I, Yana: Unraveling the Mystery of Dog Killings and a Decades-Old Murder

By Bea Eschen

Yana escapes an arranged marriage and finds solace in Sofia's sanctuary, the Cradle of the White Lioness, a shelter for homeless children. With Sofia's loving support, she overcomes her fears by taking on the role of mother to a young boy named Erster.

As Yana matures into a young woman, her community is gripped by a series of baffling dog deaths. Determined to uncover the truth, she joins forces with the charming detective Jack Renna. Together they uncover the truth behind not only the dog killings, but also a man's murder that goes back decades.

Embark on a gripping adventure as Yana and Jack navigate the complexities of crime and devotion in their pursuit of justice. I, Yana, weaves a tale of strength, love and the uncovering of dark secrets that will keep you guessing until the final revelation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: tredition
• Release date: Jun 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9783347951600

Bea Eschen

Bea Eschen ist gebürtige Deutsche und lebt seit 1984 im Ausland. Momentan ist sie in Sydney, Australien, zuhause. Ihr bisheriges Leben auf den verschiedenen Kontinenten Südafrika, Neuseeland und Australien brachte ihr viele Erfahrungen, die sie zum Schreiben anregen.

Book preview

1

THE CRADLE AND ERSTER, MY LOVE

Iam looking at the large mural of a white lioness. Her fur shimmers in the sun, which shines through the opposite window onto the picture. It feels like the mighty animal looks me straight in the eyes. It gives me courage. I imagine her to be powerful and caring, proud and dignified – just as I wish to be.

I, Yana, am fifteen years old and live in the Cradle of the White Lioness; a home for orphaned and unwanted children. Within these walls I find protection and refuge.

MY MEMORIES OF THE FIRST DAYS ARE blurred. I was very hungry, exhausted and dirty. My once colourful dress was faded and tattered on my body. I had worn it when I ran away from my much older cousin. In an unguarded minute I had sneaked out of his house without taking anything except what I was wearing. My parents had married me to him when I was little. He had planned to take me to a foreign country against my will. But that's not where I wanted to go.

SOFIA, THE LEADER OF THE ORPHANAGE AND my best friend, has been helping me to hide from him. Herself homeless in the past, she reads to us today from her self-written stories; a series of books under the title ‘The Cradle of the White Lioness’ - a children's novel. Our home is also named after it.

I get along well with most of the children and helpers, but my biggest love is Erster. He has become a part of me and when I talk about me, I mean him too. Sofia found him lying in a basket outside the door as an infant. He was the first child in the Cradle. That's why they called him Erster, which is the German word for First One. I took care of him from the very beginning. He's a sweet boy. I try to give him what I was denied - a feeling of belonging and love. Despite my past, my maternal instincts are healthy. Maybe, because Sofia was always very caring and showed me how to love. Maybe, because even in my early years I missed it a lot to be loved.

Erster's fascination is with playing At War. One of our rooms is fitted with a huge stage comprising hills, caves, a forest, loopholes and two armies. Every day he spends hours in the playroom and leaves a big mess afterwards.

Can we clean up now? I ask him in the evening.

How?, he asks back.

Pick up the soldiers and put them back in line.

He shakes his head.

The other kids want to find the table exactly as you found it.

He agrees and lines up the soldiers. Then he comes back to me to claim his reward. I kiss him on his greasy cheeks and hold him tight against me. He runs away again. This time it's Sofia's turn. She lifts him lovingly onto her lap. He wants to turn the pages faster than Sofia can read them.

Don't you want to know what the white lioness will do with her baby? Sofia asks him.

Yes!, shouts Erster and jumps to the ground. He gets the toy lioness and a cub and climbs back onto Sofia's lap. His little hands clutch the two wooden animals with which he re-enacts the scenes from the story.

After reading, Erster and I go out into the courtyard to get some fresh air. It is overgrown with tropical plants and we often find colourful birds sitting on the branches. A small fish pond provides entertainment. We watch the fish and listen to the birdsong and the splashing of the small fountain. Erster points to every fish that appears on the surface.

The courtyard is also Eleonor's home. Eleonor is a Dalmatian. The good dog lies down leisurely at our feet.

One, two, three, five, six, eight, Erster begins counting.

Stop, I call out, let's try it again together.

This time it works. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten.

I can only count to ten, Erster says and jumps up to chase after a bird.

• • •

THE COURTYARD CONNECTS THE CRADLE TO a second shelter, which is for adult homeless people. It is a new building and looks very modern compared to our old, villa-like home. Sometimes Sofia takes me there. The shelter has many small rooms with comfortable beds that are freely available. The new arrivals have to register in Sofia's office - a small cottage in the front garden of