A Crime Story

written by Margarete Höcht, Charlotte Jurenka, Elisabeth Mickerts-Gruber, Gerda Novak, Michael Otto, Helga Scheucher, Gerda Wehdorn, Christine Weichselberger.

English conversation class of Michaela Winkler in Volkshochschule Hietzing.

A grey Monday afternoon. Margaret comes out of court.

The first idea is reaching the station of the tram 43 which is opposite the courthouse going home to Neuwaldegg as quickly as possible.

She is looking forward to a walk in the Schwarzenbergpark in order to distance herself from the past couple of hours.

The whole morning she had been sitting in a sticky room listening to lies and truth – who would tell the difference. She can’t help long lost memories to come back to her mind. Finally she reaches her destination. She is a prisoner of her thoughts. Walking along the park alley she hears the painful cry of a child in the distance. She is thinking about the injustice of life. She had known Marlene for 35 years.

From the first class on they had been together, adoring the same English teacher and sharing the same hate for the caretaker. They had been to the same dancing school until the A-level allowed them to follow up their own interests. Marlene and George married pretty soon afterwards, whereas Margaret had been heading for a professional career as a journalist.

They had taken separate ways in life, however never quite lost contact. What a shock to realise that the car accident actually turned out to be murder! Twenty years imprisonment – is that enough for killing a wife? Why not life imprisonmnent? Who is to be blamed for these laws? And what about Susan – is she guilty, too Margaret’s thoughts are troubling and tormenting her.

She had never really liked George Fuchs, especially not as the husband of Marlene. He is a character of his own. She never could understand how one would go on a honeymoon while the pharma industries congress would be holding its annual meeting in the same hotel – and he must attend!But Marlene did not mind. She was too much in love with him. She also was blind towards his
beginning affairs.

She appeared rather helpless in those situations. George’s selfishness
increased and he didn’t seem to care about it.

The quality of his cars steadily rose as did his debts. Marlene patiently endured all this in the beginning and encouraged him in his career.

Fashionable parties at their luxuries home were given, and important business contacts opened the doors for his career. High society streamed in and out. George seemed to have settled in life. And then, one day, Susan showed up.

Young, beautiful, attractive, a sportive appearance at the tennis court, he was immediately fascinated by her. Having a drink at the bar he discovered that she would be of interest for him: as a matter of fact she was working for LaNoche pharma company, a leading firm in the research of cancer and heart diseases. He was happy to hear Susan mentioning that she is working as a secretary in a very informative position – actually she has access to the latest research results. The press speculated on a new drug to be released onto the market pretty soon. His own company would need decades to come up with the same results about such a product- not to talk about the distribution! So this woman was THE chance for him.
According to the police report there was a conversation between the couple on
the day of the fatal event.
Marlene: „I have a terrible headache – I desperately need my pills!"


George: “ I think it would be better for you to stay in bed until you feel
better.”

M: “Impossible! I have a date with Annie.... She is waiting for me ... actually I haven’t seen her for years and I won’t let her down.”G: “OK then. I will bring you some orange juice and your pills.“M: “ Can you put the aspirin in the juice please? I am just finishing my make-up. I have to hurry.”

G: “Well, dear, take your time, I’ll get the drink for you.“
What none of the reports said was what also happened in the house.
Turning his back in the kitchen he reached out for a glass. Orange juice, vodka, sleeping pills and aspirin. Ice cubes, well stirred, the cocktail was ready.
G: ”Be careful, you have all the time in the world. Here is your drink, hope you will feel better soon.”
M: “Tastes quite fruity. Did you put enough aspirin in?”
G: “As usual. Have a nice time!”
M: “See you – bye”

He was prepared when the police rang at his door. Few minutes before Annie
had called to check if Marlene had left the house.

It looked like everything was working according to plan. The officers told him that an accident had happened and they were sorry to inform him that his wife had been killed. Relief ! Desperately he asked to see his wife.

“But this is not possible! How could this have happened! I told her to stay in bed with this headache. But she had to go... and she wouldn’t listen to me. This
damn medicine. She should never have taken it ...”

He knew he had said too much. An astonished look from one of the inspectors. “Was she ill and sober? An experienced driver?” –

“Of course, she has been using this road for years. It’s a mystery how this could have happened.” He produced these words as if long rehearsed. “Where have you taken her? I would like to see her. Did she have to suffer, or was she dead instantly?”
“The investigation is still on the way and not yet completed. You will be informed in due time, ” the officer remarked.
“But ...”

At the MORNING POST NEWS AGENCY. After the daily editors’ morning meeting Margaret has got a routine job – or so it looks. A fatal car accident on the
Höhenstraße.
And Margaret is the one having to report about it. She hates this duty. What a trivial story to write. One look at the photo of the crashed car let alarm bells start ringing. This unusual hue of violet – very strange on an automobile! The plate – W LIFE 1 – can hardly be read, but she is sure this is Marlene’s ! Because only her car is violet, she was so fond of a personalised plate for it. And it is Marlene who lives near Höhenstraße. Could she have been the driver?
So Margaret rings up George to find out.


