Chapter 4

Josh had to make a phone call! He ran up the stairs, he had been in such a hurry to come down, when he saw Alissa rushing through the snow towards his house, which he had left standing and lying. It's hard to believe that someone from his city of all people lived in the house next door. He shook his head and dialed his partner Janik's number. "Hey J, do you miss me already?" Came the cheerful voice of his best friend.

"Hey J!" They had made it a habit to only address each other by the first letter, and they'd been doing that for years. "I need your help." He told him about Alissa Aspelkamp and that he needed to know more about her. Previous convictions, family, her life up to the age of 17 and that after. Janik promised to get to work immediately and to deliver the first results tonight. They said goodbye and then he called Liam. "Moin brother! Well, how is the investigation going? ”He wanted to know immediately.

"Hi Liam. They're starting up so slowly. And I met an old friend. "

"Ah ... is she pretty?"

"She was in prison for 2 years."

“Ah a prison bride! Is she pretty? "

"You are incorrigible and yes she is pretty!"

"And what role does she play in your little play?"

“None at all yet. You can answer first. Samantha Mason was here today and when she found out that you were my brother she really wanted to get to know you. I think they want old warehouses from you. Do you have something like that?"

"No idea smaller. I have to take a look first. I can get in touch with you later. And maybe I can come over for the weekend, but on one condition. "

"Which would be there?" Josh sighed. It was so typical of Liam. “I just want to snowboard with you. Do you think we'll have time for that? ”Josh had to grin now. "We will definitely take our time for that."

"Have you already been on the way?"

Meanwhile, Alissa was waiting for Hannah to return home. When it got later and later, she decided to start on her own. Hopefully nothing bad had happened to her ... Just as she had set the table, she stuck her head in the door, breathless, and peered into the room. "I'm alone, you can come in."  

"I'm so sorry!" Hannah apologized to Alissa and looked at her with a faithful, happy dachshund look. "Eddy is soooo cute, he didn't leave my side all day."

Alissa grinned. “I want to hear all the details. Everything from start to finish. ”Alissa insisted and hugged her. "Thank you for being such a great friend." Hannah whispered in her ear. "I have to thank you the first time I saw you, I thought you were an imaginary snipe." Alissa confessed.

“And I thought you were a little gray mouse. You see, we were both wrong. ”Hannah pulled Alissa's ponytail playfully. "And how was your day?"

"I got to know the new neighbor."

"Frank? Isn't that nice? Always talks about his wife. ”Hannah grinned and began to polish the glasses on the sideboard. Alissa also took a rag and stood next to her. "No, it wasn't Frank."

"Not? I don't know that he ever rented the house and, to my knowledge, he doesn't have any children either. "

"A Joshua Duke is currently living there." She tried to make her voice sound insignificant, but just uttering his name made her stomach tingle. "Tell me." Hannah asked eagerly. "What does he look like and is he old?"

"Old? No, I think in my mid-twenties. And he looks incredibly good! ”Alissa described the neighbour's appearance to her friend. "Has anyone fallen in love?"

“Believe me, anyone can have it. He's not interested in someone like me. "

“Nonsense, you can have anyone too. You're one of those girls who are found cute. As petite and slim as you are, you are sure to awaken the protective instinct in every guy. You look as fragile as a china doll. ”Hannah grinned and Alissa couldn't help but laugh. “I am nowhere near as delicate and fragile as a doll.” She had been through far too much for that.

"How did you come to meet Joshie?" Hannah belittled his name.

Alissa wondered how to dodge an honest answer when the Masons and their guests walked into the dining room. Relieved, she put the rag down and turned to the gentlemen. Hannah was not allowed to find out about her past. Nobody was allowed to!

Today he had managed to go snowboarding a bit, he had enjoyed leaving his mark in the snow-capped mountains, at least until the next snowfall. Now he was sitting in his office and trying to organize all his equipment. All the bugs, and the tiny cameras, all the cables and so on. Everything was still there. Fortunately, his boss had approved the equipment for him. He didn't like the fact that Josh was investigating on his own, but he understood it too. A man like Mason, and his wife probably was in league with him too, belonged behind bars. His cell phone rang and he stopped working. "Hey J, it's good that you call me, did you find out something?"

"I think the girl is clean." He started to speak without a greeting. “She is an Aspelkamp, ​​that is an old German noble family. Not as wealthy as in earlier times, but still with a considerable fortune. Alissa is the daughter of Thomas and Tamara Aspelkamp. Thomas died when Alissa was just 16 years old, she still celebrated her sweet sixteen birthday, and shortly afterwards her father died of a heart attack. Six months later, her mother married Albert Muhlenstein, a very wealthy banker. A year later, Alissa was gone. She never came home again. Even when she was arrested two and a half years ago, she insisted on not hiring a lawyer and did not reveal her true origin to anyone else. "

"Why the harsh punishment? Two years for a little robbery is a little tough, isn't it? "

“Oh yes, but the judge probably knew her family and he hated her mother because she had decided on Thomas at the time. He saw his chance and sent her daughter into the kittchen for a minor offense. Only the good Tamara never found out, she now lives in a psychiatric institution, probably suffering from paranoia. Her husband takes care of the family's property. "

"Hard." Josh said and he really felt sorry for Alissa. "Does Alissa know about her mother?"

"No idea, at least she didn't even visit her."

"Where did she live?"

“At first she spent a few months in a youth facility, but left it overnight, so to speak. Then there is no data on her until she is arrested. She got out, took part in a social reintegration program, and after eight failed attempts, landed this job as a chalet girl. "

"Thanks buddy, have something good with me." Josh promised.

"Do you actually find her ..."

"Don't you ask if she's pretty!" Josh interrupted his friend angrily.

