Janwillem De Wetering - Outsider in Amsterdam

"Did Piet go to France?" Grijpstra asked.

"Perhaps," the chief inspector said. "The French immigration doesn't stamp a Dutchman's passport anymore so we can't prove anything. But he traveled from time to time and was away from his house at the Haarlemmer Houttuinen for weeks at the time. He may have been in France."

"Yes," de Gier said, "so perhaps he found a supplier and needed money to buy a large supply, so he scraped together all the money he could find."

"That's what I think," the chief inspector said, "and when he did have the money he was killed. Perhaps by someone who knew that the money was in the house. Perhaps by the heroin supplier. Perhaps by the customer. For Piet would have sold it to a wholesaler, he didn't sell directly to the public."

"Beuzekom and Company," Grijpstra said, "but why should they kill him? They didn't need the money that badly, they needed the business. Why hang a man who can sell you regular lots of goods you need for resale?"

"Yes, yes," the chief inspector said. "Beuzekom has a lot of money. He is spending a hundred guilders an hour in some of the expensive bars of Amsterdam. He needs a continuous supply of heroin, not just one catch of seventy-five thousand guilders. I think you are right there. In fact, you can arrest Beuzekom if you like. I have spoken to the public prosecutor and he'll give his permission if we apply for it. We could keep both Beuzekom and Ringma for a few weeks."

"Interrogate them separately," de Gier said.

"You think it would be a good idea?" the chief inspector asked and lit a fresh little cigar.

"No," de Gier said, after some reflection.

"Why not?"

De Gier scratched his leg. "Beuzekom studied psychology, he is both clever and disciplined. We won't break him, not even by keeping him in a wet cell on the ground floor and refusing to let him smoke. Perhaps we might break that little boyfriend of his but I doubt it. They have too much to lose. They live in splendor now and they know we have no real proof. They would prefer a few weeks of misery in a cell to losing their golden future."

The chief inspector looked at his cactus.

"All right then, we'll stir the pot. We'll give the underworld a thorough shake-up. The goal will be to get at the drug dealers, the real big fellows, who can sell or buy drugs in quantities. I have a list here of all likely addresses. It's a recent list compiled by the Investigations Bureau. Some of the addresses are of cafes and bars but there are also benches in public parks, tram shelters, public lavatories, student hostels, sleep-ins, houseboats and houses that have been empty for some time. I'll coordinate the raids from Headquarters and we'll have every detective out on the job. The uniformed police will be helping as much as they can, I'll be working with their chief. The action will start tomorrow night but you can begin earlier if you like. I would suggest that you put some pressure on that nasty young fellow who gave you the dead girl yesterday. He is a user and he will be buying his drugs somewhere. Find out where and go from there, and keep on going until you get a nicely sized fish on the hook."

"Yes sir."

"You can go and have some coffee now," the chief inspector said. "You need it, I think."

The detectives saluted and left the room.

"Good hunting, gentlemen," the commissaris said.

"Oliver," De Gier said as the cat strolled past the bed, "we'll tie your paws behind your back, march you to the park opposite, set you up against a stake, and shoot you, and it will be done at the crack of dawn."

Oliver looked over his shoulder and purred.

"No, no," Constanze's soft voice said and she nibbled de Gier's ear. "I don't mean that he has to be destroyed. He is a beautiful cat and I know some people who live on a farm and who would love to have a Siamese cat. And Oliver would be happier too, he could play on the farm and climb trees and chase mice. It would be a much more natural life for a cat."

"Yes," de Gier said and reached down to the floor, found his pack of cigarettes, took one out and lit it, using one hand, for his other was caressing Constanze.

"And you can get a bigger flat and I'll be working as well so the rent won't be any problem."

"Yes," de Gier said.

"And Yvette can go to school close by and she would spend a lot of time with my parents."

"Mmm," de Gier said.

"You don't want to, do you?" Constanze asked and put a leg over his.

De Gier twisted out of her embrace and got out of bed.

"It's time to have breakfast," he said.

"You haven't answered me," Constanze said.

"I don't know," de Gier said. "I'll have to think about

He shaved while Constanze prepared breakfast. Early morning wasn't the best time of the day for de Gier, not if he had to go to work, and he groaned while he scraped his face with a blunt blade.

"In fact, we could probably buy a nice flat." Con-stanze's voice came from the small kitchen.

"Flats are expensive," de Gier said, taking the toothbrush out of his mouth.

"I have fifty thousand," Constanze said. "The house at Haarlemmer Houttuinen was sold, you know, and the other little house that Fiet owned in the South was sold as well. Together they netted over a hundred thousand and with the mortgage and the solicitor's costs deducted I still have fifty thousand. Surely that would be enough for a deposit. We might even get a small house."

"I didn't know you were selling the property," de Gier said as he came out of the bathroom. "Who is the buyer?"

"Joachim de Kater," Constanze said, "our accountant. He was very helpful. It only took him a few days. We will sign the contracts at the solicitor's office at the end of this week, and then I'll have to make up my mind what to do. Return to Paris and buy an apartment for Yvette and myself or stay here."

"With me?" de Gier asked.

"With you," Constanze said softly, putting a dish of fried eggs and bacon on the table and switching the toaster on, "if you want me to stay with you."

"Joachim de Kater," the chief inspector said and stirred his coffee. "I remember the name. Didn't you write a report on a visit to an accountant of that name, Grijpstra?"

"Yes sir," Grijpstra said;

"But how do you know all this, de Gier?" the chief inspector asked. "You weren't supposed to question her. Grijpstra did, the night before last night I believe. How come you know who she sold her property to?"

De Gier didn't answer.

"I see," the chief inspector said. "But personal relationships with suspects…"

The commissaris shifted in his chair. "I think the sergeant is aware of what you are hinting at," he said.

"All right," the chief inspector said.

"It's really my fault, sir," Grijpstra said. "I suggested that de Gier should date her last Saturday. I thought she might talk a little more easily if he did."

"It's all right, adjutant," the chief inspector said. "We won't mention the matter again, or rather, I hope we won't have to mention the matter again. I believe you asked young Mrs. Verboom to stay in Amsterdam while the investigation lasts. Perhaps you can contact her and tell her that she can go now. Mr. de Gier will be able to concentrate a bit better when she is out of the way and we don't really suspect her anymore, do we?"

"No sir," de Gier said relieved, "we don't."

"Do you want her out of the way?" asked the chief inspector, surprised.

"She wants me to get rid of my cat," de Gier said in a small voice.

Grijpstra suddenly roared with laughter and the chief inspector and the commissaris joined him. De Gier shuffled his feet.

"Haha," the commissaris said, wiping his eyes, "you like your cat, huh? You don't have to feel silly about that. I like my cat too. It always snuggles up to me when I have rheumatism in my leg."