Lynda Plante - Entwined

Ruda Kellerman waited for her turn to enter. The hectic events both frightened and exhilarated Rebecca; her whole body trembled. Ruda kept tight hold of her twin's hand, describing some of the acts. Anyone close was proudly introduced. "This is my sister!"

Ruda was dressed in a tailored black evening suit, a white silk shirt with heavy ruffles at her neck, and a flowing black cloak lined in white satin. The trousers were skintight, and she wore black polished Russian riding boots. She carried a pair of white gloves and a top hat and smiled broadly, joking with friends as they passed her to enter the ring. Her red warning light flickered. The loudspeaker warned: "Stand by, Ruda Kellerman."

Ruda whispered to Rebecca that any moment it would be her cue. But Rebecca continued to cling to her. Ruda cupped Rebecca's face in her strong hands.

"Just for a moment... watch me!"

"Ladies and gentlemen, the most daring, the most famous, the most audacious, fearless female wild animal trainer in the world... please welcome to Berlin the star of our show. Welcome to Berlin, Ruda Kellerman!.. Ruda Kellerman, ladies and gentlemen!"

Ruda stood with arms raised above her head, her cloak swirling around her. She stood motionless, held in the brilliant spotlight, then strode to the center of the ring. She turned to the right, to the left, bowing low, taking her applause. The cheers had never felt so sweet.

Torsen stared at the confident figure. Having met Ruda, he found it fascinating to see her now. Rieckert turned to Torsen. "She's something else isn't she? I can't wait to see her with the big cats."

Helen and the baron were five rows behind, in the standing room section. Helen could not even see the ring. Louis looked at her.

"I told you. This is a waste of time, we can't see."

Helen beckoned to Louis to follow as she pushed and shoved her way through the crowd.

"Look, Louis, there's four vacant seats in the second row. Why don't we just take a seat — if the ticket holders arrive, then we'll move. Come on."

"From Florida, America's Arabian Nights — the finest Arab horses in the world... the finest horsemen... the Franklynn Brothers!!"

No one stopped them. Louis and Helen now had a perfect view of the center ring. They took their seats. Helen leaned across to the couple sitting next to them and asked if she could borrow their program. Helen looked at it and passed it to Louis.

"Ruda Kellerman is on last, just before the intermission."

Louis held the program at a slight angle so he could read it in the semidarkness. The half-light accentuated his high cheekbones.

"The Bellinis! Please welcome — from Italy — Didi and Barbara Bellini... and their team of dogs!"

Ruda was hurrying around the back of the tent when she saw Luis. She called out to him with a broad smile. "What a house, can you hear them?"

He nodded. As they drew close, he could see her eyes were shining. "I can't wait... I can't wait, Luis! Tonight... I will be the most magnificent, the best... "

She was walking so fast he almost had to jog to keep up with her. She pulled off her white gloves and flicked them at him.

"You know what it means for me to have her here? For her to see me? You know, Luis, we used to make up stories and always, always, Luis, I would say: I am the lion tamer!"

She hurried back to the artists' enclosure, talking nonstop, unbuttoning her cuffs and the buttons on her shirt. Then she stopped and turned to him.

"You made my dreams come true, Luis. Did you know that?"

He had never seen her so happy. She seemed to dance as she hurried on, tossing the cloak to him. "You made my dream come true. I am here, Luis , and my sister is here. My heart, Luis, my heart is bursting!"

"I love you, Ruda."

But she had moved on. With his arms weighed down by her heavy cloak, hat, and gloves, he couldn't keep up with her. He trailed behind like a lackey, tripping, stumbling, and then he watched as Rebecca ran to Ruda. They embraced, Rebecca giving Ruda frantic childlike kisses.

"Rebecca! Wait! Your husband was here looking for you with a woman, a doctor!"

Rebecca stared wide-eyed at Grimaldi. She seemed terrified, but Ruda, impatient to change for the act, drew Rebecca toward the exit.

"Did you hear what I said? I told them to meet us at the trailer... Ruda?"

They ignored Grimaldi and ran out. He saw the attendant stop Ruda and point at Rebecca. No one was allowed to bring guests to the back of the arena unless they had a special pass. Ruda flung a protective arm around Rebecca's shoulders and pushed the attendant out of her way. "She is not anybody, she is my sister!" she said.

Torsen flicked through the program and turned to Rieckert, pointing out when Ruda Kellerman was on. He then put his arm around Freda's shoulders. She was laughing at the clowns who rushed around with a bucket filled with soap suds. The small clown, with his short legs and funny bowler hat, reminded Torsen of Kellerman. It could have been Kellerman — except he was dead and buried. As Torsen watched the diminutive figure tumble around the ring, all the facts he had been gathering began to gnaw at him. He was sure it was Ruda who had walked away from Kellerman's hotel, Ruda who had worn his hat as a disguise. She had lied to him, not once, but many times. She was strong enough to have killed Kellerman. The question was, how in God's name could he prove it?

Everything going on in the ring became blurred as Torsen started to piece together the evidence he had accumulated to date against Ruda.

"The wonders of the animal kingdom... Rahji the Elephant Man!"

Grimaldi had provided Ruda with an alibi, but the young boy, Vernon, had said Grimaldi had been on one of his binges. What if he had been drunk on the evening of the murder? Would he have known what time she came or went? Had Grimaldi lied? And where were the boots?"

"It's the elephants next!" Rieckert shouted, his tie loose, his face flushed.

Torsen grimaced to himself. They did not sleep in the same room. How could Grimaldi give his wife an alibi if he was drunk? Torsen remembered Ruda saying Grimaldi was snoring, that he had kept her awake! So obviously he had been sleeping. Could she — did she — leave the trailer, return... while Grimaldi slept?

Freda clutched his arm as the elephants started to enter the ring. They were within touching distance. Rieckert shouted excitedly to Torsen: "I hope they don't let the lions this close, eh?"

An elephant's trunk swung dangerously close to Torsen, and he pressed back in his seat — much to the delight of Rieckert, who shrieked with laughter. The animal gently placed his front feet on the ring rim: then swirled his massive trunk above their heads. They screeched and cowered as the elephant slowly turned back, and all eight elephants began to waltz.

Freda suddenly sighed.

"You okay? You weren't afraid, were you?" Torsen asked.

"It's sad in a way, isn't it? They are so wonderfully huge, and I don't like to see them looking foolish, dancing. It's not right."

At that moment a baby elephant began to perform what could possibly have been termed a pirouette. The crowd roared its delight. But Freda did not approve. Torsen liked her more and more. He leaned closer.

"If I get rid of Rieckert, would you have dinner with me? Tonight, after the show?"

She nodded, and his grip tightened. She rested her head on his shoulder and he didn't think of Ruda anymore.

Helen was laughing, amused by the antics of the baby elephant. Louis turned to watch her. Her face was lovely, it was as if he had never really noticed it before this evening. He reached over and held her hand.

"You know, I don't think I have ever really said how much I appreciate your kindness, the way you have cared for Vebekka. You must think me a very..."