Wrong Place, Right Time 2

Ulrich Schmidt was doing some routine work, but he couldn’t help peeping at his second cell phone from time to time; it was a prepaid phone he had bought for what he called »Operation Hostile Takeover« by himself, and he would get rid of it once everything was done.

There had been one message already, by a man he only knew as »Ben«:

»Elvis has left the building!«

It meant that both the abduction of Martina and Lisa Hartenstein and the removal of her car from the mansion had been successful. Now, Ulrich had one more reason to look at the phone: he had installed an app that would provide him with traffic reports from the region, including accidents. The car crash wouldn’t make it to the big news, for there would be no dead bodies, and soon, Ketteler would be »informed« that his partner had been brought to a hospital.

Ulrich closed the folder in front of him. He just could not concentrate on an ordinary insurance police right now, though it was a considerable sum. However, staring at his phone like a teenager waiting for a message of his crush would also drive him mad, and so, he decided to walk around a few steps.

Being Ketteler’s personal assistant, he had his office beside that of the CEO, and a few steps down the corridor was the office of Martina Hartenstein. It would now be empty, for Martina was officially on a holiday trip, and her secretary, Emma Dietrichs, had also taken the week off. So, Ulrich decided to have a look inside.

Currently, only he and Ketteler were at that floor, and so, he didn’t risk being seen as he now entered the anteroom of Martina’s office. It looked as usual, with the only exception that Emma wasn’t sitting at her desk. Ulrich checked the door leading to Martina’s room, but it was locked. Ulrich shrugged. Soon enough, he would officially get the keys. Once the deal with the Americans was done, Ketteler would either retire or move, but of course, the company would continue doing business, albeit under a new brand. And of course, Keene and Sanchez would need a trustworthy CEO for Würzburg, someone who was still young, had excellent degrees and was acquainted with the business. In other words, him. And since Ketteler’s office was slightly smaller and its windows opened to the north, Ulrich would move to that of Martina once it was »officially free«.

»I wonder whether I will keep Emma!«

Martina’s secretary was good at her job, and she was also attractive. In addition, Ulrich light her always slightly nervous and insecure attitude. He looked at her desk, and suddenly, he frowned. There, beside her chair, was a pair of high heeled shoes.

Of course, Ulrich knew that some of the female employees sometimes slipped out of their shoes when they were working at their desks and there were no customers around. However, they usually didn’t walk around without shoes, and since Emma had her week off, it was unlikely that she had left the building on her stockings.

He looked closer, and another detail came to his eyes: the shoes hadn’t been placed side by side, but were lying around as if Emma hadn’t taken much care on doing things neat. Of course, it was possible that she had decided to wear sneakers for the way home, but if so, she would have put her office shoes neatly under the desk, or somewhere in a cupboard.

Though he knew that he was alone, he looked over his shoulder before he took one of the shoes. There was nothing one couldn’t expect from them, and, almost reflexively, Ulrich brought the shoe closer to his face, inhaling the scent, a melange of leather and sweat that wasn’t that appalling. He smiled and, following his sense of order, he placed the shoes side by side. Then, it struck him.

Martina had taken off the whole week and the next, but Emma had been at the office on Monday, to run some errands at Martina’s office. The last time he had seen her had been at about 6 pm, when the company had officially closed. She had left, and he had looked after her when she had walked to the elevator. And though Ulrich’s focus had been on her butt in the tight skirt, he could also remember that she had worn these very pair of dark beige high heels! He knew because he had thought that the colour was matching that of her hair.

»And on Tuesday morning, she called in sick and asked if she could take the rest of the week off, promising she would keep in contact with Martina via Email! So, how did her shoes get here?«

He took the high heels, though he felt a bit like a dog sniffing on an evidence, and went to his office, placing them on his desk. In front of his inner eye, he could see Emma secretly come back to her office, taking off her shoes to – to sneak around! Maybe just a few yards, to Ketteler’s office, where they had held their meeting with Keene and Sanchez!

He looked at his phone and noticed that he had gotten a new message from Ben:

»The Eagle has landed!«

Ulrich relaxed a bit. It meant that Martina and Lisa had reached their destination. Now, even if Emma had spied on them, it would be his and Ketteler’s word against hers. And, if necessary, he would ask Ben if he wanted to earn a few Grand more.

