Gaby Book 27 Smell of the Crowd by Maddy Bell Copyright© 2022 Madeline Bell Life has some certainties, birth and death of course, but the rest is a mix of Minestrone and Spaghetti, some of which we have no direct influence over. We can however decide whether we want Parmesan or other seasoning, we can give Gnochi a try, doesn't mean we'll like it but at least we'll know. Gaby has reached just such a point in her life, she knows she likes Pizza, she's not averse to Spaghetti or Lasagne but is Gnochi for her? The Gnochi in this case is doing the singing with BlauHase on a more serious level, as a 'hobby' its fine but could this be a change of career? Well you don't find out without trying so that's just what our heroine is about to find out in this, the 27th book of the Gaby saga.

 
There was a ‘bzzt’ from my handy as I opened the door to our room – I didn’t bother taking it to the gig, something else to misplace. It was an SMS, from Nena, Misty – still not sure what that's about, anyway even in my slightly befuddled state I can open a text.

‘with A, don’t wait up, M xxxx’

Well I’ll admit I was a bit concerned that she wasn’t with us, I was going to call her but I guess her message trumps the need to do that. She could have said something before we left the party, who is ‘A’ and why was she with them? And ‘don’t wait up’, does that mean she’s not coming back to the hotel at all or just later? If my head had been running on all cylinders at this point I might have been more concerned but to be honest I was struggling to keep my eyes open.
 

I woke with a start, cracking an eye I realised the main light was on and I seemed to be tangled up in something. Okay, I was well out of it last night, earlier this morning, whatever, it wasn’t just the light on, the room door was open and on investigation I was still fully dressed from the gig, make up and all. Urgh! The other bed was a bit mussed but there was no sign of my room mate so I’m guessing she’s not returned.

When I checked the time it was still the wrong side of five am, far too early to be awake but seeing as I am, might as well have a wee. And shut the door, get undressed and turn off the light. My head wasn’t so much throbbing as doing that weird floaty thing, sort of like being on an air mattress you know? Not that I can recall anything else as I was off with the fairies moments after turning out the light.
 

I’ve no idea what got into my Sprite®, whatever it was, I had some stra-ange dreams. For some reason that wasn’t clear I was singing with Adams Opels in a huge marquee, well more like a circus tent I guess. And we were all wearing skin tight, shiny stuff for some reason. And there was a trapeze act and clowns, then I was standing on the back of a horse doing a pirouette but it wasn’t a horse it was a bike and I was in a party dress with silly heels on except they were really flippers and…

Yeah, it was a well weird dream.
 

The next time I properly reached consciousness my tongue was like a tennis ball, white and furry that is, and a glance across the room still didn’t locate Misty. According to the blinking figures under the TV it was coming up to eight so I guess I’d best get myself up, I hope Nena’s okay. There was no answer when I tried her Handy so I fired off a message.

‘?r u, G’

A shower does wonders for clearing your head, aided and abetted by an aspirin and a bottle of water, the freebie with the room. I located clean underwear, pulled on my jeans and a T, scraped my hair into a ponytail and went in search of breakfast, specifically coffee. The Höll boasts quite a big restaurant which would overlook the river if there wasn’t a road and car park in the way, there were a few other guests taking their Fruhstück but no sign of the rest of the band.

I found a table by the big picture windows after first arming myself with a cup of caffeine enriched goodness, food can wait a bit. Pulling my phone out of my pocket I realised I’d somehow missed a new message, surely its Misty but no, it was from Mum,

‘JB sat bus mum’

What the heck does that mean, who is JB and why do I want to know they are on a bus? Mum has never really got the art of texting down, guess I’d best give her a call. I found her number, pressed dial, it was answered after a couple of rings.

"Bond.”
"Hey Mum, how are things in Dernau?”
"Gaby?”
"Dur!”
"Well I don’t know do I?” Mum snarked back.
"It comes up on the screen,” I sighed, "I got your message.”
"Message?”
"On the phone? Few minutes ago?” I prompted.
"That message, sorry Gab, your Father is replacing the worktop in the kitchen so I’ve been emptying cupboards and moving stuff all morning, I hope he doesn’t expect me to clear up when he’s done farting about.”
"Er right, so the message?”
"Oh right, yes, your sister and Boris are coming to your concert on Saturday, thought we’d have a family get together in case we don’t get a chance before the baby arrives.”
"I guess its not that far away, what’s the business with a bus then?”
"Oh, Helmut’s organised a bus to bring some of your friends down.”
"Really?”
"News travels fast, even in the Ahrtal!”
"So are you guys coming on this bus trip then?”
"We’ll be in the car as we’re staying over.”
"So I can come back with you guys still?”
"That was the plan,” Mum confirmed.

