Polpo
Kriminaldirektor
Gerhard Weigland stood and offered his hand. He had aged considerably since Hoffner last saw him: the hair was virtually gone except for a neat ring of curly white at the temples; the beard had grown long and full, stained a mucinous yellow around the chin and moustache from decades of cigarettes; and the face had thickened, pressing the eyes deep into the twin cavities above the gray-red cheeks. Never tall, Weigland seemed squatter still from the added weight. His hand, though, remained powerful. The knuckles drove up through the flesh as if the fingers intended to squeeze the life out of anything they touched.
Hoffner peered at the two other men, then stepped over and took the PKD’s hand. “Herr
Kriminaldirektor,
” said Hoffner.
“It’s been a long time, Nikolai,” said Weigland; he released and sat. “Only a floor above and—well, a long time.”
“Yes, Herr
Kriminaldirektor,
” said Hoffner, who remained standing at the edge of the desk.
“It seems your man was in the midst of giving a little tour,” said Weigland through a half-smile.
Hoffner said, “Hans is very enthusiastic, Herr
Kriminaldirektor.
”
“As we discovered,” said Weigland with a laugh. The other men laughed, as well.
Hoffner waited. “I’m sure that’s not why we’re here, Herr
Kriminaldirektor.
After all, we were all
Assistenten
once.”
Weigland stared up with a smile that claimed to know Hoffner better than it did: everything about Weigland claimed to know more than it did. “Always right to it,” he said. “A lesson for us all, eh, Herr
Oberkommissar
?”
Braun, who was now at Weigland’s side, seemed to grow tauter still. “Indeed, Herr
Direktor.
”
“We needed a bit more time with the Luxemburg body,” said Weigland in an equally casual tone. “You understand.”
“We?” said Hoffner, peering again at the two other men.
Weigland followed Hoffner’s gaze. “You know
Kommissaren
Tamshik and Hermannsohn?”
“No, Herr
Kriminaldirektor.
”
“Ah,” said Weigland. “My mistake.” He made the introductions. “They’ve been brought in, now that it’s a political case.”
Ernst Tamshik had the look of the military about him, the way he kept his hands clasped tightly behind his back, the way his broad shoulders hitched high so as to keep his back ramrod straight. There might even have been something protective to him had it not been for the expression on his face: he was a bully, and a particularly brutal one, judging from the child’s sneer in his eyes, an ex–sergeant major, Hoffner guessed, who had reveled in the terrorizing of his young recruits. But, like all bullies, he had learned to play the innocent while under his mother’s watchful gaze. Hoffner had yet to figure out which of the two, Weigland or Braun, had assumed that role.
Walther Hermannsohn was far less graspable. He was slighter, though just as tall, and had no need for Tamshik’s stifled violence or Braun’s clipped affectation. He projected nothing and, for Hoffner, that made him the most dangerous man in the room.
“A political case?” said Hoffner. “That seems a bit premature, don’t you think, Herr
Kriminaldirektor
?”
Weigland was momentarily confused. “Premature? Why do you say that?”
Hoffner explained, “Luxemburg has the same markings as the other homicides. Why assume that it wasn’t simply bad luck for her and poor timing for us—or, rather, for you, Herr
Kriminaldirektor
?”
Weigland tried another unconvincing smile. He shifted slightly in his chair. “It’s just
Direktor
now, Nikolai.
Direktor,
Kommissar,
Oberkommissar.
We’ve dispensed with the
Kriminal
up here.”
Hoffner waited before answering. “That’s convenient.” Weigland showed no reaction. “Then, my mistake, Herr
Direktor.
”
Weigland’s smile broadened. “No mistake, Nikolai. Just a bit of new information.”
Hoffner nodded once. “Is it also new Polpo policy to take Kripo bodies from the morgue in the middle of the night?”
Weigland was unprepared for the question. Tamshik, however, was not so reticent. He spoke with a clumsy arrogance. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”
The look from Braun told Hoffner where the teat lay.
“If,” Braun said calmly, “this is a political case—as the
Direktor
has just said—then your confusion, Herr
Kriminal-Kommissar,
seems unwarranted.”
Hoffner continued to look at Weigland. “And the body would simply have found its way back to the morgue by tomorrow morning? Or would my confusion have begun then?”
