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Back in their room they packed their bags at lightning speed. Not wanting to wait for the lift, or worse, risk getting into the lift with someone who might drag them off to an Austrian jail, they stole down the back stairs.
$emsp;Even before they reached reception they could hear the woman berating her teenage grandson for his permanent state of gloom. ‘Dein missmutiges Gesicht erschrickt die Gaeste,’ she scolded. (‘Your miserable face is enough to frighten the guests.’)
$emsp;Under cover of this family quarrel, Tansy and Anna slipped out into the street, and began to power-walk in the direction of the train station.
$emsp;‘Damn,’ Anna said abruptly. ‘I’ve still got our key.’
$emsp;‘We can post it back later.’
$emsp;‘It won’t take a moment.’ Anna made to turn back.
$emsp;‘Are you crazy?’ Tansy protested. ‘They’ll have spares.’
$emsp;A police car pulled up with a squeal of brakes. Two police officers, Anna wasn’t sure if they were the same two, and the man in the leather jacket, jumped out and disappeared inside the hotel.
$emsp;She dropped the key in the street and they ran.
$emsp;‘People do run for trains,’ Tansy panted. ‘It’s not suspicious in the least.’ Anna was past caring. She just wanted to get the hell out of Innsbruck, before their unknown pursuer caught up with them.
$emsp;They ran, occasionally shifting down to speed-walking, all the way to the station. ‘Do you mind getting the tickets?’ Anna was gasping for breath now. ‘I’ll call Jake. If something does go horribly wrong, we might need someone to be our advocate.’
$emsp;‘You swear they’ll speak English.’ Tansy looked anxious.
$emsp;‘Yes, I swear.’ Anna had already pulled up Jake’s number.
$emsp;Tansy hovered. ‘So, um, I’m getting us tickets for the next train to Vienna?’
$emsp;‘No! the next train out of Austria!’
$emsp;‘Jesus, this is scary,’ Tansy said, and sprinted towards the ticket office.
