Sonja passed Fabel’s parked car, on the other side of the narrow street, and Fabel got a better look at her. She was dressed cheaply in a cropped white T-shirt that strained against her breasts and exposed her tanned midriff, a faded denim miniskirt and canvas sandals with straps that wrapped around her shapely calves. Fabel saw her face only in profile, but he could tell that she was pretty. Given different clothes she would have had a touch of class about her. She crossed the street two car lengths in front of Fabel’s car and turned into the alley. Fabel used his radio to let Anna and Paul know she was on her way.

‘We’ll follow her up. I’ve got clearance from the Staatsanwaltschaft prosecutor’s office to enter and arrest. When she opens the door, we go.’ He slipped his Walther from its holster and slid back the carriage to put a round in the firing chamber. He checked the red, raised safety button before reholstering. He turned to Werner. ‘Best to be careful with this one. I’m sure Klugmann won’t give us any trouble, but if he does, he’ll know how to give it.’

Werner checked his own sidearm. ‘He won’t get the fucking chance.’

They got out of the car and followed Sonja on foot. As they passed the parked BMW, Anna and Paul got out and fell in behind them. Sonja, still lugging her grocery bags, swung round and pushed her back against the heavy street door. As she did so, she glanced in the direction of the advancing party without seeming to notice them. They followed her into the cobbled Hof, and Fabel could hear her sandals clicking rapidly as she trotted up the stone steps towards her apartment. As quietly as they could, they followed on. Sonja was at the door, her grocery bags at her feet, fumbling with her keys. It was then she saw them.

‘Hans!’ Her scream rang around the courtyard.

Fabel was shocked to see the terror on Sonja’s face. He realised that she thought they were someone else. He held up his hand in a gesture that would have been more placatory were it not for the clumpy black Walther sub-compact automatic he held in his other hand.

‘Sonja … keep calm. We’re police and we only want to talk to Hans …’

Her terror was now mingled with uncertainty. Fabel and the others ran up the stairs and petite Anna Wolff pushed Sonja backwards so severely that she nearly lost her footing. Anna pinned Sonja against the wall, out of the potential line of fire. Fabel and Paul flattened themselves against the wall on either side of the door. Fabel called out:

‘Polizei Hamburg!’ and nodded to Werner who kicked the door just below the lock.

Fabel, Werner and Paul swept through the apartment, taking turns of two providing cover while the third scanned a room, swinging outstretched arms from side to side as if their guns were flashlights. A kitchen, a living room, a bathroom and two bedrooms all fed off a short hall. The apartment was clean, bright and tidy but cheaply furnished. It was also empty. Fabel slipped his automatic back into the holster under his arm and nodded to Anna Wolff, who smiled at Sonja and led her gently into the apartment. Fabel told Paul to pick up her grocery bags and put them in the kitchen. Solicitously, Anna led Sonja into the living room and sat her down on the couch. Sonja was shaking and looked close to tears. Fabel crouched down before her.