Jasper placed their chairs close together, and spoke to Walli in a low voice, to create the illusion of privacy, even though their words would be heard by millions. He put an ashtray next to Walli’s chair to encourage him to smoke, guessing that a cigarette would make him feel more at ease. Walli lit up.
‘What kind of child were you?’ Jasper said, smiling as if this was just a light-hearted conversation. ‘Well-behaved, or naughty?’
Walli grinned. ‘Naughty,’ he said, and laughed.
They were off to a good start.
Walli talked about his childhood in Berlin after the war and his early interest in music, then about going to the Minnes?nger club where he came second in the contest. This brought Karolin into the conversation in a natural way, as she and Walli had paired up that night. Walli became passionate as he spoke about the two of them as a musical duo, their choice of material and the way they performed together, and it was clear how much he loved her, even though he did not say it.
This was great stuff, a lot better than the average pop-star interview, but still not enough for Jasper.
‘You were enjoying yourselves, you were making good music, and you were pleasing audiences,’ Jasper said. ‘What went wrong?’
‘We sang “If I Had a Hammer”.’
‘Explain to me why that was a mistake.’
‘The police didn’t like it. Karolin’s father was afraid he would lose his job because of us, so he made her quit.’
‘So, in the end, the only place you could play your music was the West.’
‘Yes,’ Walli said briefly.
Jasper sensed that Walli was trying to dam the flow of passion.
Sure enough, after a moment’s hesitation, Walli added: ‘I don’t want to say too much about Karolin – it could get her into trouble.’
‘I don’t think the East German secret police listen to our radio station,’ Jasper said with a smile.
‘No, but still . . .’
‘I won’t broadcast anything risky, I guarantee.’
It was a worthless promise, but Walli accepted it. ‘Thanks,’ he said.
Jasper moved on quickly. ‘I believe the only thing you took with you, when you left, was your guitar.’
‘That’s right. It was a sudden decision.’
‘You stole a vehicle . . .’
‘I was roadying for the bandleader. I used his van.’
Jasper knew that this story, although big in the German press, had not been widely reported in the United States. ‘You drove to the checkpoint . . .’
‘And smashed through the wooden barrier.’
‘And the guards shot at you.’
Walli just nodded.
Jasper lowered his voice. ‘And the van hit a guard.’
Walli nodded again. Jasper wanted to yell at him: This is radio – stop nodding! Instead he said: ‘And . . .’
‘I killed him,’ Walli said at last. ‘I killed the guy.’
‘But he was trying to kill you.’
Walli shook his head, as if Jasper were missing the point. ‘He was my age,’ Walli said. ‘I read about him in the newspapers later. He had a girlfriend.’
‘And that’s important to you . . .’
Walli nodded again.
Jasper said: ‘What does that signify?’
‘He was similar to me,’ Walli said. ‘Except that I liked guitars and he liked guns.’
‘But he was working for the regime that imprisoned you in East Germany.’
‘We were just two boys. I escaped because I had to. He shot me because he had to. It’s the Wall that is evil.’
That was such a great quote that Jasper had to suppress his elation. In his head he was already writing the article he would offer to the tabloid New York Post. He could see the headline: SECRET ANGUISH OF POP STAR WALLI.
But he wanted yet more. ‘Karolin didn’t leave with you.’
‘She didn’t show up. I had no idea why. I was so disappointed, and I couldn’t understand it. So I escaped anyway.’ In the pain of remembering, Walli had lost sight of the need to be cautious.
Jasper prompted him again. ‘But you went back for her.’
‘I met some people who were digging a tunnel for escapers. I had to know why she had not shown up. So I went through the tunnel the wrong way, into the East.’
‘That was dangerous.’
‘If I had been caught, yes.’
‘And you met up with Karolin, then . . .’
‘She told me she was pregnant.’
‘And she didn’t want to escape with you.’
‘She was afraid for the baby.’
‘Alicia.’
‘He name is Alice. I changed it in the song. For the rhyme, you know?’
‘I understand. And what is your situation now, Walli?’
Walli choked up. ‘Karolin can’t get permission to leave East Germany, not even for a short visit; and I can’t go back.’
‘So you are a family split in two by the Berlin Wall.’
‘Yes.’ Walli let out a sob. ‘I may never see Alice.’
Jasper thought: Gotcha.
*
Dave Williams had not seen Beep Dewar since her visit to London four years ago. He was eager to meet her again.
The last date of the Beat Revue tour was in San Francisco, where Beep lived. Dave had got the Dewars’ address from his mother, and had sent them four tickets and a note inviting them to come backstage afterwards. They had not been able to reply, for he was in a different city every day, so he did not know whether they were going to turn up.
He was no longer sleeping with Mandy Love – much to his regret. She had taught him a lot, including oral sex. But she had never really felt comfortable walking around with a white British boyfriend, and she had now gone back to her long-term lover, a singer with the Love Factory. They would probably get married when the tour was over, Dave thought.
Since then Dave had had no one.
By now Dave knew what kinds of sex he did and did not like. In bed, girls could be intense, or slutty, or soulful, or sweetly submissive, or briskly practical. Dave was happiest when they were playful.
He had a feeling Beep would be playful.
He wondered what would happen if Beep showed up tonight.
He recalled her at thirteen, smoking Chesterfield cigarettes in the garden in Great Peter Street. She had been pretty and petite, and sexier than anyone had a right to be at that age. To Dave at thirteen, hypersensitized by adolescent hormones, she had been impossibly alluring. He had been flat crazy for her. However, although they had got on well, she had not been interested in him romantically. To his immense frustration, she had preferred the older Jasper Murray.
His thoughts drifted to Jasper. Walli had been upset when the interview was broadcast on the radio. Even worse had been the story in the New York Post, headlined: