help herself to a Vanilla Latte at Starbucks. Unfortunately, she was not able to drink it because when she turned too quickly around a corner, a man bumped into her. "Can't you use your eyes?" Diana complained.
"I'm sorry, I was lost in thought. I didn't see you. And I'm sorry for spilling your Vanilla Latte. I'll get you a new one, ok?" he tried to calm her. She glanced at her watch. "Ok, the apology is accepted," she said and then looked more closely at him. He was almost a head taller than her, green eyes, dark hair, and the typical central European pallor. "Not too bad," she thought, when he handed her the new coffee a few minutes later. "Thank you, Mr. ... uh ... Caramel Macchiato," she told him.
He laughed and shook her hand. "Well, the most people refer to me as Julian Herzog," he introduced himself. "Hello. I'm Diana Sommer." He looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, as if he knew her name, but was not able to classify her accurately. "I think I have to go, or I'll miss my flight to South America," she broke the silence. He looked up at the annunciator panel. "To Guyana?" he wanted to know. "If the answer is yes, then I'm coming with you." "Yes. Okay, then let's go together."
Ten minutes later, the two had reached the gate. "Have you ever been to Guyana before?" Diana asked Julian, as they stood almost directly in front of the steward. "No. I'm on a business trip and if I'm honest, I did not want to go there. But sometimes you cannot choose where you have to go working," he answered her question. Diana nodded. "I understand exactly what you mean," she said as she handed the boarding pass to the steward. The two still talked as they got in the Airbus.
After a few minutes Diana noticed surprised that Julian sat down in the business class seat sat next to her. "Uh ... it is perhaps rude when I say so, but ... Well; this seat is reserved for my new partner. From the division of ..." Diana started, but was interrupted by Julian. "Lieutenant Fuller? So you're from the division of Captain Warson?" he asked, puzzled. "Yes. I am supervising officer in his division. And you're Fuller's supervising officer ... my new partner?" she wanted to know and he answered with a nod.
"I think so. Now I know why you looked so familiar to me. You're the Dead Woman, the heroine of the mission in Albania", he said after a short pause. "Yes, I am. But I would prefer it if you continue to address me with Diana ... unless you prefer the great nicknames everyone has in the Department of Law Enforcement," she said, noting that he made a face. "No, thank you. I'm not so fond of being the Steersman. Diana and Julian then," he replied and both laughed.
They did not say much more because it was a night flight and the passengers around them stared already in their direction.
"Are you ready?" Lieutenant Fuller wanted to know when he entered his partner's office. "We have a double murder right at the banks of the Thames. And because our employees are all busy, it's our turn," he continued. His hair was black but some white wisps were already there, revealing his age.
Since he knew that many women thought that he was attractive, he did not bother these wisps. His partner Captain Warson knew no such problems. He was one of the few law enforcement officials whose relationship has survived despite his job. Captain Warson stood up. "Ready when you are," he said while laughing and the two left his office together.
"Morning," Diana greeted her new partner, as the Airbus approached Guyana. "Good morning. Are we there yet?" he asked and got a nod.
When the two left the airport half an hour later, they realized that they were not alone. "The two cops from London?" said a grim-faced security guard.
"Who wants to know that?" retorted Diana and put a grip on her Beretta, from the corner of her eye she saw that Julian was at her side and had his Glock at hand. "You are taken into custody. And you can prepare for a long day in the cell," said another man, who held his weapon at them. "Let us not start a war. We go with them first and then we'll see," suggested Julian.
"So, that was a night," groaned Lieutenant Fuller. He did not like night shifts. "But we finally have what we need," said Captain Warson. "The autopsy report says that the toxicology found out the cause of death... Both had potassium cyanate in their blood," Gavin Warson read out loud and saw that Troy Fuller was suddenly awake again. "Potassium Cyanide? I know this method."
"Yes; exactly. First poison the victim, then rob it and then throw it into a river. Sounds like Haverhill." "Haverhill? Please not him again!" exclaimed Sergeant Lois Brown, who appeared for the Early Shift. The two men exchanged a look, and then handed the report over to her.
"Sounds like him," she finally said. "But he is in a cell in a maximum security prison," she remarked. "Yes. But there was always the suspicion that he had an accomplice. How else could he have been able to throw all the corpses into rivers? Some of his victims weighed no less than 120 kilograms," replied Lieutenant Fuller. "Have you checked the security cameras? Maybe you see something interesting," suggested Lois.
