‘Do you still work there?’

‘Yes,’ she said with an indifferent sort of shrug.

I risked a glance at Inge, who merely raised a perfectly pencilled eyebrow at me by way of response. ‘Does Herr Pfarr’s department investigating corruption in the Reich and the D A F still exist?’

She examined the toes of her shoes for a second, and then looked squarely at me for the first time since I had seen her. ‘Who told you about that?’ she said. Her tone was even, but I could tell that she was taken aback.

I ignored her question, trying to wrong-foot her. ‘Do you think that’s why he was killed - because somebody didn’t like him snooping and blowing the whistle on people?’

‘I — I have no idea why he was killed. Look, here, Herr Gunther, I think — ’

‘Have you ever heard of a man by the name of Gerhard Von Greis? He’s a friend of the Prime Minister, as well as being a blackmailer. You know, whatever it was that he passed on to your boss cost him his life.’

‘I don’t believe that -’ she said, and then checked herself. ‘I can’t answer any of your questions.’

But I kept on going. ‘What about Paul’s mistress, Eva or Vera, or whatever her name is? Any idea why she might be hiding? Who knows, maybe she’s dead too.’

Her eyes quivered like a cup and saucer in an express dining-car. She gasped at me and stood up, her hands clenched tightly at her sides. ‘Please,’ she said, her eyes starting to well up with tears. The brother shouldered himself away from the doorway, and moved in front of me, much in the manner of a referee stopping a boxing-match.

‘That’s quite enough, Herr Gunther,’ he said. ‘I see no reason why I should allow you to interrogate my sister in this fashion.’

‘Why not?’ I asked, standing up. ‘I bet she sees it all the time in the Gestapo. And a lot worse besides that.’

‘All the same,’ he said, ‘it seems quite clear to me that she does not wish to answer your questions.’

‘Strange,’ I said. ‘I had come to much the same conclusion.’ I took Inge by the arm and moved towards the door. But as we were leaving I turned and added, ‘I’m not on anyone’s side, and the only thing I’m trying to get is the truth. If you change your mind, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I didn’t get into this business to throw anyone to the wolves.’

‘I never had you down as the chivalrous type,’ Inge said when we were outside again.

‘Me?’ I said. ‘Now wait a minute. I went to the Don Quixote School of Detection. I got a B-plus in Noble Sentiment.’