***

»So, that’s how poor people live?«

»Lisa!«

Martina Hartenstein poked her daughter’s side, though she had to bite down a chuckle herself. Actually, her private secretary couldn’t be called »poor« at all, but of course, her apartment was much smaller than the mansion, and Lisa and Martina would have to share the guest room that was just big enough for the double couch bed and a small cupboard. In addition, they would have to use the same bathroom as their host, and though it would only be for a few days, Lisa considered it quite a degrade.

Martina had told her daughter that they had to go into hiding and keep their heads low for a short time, just to make sure neither they nor the company took damage. She had spared her 19 years old daughter the details of Ketteler planning to kidnap them, and so, she told Lisa to just listen to some music whilst she went to the living room where Emma had prepared some coffee. As usual, her secretary seemed a bit nervous.

»Four days, and you will be rid of us again, Emma!«

They had decided to stay at the apartment until the day after Easter Monday, when Emma would go back to work and see if Ketteler and Schmidt were implying that Martina was in medical care and they would run the company for the time being. Then, Martina would return on Wednesday and do as if nothing had happened, followed by a private meeting with Ketteler where she would offer him to leave his post immediately, taking his henchman with him, or she would inform the Police.

»Four days, and we will not only be rid of this pest Ketteler, but you will also find a nice gratification on your account!«

Emma smiled wryly. Their relation couldn’t be called cordial, but she considered Martina a good employer, and she was loyal to her. However, she was concerned about the two women that had taken Martina’s and Lisa’s place.

Martina seemed to have read her thoughts.

»Are you thinking about Marlene and, what was her name – Silvia? Well, of course, I will confront Ketteler with that, too, and tell him that I will also call the Police if they won’t be set free immediately!«

She sighed theatrically and added:

»If it comes to the worst, I will have to pay these two a gratification, too!«

However, Martina wasn’t that concerned about Silvana and Marlene. The latter was just an acquaintance, and Silvana had just been at the wrong place at the right time. She didn’t want the two to get harmed – well more harmed than they got now, by getting kidnapped and held hostage, but if she had to choose between the benefit of these two and that of her own family and the company, she lived after a saying of her late father:

»One can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs!«

***

It seemed their abductors had forgotten about Silvana and Marlene in their rubber cell, for nobody looked after them, and they could hear no sound through the heavily padded door. They had repeatedly talked about who could have been behind all this and how to react if someone came, but now, as time passed slowly, they just sat there side by side. Silvana suddenly cleared her throat.

»Sorry, but I-«

She pointed at the opening in the floor, blushing slightly. Marlene just nodded and turned her head the other side as Silvana lowered her panties, crouched over the opening and peed. At that moment, there was a crackle coming from the ceiling, followed by a female voice:

»Hello, Martina and Lisa! I hope you don’t mind me calling you by your first names, but since you are both called Hartenstein, it would be a bit confusing!«

The seconds it took Silvana to finish her business and could readjust her panties felt like aeons to the girl, in which the ceiling lamp felt like a thousand eyes staring down at her. Once again crossing her arms in front of her chest, she withdrew to a corner.

»We aren’t who you think you are!«, Marlene yelled at the direction of the voice, but the woman either ignored it, or the system only worked one way.

»We will now explain to you what will be expected of you. In addition, we might provide you with drinks, food, and a change of clothes!«

The crackle could be heard again, and Marlene exchanged a look with Silvana. About a minute later, the lid in the door was opened, and the same voice said:

»If you behave civilized, we may refrain from using the straightjackets and gags again! So, to show your compliance, please sit down on your heels, your backs to the opposite wall, and your hands behind your heads!«

The unknown woman stepped back, but the lid remained open, as if she was waiting for Marlene and Silvana to obey. Sitting on the heels meant almost they had to kneel, but Marlene, seeing no point in being defiant, obeyed, leaving room for Silvana on her left. The blonde hesitated, for the required position meant she would have to expose her nude breasts. But finally, her curiosity was stronger than her sense of modesty. At least, whoever the woman was, she was female.

Once she had sat down and folded her hands at her nape, the door opened completely, and a woman entered. She was wearing a white doctor’s coat that contrasted with her black skin. Her hair was tied to a strict bun, and she was wearing glasses through which she looked at the two captives with a look that wasn’t unfriendly. Beside her stood another woman, perhaps a nurse, for she was dressed in a white frock. Her hair was light brown and just covered her ears, and her green eyes showed a strange sparkle as she let her eyes wander over Silvana and Marlene over her clipboard. In the corridor, they could see the shadow of a third person, and so, they decided to delay any escape attempts.