Braun answered with no hint of condescension: “There are things here you can’t fully understand, Herr
Kriminal-Kommissar.
Luxemburg’s been our case since she got back to Berlin in early November. A Kripo officer happens to find her body in mid-January and you think she’s no longer ours? You must see what little sense that makes.”
“Yes,” said Hoffner. “I’m beginning to see the lack of sense. Did you have a man waiting for her outside the prison gates, Herr
Oberkommissar,
or does the Polpo leave the distant edges of the empire to someone else?”
Braun said, “Frau Luxemburg was a threat no matter where she was, Herr
Kriminal-Kommissar.
Breslau, Berlin, it makes no difference. That’s why she spent the war inside a cell. The last few months should have made that obvious, even to you.”
“I see.” Hoffner saw how pleased Braun was with his answer. “Funny,” said Hoffner, “but I thought the last few months were all about how the generals and politicians were divvying up what the Kaiser had left behind when he ran off to Holland. I wasn’t aware that one little crippled woman had played so important a role. Unless the game was charades.”
Braun’s jaw tightened. “And I wasn’t aware that officers in the Kripo had sympathies for such extremists.”
“Just for pawns, Herr
Oberkommissar,
” said Hoffner. Braun said nothing. “May I see the body?”
Braun said, “And what would be the reason for that?”
Hoffner waited. Braun’s expression told him nothing. Hoffner turned to Weigland. “I assume the body will not be coming back to us tomorrow.”
“No,” said Braun.
Hoffner continued to speak to Weigland: “I didn’t know the fourth floor had storage and examination facilities, Herr
Direktor.
”
“A recent addition,” said Braun.
Hoffner kept his gaze on Weigland. “Can I assume the markings on the back will go untouched?”
Braun said, “Again, I’m afraid we can’t promise that, Herr
Kriminal-Kommissar.
But we’ll do our best. For your case, of course.”
Hoffner finally turned to Braun. “Of course,” said Hoffner. The room became silent as the two men stared at each other.
“Why not simply take her this afternoon?” The voice came from behind them. Hoffner turned. It was Fichte from the corner; he showed no fear at all. “I mean, if it was your case, Herr
Oberkommissar,
” Fichte continued. “Why not take the body then?”
Hoffner stared at his young
Assistent.
It was the first time he had felt pride in him.
Braun had also redirected his attention. “A courtesy, Herr
Kriminal-Assistent,
” he said coolly. “We do, after all, work in the same building.”
“I see,” said Hoffner, retaking the reins. “A courtesy that runs out at, what, seven-thirty, eight o’clock? Is that about the time Frau Luxemburg made her way up to the fourth floor? And, forgive my confusion, Herr
Oberkommissar,
but how did you know Herr
Kriminal-Assistent
Fichte was down in the morgue if you already had the body?”
For the first time, Braun hesitated. “There were tools we needed—”
“Tools?” Hoffner countered. “I see. And what exactly were you planning to do with our body, Herr
Oberkommissar
?”
“I find it strange,” said Braun, “that you should have such an interest in this one body when you have yet to make sense of the other five. Surely the pattern should be clear enough, by now?”
“Clear as day,” said Hoffner, “if we could be certain that those bodies wouldn’t go missing in the middle of the night, Herr
Oberkommissar.
Will our ice room be empty in the next week, in the next two weeks? I’m just asking so as to minimize any confusion.”
Weigland suddenly thumped his hand on the desk. “Let’s have a walk, Nikolai,” he said amiably. “You and I.” He stood and stepped out from behind the desk. “A walk would be good, yes?”
The suggestion was as inappropriate as it was unexpected. Hoffner felt like the class idiot about to be ushered from the room. Tamshik seemed to be enjoying the moment immensely.
Hoffner said in a quiet tone, “If that’s what you’d like, Herr
Direktor.
”
“Absolutely,” said Weigland as he put a hand on Hoffner’s shoulder and started to move him toward the door. “There should be a pot of coffee at the end of the hall. A coffee would be nice, don’t you think?” Tamshik had the door open. “See if Herr
Assistent
Fichte would like something, as well,” said Weigland as he passed Tamshik.
Hoffner found himself out in the corridor, the door closed behind him. Weigland kept his hand on Hoffner’s shoulder: it helped to maintain the surreal quality to the little jaunt. “Your boys are what, six and ten now, Nikolai?” said Weigland as they slowly made their way down the hall.
