Read Snow White Must Die for Free Online

drunk more than was good for him. Nathalie had noticed how much he was suffering and told him, “Go and look for her.” He had dashed out of the tent, but he didn’t have to search for long. When he found her, jealousy had exploded like a bomb inside him. How could she do this to him? Making a fool of him right in front of everyone? All because of a stupid leading role in an even stupider play?
    At this point Tobias threw off the covers and jumped out of bed. He had to do something—work or find some other way to distract his mind from these tormenting memories.
    *   *   *
     
    Amelie was walking with her head down through the fine drizzle. As she did every morning, she had turned down her stepmother’s offer to drive her to the bus stop, but now she had to hurry if she didn’t want to miss the school bus. November was showing its most unpleasant side, with fog and rain, but Amelie didn’t really mind the dismal dreariness of the month. She liked her solitary walk through the sleeping village. In the earbuds of her iPod the music of the Schattenkinder roared loud enough to shred her eardrums; they were one of her favorite Dark Wave groups. She had lain awake half the night thinking about Tobias Sartorius and the murdered girls. At the time Laura Wagner and Stefanie Schneeberger had been seventeen years old, the same age she was now. And she lived in the same house where one of the victims purportedly had lived. She absolutely had to find out more about the girl that Thies had called Snow White. What had happened in Altenhain back then?
    A car came to a stop next to Amelie. Probably her stepmother, who could practically drive her mad with her enervating kindness. But then Amelie recognized Claudius Terlinden, her father’s boss. He had rolled down the window on the passenger side and was motioning for her to come closer. She turned off the music.
    “Would you like a ride?” he asked. “You’re getting soaked.”
    The rain really didn’t bother Amelie, but she had no objection to riding with Terlinden. She liked the big black Mercedes with the light-colored leather seats; it smelled brand new, and she was fascinated by the technological advancements that Claudius Terlinden was only too happy to demonstrate for her. She inexplicably liked her neighbor, although with his expensive suits, big cars, and ostentatious villa he was actually the prototype of the decadent moneybags that she and her pals back home in Berlin had hated with all their hearts. But there was something else. Lately Amelie had been asking herself whether she was entirely normal, because every time any male was somewhat friendly, her thoughts would immediately turn to sex. How would Mr. Terlinden react, she wondered, if she put her hand on his thigh and made him an unambiguous offer? Just thinking about it made a hysterical giggle rise inside her and she had to make an effort to subdue it.
    “Well, come on then!” he called, motioning her to get in. “Climb in.”
    Amelie stuffed her earbuds in her jacket pocket, opened the door, and dropped into the passenger seat. The heavy door of the luxury car closed with a satisfying thunk. Terlinden headed off down Waldstrasse and smiled at Amelie.
    “What’s eating you?” he asked. “You look like you’re brooding about something.”
    Amelie hesitated a moment, then said, “Can I ask you a question?”
    “Of course. Shoot.”
    “Those two girls who disappeared. Did you know them?”
    Terlinden cast a quick glance at her. He wasn’t smiling anymore. “Why do you want to know that?”
    “I’m just curious. There’s been so much talk since that man came back. I think it’s kind of exciting.”
    “Hmm. It was a sad story back then. And it still is,” he said. “Naturally I knew both of the girls. Stefanie was our neighbors’ daughter. And I had known Laura since she was a kid. It’s just horrible for the parents that the girls were never found.”
    “Hmm,” Amelie said pensively.