The night of the murder
What happened so far:
Mia Novak works at the Frost & Flamme restaurant, and even after work, her clothes still smell of butter, garlic, and red wine. The almost empty dining room looks like something out of a glossy magazine, but for Mia, it's more like a stage that will soon be dismantled. She clears away glasses and thinks about her stressful weekly schedule, which includes a double shift on Saturday during a charity dinner. Her mother believes that working for the rich is advantageous, but Mia knows that tips don't pay the rent. As she winds down the evening, she has no idea that an Advent song is about to change everything.
The air in the "Frost & Flame" shimmered with voices and warmth. Trays hovered overhead, glasses clinked, cutlery sounded like soft rain on porcelain. Mia moved through the crowd as if she were part of a choreography: step, smile, put down the plate, nod, move on.
The table of Honor shone like a continent of its own. Mayor, sponsors, the landlord – and next to him Jonas, a little in the shadows, but present. Mia recognized the rehearsed game in her movements: one in the spotlight, one in the background.
As the lights dimmed, she felt the room change. Conversations flattened out, heads turned to the small stage. The master of the house reached for the microphone even before anyone had asked him to. A familiar shiver ran down Mia's spine before the first note sounded.
The song broke loose like a kitschy snowstorm. That melody that drove them crazy every year. Some guests giggled, others pulled out their mobile phones and filmed the "show". Mia looked over at Jonas for a moment. His smile seemed polite, but his hands clasped the champagne glass too tightly.
Later, as the glasses emptied and the noise increased again, she noticed both men disappear into the narrow aisle behind the stage. The music had long since returned to background noise. Nevertheless, shortly before the scream that came later, she swore that she had heard the first bars of this hated refrain again.
German Audio
English Audio