»I am Dr. Abina Gyan«, the Black now explained, her German showing not a glimpse of an accent, »and beside me is Nurse Judith! You may call us both by our first names, as we do to you, Martina and Lisa!«

Since the woman sounded calm and reasonable, Marlene replied:

»Please, this is a terrible mistake! We are not who you think we are! I am Marlene Gutermann, and my friend’s Silvana Dellert!«

Abina raised an eyebrow and peeked at Judith’s clipboard. Then, she showed a friendly smile.

»Don’t worry! Such difficulties in orientation often occur together with heavy brain injuries. Soon, we will-«

»Please, Dr. Gyan!«

Marlene forced herself to remain in her defensive position, but Silvana had taken her hands down and seemed ready to jump up.

»Please, we are really Marlene Gutermann and Silvana Dellert! We just happened to be at Martina Hartenstein’s house!«

Marlene knew that even if the woman believed her, it wouldn’t end with her saying »Oopsie, sorry, you may go!«. However, since they had no idea where they were, perhaps, they could let them go and not commit whatever crime they had planned on Martina and Lisa. Perhaps, this would end without anyone getting hurt!

To Judith, Abina said:

»Judith, I think we should start treatment immediately!«

»Certainly, Doc!«, Judith replied with a malicious grin. Now, Silvana jumped up and approached the two. She wasn’t sure herself whether she wanted to argue, plead, or just try to get to the corridor, but now, the nurse focussed her and barked:

»Lisa! Get back!«

»I am not Lisa, I am-«

Silvana couldn’t finish her sentence, for now, Judith’s left hand darted forward, hitting her chest. She hadn’t balled her fist, but the blow sent Silvana onto her backside, where the padded floor prevented her from getting hurt. Before she could get up again, Judith stepped aside and from the floor, the third person entered. She was also a Black, tall and athletic. Instead of a nurse’s outfit, she was entirely clad in black, her trousers and short-sleeved shirt looking almost like a uniform. She also sported black military boots, and on her belt, Silvana and Marlene could see a holster with a gun.

»Are our patients causing any problems?«, she asked, her voice indicating that she wouldn’t mind solving these problems by force. Abina shook her head.

»I am sure that Lisa’s just a little excited – but now, she will behave well, and do as I say – isn’t it?«

Her expression became stern as she looked down on Silvana who was still massaging the place where Judith had hit her, though it hadn’t actually hurt. Looking at the tall Black, she finally lowered her head and nodded.

Now, she and Marlene had to get up and the tall woman produced a set of chains from a cart on wheels standing on the corridor. It was a set of two pairs of handcuffs, connected by a short chain. She tied Silvana’s hands in front of her, then used the other pair to cuff her ankles. Now, Silvana could no longer cover her breasts, and she could walk, but no longer run.

Marlene was restrained the same way, and then, the woman fetched two more items. They looked a bit like dog leashes, but instead of collars, on the other ends were leather bands with a strange looking sack sewn to it. She grabbed one and pushed the sack into Silvana’s mouth, then buckling the band at her nape. Whilst she applied the other gag on Marlene, Silvana explored the sack with her tongue and noticed that under the leather, something hard was hidden.

When the straps had been attached, both girls stood with the chains dangling from their gags. The tall woman took the leashes’ ends, and Abina explained:

»We wanted to spare you the neck collars, but these are way more effective anyway. Nabia!«

Obviously, this was the tall woman’s name, for she pulled on the chains, and since neither Silvana nor Marlene had been prepared for it, they couldn’t follow quick enough. As soon as the chains were taut, the sacks suddenly expanded, like little umbrellas. Nabia let the chains loose again, and Abina explained to the horrified captives:

»As long as you peacefully follow Nabia, these gags are almost convenient! But if you try to buck, or slow down, well, sooner or later, even the strongest jaw gets dislodged!«

Silvana gasped, and Marlene, who reminded being threatened with a choking pear during her last abduction, felt a shiver run down her spine. When Abina left the cell, followed by Judith and Nabia, none of them tried to do anything but walk close behind the tall Black.