"Huh?"

"Liam, he has no other issues besides women."

"He's married and as far as I know he's pretty happy."

"Yes, he wants me to bind myself."

Janik then burst out laughing. “You and a woman? How well does your brother know you? "

"Apparently not as good as you me for a long time," he replied.

“Yes, I know you, and I know that she is exactly your type. She is by no means such a hysterical woman as the other women you always smile at. "

“I don't laugh at women at all. I had two girlfriends, they were serious relationships and it didn't work out twice. "

“Yes, because they were always afraid for their strong man. They hit the ceiling when they even looked at your gun. I tell you, your Alissa will definitely not burst into tears at the sight of a gun. "

"If you think it's that great then come over here and grab it." Josh countered and his friend fell silent for a moment. "Mhhhmm, maybe that's not a bad idea?" He muttered into the phone. "Go to sleep, dude and first cure yourself properly."

“It's just a flesh wound! Flesh wound! I'll come next week. If you still don't mind then I'll try my luck with her. See you then! ”With that he hung up. Josh grinned and put the phone aside. That was so typical of Janik, he really thought he could bait him with it. Yes, Alissa was really attractive and she had a temper, he had felt that on his own body when she accused him of watching her. Well, actually he had watched her, too, not on purpose, but which man looked away? Besides, he hadn't seen anything prohibited, after all, she was still wearing a bra. He turned back to his toys, as he secretly called them, and spent the next few hours connecting them to the computer and iPad.

Finally Friday afternoon wasn't long and the party was about to begin. Around 50 people were expected and Alissa was accordingly excited. She and Hannah had prepared everything downstairs and they would get more help for that evening. Now Alissa sat on her bed and waited until Hannah had made up. "If you don't mind, I'll put your make-up on again today?" Hannah called out to her from the bathroom.

"Do you mean that you are not satisfied with me?"

"I wouldn't call it that, but I can do better!" She stuck her head in the room and stuck her tongue out. Alissa grabbed her pillow and threw it, but her friend cleverly dodged her. "Besides!"

A few minutes later, Alissa was sitting on the edge of the bathtub and having Hannah put her makeup on. "There will be a lot going on today, which means that you are on your own."

"What do you mean?" Alissa asked with her eyes closed. "Some men think that they can take more out." Alissa opened her eyes, startled. "But ..." She paused. "But, I ... what ...?"

"They will try to touch you, be it a pat on the bum or if they take a glass from the tray they will" accidentally "brush your breasts. Best to avoid them. Below, I'll show you the men you should be careful of. "

"How can it be that men from such respected circles need something like that?"

“I can't give you an answer to that, but not all men are like that either, it is rather the small exception. Some are just really nice. ”Hannah finished her work and then they went to her bedroom to change. Today they would wear the same thing: a tight-fitting black dress that reached just below her knees. They had both taken back their hair completely and tied it in a ponytail. Imagine if a hair got into the food. "

Half an hour later, the two stood next to each other on the window front and watched the guests enter. Next to them were three other girls in the same outfit and hairstyle. Alissa's heart was beating faster and faster, she was nervous and that was only because there were some men she should be careful of. And maybe Joshua played a small role too, after all, he knew her secret, what if he exposed her? “This is David Nelson. Americans, avoid him if you can. Behind him his friend is also a grocer. ”Hannah whispered to her softly. There were three other men whom she shouldn't approach if possible. Then they had to start working. Alissa hadn't seen Josh yet, she took a tray with champagne and mingled with the guests.

Half an hour later Alissa had felt a hand on her bottom, but it wasn't one of the men Hannah had warned her about. She now avoided him too. Joshua was late. Why did he do it? He had to go to the house so badly, or rather to Mason's office. The meal was about to begin, most of the guests had already introduced themselves to each other and were chatting happily. Suddenly she saw that Hannah was looking excitedly in her direction and motioned for her to come to her. Alissa balanced her tray with the champagne glasses in front of her and meandered through the groups of visitors. In between, someone would take a glass from her or put his on the tray. When she got to Hannah's place, there was only one full glass left on the tray. "What is it?" She wanted to know from her friend.

"You just have to look at it." Hannah pointed into the hallway.

"Whom? I don't see anyone. "

“He's been talking to this woman for a quarter of an hour. She just won't let him go. That made me curious. And now I know why! ”Hannah grinned.

"Why?" Again and again Alissa tried to look down the hall at the couple, but she couldn't see them anywhere. "I don't see anyone." She then admitted in frustration.

“He looks incredibly good. One of those rich sons who have probably never lifted a finger before. ”Hannah mocked and looked down the hall. “Oh, he must have gotten away from her. They are gone. ”She said and sighed theatrically.

"Oh Joshua! Nice to have you here. "Samantha's voice suddenly rang out. Alissa and Hannah looked, Samantha was just greeting Joshua. "That's the guy I mean." Hannah whispered, looking triumphantly at Alissa. "N / A? Am I exaggerating? "

"No. I described him so well to you. Why didn't you recognize him? This is this Joshua. "

"The night bar you met this morning?"

Alissa just nodded and saw that Joshua apologized to Samantha and went to Manson. Samantha followed closely.

"You understated, he's much hotter than you said."

Alissa shrugged. "If you think. I have to fill up my tray. ”With that she left Hannah and went to the kitchen. And that led right past the Masons, and thus Joshua and he looked directly at her. Alissa avoided his gaze and looked at the floor in front of her. Suddenly she heard his voice - a voice she would probably recognize again and again from now on. "Girl!" He called and she looked up. "I would like the glass." He pointed his finger at her tray.

"Of course," she whispered, holding the tray out to him. He took the glass and she slipped away.