Ellen is in her office as Johan calls her. "Hey Ellen, I have some good news! Our secretary threw your reporting into the group and added that Lisa needs a judge who will not only work from the rules and laws, but also let feel his heart, and that for that reason her thoughts went to me. She put your envelope on the table as she spoke, and then walked right out the door again.

It was a wonderful action, my colleagues were completely flabbergasted. I myself understood that she had spoken to you, and was internally amused. To my colleagues I pretended that I was also totally surprised. I picked up the envelope and pretended to read what it was about.

Ellen, it was just that simple, I summarized what it was about, one of my colleagues asked if I wanted to do it myself. I indicated that I did want to do it. And so it was settled, I'm going to work on your case!

And another important piece of news is that the perpetrators have already been arrested and are in custody until I can make my statement. They have no way of communicating with the outside world, so from that side Lisa has no danger to fear. They do, of course, consult with their lawyers, and I don't have complete confidence that they wouldn't be bribed to harm Lisa. Those guys don't know that you and I already have all the evidence, so I could imagine that they will try to take revenge through their lawyers.

Has Marieke been able to arrange security yet?" Johan felt his heart begin to beat faster at the mention of her name, and quickly talked it over, "Sorry, I'm rattling on here, I'll shut up for now, then you'll have some room to respond as well."

He heard Ellen chuckle, before she replied, "Johan, I'm so mighty glad you're getting that case! Good news also that those men are already locked up and will stay there until you make your judgement.

And yes, Marieke got to work right away, so Lisa has had security guards in the house day and night since Monday morning. And on the estate there are also two guards constantly present. They act like employees of the guesthouse. Quietly, they do some work in the garden during the day, at the direction of Lisa's partner, who is the estate's gardener. And when it gets darker, they occasionally have coffee in the guesthouse's kitchen. They have been given a key to the front door and permission to use what they need there, even when there are no staff.

The boarding house owner is a kitchen princess, loves to bake cakes, which she is then used to do every day for the guests and staff. And now she bakes a double amount, also for the construction workers who are working on two houses and for all the security guards. Genius move, she just makes it a little cozy!

At the moment there is only one couple in the guest house, whose husband is a cop in the area where Lisa lived with her ex. They have nice contact with those security guards who keep an eye on things outside. I have a good feeling about the whole thing!"

"It does sound good. What's the name of that cop who's a guest there?"

"Marcel... Marcel Verhey. Do you happen to know him?"

"Yes indeed, I do know him, a good fellow, one of those agents who still wants to fulfill his dream, his dream of helping people. Not long ago I talked to him about that. He told me about his dream, and that he found it difficult because he felt constrained by the regulations and by the habits of the police force. I recognize that, I suffer from that myself. My desire is still there, to speak justice from my heart, but I realized after my conversation with you, that I had locked my heart quite a bit. I hope I can treat Lisa differently!"

"I'm sure you will! Say Johan, shall the three of us meet up tonight? Just like old times? Then we'll see if we can help you get completely open again, if we can set you on fire." Ellen smiled, thinking that especially Marieke would be able to do that.

"No less than on fire... Tonight? I'd love it, a reunion like that. Where shall we meet? And what time?" asked Johan.

"I don't know yet if Marieke is able tonight. The plan just came to me. Shall I call her first and call you back afterwards?"

"Yes... yes, do that, and I'll hear from you later!"

Johan put his mobile on his desk and stared ahead. Tonight with Marieke? With Ellen and Marieke? Like old times? He pictured Marieke, how she looked in their college days. A nice woman to look at, wonderfully free. Of course she was an adult then, but still so girlish, like a happy, free butterfly! What would she look like now? How would she be? Would she have changed? Sure she had, everyone changes. How would she react if she saw him again? Had she felt at the time what he had felt? And would he still feel that way himself, seeing her? Or would it just be a memory?

Johan called himself to order, went to work until Ellen called him to say that Marieke thought it was a super fun idea and was expecting them at her house for dinner tonight at 6. She gave him Marieke's address and closed the conversation with an enthusiastic "See you tonight!"

And with that she had given Johan food for thought again. At Marieke's house...

To chapter 196. New hope

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