There was the interminable drone of power tools in the background which drowned out half of Mum’s reply.

"Sorry? What was that?”
“..ad sends his love, .ye kiddo.”
"Mum?”

But she was gone, oh well, I’ll call again later.
 

Having left my Handy on the table when I succumbed to the call of the breakfast buffet, I of course missed the arrival of the next message. Having woken up with the coffee I now had a considerable hunger, I gathered my loot, a bowl of fruit salad with a ladle of yoghurt and a plate with scrambled egg, assorted grilled meat products, some smoked salmon and a couple of brötchen, like I said I was hungry. When i spotted the new message, I quickly opened it, this time it was from Mist.

It was short but succinct, ‘b @ hotel 9.30, M xxx’

Whilst it didn’t really merit a reply I thought I’d do so anyway.

‘okay, c u sn, G xx’

I’m sure I’ll get the whole story when she gets here.
The rest of BlauHase drifting into the dining room as I ate, we’re only going along to Mainz for tonight's gig but we have to pickup the gear from Das Rind first of course.

"On your own?” Hilde queried, putting her bowl of cornflakes on the table opposite where I was sat.
"Yeah,” I replied non committally.
"Everything okay? Misty alright?” she asked making herself comfortable.
"Think so.”
"Come on Gaby, what’s up?”
"She didn’t come back to the Höll last night.”
"At all?”
"Nope.”
"But you’ve heard from her? She’s okay?”
"I had a message a few minutes ago, she’ll be here in about half an hour.”
"Well that's alright then,” Hilde allowed before spooning sugar on her breakfast, "She say where she’s been?”
"Nothing.”
"Misty?” Little Jo enquired taking the seat next to his wife.
"She didn’t come back last night,” Hilde told him.
"Probably went with that Armin Geier, they seemed to be hitting it off,” Little Jo mentioned.

The insinuation was there, whilst I’m aware that’s what people do it doesn’t mean I’m comfortable with it, especially in the context of someone that I went to school with and currently bunk with. I might not have done the deed myself but I know the mechanics, heck I’ve even helped deliver a baby. Is it the idea that Mist went off with an almost stranger to slake her carnal desires or is it because she didn’t say last night?

"Hello, Erd?”
"Eh?”

I returned to the now with Little Jo snapping his fingers in front of my face.

"You zoned out there girl,” Hilde stated.
"Erm sorry, just thinking, anyone want more coffee?”
 

It was closer to fifteen to ten than half nine when there was a knock at the door followed by a muffled, "Its only me.”

While I’d been waiting, apart from packing not just mine but Misty’s stuff as well, I’d been thinking how to handle the upcoming conversation, I was no nearer now the time had come.

"Thought you were coming at half to?” was my opening gambit.

For her part, she looked like the cat with the cream.

"And good morning to you too,” she told me sinking onto her bed, not that she’d used it.
"So erm, where did you end up last night.”
"Gabrielle Bond, you are a proper voyeur.”
"Am not, I, we were just worried that's all.”
"I sent you a text when I couldn’t find you at Das Rind.”
"My phone was here in the room.”
She shrugged, "Anyway, I went back to Armin’s place and yes we did, not that its any of your business.”

This last stung a bit, as a group, the Ahr Angels have always discussed stuff, nothing is off the cards, I admit that I’m not always comfortable with the topics of conversation. I think there’s still a bit of the me that was trying to be a boy lurking in my head or maybe I’m not the only one who gets a bit embarrassed discussing some aspects of womanhood.

"I wasn’t being nosey, honest, I was just concerned, especially after Kassel last week. We need to check out soon, you showered or anything.”
"Yes and yes,” a grin reappeared on her face, "But I do need to change.”
"I packed your bags.”
"Thanks, if you want to go down I’ll follow in a few minutes.”
"Sure.
 

"Leave them there Erd,” Animal told me as I half carried, half dragged my bags into the reception area.
"Misty?” Stefan queried.
"Be down in a couple of minutes.” I allowed.
"Great, Armin’s just rung, he’s waiting for us at Das Rind.”
"What’s the plan, you know lunch and stuff?”
"Don’t know where you put it all,” Marcus chortled.
"I’m a growing girl.”
"If you say so,” he smirked.
"We can’t get in the venue till after lunch,” Stefan shrugged, "Any ideas?”
"There’s a few places on the river front,” Animal suggested, "Easy to park the van too.”
"Erd?”
"Fine by me.” well its not gonna be kebab shop or fast food at least.
"Settled,” our leader stated, "Lets get these bags loaded.”
 

