The Orphanage (eBook)

Laura Laberge (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2024 | 1. Auflage
334 Seiten
Books on Demand (Verlag)
978-3-7693-3040-3 (ISBN)

Infos

A man meets the woman of his dreams, but the next day she suddenly disappears without explanation. Determined, he sets off for the Dominican Republic in search of the only clue, but he never reaches his destination. His close friends have decided to find him, but they get caught up in dangerous scenarios that seem strangely connected to Luxembourg. At the same time, someone is watching their steps from afar and pursuing his own ambitions. What begins as an exciting adventure quickly turns into a dangerous journey in which the participants only gradually realise how much is at stake and how great the danger they are exposed to is. A long-forgotten criminal case gradually reveals the secrets behind the mysterious events.

Die in Luxemburg geborene Autorin Laura Laberge (Pseudonym) legt mit diesem Kriminalroman ihr viertes Buch und zugleich ersten Krimi in englischer Sprache vor. Bereits als Kind verfasste die begeisterte Hobbypianistin mit Vorliebe Kurzgeschichten. Ihr erstes Buch erschien 2008 unter dem Titel "Nur wegen Dir", der zweite Titel "Eine Spur von Leben" erschien 2009 und 2011 erschien der Krimi "Geheimakte Frank Mayer".

Textauszug

DIANE

FRIDAY, JULY 5

Friday night, 10:30 p.m. Alan Moore was finishing his beer. “Time to catch the last bus, lads,” he said to his poker buddies, Alfonse Weis and Thomas Walter, glancing at David as he stood up. The four long-time friends had met for an after-work beer, followed by a round of poker and a nice dinner, as always discussing the week’s events. Tonight, they were gathered at Alfonse’s house in Fentange, a small village nestled in a quiet area not far from the capital.

Alan Moore, 53, a British citizen and banker, had lived and worked in Luxembourg for over twenty-five years, and resided in a beautiful apartment in the city centre.

Thomas Walter, 55 years old, a Dutch citizen and graphic designer by profession, had been divorced for over twenty years and now lived in Bivange, a small town near the capital. He loved his work and dedicated himself wholeheartedly to every project.

Alfonse Weis, a 60-year-old Luxembourger, was a retired intelligence officer but had only left the service a few months ago. He was of medium build, slim and fit, with grey hair, a determined gaze, and a good sense of humour. During his tenure in the police force, Weis had brought down numerous criminals, and once he took on a case, nothing and no one could deter him until the culprit was apprehended. Since retiring, he had more time for his family, which brought much joy to his wife Madeleine. However, he somehow missed the daily challenges, although he didn’t discuss this with his wife or friends; it was simply a sentiment that anyone who knew Alfonse could sense.

David White, 50, a long-time friend of Alan Moore, hailed from Scotland and was visiting Alan for a few weeks. David, a former soldier, had served in multiple military operations abroad, though he rarely spoke of them. In Scotland, he had worked as a police officer until falling ill and taking early retirement.

“Right,” David stood up as well.

“Time for another pint in the Irish pub on the way home,” he said to Alan as they bid farewell to Alfonse, whose wife Madeleine had gone out for the evening to ensure the men’s poker night went undisturbed.

Thomas dropped Alan and David off at the next bus stop on his way home.

“See you soon and have fun.”

“I’ll catch you later, Thomas. Thanks for the lift,” Alan replied as they exited the car.

A few minutes later, the bus arrived and both men took their seats. There were only a few people on the road at this hour. When the bus reached their stop for the pub and came to a halt, Alan suddenly changed his mind.

“David, I’m too tired for the pub tonight. I’m heading straight home. You’ve got the key; I’ll see you in the morning. That last beer really hit me.”

“Sure thing. Catch you later or tomorrow,” David said as he disembarked. A thunderstorm rolled in and soon, heavy rain began to fall.

Alan settled in, gazing out of the window. He was exhausted after a stressful day at work covering for vacationing colleagues. It was a struggle to stay awake in the warm bus. As it stopped at the next station, he noticed a tall, slender woman boarding. She appeared somewhat anxious, glancing around nervously. Clad in a black raincoat and with a vibrant scarf protecting her hair from the rain, the woman seemed caught off guard by the sudden downpour. Her blonde hair hung wet over her shoulders. Hastily, she selected a seat one row ahead of Alan, positioning herself halfway so as not to be visible from outside.

As the bus prepared to depart, a man in a black hoodie boarded at the last moment, taking a seat in the front row behind the driver. He was equally drenched from the rain.

Upon spotting the man, the blonde woman stood up abruptly, crossing over to sit beside Alan. Strands of her damp, blonde hair framed her face as she looked at him.