The corridor looked unspectacular. Obviously, they were in a cellar, for there were no windows, just a few metal doors. After some 20 yards, Abina stopped at one of those and turned to the others:

»I can understand your concerns! Most people who have never been to a psychiatric clinic think that it is a mixture of a Medieval torture chamber and Frankenstein’s lab. I have to admit that back in the days, the treatments were very close to what we call torture nowadays!«

The door was opened, and neither Silvana nor Marlene would have been too surprised if behind it, there had been a rack or an Iron Maiden waiting, lit by a blaking torch. However, the room was lit by neon lights, and the walls were plain white, with only the tiled floor and a gridded opening in it indicating that sometimes, people were working with fluids here.

In the room, two things were dominating: an old-fashioned looking tin bathtub, and a chair that could be turned around its central foot, like an office chair. However, the dangling straps showed that it was meant to fix someone tightly to it.

»These chairs were invented by – but I am boring you with long monologues! Judith, Nabia!«

Abina took Silvana’s leash whilst the two others made Marlene sit on the chair where she was leashed once the cuffs were removed. Her ankles were tied to the footrests, and her knees to the vertical part of the armrests, whilst her lower arms were strapped to the armrests. Two more belts went over Marlene’s torso, at her waist and below her breasts, fixing her back to the backrest. Silvana noticed two more belts dangling beside Marlene’s head.

Now, Judith pulled the sport socks from Marlene’s feet, sniffing on them before rolling them into a ball.

»You really should shower after your workouts!«

Nabia removed the gag and grabbed Marlene’s chin, pushing her thumb and index finger against her jaws, so she had to open her mouth, allowing Judith to stuff the socks into it. Marlene retched, but Judith pushed the gag deep inside before Nabia buckled one of the belts tightly between her lips, keeping the gag in place and pressing Marlene’s head against the wooden backrest. The last strap went over her forehead. It had an upholstery, but now, she couldn’t move her head at all.

»In the times my country was still called the Gold Coast and was about to become a part of the British Empire, psychiatrists thought that insane patients could be cured by this!«

She stepped beside the chair and gave it a hard push. Obviously, the foot had ball-bearing and was well oiled, for it turned quickly, with the helpless Marlene squealing and moaning. Only after a few dozen rounds, the chair came to a halt, and Silvana noticed with horror that Marlene’s eyes were as big as saucers, and she was panting heavily, though the forced carousel ride had been less than a minute.

»Other cures were less – hectical!«

Silvana was led over to the bathtub and Nabia showed no problems in lifting her up and making her sit inside. She had to lean back, and her neck was pushed into a semicircular bulge. A board with a matching bulge was placed in front of her throat, and Silvana found her neck locked in a collar board, unable to raise, let alone leaving the bathtub.

Silvana’s chained gag was replaced by a leather band with a rubber ball in it that was buckled at her nape. Then, Abina stepped beside her. Her hand was loosely on a valve attached to the side of the bathtub.

»Some also thought that mental diseases could be cured by cooling the patient down – literally!«

She opened the valve, and the tub began to fill with water. It was ice cold, and Silvana reared up, panting and screaming through her gag. Raising her voice to be heard over the running water, Abina continued her explanation:

»Actually, we would have to add ice cubes, but I think you are getting a glimpse of how things were back then!«

She stepped over to Marlene, giving the chair another spin. When it had come to a rest, Marlene was retching and her chest heaved as if she had run a marathon. Meanwhile, the tub had filled up to the girl’s neck, and Abina turned off the water. Silvana squirmed, shivering from the cold and gasping and spluttering through her gag. Her heart was bumping like mad, and all she could think was »Cold, cold, cold!«

»I think ten minutes are enough! After all, we just want to demonstrate to Martina and Lisa how things are no longer done in psychiatry!«

When the ten minutes were over, Marlene felt as if the worst hangovers in her life had been a picnic in comparison, and she had to bite down hard on the vile tasting socks in her mouth to keep her stomach from revolting, for if she had thrown up, she might have choked to death. She was trembling like aspen foliage, and even if she had not been tied, she would have collapsed if she had tried to get up.

Silvana, on the other hand, was also trembling, her lips blue and she was chewing on her ball gag as her teeth were clattering. She could no longer feel her toes and fingers, and she was hyperventilating. When Abina opened a plug at the bottom of the tub, the water quickly sank, and the air felt like a warm breeze on her shivering body.