Rather than get on the bus to travel to the other end of the street, everyone bar Animal walked, well someone had to drive. When we got there Armin was waiting in the bar for us, if I’d expected any lovey dovey stuff between he and Mist I was relieved? Upset? Annoyed maybe that he barely acknowledged us ladies.

"Okay, lets get you loaded up, there’s coffee inside if you ladies want some.”
"Want some?” I squeaked.
"He means coffee,” Mist told me soto voce before I went off on one.
"Er sure,” Hilde replied, "Girls?”
"Er yeah, getting a bit dry,” I opined.
"Gaby!” Mandarin top hissed.

There was indeed coffee inside, it was only filter but load it with enough sugar and cream and its just about drinkable.

"Right you two, what’s going on?” Hilde demanded once we’d settled ourselves at one of the outside tables.
"Nothing.”
"If its nothing why aren’t you talking?”
"We are,” Mist stated.
"Barely.”
"Hmmf!” I added.
"Well I can’t make you talk but I suggest you sort whatever it is out pronto, for everyone’s sake.”

We exchanged looks, I’m not sure what the issue is exactly, I was just concerned for her well being and she’s, well I’m not even sure what her issue is.
 

If you look at a map, the distance from Russelheim to central Mainz is about ten kilometres as the crow flies, if you were so minded you could walk it in a couple of hours. Of course the fly in the ointment is the big body of water known as the Rhein, Mainz is on the far bank and there are only two road crossings, the A60 autobahn and the Mainz – Kustheim bridge near the city centre. To use the latter you need to also cross the River Mainz and then its several kilometres of urban traffic to reach the Rhein bridge.

It might be counter intuitive but the fastest, easiest route to where we want to get is longer but you are on city streets much less. On a bike I wouldn’t have much choice, the nearest ferry crossing is something like fifteen kilometres further south, you’d probably do about forty K and still have to ride through the city. For us in the bus it was a no brainer, back out past the Opel works then it was a dual carriageway all the way out to the motorway junction.

There were signs on the overheads suggesting delays through some roadworks at junction twenty one but according to my atlas we could come off at twenty two anyway, its not like we’re in a great hurry is it? The traffic was quite heavy, it always is in this area what with the airport and some major autobahn crossings coming up from the south and from the industrial centres lower down the Rhein and Ruhr. Yep if you want to get to or from southern Germany from our neck of the woods you pretty much have to pass through this Gordian knot of motorways.

We were just past junction twenty five when the flow of traffic reduced to a crawl, by the time we were on the Rhein bridge it was at a stop.

"Looks like we found those roadworks,” Marcus mentioned.
"Lets hope we’re not sat too long,” Big Jo opined.

Famous last words. We hadn’t been stopped more than five minutes when first one then another police car threaded through the halted traffic followed in short order by the Notarzt and fire services.

"I don’t think we’re stopped for roadworks,” Stefan sighed.
"I hope its nothing too serious,” I added just as several more emergency vehicles sped past, blue lights and sirens dopplering through the queued traffic.

Animal turned off the motor, it didn’t look like we were going anywhere fast.
 

"Robert, Stefan.”
"Sat on the sixty just before junction twenty four.”
"Really, that would explain it then, have they said how long?”
"Uh huh, uh huh,”
"Okay we’ll keep in touch.” Stefan ended the call.

"So?” Marcus asked.
"Well apparently its a bad smash at the next junction, its all over the local radio.”
"Great,” Animal sighed.
"They give any clue on times?” Big Jo asked.
"The usual vagueness, you know what they’re like.”

Yep, looks like we might be here a while. And then we saw the air ambulance coming in overhead.
 

What can you do? A few drivers had left their vehicles and were wandering through the traffic, I guess they were as bored and frustrated as the rest of us.

"I’m gonna see if I can find out what’s happening,” Stefan stated.
"I’ll come with, I need to stretch my legs.”
"Okay Erd, we won’t be long. If it starts moving we’ll wait for you to come up.”

It was actually a nice day, the sun was dodging a few clouds but it was reasonably warm as we walked through the queue of HGV’s and what my Dad calls ‘repmobils’, the mid range models more usually seen on lane three chasing each other at a hundred and fifty. At the moment they weren’t going anywhere. It wasn’t that far to the front of the queue, a pair of Polizei BMW’s with their lights still flashing blocking further progress.

From this distance you couldn't really see much, a few vehicles were stopped between our position and the mass of blue lights, red trucks and bodies scampering about. The opposite carriageway was closed too, the helicopter was parked in the middle, not only that but a second one was coming in too. Tantalisingly, just a few metres further on was the exit slip road currently filled by several recovery vehicles who had clearly come the wrong way up the lane to reach the incident.
 
Maddy Bell © 28.04.2022