“Excuse me, sir, may I ask you a favour?” she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. From her flawless, beautiful, albeit slightly gaunt face, two large, fearful blue eyes gazed at him.

“That depends,” he replied with a friendly smile.

“I have to get off in the city centre and I’m afraid the man in front of me will follow me,” she whispered to him in a low voice. “I would be very grateful if you could get off the bus with me and accompany me to my apartment door. It’s not far from the city park, Avenue Monterey. Please. I’m serious.”

Alan saw pure fear in her eyes. Despite wearing jeans and a black coat, the woman exuded elegance. She attempted to shield part of her face with the scarf.

“What makes you think Mr. X will follow you?” he asked in a whisper.

“Instinct! When I was waiting at the bus stop, I noticed him immediately; he was staring at me. When I looked at him, he tried to look away, but you can tell when you’re being watched, you know. And then he got on the bus after me.”

“And why would he want to follow you?”

“I can’t tell you that. Firstly, I don’t know you, and secondly... Oh, I have to get off at the next stop.”

As Alan watched, the mysterious man also stood up as if to disembark. So far, the woman appeared truthful.

“Okay, I’ll come with you,” he decided spontaneously and rose from his seat.

Upon hearing these words, the relief on her face was evident. “Thank you!” She briefly touched his arm.

She has a dazzling smile, Alan thought as he followed her off the bus. Perhaps it’s a twist of fate?

Mr. X also disembarked, but through the rear exit.

“It’s not far,” she said, pulling her scarf further over her head, now obscuring part of her face as they hurried through the city park.

As they walked, they periodically glanced back to see if the mysterious man was indeed following them.

“Look, he’s coming towards us!”

She tugged briefly on Alan’s sleeve when he turned to look again.

The man strode purposefully while speaking into his cell phone. He briefly glanced up and slowed his pace upon realising he was approaching too swiftly.

“How about I just give you a hug now and we wait until it’s over?”

Before the woman could respond, Alan enveloped her in his arms.

“Don’t worry,” he whispered, “I’ll release you in a moment.”

She peeked over his shoulder and saw the man had stopped, talking loudly on his phone while gesturing with one hand. His tone suggested annoyance.

“Hmm...” Alan slowly released his arms from her and looked over his shoulder. “He’s stopping. We’d better keep walking; he really looks like he wants to follow you.” By now, Alan had also become suspicious. There was something strange about this person’s behaviour.

At last, the rain had almost stopped. Alan Moore and the beautiful stranger continued on their way. About five minutes later, she stopped at the first block of flats on the corner of the main street and hastily pulled a key out of her pocket.

“I’m so grateful that you came with me. I... would you mind coming in with me, I mean, just to see if everything is okay? Please!” The 53-year-old Englishman simply couldn’t resist the look in those blue eyes.

“No problem, now that I’m here!” said Alan kindly. “Perhaps in return, it would be fair to give me a brief explanation of all these events when we’re at your apartment?”

“Yeah, sure, as soon as we get upstairs,” the woman said as she hastily opened the front door; they both entered and took the elevator to the sixth floor.

The stranger’s penthouse was on the right-hand side; she opened the door, and they both entered. Once inside, she immediately locked the door and closed the security chain.

“Thank you,” she said again. “Now I’m reassured. Please have a seat. Can I offer you something? A coffee, or...?”

“A coffee would be nice, thank you.”

A few minutes later, she came back from the kitchen with two cups of coffee, put them on the table, and sat down opposite Alan.

She leaned back on the couch and brushed a few loose strands of hair out of her face. What a beautiful woman, he thought. It was the right decision not to go ahead with David tonight.

“My name is Diane. Diane Van Helden.”

“Pleased to meet you, Diane... although the circumstances seem a little confused. I’m Alan Moore. Who is following you and why? I assume this isn’t the first time someone has followed you, is it? In that case, you should report it to the police.”

Alan stood up and looked out of the large window. “You have a fantastic penthouse here and a great view!” Then he sat down again.

“Yes, it’s very nice here. I like it.” She paused. “Okay, then I’d better start from the beginning. I don’t know why I should involve you in this, but I have a feeling that I can trust you.”

“That’s entirely up to you. But it would be a bit late not to trust me now,” Alan remarked somewhat mischievously.

By now, it was almost midnight. Alan called David briefly and told him that he wouldn’t be home until much later.

“The story I’m about to tell you sounds pretty...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 28.10.2024
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Krimi / Thriller / Horror ► Krimi / Thriller
• ISBN-10: 3-7693-3040-4 / 3769330404
• ISBN-13: 978-3-7693-3040-3 / 9783769330403