Фолькер Кучер - The Silent Death

Rath nodded. ‘What makes you think I can help you? My father is far more experienced when it comes to police work.’

‘The letters are from Berlin, I’m certain of it. And not just because up till now they’ve only been sent to my Berlin office. The blackmailer is in the city somewhere. Take a look yourself…’ He fetched a small bundle of papers from the inside pocket of his jacket and passed one of the pages to Rath.

Red-coloured pencil. Big block capitals. Crooked letters but legible nonetheless. It looked almost like a little home-made placard.

FORD STAYS IN BERLIN , it said, OR ADENAUER GOES TO JAIL!

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ he asked.

‘That’s the fee,’ the mayor said. ‘The blackmailer doesn’t want money, it’s something else he’s after. He wants to save the Ford plant at Westhafen.’

‘The car factory?’

‘Only I’m afraid its days are already numbered. There’s nothing more to be done.’

‘I don’t know much about that, you’re going to have to explain.’

‘Ford is relocating to Cologne,’ Adenauer said. ‘Everything’s signed, and we’ll be laying the groundwork in Riehl later this year. Europe’s most state-of-the-art car factory will make Berlin’s seem old in comparison. Then it’ll be goodnight, Westhafen.’

‘And that’s what the blackmailer’s hoping to avoid?’

Adenauer nodded. ‘It would appear so. Only he’s picked the wrong man. No Adenauer allows himself to be blackmailed! Besides, even if I wanted to, there’s nothing I can do. The same goes for the Mayor of Berlin.’

‘Herr Böß has his own problems at the moment,’ Gereon said.

‘Tell me about it! The only person who can do anything is Henry Ford, who won’t let a single car roll off the production line in Berlin once things are up and running in Riehl. I can say that much for certain.’

‘There’ll be even more unemployed people in Berlin.’

Adenauer shrugged his shoulders. ‘What do you want me to do? Hundreds of jobs will be created in Cologne instead. That’s how it goes sometimes, it’s the way of the world, and blackmailing people isn’t about to change that!’

‘Even so, that doesn’t mean whoever’s blackmailing you can’t still do some damage, and that’s what you’d like me to prevent.’

‘Quick on the uptake, your son,’ Adenauer said to Engelbert Rath.

Rath felt as he had when his mother praised her son’s school grades to assorted friends over coffee. ‘How do you know the blackmailer really has the information he’s threatening you with?’ he asked.

‘See for yourself.’ Adenauer passed him another sheet of paper. ‘This is the second page from the first letter.’

This letter didn’t look like a placard; there was a lot more text too. Typewritten, again in red. Wouldn’t it be unfortunate if the world were to hear what was discussed in passing at the Deutsche Bank’s supervisory board meeting by board members Adenauer and Blüthgen, as well as Bank Director Brüning?

‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

‘It means somebody knows exactly what’s going on,’ Adenauer said. ‘I want you to find out who it is, and make it clear that it’s him rather than me who will be facing jail time, if so much as a single word of these confidential discussions is leaked!’

‘How do you suppose I do that? I’m a police officer…’

‘Precisely, you know the best way to handle a thing like this. You won’t regret it, young man. I still have a good relationship with your commissioner. My word counts for something with Zörgiebel, believe me. Your father had already made chief inspector by your age. It’s time you followed in his footsteps.’

‘The interior ministry has issued a moratorium on promotions…’

‘Because Prussia must save, but there are always exceptions. Even in times like these, outstanding candidates can be rewarded.’

Engelbert Rath nodded in agreement. ‘Chief Inspector Gereon Rath – it has a nice ring to it,’ he said, and raised his wine glass. ‘To the next chief inspector in the Rath family!’

Gereon raised his glass and smiled, but only sipped at the sweet liquid. Chief Inspector didn’t sound too bad at all, and he wouldn’t have that twit Böhm telling him what to do.

‘Inspector Rath?’

The waiter’s voice only served to remind him of his current rank. The man’s gaze surveyed the group briefly before ruling out its two older members and alighting on Gereon. ‘Telephone for you, Herr Rath.’

It was Czerwinski. They had finally caught Glaser. The lighting technician had come home that evening. All they’d had to do was pick him up.

‘He’s all nicely wrapped up and waiting for you at Alex,’ the detective said. ‘Thought you might like to have a little chat with him tonight. Your girlfriend was kind enough to tell us where you were. I hope we’re not interrupting anything.’

Rath was about to have a go at the fat lump for his lack of respect, but chose to hold back. Czerwinski had done a good job, and it wasn’t often you could say that. ‘I’ll be with you shortly,’ he said.

‘I’m afraid duty calls,’ he said as he returned to the table with his hat and coat.

He offered Adenauer his hand. ‘Many thanks for inviting me here, Herr Mayor,’ he said.

‘Take the letters with you.’ Adenauer passed him the bundle across the table.

‘Well, my boy,’ said Engelbert Rath, standing to say goodbye to his son. The police director attempted something approaching a hug but was forced to admit defeat. Otherwise so commanding, Engelbert Rath could only offer his son an awkward handshake. ‘Take care. Can you find your own way out? I still have matters to discuss with the mayor.’

‘It’s OK, Father.’ Rath cleared his throat. ‘Will we see each other tomorrow?’

The police director’s face froze. ‘Mother… we…’ he stammered. ‘Well… I promised your mother I wouldn’t leave her too long. I’m taking the night train.’

‘Not staying in Berlin a moment longer than necessary – is that right, gents?’

The remark was supposed to disguise his disappointment, but somehow he didn’t get it quite right. As much as his father’s unannounced visit had angered him, he was equally hurt that Engelbert Rath – in the middle of Carnival – had only come to Berlin to do his old friend Konrad a favour. But then, he knew his father, what else should he expect?

‘Well, safe trip home then,’ he said and made for the exit without looking round, descending the steps into the rain. Outside, he took a deep breath before returning to the car. He spent the next few minutes sitting behind the wheel observing Wilhelmplatz at night. Apart from a few pedestrians emerging from the underground, and the two uniformed officers in front of the hotel, the square was completely empty. The city’s nightlife was happening elsewhere.

Rath couldn’t remember having made any promises to Adenauer, but he felt the weight of the letters in his inside pocket, and knew he had an assignment that could help him make Chief Inspector.

His mind turned to Kathi, waiting for him at Luisenufer, and he was glad he could still head out to Alex. Hopefully she’d be asleep when he got home. He started the engine and drove off. It would do him good to spend a little time focusing on someone else’s life. What kind of man was this Glaser? he wondered.

In the meantime he must have realised that running wasn’t a solution, especially now, awaiting interrogation in the Castle. You couldn’t escape guilt like that, someone’s death. No matter how far you ran, no matter how quickly; nobody knew that better than Gereon Rath. It was a burden you carried with you for the rest of your life.