Abina waited until both captives’ breathing had normalized before she said:

»You see, methods were a bit – rustical in earlier decades! Nowadays, we have more advanced techniques, both to cure patients, and to keep the renitent ones under control! However, though it may be controversial, shock therapy still has its values, and maybe, we already have gained some effects!«

She stepped over to Silvana and loosened her gag. The girl still trembled, her nipples were hard from the cold, and her white panties had become quite transparent, revealing her triangle of pubic hair. Abina asked:

»What’s your name?«

It took Silvana some effort to get control over her clattering teeth, but then, her expression became determined, and she stammered:

»Si-Silvana De-Deeeuuhmmph!«

Abina didn’t allow her to finish her last name, pushing the gag back into her mouth and buckling the straps tight. Then, she strolled over to Marlene, loosening her gag strap and pulling the sodden socks from her mouth, cringing at their sight and smell.

»What’s your name?«

Marlene still felt as if not butterflies, but a thousand bats were fluttering around in her stomach, and she couldn’t help some drool running down her chin, but she had listened that Silvana had persisted, and so, she answered:

»I-I am M-Marlene Guuuuhhmmph!«

She was quickly regagged, too. Once Abina had buckled the strap tight between her lips, she shrugged and said towards her henchwomen:

»It seems that both patients are renitent! However, I need to run a few errands upstairs! So, do you think you can take care of them in the meantime?«

Nabia just bowed slightly, like a warrior taking an order, but Judith’s green eyes sparkled, and when she turned towards the two captives, she licked her lips.

***

Marcus was in a good mood, despite the night having been quite short. To work on his thesis, he often sat at his computer or over his books until the blackest hours of the night, and so, he slept until noon before, after a brunch, he continued working again. Today, however, was Good Friday, and Marcus tried to attend church at least on high holidays.

The weekend would be full of work, except for a break on Sunday to video-chat with his parents. On Monday, however, he would be able to take a day off – and maybe a night, too. He grinned and turned the water in the shower a bit colder as he remembered Silvana’s call the night before.

The girl had been more than a bit tipsy, but nevertheless, or maybe because of it, the talk had been funny and charming – and in the end, it had even become a bit raunchy. They had switched on their phone cameras, and Silvana had not refused to take off her T-shirt and bra for him. The last barrier, however, had remained in place. Letting the camera run over her panty-clad loins, she had breathed:

»If you want more, you have to find me on Monday!«

Giggling, and with a few misspellings, she had put it into a riddle, so he would have an Easter quest, albeit delayed to Monday:

»The name’s an old man that plays an important role in my life; the number’s the day of his birth! Get to the place the riddle gives you on Monday, and you will be rewarded!«

She had left no doubt what the reward would be, and Marcus grinned. Luckily, he was a Protestant, for otherwise, he would have had to confess his sinful thoughts before attending the sermon.

He decided to walk to the church, all the time trying to figure out what the solution of the riddle could be. The first »old man« that came to his mind was her father, but he had only met Christian Dellert once. Marcus wouldn’t have called him old (he was in his late 40ies), and he had no idea when his birthday was. He was glad that over his work, he still could think of Silvana’s birthday on the 27th of May.

»Maybe, she’s considering me an old man!«

After all, he was 28, some ten years older than Silvana. His birthday was the 9th of October, but he could see no sense in »Marcus 9«. He tried to put a sense in it by using Bauer, his last name, but what could that mean? Was Silvana at some farm, at barn number 9?

He shook his head, thinking that Silvana would perhaps send him another clue on Sunday, if he complained that he hadn’t figured it out yet. After all, the girl hadn’t sounded as if she would call it a triumph if he didn’t manage to find her on Monday.

***

The fake accident had worked out well. The man who usually told people to call him »just Ben« (to an extent that »Justben« had become something like his stage name) was proud of himself, though it meant he had to walk for two miles through the forest until he could get to the next village where he could take a bus to the next city before he would attend a train back to Würzburg.

The place was a steep hill under a curve, and he had rammed the guard barrier, so the car was hanging in the air with its front wheels. He had gotten out and then pushed it until gravity took over and the Mercedes rolled down the hill. There was no big fireball like in a movie, but at least, it hit a tree. Ben climbed down and opened the passenger door, too; then, he left a few more traces, so it would look as if someone had come by and had saved the passengers. Of course, it would not stand a real criminal investigation, but so far, it was just a car crash without casualties, for the information would soon be dropped that Martina and Lisa Hartenstein were at a hospital; not well, but alive. So, the Police would not consider this a crime scene. The car wreck would be taken care of, and soon, the case would be closed as just another random accident.