An hour later the two found themselves in a jail cell that was lit by a light bulb which flickered from time to time. "Crazy," said Diana, when they were alone. Julian looked at her enquiring and she continued. "We were not disarmed. And we still have all of our stuff. This is strange," she went on and sat down on the floor, leaning her back against a wall.
"Tell me about yourself. How did you end up in the law enforcement?" Julian said at last, as he sat down beside her. "Are you serious?" Diana wanted to know. "Yes. First you tell your story, and then I tell mine. We have to kill time." "If you please," she said, taking a deep breath and began her story. "I lost my father very early. He was a good father, at least that's what I remember. He died in a train crash when I was five.
My mother ... she and I, we did never have a good relationship. She married again, my stepfather. We simply couldn't stand each other. When I went to secondary school the trouble really started. Actually, it was crazy. I've never paid attention in class, I just fooled around. But I was always top of the class, just because I can remember things well. I always had the best exams. Our headmaster has liked me, I think. Yet no one has understood me. Not even my best friends of that time.
I have no authority problem. But I just cannot stand people disrespecting me but want my respect in turn. That's why I did not get along with my teachers. I discharged newspapers and later I worked in supermarkets and cafés to make money. After my graduation speech ... I was head girl, by the way, I left my home. I knew that I had some ancestors from Russia and I headed to Moscow and then to Irkutsk. That's where I spent a long time doing casual work in garage and improved my Russian language. From there I moved on to China and worked in a top restaurant in Beijing. Finally, I visited Japan. You will do not believe, but I have lived in a monastery and became a Buddhist.
Well, someday I came back to Germany. But it didn't feel like coming home. So I decided to leave again, but wasn't sure where to go. And then I heard it. I was struck by a speech; a speech given by Captain Warson. And since then I have known that I wanted to work for this man. So I bought a one-way ticket to London with no money at all. I wanted him to give me a job and impossibly he agreed.
But first I had to do my military service. I went to the German Air Force since I still considered Germany my native country at that time. When I was finished, there was Cliff McGowan waiting for me in London. He was my mentor for two years. You know that he died in the service. But he preferred it that way. He had cancer. He rather died a hero's death than suffering from it.
After he died, I left for Albania. Ended the battles there as the director of operations. And then I met you," Diana finished her story. Julian swallowed. "It's your turn. There will be time for questions later," Diana continued when she noticed his silence.
"There. There are the two victims ... And someone is following them. Let's search them on another camera," exclaimed Captain Warson, who stared at his notebook. Occasionally, it was good to work in London. Many people have declared that London was "the world capital of CCTV", but very few were annoyed by this statement.
In such a situation, most prosecutors were happy about the cameras. "Here. And they come from over there," muttered Lieutenant Fuller. For the next hour, the two tracked back the way of the murder victims. "They came from the pub at this corner. We got the name, perhaps we will find someone who is able to remember the two of them," said Captain Warson and left his office.
"Well...I had a happy childhood. My parents were always there when my little brother and I needed them. I was good at school. After school I wanted to work for the law enforcement but of course just like you I had to do the military service. I became a member of the German Army, to be exact; I was a member of the armoured forces.
Since then I was on Fuller's waiting list. And then I heard the bad news. My parents ... my parents had a car accident. I came back to Germany. But ..." Julian broke off and was silent. After a moment of hesitation, Diana reached out and touched his hand. "I know how you feel. You can believe me," she said, looking at him. Julian raised his head and met her gaze.
"Yes. I know. To make it short, I was responsible for my brother from then on. Before I went back to the Army, Lieutenant Fuller has called me and told me that I could join his division if I would like to. So I came to London and have started to live and work there. At first I was working overseas and when I came back, I think you were already in Albania. You know the end," he concluded his report. "And is your brother still alive? Is he also living in London?" Diana asked further. "Tim? No. He goes to a boarding school in Germany. He wanted to stay with his friends," said Julian.
"Good Morning. Do you know these two men?" said Lieutenant Fuller to the woman who stood behind the counter. "They were here last night," he continued. "I'm sorry." The woman shook her head. "I had a day off yesterday, if you want, I'll show you my shift schedule. But my boss has worked yesterday. I call him. Paul!"
