Chantal van Mierlo - Julia Menken

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Copyright © Storytel Original 2021

Copyright © Chantal van Mierlo 2021

Original title: Julia Menken - S01

Translation: Yvonne Perks

Cover design: Cover Kitchen Company Limited

ISBN 978-91-7967-521-9

They really should have just carried on walking, but it was odd seeing those clothes right in the middle of the road. Next to that electricity substation. Neatly folded up. There was a coat on top of the pile of clothes, a bomber jacket with grey sleeves.

“You go and grab it,” Mike said to Daan, who was now stood very close to him. They had managed to build up quite a nice little reputation at their own school, but they wouldn’t be leaving their primary school until next year. And these things looked like they belonged to someone much older than them.

Daan hesitated. He was thinking of a classmate who had recently suffered a horrendous attack. He had been lured into an alleyway by a group of lads, where they had then proceeded to give him a right royal beating. One of the perpetrators had actually filmed how they had taken it in turns to repeatedly kick him in the head and had put it on snapchat afterwards. The whole class had seen it and thought it was quite exciting. Daan had felt sorry for that lad more than anything else. He had actually needed to spend a few days in hospital. And now he was stood here himself. There could be absolutely anything in that coat: sweets, a mobile or a wallet. But it could easily be a trap too.

“What if someone is hiding behind that substation,” he whispered to Mike.

Mike looked at him in disgust. “Don’t be such a wimp. Don’t worry, I’ll do it myself, but whatever’s in there will be all mine.” He took a few steps forward, but then froze on the spot.

“Shit.”

Was there actually someone there? Daan leaned forward slightly. He really just wanted to get out of here, but his curiosity got the better of him. Plus Mike was walking out in front of him, so he would definitely be the first to be grabbed.

The first thing he saw was a bare foot. Even then he had still considered walking away. He felt for the front door key, which was on a chain around his neck, the cold metal chafing against his tummy. His mum always wanted him to go straight home after school and they had already deviated from their usual route.

“What can you see?”

Mike didn’t reply. He looked at Daan over his shoulder, his eyes wide open.

“What’s wrong?” Daan shuffled forward a little and could see a bit of a leg. It wasn’t moving. Had someone fallen asleep over here?

“I think he’s dead. There’s a huge puddle of blood.”

He took one more little step, so he would end up alongside Mike. He peeked around the corner. Gross. The boy wasn’t wearing any trousers, just a shirt covered in blood. He could see a gaping hole where his willy was supposed to be. Shoes in the middle. Blood, flesh, more blood on the pavement. It all looked disgusting, like a scene from one of his brother’s computer games.

But this was no computer game. This was real.

He could hear himself scream. Mike turned around and almost knocked him over. Daan put his hand over his mouth. Then he turned around too and ran back into the Rietgrachtstraat.

*

Julia Menken walked across to her car with a folder clenched underneath her arm. Her working day may well be done, but the things she was working on always appeared to be never-ending. Right now it was the investigation into Mirjam Bender’s murder, which had appeared to have reached a deadlock. The investigation team hadn’t managed to make any progress and it was down to Julia to send the investigation off in a new direction. She would go through the case again tonight, but she really had to go home first, she had promised Daniel. Her phone started ringing whilst she was searching around her handbag for her keys. It was Karel Visser, her boss.

“Karel? I’m literally in the car park. Please tell me you rang to wish me a pleasant evening.”

“Sorry. I’m afraid this evening is going to be anything but pleasant.”

Julia remained where she was and looked up at the blue sky. The evening sun warmed her face. She wanted to go home. Have some dinner together and then roll about in the grass with the kids for a while, before settling down with the documents and a glass of wine, hoping to get a better picture of Mirjam Bender’s killer.

“You’ve got a new assignment.”

Great. She really didn’t have time for this, she couldn’t leave Daniel with the kids for the umpteenth time. “I’m still working on the Bender case. I’m taking the file home with me and you’ll have my report on your desk after the weekend.”

“Bender can wait, Julia. They need you somewhere else. You need to come over to a crime scene in Arnhem.”

“Arnhem? Now?” She looked at her watch. A quarter past six. Daniel would be furious and rightly so too. She was working way too many hours. She had been working as a Behavioural Expert within the National Unit in Zoetermeer for the past three years.

“What’s so urgent about this case?” There was never a shortage of work, but most cases had stalled and had been stagnant for a few months, or years even. Her recommendations and advice served as a new impetus for the investigations. But Karel wasn’t talking about one of these dormant cases.

“I’m currently in Arnhem at the crime scene. Rietgrachtstraat in Arnhem, make sure you’re here in an hour.”

“You’re at the crime scene now? What’s happened?”

“A child murder.”

She looked at the display, but he had already hung up. Typical. He knew she would get there somehow. She got into her black Volkswagen Golf and started the engine. The car started moving as she logged her phone into the hands-free set and chose her husband’s mobile.

“Jules, where on earth are you now?”

Julia clenched the steering wheel. She could hear Mees and Evi bickering in the background. “I’m on my way to a crime scene, I have to be there tonight. Sorry.”

“Again? Dammit Jules. Dinner’s on the table.”

She stopped for a cyclist and turned onto the Europaweg. “I have to go to Arnhem, so it’s going to be a late one, I think.”

“Right, I suppose I’ll be running things on my own again over here then.”

“Sorry. I’ll make it up to you.”

“Yeah, I’m sure you will. Be careful.”

She tried to ignore her guilty conscience and entered her destination into the sat nav. It was busy in town. The Europaweg turned into the Australiëweg, which led straight to the A12. The sat nav was telling her she should be in Arnhem in an hour, but this obviously didn’t take any possible traffic into the equation.

*

The fact that something was going on in the Rietgrachtstraat was evident the moment she approached it. She got out of her car and instantly noticed the silence. As was the case after most crimes, there were plenty of people about, but the majority of them were whispering softly, or were simply just staring out in front of themselves, as if though there were in a state of shock.

Police officers were keeping people at a safe distance, but many were still trying to catch a glimpse of the victim from the police tape which had been put up around the crime scene. Impossible anyway, as the body had been protected by a large white tent for quite some time. She worked her way through the crowds and was just about to ask a colleague to let her through to the crime scene when she spotted Karel making his way over to her.

He lifted up the tape for her. “Glad you’re here.”

“Can you tell me a little more now?”

She glanced at up his face, which was usually one she could read quite well, but this time she couldn’t figure out what he was thinking. He put his hand through the few grey hairs he still had and grabbed her by the elbow.