Chapter One Thousand Seven Hundred Ten
21st February 1966
Mitte, Berlin
“Something that I don’t think that you have considered Kiki” Peter said offhandedly as he listened to her heart through his stethoscope, “If you had been born to a working-class family you would likely be attending the Medical Academy in Jena. You got there with a staggering amount of hard work and a great of personal sacrifice.”
Having spent forty years as a Physician had taught Peter that the heart and lungs tended to reveal people’s exact thoughts in ways that they might not intend to. Kiki was no exception. Her heartbeat became elevated just after he had made that observation. He could also see her ribs through her skin as he lowered the stethoscope. Nora Berg would throw a fit if she saw Kiki in this state, her clear neglect of her personal health would likely result in an opportunistic infection of some kind if she kept on like this. Peter didn’t notice anything else untoward.
According to Kiki’s stepmother Charlotte, she had slept almost the entire time since she had come from Potsdam with her father. Peter found the entire episode fascinating from a strictly clinical point of view. Kiki running to the gravesite of her mother during a moment of crisis. He was aware of another young woman who had done something similar decades earlier, one who had undoubtedly had a great deal of influence on Kiki. The two situations were extremely different, Peter knew that there were a lot of unresolved issues that had remained after the death of Kiki’s mother. Had Kat ever mentioned this to Kiki or was it something more primal?
“I wish I could believe that” Kiki said as she pulled an old football jersey over her head. “All anyone sees is Princess Kristina when they look at me.”
She said that, but her body had told Peter a different story. He had reached the conclusion that Kiki used the idea that she was underserving of advancement as an excuse for giving up on things and cheapening her accomplishments. The caricature of Princess Kristina was something that Kiki hid behind. It was something that she had done for an extremely long time. The issue was that a prognosis was always easier than finding an effective prescription in Psychology. Peter had heard from a colleague about getting Kiki’s younger sister on the couch, it certainly seemed like every member of this family was grappling with similar issues, the women anyway.
“When what you believe isn’t working for you, then it is time to find something else” Peter replied.
Kiki didn’t act like she had heard that, instead she changed the subject. “Am I as crazy as people must think I am in Jena?” She asked.
“I’m not here to determine that” Peter answered, “This is just a house call for a patient.”
“You came all the way to Berlin for that?” Kiki replied, her voice full of skepticism.
“That and to visit family” Peter replied, “My brother lives a few blocks from here and his daughter just happens to be one of your closest friends.”
Kiki was silent for a long moment, embarrassed that she was so wrapped up in herself that she missed something that obvious. She still tended to be conceited at times. Mostly because of her age, so it was good for her to see that other people had lives.
“You didn’t answer the question” Kiki said.
“You aren’t crazy” Peter replied, “This is just like you having a cold, you need a bit of rest and to eat something. We’ll speak about this some more when you get back to Jena in a couple days.”
“But after what happened on Friday?” Kiki asked, “How is that possible?”
“Don’t be so dramatic Kiki” Peter said, “You yelled at some people who didn’t concern themselves with your boundaries, most of the people I talked to thought that they had it coming.”
Judging from her reaction to hearing that, Peter suspected that Kiki was disappointed that had been the outcome.
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Kat had seldom been to the City Hall of Berlin despite it being so close to the Alexander Marketplace. The facade of massive building that occupied an entire city block was entirely of clinker bricks, a feature that lent the Red Hall its name.
Entering the office of the State Prosecutor, Kat was aware of the silence that spread in her wake as she passed through the building. It reminded Kat of when she had been in school and the Headmistress had passed through, everyone knew that someone was in serious trouble for her to leave her office. Then it occurred to Kat that was exactly what this was.
It had taken a great deal of effort on Kat’s part, but she had learned exactly who it was in the City Government who was the cause of Klaus Voll’s complaint. It was with a bit of guilt that Kat discovered that to limit her influence over portions of Berlin’s Criminal Justice bureaucracy, the City had hired an ambitious outsider by the name of Franz Josef Strauss.
“Fürstin von Mischner” Strauss said in greeting as she entered, “To what do I owe the honor of your visit.”
It was obvious that he was not in the least bit intimidated by her reputation. Kat knew that it had been a long time since she had squashed someone like a bug, it showed in situations like this.
“I have been listening to complaints regarding the enforcement of certain laws regarding people’s private lives” Kat said, “Laws whose enforcement had fallen by the wayside.”
“I don’t get to pick and choose which laws get enforced, nor should I” Strauss replied, “The last Mayoral election hinged upon the rising crime rates in this City. Part of that was turning a blind eye to small crimes, creating an environment where big crimes could happen.”
“I know people who feel that they are getting specifically targeted by the police though” Kat said, “They are getting extorted and abused for no other reason than who they are having sex with.”
“You mean those who have been caught engaging in homosexual activity?” Strauss asked mildly, “Which has been illegal for decades.”
“I wouldn’t be here if friends of mine felt that they had no other recourse but to ask me for help” Kat said.
Strauss stared at her as if Kat was far out of her depth.
“I see and I would suggest finding better friends” Strauss said, “The Law as it has been written exists for a reason. There is compelling evidence that Homosexuals are predatory in nature.”
Kat remembered her father once telling her that it was the activities of otherwise ordinary people that she should be frightened of. It was something that he probably been positioned better than anyone else to know.