The grand parade was just drawing to a close, the audience cheering, flowers and balloons tumbling from the top of the tent.
Thousands of chattering, laughing people streamed from the exits. They gathered alongside buses, or made their way on foot back down the road. Some walked to their parked cars. Children were carried in parents' arms, fast asleep, while others ran whooping and screaming, carrying circus maps, toys, and balloons.
The sky opened again with a heavy roll of thunder. Rain came lashing down.
Mike ran hysterically to the Grimaldi trailer, while Torsen and his group headed back to their car, via the trailer park.
Helen and the baron were pushed and buffeted along by the crowd as they headed for the trailer park barriers.
Inside the trailer Grimaldi tried desperately to control Ruda. It was difficult to move out of her reach. Twice he had caught her arms, but she had struggled free. She scratched, kicked, and tore at him. She had overturned the table, ripped the sofa cushions. She couldn't hear him, the rage consumed her. Her jaws snapped like an animal's.
Grimaldi gripped her by the hair. Ruda twisted and punched her elbow into his stomach. As he released his hold and buckled over, she pulled his head up, forcing him back. Her hands clenched his throat.
Rebecca banged and pushed at the door, hit it with the flat of her hand and then ran to a window, screaming to be let in. Ruda turned. For an instant she froze, then she picked up a chair and hurled it at Rebecca's face. It shattered the window. Grimaldi got on his feet, but Ruda went for him again. Rebecca tried to crawl through the broken window. A jagged sliver of glass cut her cheek. Her hand flew up to her face.
Ruda backed away, her hand pressed to her cheek as if she were the one who had cut herself. Then she reached out and hauled Rebecca inside, crushing her in her arms. It was a killing embrace, a furious protection. They were locked together as one.
Grimaldi grabbed hold of Ruda from behind, wrenched her away and Rebecca screamed. She felt as if she were being plucked out of her own body.
Grimaldi slapped Ruda's face hard, jerking her head from side to side.
"You're killing her!.. Ruda! Ruda!"
She seemed to calm down. He gripped her face in his hands. "Ruda, it's me, it's me!" Rebecca clawed Grimaldi, desperate for Ruda's embrace.
Running toward the trailer, Mike screamed out: "Ruda! Ruda!"
Mike was at the shattered window. "He's loose, Mamon's loose. Nobody can find him, we've got the nets standing by."
Ruda's push sent Grimaldi crashing into the wall, banging against Rebecca. They fell in a tangled heap as Ruda threw herself out of the window. Grimaldi staggered to his feet, but he was too late. He could see Ruda running after Mike.
Rebecca started to scream and he crouched down beside her. "Listen to me, stay here. Do you understand? Don't leave the trailer, stay inside."
"Ruda, I want Ruda. Ruda, Ruda!"
Grimaldi lifted her off her feet, sat her down. "Just do as I say. Don't leave the trailer. We'll sort everything out."
Rebecca shook with terror as Grimaldi threw the bench cushions aside, searching for his gun. In her confusion she believed he was going to shoot Ruda. She lurched toward him, clinging to his arm. "No! Please... please don't hurt her!"
Grimaldi pushed her roughly away. "The hurting's been done. Just stay inside, stay inside!"
"She needs me. I have to go to her."
He turned on her in a fury. "You are too late. Stay in the goddamned trailer!"
Grimaldi slammed the door shut and ran toward the torchlights and shouting voices. Every available man had formed a human wall cordoning off the trailer area from the crowds. A voice shouted that Mamon had been spotted. He was behind the animal tents. Hand-in-hand the men walked forward, step by step, drawing the chain of arms tighter as the helpers with the nets ran to the clearing by the tents.
Ruda was running ahead of Mike, repeating: "Don't hurt him... don't let them hurt him."
Helen and the baron were confronted by two parking attendants. "Stay outside the barrier. No one is allowed inside."
The baron demanded to be let through.
"I'm sorry. No one can come into this area until we have clearance. Please wait!"
Helen explained that they were to meet Grimaldi at his trailer. She was informed that no one was allowed beyond the barrier.
"This is ridiculous, Louis, we've been told we can meet him."
"Look over there, can you see?" Louis pointed to the lights. Helen looked, she could see the chain of men, some still in costume, moving closer and closer.
"What's going on?"
Suddenly they saw Torsen and his group.
"It's the inspector. Maybe he can help us."
They hurried to Torsen, but he was unable to do anything. He too had been asked to leave. They all stared across to the lights.
Two men ran into view carrying a large net. They were shouting. "They got him cornered on the open ground over by the garbage cans. We're getting the nets around the back, too. Just in case!"
Torsen stepped forward. "I am a police officer. What's happened?"
The gatekeeper waved his hand to indicate they should all stay behind the barriers. "Everything's under control now, sir. Just keep moving, please leave this area."
Torsen looked to Rieckert, then to the baron. "What do you think's wrong?"
Again the baron approached the gatekeeper. "My wife is with the Grimaldis. Has something happened?"
"Please. Just stay out until I've got clearance. It'll soon be all over..."
"What will, for God's sake?" Louis was furious. He looked back to the lights, and caught sight of Rebecca. He shouted to her but she disappeared. "That was my wife. Please, please let me through!"
"No, sir... I'm sorry, this is for your own safety."
"Would the public please leave the premises as quickly as possible. No one is allowed near the artists' trailer enclosure. For your own safety, please remain outside the barriers..."
The baron and Helen did not budge, but Torsen and his group began to make their way back to the patrol car. The loudspeakers repeated the warnings. The barrier was now heavily guarded. A group of boys in jeans and T-shirts soaked from the rain tried to climb over. The gatekeepers ran to chase them out. Overexcited and unaware of the danger, the boys dodged the gatekeepers, as if it were all a game.
Helen and the baron pushed back the barrier and made a run for it, just as Torsen returned to help the gatekeepers catch the boys. They made their way toward where they had spotted Rebecca. They could now see clearly the human chain edging closer.
Torsen and Rieckert found themselves in an ugly scuffle with the boys. One of them knocked Torsen to the ground. He shot back on his feet and gave the boy a good belting. "I am a police officer.
Now, do as you're told or I'll arrest you for disturbing the peace. Go on — out, get out!"
The boys trudged away. The gatekeeper thanked Torsen. "A big cat is loose, sir. That's what the panic is about. Obviously I can't tell the kids, they'll think they're tough and try and get back in. But it's under control now, the animal is over on the open ground by the trash cans, that's what the nets were for."
Torsen wiped his bloody nose. "You sure they don't need a couple of extra hands?"
"Thank you, sir, but for your own safety just stay back there. It's all under control now."
One of the clowns ran past shouting that more men were needed over on the far side. Torsen called Rieckert. "Come on, let's go."
Rieckert and his girlfriend clung to the barrier. "Maybe I should stay with the girls. No need for both of us to go!"