Valentines Day 1978, Switzerland

Jill's Story, Part 2

Jill was sitting on the bench outside when the fire department's jeep pulled up but she merely glanced in its direction. They wouldn't have news yet, not for hours, she figured.

Looking back at Mila, Jill gestured for her to continue with her tale about the couple at the café. She might as well try to figure out all she could about why she and Joe had been targeted with those photos while she had the opportunity. It was the reason why her husband wasn't by her side afterall, the reason why she was trying to take her mind off the fact that finally the search for him and the people from the bus had begun. She needed to keep busy while that task was ongoing otherwise every single moment would feel like an eternity.

'So she told him to collect the money and let's get the hell out of here, those were her exact words'. Mila continued. 'Honestly, I think her heart wasn't in it. It seemed to me she was in over her head, he was the boss, she'd gotten involved and couldn't get away and the targeting of you and your husband was just a step too far for her', Mila confided.

'But how do you know all of this? Surely they didn't discuss all of this so openly in your café?' Jill asked, watching Mila closely.

Mila's eyes glinted. 'No, but after she told him to get the money they had a kind of disagreement and then, suddenly it just spiraled and it really kicked off. They started screaming at each other. She taunted him over something and he stood up so quickly he knocked the crockery off the table. He was screaming at her, towering over her, I was sure he was going to hit her so I told him to get out and get off my premises. He didn't like that one bit, I think a woman ordering him about was a big dent to his ego', she said.

Payfully digging her elbow into Jill's ribs she continued, 'that was actually the best bit of my season, ordering him out', she declared and Jill laughed at her antics.

'Anyway, he was gone, she was in tears and as it happened I had no other customers so I made some coffee and sat down with her. Much like we're doing, I guess', she said with a smile.

Jill glanced towards her almost empty mug. 'Joe and I sort out so many things over a shared cup of coffee', she said wistfully. Hoping fervently that by tomorrow or the next day they'd be in a position to resume such simple rituals.

She turned her eyes to the fire jeep and noticed a shadow move inside. Had the man been watching her. Was he in touch with the team that had finally been sent out?

'Anyway, I sat with her and I asked her if she was ok. I gave her a little time, we chatted about the village, the locality, and she opened up, told me a little more, but here's the funny thing. They've been here before. They knew the area. She said the man was from near here. When I asked where exactly he was from, she clammed up and wouldn't elaborate but then she started to talk about the bad things they've done and how they'd tricked so many people but she wanted to stop, things had gotten way out of hand and she felt bad about it all', she explained as Jill became enthralled by Mila's account again.

'Turns out they're professional blackmailers, amongst other things I couldn't quite figure out. They've been targeting resorts for years, it seems', she said to Jill's horrified surprise.

'Wait', she interjected. 'Professional blackmailers?'

Mila nodded, the coffee still hot in her mouth. She swallowed, ran her fingers across her lips.

'Yup. Their modus operandi is to set up people and take photos of them in a seemingly compromised situation. Then they send their threat; pay up or the photos will be released through local media or sent anonymously to an employer, whichever was likely to be the more effective. More often than not it never got to the point because the couple paid up in order to avoid the publicity', she said.