"What's the matter?" A man appeared behind her. "This gentleman would like to ask a few questions," she said and then went into the back room. "So ... do you know ... these two men?" Fuller began, but froze. The man looked familiar. "Wait a second. You are the brother of Richard Haverhill," he exclaimed, and the men behind the counter winced immediately.
Paul Haverhill has been suspected of complicity, but there was never evidence that he helped his big brother. But Fuller did not even bother to ask if he had poisoned the two men at first and then robbed them, his reaction was answer enough. In one fluid motion Haverhill jumped over the counter and ran for the door.
Fuller did not follow him because Haverhill did not get far. He had run straight into the arms of Captain Warson, who had waited at outside the door with his gun in hand.
"Cheer up. Believe me, I've been through worse," Diana said, and suddenly broke the silence that has stretched between them. "Worse than this?" asked Julian. "Much worse. What do you know about the operation in Albania?" She asked. "Not much. Just the information given in the newspaper. That Deputy Howard fell and then you were the military authority... and that you have virtually ended the war," said Julian. "You know, I've never told anyone about it and I do not think I will tell anyone else ... but you know the slogan. No secrets," Diana began, but was interrupted when Julian finished her sentence, "between partners." Diana grinned and nodded.
"In the winter ... we were in the mountains. I've never seen so much snow ..." she began thoughtfully. Julian wondered about the undertone in her voice. Perhaps nostalgia? "It was crazy. We evacuated people the whole day. The weather was getting worse and the temperature had dropped almost to the bottom. It was evening. Two persons approached me, Albanians. They wept and said that their six year old son is missing. And he's probably hiding in their hometown ... they had thought that he had been with the family of his best friend.
And I said that I would find him. Actually, it was impossible. I must have been crazy. But I did it. I helped myself to a pair of snow goggles and snowshoes and left, looking for him. The temperature has fallen to minus 20 degrees Celsius and I had to walk about 5 miles. I've found him. Impossibly, but I found him. But the boy ... he was nearly frozen and could barely stand on his feet. So I carried him, all the miles back. I have never felt so tired and exhausted.
Still I kept walking. Until today I do not know how I managed to stay alive..." Diana was silent. "Wow. Then all the stories I heard about you are true. They called you the Dead Woman because you went on suicide missions and always came back alive. Ray even joked about it," Julian said, more to himself than her. Before she could respond, she heard footsteps and the sound of a bunch of keys.
"We have evidence that you have accepted the inheritance of your brother. Last night you poisoned two tourists; with potassium cyanide. And then you followed them, you robbed them as they were dead and then tried to throw the bodies into the Thames. But apparently you have overestimated your strength. It was low tide and you have not managed to get rid of the bodies. Why?" Captain Warson was silent now, staring at the murder suspect.
"Why? Because I needed money! And it took you months before you caught my big brother. I thought that doing it once will be all right. I saw how much money these two tourists had. And the method? My brother was the only family I have ever had. He taught me everything I know," Paul Haverhill answered. He denied nothing, and looked as he was proud of his work. "Now I've finally earned Richie's respect." Warson and Fuller looked at each other thoughtfully. "You will meet your brother in a high security prison. I'm sure he will respect you."
"I'm sorry about the fact how you were treated. But it had to be." A man walked into their cell and raised his hands apologetically. "There was a suspicion that my representative was corrupt. And this has been confirmed by the fact that he has arrested the two of you. Thank you for helping me with this test. I have your return tickets here; First Class. Think of it as thanks, and as compensation," the superintendent continued as he accompanied them to the outside.
Diana nodded. "I see," Julian said in a tone that seemed to testify exactly the opposite.
"How was it in Guyana?" Said Lieutenant Fuller, as the two walked into their department. "Survived everything?" Captain Warson added. Diana and Julian exchanged a meaningful look. "You know, if you need someone to be arrested shortly again, please do not send us, okay?" Diana replied after a moment. "Us?" asked Captain Warson. "Yes. Us," said Julian. Their bosses nodded to themselves. "All right," answered Lieutenant Fuller. "What are you waiting for? You are off duty today," Captain Warson said after a few minutes. "Troy and I just need to close the case file. We'll see you tomorrow morning."
Diana shrugged, and then turned towards the elevator door. When she pressed the down button she noticed that Julian stood beside her. "Fancy a cup coffee?" He asked. "Of course!"