Frauleinstein

Chapter VII: Lunch with an Old Friend

Maria watched as the two men pulled Roddy along between them, the elderly woman following behind to ensure Maria did not see the gun.

"Roddy?" Maria called out. "You are leaving as well?"

Roddy did not answer. There was little he could do, a man in his nineties being dragged forward by two men a third his age holding a gun in his back.

As they approached the front of the restaurant the doors opened. Roddy knew the man who entered, Klaus, a local handyman he had worked with many times over the years.

"Hello, Roddy!" Klaus called out. "You look to be in a bit of a hurry today." It was only then that Klaus looked back and forth between the two men surrounding Roddy, suddenly wondering what to make of them.

"It's alright," Roddy told him. The last thing he wanted was for anyone to get hurt. "We just need to leave."

Klaus wasn't sure what to think, but he stepped aside from the door to let the group exit. That is, until Maria called out to him.

"Stop them Klaus!" Maria yelled, realizing nothing was right about what was happening.

Friedrich responded immediately with a sucker punch to Klaus' ribs. Klaus might have been close to sixty, but he was no pushover. He responded immediately with a left cross of his own.

As Klaus and Friedrich scuffled in the doorway, Valeria's plan for a quick exit unraveled. Dieter and Friedrich together could likely finish off the man quickly enough together, but she had a hostage to worry about! Roddy couldn't be allowed to escape, and they especially couldn't get delayed here in case the police were called.

"Leave them, come with me!" she commanded. As Friedrich continued to struggle with Klaus, Valeria led Dieter, still dragging Roddy by the collar and with a gun to his ribs, toward the back of the restaurant. They shoved past Maria and her shocked and frightened customers, until they found themselves in the tavern's kitchen.

Kitchen staff began to object, but quickly backed down when confronted by Dieter's gun. Valeria found the back door and led the group into the tavern's back parking lot...

Which was filled with at least half a dozen police cars, and twice that many police*.

* If you're wondering why the Golden Crown's parking lot would be filled with police on this afternoon, please read Bride of the Wolf!

Roddy wasn't sure, but he thought he caught sight of his granddaughter Gwen among all the police behind the building before Valeria began shouting orders again.

"Inside, quickly!" she yelled, shoving Dieter and Roddy back through the door. The group ran past the terrified kitchen staff again, and out into the dining room. Dieter waved his gun to intimidate any of the tavern patrons who might decide to get involved. Friedrich and Klaus were still trading blows, although both had noticeably slowed. As Dieter approached he clubbed Klaus with the butt of his gun, and Klaus dropped to the floor.

Valeria wasted no time in shoving everyone out the front door. As they regrouped on the sidewalk she asked, "Where is the car?"

"This way," Friedrich told her, setting off at a slow run after his exhausting fight.

Valeria ran after him, with Dieter still holding Roddy and bringing up the rear. They had run a little over a block when Valeria suddenly seized her chest and stopped, then slowly collapsed to the ground.

"Major!" shouted Dieter, dropping to her side. Friedrich soon realized the others had stopped, and returned to see what was happening.

"What's wrong?" Friedrich asked.

"Heart attack, I think," Dieter told him.

"Terrific. Now what?" Friedrich wondered. "She needs a hospital."

"We need to take her with us," Dieter responded. "She's gone. But if we go back without her then we're the ones who'll be dead."

"What about him?" Friedrich asked, indicating Roddy with his chin.

Dieter shrugged. "We just kill him right here and now."

Dieter swung his gun around to point at Roddy, but before he could aim he realized Roddy had his Webley service revolver out, covering the two younger men.

"Drop the gun," Roddy commanded in a steady voice. Dieter slowly set his gun on the ground, then backed away.

"Okay, you win old man," he said. We're just going to take the old lady and go."

"Like hell," said Roddy, cocking the hammer threateningly. Dieter and Friedrich backed up several steps, then turned and ran.

Roddy turned his attention to Valeria. She was having trouble catching her breath, but looked up at him as he kneeled at her side.

Valeria spoke slowly, and quietly. "I'm glad I got to see you again, Flight Lieutenant Roderick Williams. Serial number 327... 893... 15."

Roddy smiled at her, a sad, tired smile. "You remembered."

"Of course," Valeria said with a pained grin. "I just... didn't want you to, think I was showing off."

Valeria was quiet as she caught her breath, then asked, "Stay with me, Roddy? Please?"

"Of course," he assured her. Valeria closed her eyes. Roddy held her as she took her last breath.

That was how the police found them when they caught up a few minutes later.

A/N: Okay, okay! Enough plot development! Next week, I promise some humor. But I'm building slowly. And please, check out the photo of Zolfina! 

Did anyone notice, there is finally a dead body and a potential Frauleinstein? Just sayin'...