Martin Cordemann - The Polizeit Detective

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“Nothing. I'm just building up the mood...”

“We would prefer if you wouldn't.”

“I know. But as you can imagine: I don't care. So wanna hear the story or not?”

In the office there was a desk. In front of the desk there was an armchair. In the armchair there was a person. In the person there was a knife.

“Why does no one use a gun anymore?” asked Tenant looking at the body.

“Who?”

“Tenant. Lou Tenant. Actually Lieutenant Lou Tenant... which does not work, if you're British.”

“Or...”

“Or humorless, yes, so it does not work on you. He was my partner at the time.”

“And Captain Fect?”

“Was my boss. Still is. Still will be. Still wanna know what happened?”

“Ehm...”

“Then less interrupting and more listening!”

“Too easy to follow.”

“What?”

“That's what you get for the constantly interrupting me. It was the answer to the question why nobody uses guns anymore... although I'm tempted right now!”

“Really?”

“No, not really. But guns are cataloged in a central system.”

“In how far central?”

“Across time... or timeless? Maybe out of time? Maybe not. But in the future, if that helps?”

Tenants face said that it did not.

“Anyhow, there you can find guns which have been used or will be used. It was supposed to lead to some kind of restriction of firearms... but that seems not to work with everyone. There are always some people who wanna stick to their guns – and now they are sticking to them. Doesn't change much, but sounds good. And has lead to the fact, that most firearms are cataloged now. At least those which since the beginning of time travel were part of a crime. So imagine you find a gun that was used in 2031, 2115, 2527 and 3030. Then you know you're looking for a time traveling killer.”

“Did you ever encounter one?”

“Not yet – but I'm still hoping for it!”

“And if you travel back very far in time and get a gun there?”

“Not subtle enough. Too easy to find out who traveled there... or then , to be precise, so it would be not that difficult to find the right person.” Ethan looked at the knife sticking out of the victim's back. “That gave knifes as the new murder weapon of choice a real push. You should buy stocks.” He stood up and walked over to a cop in uniform. “Wachtmeister Liebrecht?”

“Yes, Detective?”

“What can you tell us about the case?”

Liebrecht took out an e-padd and looked at his notes.

“The victim is Ralf Wagenbach, a banker.”

“Any enemies?”

“He was a banker!”

“So that doesn't shorten the list of suspects.”

“No, Sir, but the use of a time machine might.”

“Any suspects in particular?”

“More than enough.”

“Anything else?”

“A name. In his notebook. Handwritten.”

Cause looked at it. “A meeting? For the time of our murder?”

“Looks like it.”

“Our killer?”

“Possible. But unlikely.”

“Why?”

“Because he doesn't exist.”

“That sounds... strange.”

“Yes, Sir. Maybe just a memory... of something? Or a codeword?”

“Possible,” nodded Ethan and looked at the appointments book which was made of the finest paper you could buy for money. “One meeting... but for the rest of the day he seemed to have other plans.”

In the notebook the afternoon was framed with a big heart. On the desk there was a bouquet of flowers, a bottle of champagne which still was ice cold and a little bottle containing some kind of drug.

“That drug is often used for rape,” the Wachtmeister explained when he noticed Ethan's look.

“It's getting better and better.”

“Detective Cause?”

“Yes?”

A technician stood in front of him.

“We have made some scans.”

“Anything interesting?”

“Well?”

“Anything strange ?!”

“How did you know?” the technician asked surprised.

“I had a feeling. So what is it?”

He looked at the scan results the technician showed him.

“That is strange.”

“How strange?”

“Quite,” muttered the Detective. “Looks like as if the time space continuum has gotten a tiny little scratch.”

“A scratch?” Lou Tenant seemed to be curious.

“Yupp. As if... it was damaged. Not dramatically. Just a tiny little bit. Like a... very thin crack... but it's there. And I don't have the foggiest idea why.”

“And there is something else very strange, Sir.”

“ Something else ? What could that be, Wachtmeister?”

“We found some fingerprints on the knife.”

“That is strange. Or just unprofessional. Sloppy maybe.”

“We also found a genetic fingerprint.”

“That is even stranger! So we seem to have ourselves a killer. Who was it?”

“That is what we can't find out. The person does not seem to exist.”

“Then that by far is the strangest. If I asked you how something like that is possible...”

“I have no idea, Sir.”

“Neither have I. Thank you, Wachtmeister, you presented us with a very unconventional case.”

“It is?” asked Tenant.

“Oh yes. Even for one with time travel in it.”

“And... what are we going to do now?”

“We have us a nice little talk with the suspects... that is, if they exist!”

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