Ben had his hands in his pockets, feeling for the smooth cloth of the panties he had taken from the laundry drawers of Silvana and Marlene. His fetish wasn’t as strong as that he would have neglected his work, or renounced the payment, but it was a nice extra bonus, since Judith had not really responded to his flirting.

He had reached a dirt road leading to the next village, and there were a few other people; so, he couldn’t take his prey out of his pockets. However, he let the material run through his fingers, imagining the underwear by its touch: Martina seemed to prefer classic silk panties with lace trimming, whilst Lisa, like most young girls, preferred thongs. However, she seemed to vary in her preferences, for he remembered how his men had brought her down from her bedroom when he had been waiting in the living room, guarding Martina. The girl had already been straightjacketed, and the crotch strap had bisected a pair of plain white cotton panties.

Ben frowned. He was the opposite of a fool, and now, the melody in his mind had a small dissonance. A dissonance caused by the difference in panties. Yet, he couldn’t figure out why it bothered him that Lisa sometimes wore thongs, and sometimes not, but he couldn’t put his finger on it – though literally, his fingers were entangled in Lisa’s thong.

»Maybe, I should retire and choose the path of virtue«, he thought by himself. »This criminal lifestyle is slowly turning me paranoid!«

***

»Why is it called ›Good Friday‹, if it is the day they killed Jesus?«

Hilmar smiled at Ella, his ten years old daughter, who sat beside him on the bench where they could watch a group of people attending church. So far, the father-and-daughter trip to Norderney had been a success, despite the still cold weather. Ella had had fun during a boat trip and watching some sheep, and yesterday, they had attended a pool with different water slides that he also had enjoyed.

»I think it is because he died for our sins, and that’s the good thing about it!«

Ella nodded and her interest turned to less theological themes as she asked him about details of the ships they could see at the horizon. Hilmar took a deep breath. He had sworn to himself to bring the topic up during the trip, and so far, Ella didn’t seem to miss her mother that much!«

»Ella – what would you think if I told you I met someone – a woman?«

»Are you talking about the blonde in the lobby?«

Hilmar scoffed. Last evening, he had accidentally run into a busty blonde, and whilst he had apologized and helped her to pick up her belongings, he had admired how the tight short dress had emphasized her assets. He scolded himself that he was so unsubtle that even his ten years old daughter had noticed it.

»No, I don’t even know that woman’s name! I am talking about someone at Würzburg – a woman that could take the place of your Mum!«

Ella cocked her head, and he had to remind himself that she was ten, not six when he and Elisa had divorced. His daughter knew what had happened, and though he couldn’t accuse his ex of estranging Ella from him, Elisa sure had mentioned that he was a far better dad than he had been a husband.

»Is she pretty? Like Mum?«

Hilmar smiled. Elisa was a slender blonde, an elder version of Ella that had only gotten his eyes from him.

»She’s very pretty, but your Mum looks quite different!«

»Hm. Will I like her?«

When Hilmar agreed to that, he felt a bit shabby: Marlene was the teacher of Ella’s class, and of course, his daughter had told him quite a lot about her. However, Marlene didn’t seem to be frightening or too strict, and in a few months, Ella would attend the Gymnasium, and this would no longer be a problem.

 »And do you love her more than you have loved Mum?«

Hilmar hesitated with his answer. Ella loved her mother, and if he didn’t want to challenge that. On the other hand, he didn’t want Ella to think that Marlene was just an affair of him.

He thought back of the trip to Venice, where he had tried to save Marlene from the clutches of a kidnapper. He had not acted like the most capable hero – but in the end, he had succeeded. He had gone into a fistfight (he had lost, but at least, he hadn’t dodged), he had broken the law repeatedly, and in the end, he had even fired a gun at the kidnapper, shortly before he and Marcus had freed Marlene.

He would not tell Ella about these things, for though his daughter loved watching films that were above her age, this wasn’t appropriate. So, he just took her in his arms and said:

»Well, the number one in my heart will always be you, but I think that I love her almost as much as I love you, Elly-Belly!«

***