The Murder Farm Read Free Page A

Marie wasn’t so much easy going, but she was far too good at heart. She’d have worked for no wages, just for board and lodging. That was our Marie. Poor creature.
    Up till New Year, our Marie had a job with Frau Kirchmeier. Babette Kirchmeier. Frau Kirchmeier was a widow, and Marie kept house for her as best she could. But Frau Kirchmeier had been going downhill fast. In the end she could hardly walk, and she was getting a bit confused. So then she went into the old folks’ home; she’s got no children who could have taken her in, poor Frau Kirchmeier. So our Marie lost her job.
    And like I said, I’d promised Marie to go to the Danner farm with her.
    From what Frau Meier told me, it should have taken us an hour and a half to get there, but the weather was getting worse and worse.
    It turned really dark, and a squally wind was blowing. I keep on thinking we never ought tohave gone, not in that weather. Then everything would be different now.
    Well, we left our place around two, and by three-thirty or so we were hopelessly lost. So we wandered around for a while. Then we went back again a little way to the last farm we’d passed.
    When we got there we asked our way.
    Last field on the left, take the path through the woods, you can’t miss it, the man said.
    And it started raining again in the woods, so when we finally reached the farm we were sopping wet. It’s a very isolated place, you know. I’d never have thought it was so far out in the country. If I’d known I’d never have let our Marie go there. Never. Out there in Tannöd, there was only the old lady at home, she opened the door to us. I didn’t see anyone else. Only the old lady and the little boy.
    A pretty child, two years old, I’d say, with lovely golden curls.
    Marie took to the child on sight, I could see that, our Marie likes kids. But the old lady was very odd, she looked at us so suspiciously. Hardly passed the time of day. We hung our wet jackets over a chair. Close to the stove to dry. Old Frau Danner never said a word all the time. I tried to get her talking. I mean, there’s questions to be asked when someone new comes to a farm. But no, we couldn’t get anywhere with her, though the little boy was already laughing and clinging to Marie’s skirt after five minutes.
    And our Marie was laughing with him.
    The kitchen was just like the farmyard, old and gloomy, and a little bit grubby too. The old lady was wearing an apron that could have done with a good wash. And the little boy’s face was dirty.
    I sat there with my sister Marie on the bench by the tiled stove for an hour, and in all that time old Frau Danner said maybe five sentences. Strange, surly folk, I said to myself.
    At the end of an hour I put on my jacket, didn’t want to go home in the dark. The jacket was nearly dry by this time and I wanted to set off straight away.
    “I’ll have to go home now, it’s getting dark. I don’t want to lose my way again,” I told Marie.
    Then I met old Frau Danner’s daughter on the doorstep.
    Right there in the doorway.
    We had a word or so, she was a bit friendlier than the old lady, and then I went out the door. Our Marie came with me. I pushed the bike through the garden gate and said good-bye to her at the fence. She didn’t look all that happy, I think she’d rather have gone back home with me. I could see how she felt, but what could I do? There was nothing else for it.
    It almost broke my heart. I just wanted to get away from there quick. I told our Marie, “I hope you like it. If not we’ll find you something else.”
    Marie only said, “Oh, I’ll be fine.”
    I ought to have just taken her away with me. Something else would have come up. I’m certainit would. But I turned away and rode off on the bike. When our Marie called to me again I stopped and got off the bike.
    Our Marie ran after me and gave me a big hug. Squeezed me tight. As if she never wanted to let go. I really had to tear myself away and get on the bike in