There were two policemen in the Präsidium canteen when I was there with Herr Meyer. They sat down behind us and to the left. They were an older man and a younger man. The younger man had very short blond hair and was built like a muscleman or weightlifter. I asked Herr Meyer who the muscleman was. He said it was Lothar Kolski. Lothar Kolski is the man I saw shoot the man in the swimming pool. The older man at the same table is the man who told him to do it. I did not say anything at the time because I was so shocked to see them in police headquarters. I thought that maybe the police were behind the killing but I know now that isn’t true. Herr Fabel will know what to do.

I am afraid, but not as afraid as I thought I would be. I am no good. I never have been. It is better this way.

I am so sorry, Mutti. I was not the son you deserved, and you were a far better mother than I deserved.

Lovingly yours

Hansi

When he had finished reading, Fabel stared at the letter for a long while. Then he looked up to Margarethe Kraus.

‘I am so very, very sorry, Frau Kraus. Thank you for bringing this in.’

‘Was Hansi really killed by a policeman?’

‘Hansi was murdered by criminals, Frau Kraus.’ Fabel fixed her with an earnest stare. It wasn’t a lie. ‘But I promise you we will get them.’ He held up the letter. ‘And this is what we’ll get them with.’

Margarethe Kraus smiled politely, as if someone had just given her directions to the bus station. ‘I’d better go. It’s very late.’

Fabel shook her hand. It was cold and a little moist. ‘I’m afraid I’ll have to ask you to stay a little longer. I need to get an officer to take a full statement from you. Then we’ll have someone drive you home. I’m afraid we’ll need to have someone watch over you for a few days … just until we get this sorted out.’

Frau Kraus shrugged her small shoulders resignedly. ‘I’ll wait here then,’ she said and sat back down where she had been, refolding her hands over her lap, this time without having the last letter from her son beneath them.

Van Heiden was waiting for Fabel as he left the reception room. Fabel handed him the letter and pointed to the relevant paragraph.

‘I take it I can leave this to you, Herr Kriminaldirektor?’ asked Fabel. Van Heiden didn’t respond, but Fabel could read the near future in Van Heiden’s furious gaze: Buchholz and Kolski didn’t know it, but there was an express train heading straight for them.

‘I came to give you this, Fabel.’ Van Heiden handed him an e-mail.

YOU THINK YOU ARE CLOSE TO ME, BUT IT IS I WHO COME CLOSER TO YOU. I HAVE GIVEN YOU SO MANY MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES, HERR FABEL. THIS IS THE ONE YOU WILL NEVER FORGET. I AM GOING TO ENJOY THIS ONE MOST OF ALL.