“George, is it true what I have just seen? Marlene ....?”

His voice comes back as if he would cry. He confirmes the terrible events. The same information he had given to the police he now repeats to Margaret. “But pills before driving ? She would never have done something like that. She would have cancelled her appointment!” Margaret can’t believe it. Something is wrong, but what.

On the way to the office. The next day is still foggy. Very unlikely for the time of the year. She is in a hurry. All traffic lights seem to stop the flow of cars, lorries and people. The driver behind her is as impatient as herself. Flashing the lights and blowing the horn won’t help in the least , but men like to do that. But ... could it be possible ... this is George, and not alone ! Besides him, this young blonde, and she is kissing him! Who the hell is this?

A date at the morgue. George and the inspector are still on the spot when Margaret arrives. Marlene’s face is hardly recognisable. George is standing there, pale and nervous. He stumbles the same words again and again. “Why did she do this? Why has she left me?”
According to the investigating doctor a high level of alcohol has been analysed. Aspirin and this high dose of extremely strong sleeping pills have – in this combination with alcohol – undoubtedly put her out of consciousness. George turnes paler and all of a sudden is silent.

Thinking that something must be wrong Margaret is back in her office. As a journalist she has all possibilities to gather information. This face – she has seen it before! A congress , a press conference – where the hell had she appeared before. Anything in the archives? Computer? Internet?

All of a sudden a colleague rushes in. “Margaret, dear, can’t you do me a favour, oh please, you have to ... you know, I have this important date this afternoon, so really I couldn’t possibly go ... Won’t you cover the pharma congress story for me?” Pharma congress ! No, thank you, not such a boring thing. But then – pharma? Isn’t that George’s profession? She might find out more if she would get a chance to talk to him.
Immediately Margaret is leaving the office.

The congress is as dull and boring as ever. Thanks heavens there is a coffee brake. George is standing over there, appeared out of nowhere, a cup in his hand, talking to ... who is this?

A young lady, very blonde, quite attractive in her sportive suit of the latest fashion. As she approaches the lady turns her face. What a surprise. The same lady that was so passionately kissing George in the car. And how she is making eyes at him.
In this moment George hands her a glass of mineral water, and for ages it seems they are holding hands.
A voice is raised : “Hi, Susan, how are you doing? ...”
“Hi, Peter, may I introduce George Fuchs from ...”
So this is Susan. Susan Schmidt.                             

The attendance list informs Margaret that this lady is working for LaNoche.How long have they known each other? Is she just the latest of his many love affairs? How dare he - in public – and only just after Marlene’s death ...

The Police Station Arsenal. Franz Grassmann, chief inspector, comes into his office, a hot steaming pot of coffee already waiting on his desk. His colleague Hubert Klein , long years assistant, greets him cordially.

“Morning, chief. The lab sent over the results.”“And ... were we right?”







“To be sure! She has swallowed a lethal cocktail. Absolutely no wonder this accident happened. I bet the husband had a hand in it!”“So then, off we go! Let’s start our investigation. Looks like we need to do a few interviews...”

Interesting results.After having contacted various people an interesting picture about George turns up: He must be an extremely selfish person, only following up his own career, his life style/living standard is far too high for his income, and he is in debts. Lots of people described him as arrogant. Not an affable character. Furthermore there is a long list of past and present love affairs , and the current one is Susanne Schmidt. In addition there is this life insurance, and George will benefit of two million! This is more than enough evidence to arrest him, and thanks God this case could be solved so easiliy.

Cafe Landtmann in the afternoon. Margaret is anxiously waiting for Susan Schmidt who she has called the previous evening and so arranged this meeting. Hopefully this will be helpful to find out what kind of relationship there is between her and George.

Susan walks in, dressed as elegantly as before, quite an appearance. Margaret had introduced herself as a friend of George.

...

She knows that there is more to this case than the police, the judge or the press knows. George will be in prison for 10 years. But nobody knows what had really happened on Höhenstrasse. She needs to talk to somebody, and Margaret seems to be the right person.It was a strange coincidence that exactly on that day Marlene’s car had to be on that street. She had been on her way to George to tell him that she was pregnant, and that he now would have to find a solution with his wife. She remembered quite clearly how confused and excited she had been. She simply couldn’t wait to get to his house. Full speed on Höhenstrasse, the crescent came all too sudden and out of nothing. Marlene’s car was in front of her. Too late! The violet car just slipped over the edge down into trees and bushes. It all happened so quickly. A nightmare. Her only thought was escape. Feelings of guilt have depressed her since.

Margaret stays a bit longer after Susan has left the cafe. There is a feeling of satisfaction – so at least she knows the background of this horrible story. Through so many lies finally some thruth comes up.