Фолькер Кучер - The Silent Death

‘I’m afraid I don’t know a lot about my actresses. We have a professional relationship, not a private one. What I do know is that she didn’t appear at the premiere of her new film yesterday, and that’s not like her at all.’

‘When did you last see Frau Fastré?’

‘A week ago, perhaps.’

‘And it was certain that she would come to the premiere?’

‘Of course! That’s what the viewers expect, and Jeanette always enjoyed such occasions. She never missed them, which is why we’re so concerned.’ He paused and his voice grew softer. ‘She’s crazy about driving. What if… she was out in the country somewhere… an accident…?’

‘Didn’t you try her house yesterday evening?’

‘Your colleagues have already asked me that. Of course, I did! We telephoned her flat, then the concierge and, when he said he hadn’t seen her for a few days, we began to wonder and reported it to the police.’

‘Leave it!’

The dog had stood both its front paws on the filing shelves, the lower base of which was tilting forward alarmingly, along with the lever arch files.

‘I hope you’re talking to the dog again, Inspector.’

‘Can you give me the names of a few people who know Frau Fastré a little better? Those who are closest to her here in Berlin?’

‘Difficult. Like I say, I don’t know a lot about her. She spent time with her family in Belgium whenever she could. She’s from Malmedy.’

‘Could she be there now?’

‘We’ve called, but I’ve told your colleagues all this before.’

Rath thanked him and hung up. He hadn’t learned a lot, but at least he now knew what the dog was called. There was a knock, and a gaunt officer with a boozer’s nose came in.

‘Word is you’ve gone to the dogs, Inspector.’

‘Looks that way.’

‘Then I’ll take the beastie off you, shall I? We still have room at the pound.’

The officer took a step towards Kirie, who was sniffing the rubber plant that stood next to the window in the corner.

‘Come to Daddy,’ the man said, bending down. She eyed him suspiciously and, when he stepped forward, started growling and retreated into the corner. ‘What’s his name then?’

‘Kirie. And he’s a she.’

The officer tried his luck again. ‘Come along now, Kirie, chérie , come along!’

Kirie was immune to the charms of the Prussian police, however. Her growling grew more threatening, then she gave a few short, firm barks.

‘If you’re not willing, then I’ll use force,’ the officer said, making a determined lunge. Kirie effected a sidestep, the lunge came to nothing and the officer wound up on the floor.

‘Treat her with care, she’s a pedigree and certainly not cheap. She belongs to a film actress.’

‘A pedigree?’ The officer picked himself up from the floor. ‘I’ve never seen a dog like it.’

‘She’s a Bouvier. From Belgium, like her mistress.’

‘She’s acting like she’s still mad at the Prussians for The Great War.’

‘We can trick her,’ Rath said. ‘She likes me.’

He reached for the lead on the desk and leaned towards the floor. ‘Come along, Kirie,’ he said, and the dog came running to nudge its wet nose against him, wanting to play. He attached the lead. ‘So,’ he said to the officer, handing him the leather pull strap. ‘All yours.’

‘Much obliged. Shall we, then?’

The dog realised what was happening. No sooner had the lead changed hands than she began to bark and strain against the harness.

‘Boy, she’s a strong one,’ said the officer, who was having great difficulty hauling her to the door. Erika Voss came in.

‘What’s going on here?’ she asked. ‘The poor thing, what on earth are you doing?’

‘I know her kind,’ the officer said, his boozer’s nose now glistening. ‘She’ll calm down once we get her to the pound.’

‘You brute! Say something, Inspector.’

‘But Fräulein Voss! The man is only doing his job.’

‘His job? It’s cruelty to animals, that’s what it is.’

‘I don’t have to stand here and take this!’ said the officer.

‘You heard me, cruelty to animals!’

‘Fräulein Voss!’

‘Now listen to me, young lady! I’m doing you a favour here. If you don’t want me to – then be my guest. I’ve better ways to spend my time!’ With that, he passed the lead to a startled Erika Voss and moved towards the door. ‘Good day!’

He almost collided with Andreas Lange on the way out. ‘Who was that?’ the assistant detective asked.

‘A colleague from the canine unit, whom Fräulein Voss has just succeeded in scaring off,’ Rath said.

The secretary looked a little sheepish. ‘I’m sorry, Inspector, but you saw how the man was treating him, poor thing.’

‘He’s a she, and her name is Kirie.’

‘A lady dog! That’s how she knew not to go with a wretch like that.’

‘So what are we going to do with her now?’ Rath asked.

‘Simple,’ the secretary said. ‘One of us takes her home.’

‘I’m not taking her,’ Lange said. ‘Impossible! I’ve got…’

‘…two cats in your flat. I know,’ Rath said. ‘Perhaps you can help us out then, Fräulein Voss. After all, you’re the one who got us into this.’

‘I’d love to, but pets aren’t allowed where I live.’

Rath looked at his two colleagues as they stood with lowered eyes, and at the shaggy black dog training its innocent, shining gaze on him. When Kirie tilted her head to one side and seemed to smile, his resistance was broken.

‘Fine,’ he said. ‘I’ll take her. But only until her mistress turns up.’ A smile flitted across the face of Erika Voss. ‘I’ll be charging the food costs to the Free State of Prussia. And you, Fräulein Voss, will see to it that Prussia pays.’

‘With pleasure, Inspector.’

Erika Voss disappeared back to the outer office, leaving the two CID men alone. Lange sat down at Gräf’s desk. ‘It’s dog eat dog in here,’ he said.

‘You’re at least the twenty-seventh person to make a joke about dogs today.’

‘I just hope you won’t be bringing her to the office.’

‘Right now it’s the weekend. Hopefully Kirie’s mistress will have turned up again by Monday.’

‘You don’t really think that, do you?’

Rath fell silent. ‘No,’ he said finally and shook his head. ‘Not from the way it looked in the flat.’

‘That’s what I said to Böhm. He was extremely annoyed that you weren’t there, by the way.’

‘What did you tell him?’

‘That you were hard at work, of course.’

‘Doing what, exactly?’

‘Combing the area around Fastré’s flat, trying to ascertain who saw her last. The usual.’

‘And that’s precisely what we’re going to do now. I’ve already spoken to the producer. It wasn’t very fruitful, but we do have a list of names, drawn up by Missing Persons this morning. People who were close to her in the city, and some who had more intimate dealings. We’ll canvass them systematically: when and where did you last see Frau Fastré? The usual questions.’

‘I’m afraid something has happened to her.’

‘So am I, Lange, but that won’t spare us the grunt work. Does Böhm think there’s a link to the Franck case?’

‘No.’ Lange shook his head. ‘At least, he’s hoping there isn’t. If the press get any more fuel for their serial killer theory he’s afraid there’ll be hysteria in Berlin, worse than Düsseldorf even.’

‘If people want to get hysterical, then that’s what they’ll do. Not even Gennat was able to prevent it.’

‘DCI Böhm impressed upon me that we should proceed as discreetly as possible. On no account should anything be leaked.’