“Seven and fifteen, Herr
Direktor.
”
“That’s right. Seven and fifteen. Very nice.” Weigland continued to walk. “I lost a grandson in the war, you know. Not much older.”
“Yes. I was sorry to hear, Herr
Direktor.
”
“Yes.” They walked a bit more before Weigland released Hoffner’s shoulder. “This business with Luxemburg,” he said. “Best to let it work itself out, don’t you think? She’s not crucial to your case, and I’m sure whatever Herr Braun feels is of such vital importance is . . .” Weigland seemed to lose the thought.
“Of such vital importance?” said Hoffner.
Weigland laughed to himself. He patted another knowing hand on Hoffner’s shoulder. “It’s that mouth of yours that kept you out of the Polpo, you know.”
“It might have been that I never filed an application, Herr
Direktor.
”
Weigland nodded as if having been caught out. “I suppose that might have had something to do with it, yes.”
They reached the end of the corridor and stepped into a kitchen, of sorts: table, icebox, sink. A kettle of coffee sat on a small iron stove. Weigland found two cups and placed them on the table. The two sat and Weigland poured. “Your father would have made an excellent Polpo officer,” he said as he set the kettle on the table.
Hoffner was unsure where Weigland was going with this. He answered, nonetheless. “He always thought so, Herr
Direktor.
”
“But then there was all that business with your mother, which made it impossible.” Weigland took a sip. He kept his eyes on the cup as he placed it on the table. “Jewish converts weren’t exactly popular at the time.”
Hoffner watched Weigland for a moment; the man was so obvious in his baiting. Hoffner brought the cup to his lips; he said nothing. This was not a topic he discussed.
Weigland looked up. “You never had any trouble with that, did you? The Jewish issue, I mean. Even if you are technically one of them.”
Hoffner placed his cup on the table. “I was raised a Christian, Herr
Direktor.
”
“Lutheran?”
“No idea.”
Again, Weigland laughed. “That sounds like your father.” Hoffner nodded. “It was your mother’s idea, I think?” said Weigland. “For his career.”
“I imagine it was.”
Again, Weigland focused on his cup. “We came up at the same time, you know, your father and I.” He continued to stare at the cup until, with a little snap of his head, he looked up at Hoffner. “I had no idea, of course. None of us did. Not until it came out.”
Hoffner took another sip. He had no interest in Weigland’s excuses. Hoffner placed his cup back on the table and said, “So, you want me to let this one go.”
Weigland nudged a bowl of sugar cubes Hoffner’s way. “Go on. Take one. They’re real.” Weigland clawed out three and dropped them into his cup. “We pulled them out of a shipment Pimm was smuggling in from Denmark. He would’ve made a fortune on the black market.”
Hoffner picked out a cube and slipped it into his cup. “I didn’t know the syndicates were Polpo jurisdiction.”
“Neither did Pimm.” Weigland took a fourth cube and popped it in his mouth. “Look, Nikolai,” he said, “you’re making a good name for yourself in the Kripo. You solve this one and the papers will turn you into a nice little celebrity. You’d probably make chief inspector.”
“This one, but without Luxemburg.”
Weigland sucked for a moment on the cube. “Why would you want to drag yourself into all of that?” He shook his head. “Honestly, I have no idea why she had, as you say, the bad luck to run into your maniac. But for you, she’s just one more body. To the rest of Germany, she’s Red Rosa, the little Jewess who tried to bring Lenin’s revolution to Berlin. Your case will get lost in all of that. Braun’s right. You don’t know how these things work. You’re a very capable detective, Nikolai. So why not do what you do well, and leave this other piece to us.”
Hoffner reached over and took two more cubes; he slipped them into his pocket for Georgi. “And if Herr Braun needs another body from the morgue?”
“I’m sure he thought he was doing all of us a favor. Think about it. If your man doesn’t come back in tonight, no one’s the wiser.”
“You really think I wouldn’t have noticed?”
“Fine,” Weigland conceded, “I’m sure you’re just that good.” He waited, then said more emphatically, “This is a touchy business, Nikolai. Ebert’s still not on firm ground. You don’t want to make the same kind of mistake your father did.”