‘It’s not just that. Von Greis and Goering are old friends. They saw service together in the war. Goering helped Von Greis get his first job with I. G. Farben Chemicals. And lately he’d been acting as Goering’s agent. Buying art and that sort of thing. The Reichskriminaldirektor is keen that we find Von Greis as soon as possible. But it’s over a week now, and there’s been no sign of him. He and Funk had a secret love-nest on Privatstrasse that Funk’s wife didn’t know about. But he hasn’t been there for days.’ From my pocket I removed the piece of paper on which I had copied down an address from the book in Jeschonnek’s desk drawer: it was a number in Derfflingerstrasse.

‘Privatstrasse, eh? Was there any other address?’

‘Not as far as we know.’

‘Are you on the case, Bruno?’

‘Not any more I’m not. Dietz has taken over.’

‘But he’s working on the Pfarr case, isn’t he?’

‘I guess so.’

‘Well, doesn’t that tell you something?’

‘I don’t know, Bernie. I’m too busy trying to put a name to some guy with half a billiard cue up his nose to be a real detective like you.’

‘Is that the one they fished out of the river?’

Bruno sighed irritatedly. ‘You know, one time I’m going to tell you something you don’t already know about.’

‘Illmann was talking to me about it. I bumped into him the other night.’

‘Yeah? Where was that?’

‘In the morgue. I met your client there. Good-looking fellow. Maybe he’s Von Greis.’

‘No, I thought of that. Von Greis had a tattoo on his right forearm: an imperial eagle. Look, Bernie, I’ve got to go. Like I said a hundred times, don’t hold out on me. If you hear anything, let me know. The way the boss is riding me, I could use a break.’

‘Like I said, Bruno, I owe you one.’

‘Two. You owe me two, Bernie.’

I hung up and made another call, this time to the governor of Tegel Prison. I made an appointment to see him and then ordered another beer. While I was drinking it I did some doodling on a piece of paper, the algebraic kind that you hope will help you think more clearly. When I finished doing that, I was more confused than ever. Algebra was never my strong subject. I knew I was getting somewhere, but I thought I would worry about where that was only when I arrived.

Chapter 10

10

Derfflingerstrasse was convenient for the brand-new Air Ministry situated at the south end of Wilhelmstrasse and the corner of Leipzigerstrasse, not to mention the Presidential Palace on nearby Leipzigerplatz: convenient for Von Greis to wait upon his master in his capacities as Chief of the Luftwaffe and as Prime Minister of Prussia.