The appeal in the lunchtime papers had yielded the same dubious results as ever. Until now, the only calls had been from busybodies: masochists who’d confess to any crime so long as it brought them attention; or whistleblowers pointing the finger at their own neighbours. Worst was the third group: the self-appointed world saviours who, in the absence of a world that would listen, had resolved to make their opinions known to the Prussian Police. On the one hand they were Communists who wished death on all Nazi bastards; on the other, Party members, or at least Nazi sympathisers, who asked why police weren’t in a position to protect respectable citizens (evidently referring to the SA man with the knuckleduster) from these red hooligans.
The telephone kept ringing, almost without pause. Gräf looked at the black device, picked up, dialled 1 and placed the receiver next to the cradle.
Peace at last!
The important calls would land somewhere. The main thing was that he could devote himself to the files. He sensed that Kubicki’s homosexuality could be a lead.
Erika Voss poked her head around the door. ‘Sorry,’ she said, stealing a glance at the telephone. ‘But the porter just called. A woman downstairs says she wants to make a statement about the death in Humboldthain.’
‘A woman?’ At least it wouldn’t be one of the masochists, Gräf thought. They were all men. ‘Send her up.’
‘She’s on her way.’
The detective nodded. ‘Fine.’
Erika Voss remained at the door.
‘Was there something else?’
‘Well… it’s almost six, and Inspector Rath usually…’
‘Of course, finish there for the evening. As soon as you’ve shown the witness in.’
Moments later, a slim, prematurely grey woman in her mid-forties stood in her place. She was a little uncertain, but in no way shy, and introduced herself as Renate Schobeck. Gräf motioned for her to sit in the visitor’s chair in front of Rath’s desk.
‘This business in Humboldthain,’ she said. ‘I’m not here to report anyone. But… my lodger… Leo Fleming his name is.’
One of the whistleblowers, then. Gräf sighed inwardly, but noted down the name and looked at her. ‘Yes?’
Renate Schobeck seemed a little helpless. ‘I don’t know if it means anything, but he came home very early this morning. He’s unemployed, if you must know, but leaves the house at half past five every morning and stays out until the afternoon. Looking for work, he says, though he’s never missed a rental payment.’
Gräf gave a little cough, making a point of not writing anything down. Instead he looked at his wristwatch. ‘Please get to the point. It’s already late.’
She looked mildly peeved. ‘I know that he waits at the Himmelfahrtkirche every morning for his bride-to-be. I’ve seen them there together. A lovely couple if you ask me, and he’s never tried to bring her back to his room. He knows what’s right and proper.’
Gräf rolled his eyes. ‘What exactly are you trying to tell me?’
She looked around, as if afraid someone might be listening. ‘Yesterday I didn’t hear Herr Fleming leave the house, but I did hear him come back. Just after six. I asked if he was sick, if I should make him a cup of tea, but he said he just wanted to be left in peace. Well…’ there was a pregnant pause ‘…that was when I saw it.’
‘What, Frau Schobeck?’
She leaned in closer and lowered her voice.
‘Blood,’ she said. ‘His jacket was smeared with blood. Not much, but I saw it. He was so strange; wanted to go straight up to his room. I didn’t think anything of it, but then I read the appeal in the BZ…’
Gräf pricked up his ears. ‘You’re certain it was blood?’
‘Of course! I used to work in a butcher’s, and…’
He cut her off. ‘Many thanks, Frau Schobeck, this could be very helpful. Now, where can we find this Herr Fleming?’
‘At mine, of course,’ she said. ‘Putbusser Strasse 28, rear building, third floor.’
43
Lange had spoken more in the last few days to Superintendent Gennat than ever before. He wasn’t sure if that was good or bad, but clearly Buddha was keeping an eye on him. He couldn’t afford any mistakes.
Trudchen Steiner, Gennat’s secretary, placed the cake tray on the table and Gennat served his guest. Discussions like this were more akin to a coffee morning than an official briefing. Lange thanked him for the slice of poppy seed cake that had landed on his plate, and took a bite.
‘How long have you been with us now, Assistant Detective?’
Lange replied with his mouth full, feeling ambushed. ‘Almothst two yearsth,’ he said. ‘Thinthe Dethember thwenty nine.’
‘Before that you did two years at Robbery Division in Hannover?’ Lange was glad that a nod of the head would suffice. His mouth was still full of poppy seed cake. Buddha seemed to have studied his personal file. ‘We’ve just taken on a number of cadets.’
‘Dr Weiss has introduced them already, Sir.’
‘Have you thought about applying?’
‘With respect, Sir, it seemed a little premature. I haven’t been at the Cas… ah, in Berlin, two years yet.’
Lange realised he had turned red, and felt annoyed, but Gennat didn’t seem to have noticed.
‘You’ve made a very good job of the KaDeWe case so far. Officers Nebe and Böhm are full of praise.’ Gennat shovelled a slice of gooseberry tart into his mouth, his favourite. ‘At the same time, you were disciplined enough not to mention our own suspicions.’
‘Well, Sir, I thought…’
‘And you thought right.’ Gennat leaned a little closer. ‘You’re aware that without a witness statement, you can’t give the public prosecutor anything.’
‘Yes, unfortunately. I still don’t know how I’m going to get hold of her. I suppose it’ll come down to Warrants.’
Gennat nodded. ‘I’d like you to take over the Kallweit case from Böhm. You’ve been working together on it anyway.’
‘DCI Böhm mentioned that this might happen. Does it mean I can close the KaDeWe file?’
‘For Goodness sake, no! Don’t be so hasty. Keep it simmering. Let’s bide our time for this witness.’
‘But the Commissioner is pushing for a swift resolution.’
‘He always does, but don’t let him bring you to heel. You can’t close the file until you’ve heard what the witness has to say.’ Lange nodded. ‘And this dead fence,’ Gennat continued. ‘There are enough links to the KaDeWe case. It might yield the odd insight.’
‘It could do, Sir. I just hope the KaDeWe witness doesn’t have the dead fence on her conscience. That would be a link I could do without.’
‘You’ll get support from Officer Mertens. But… as far as our suspicions go: not a word to anybody!’
Lange took another bite of poppy seed cake.
‘And,’ Gennat said, ‘if I don’t see an application for inspector on my desk during the next round of recruitments, there’ll be trouble.’
44
They were late. Dusk was already falling. Kirie pulled hard on her lead. Some scent or other was enticing her onwards, and it was all Rath could do to hold on.
‘To heel,’ he scolded for the umpteenth time. Kirie kept pulling. Rath wasn’t in the best of moods after his nerve-shredding journey home with the Hanomag. He had been looking forward to a quiet evening but, instead, was traipsing around the banks of the Müggelsee.