‘Are you going to tell me what this is all about?’ Scholz said quietly, without taking his eyes off the barge. ‘I walk in on you and that guy from the BKA and you look as if I’ve caught you with your trousers around your ankles … Then I find out you’ve been carrying out private investigations in my city while I’m otherwise occupied. I’d like to know what the fuck is going on, sir.’

Fabel sighed. ‘When I told you that I’d crossed paths with Vasyl Vitrenko you said it was a dangerous path to cross. Well, it was. It ended up with two officers dead and one very seriously injured. She only just made it. Her name is Maria Klee and she was my top officer … in fact, she should have been in line to take over from me. But although the physical stuff healed she’s had mental problems. Maria’s on extended sick leave. She’s had a major breakdown and was supposed to be receiving treatment. The problem is that I think she’s down here trying to find Vitrenko single-handed.’

‘I see …’ Scholz turned to Fabel. ‘Why didn’t you tell me this before?’

‘You have your own priorities.’

‘Yes. Yes, I do. And I am not fucking about here. I have a murderer to catch. This guy is going to kill again, in just over two weeks’ time, unless I can get to him first. I called on your expertise in good faith.’

‘I know that, Benni.’

‘But you’ve had this other agenda going on all the time. To be honest, I feel sorry for your officer, but it’s really not my problem. I thought I had your undivided attention on my case.’

‘Let’s get this straight, Commissar … I am here to give you all the support you need. But I am also concerned about my officer and I will continue to try to locate her. That doesn’t mean you’re only getting a half-hearted effort from me.’

‘Oh, wait a fucking minute …’ Scholz’s face became suddenly animated. ‘I get it now … this is my business, isn’t it? No wonder we couldn’t trace the female cop or immigration officer who was questioning Slavko Dmytruk before he got hacked to bits in the restaurant kitchen. That was her, wasn’t it?’

‘I think it might have been. That doesn’t mean it was.’

‘Right …’ Scholz turned and headed back to the car. ‘First thing tomorrow, you and I are going to have a chat with my boss.’

Scholz had said nothing on the five-minute drive back to Fabel’s hotel. Fabel paused before getting out of the car.

‘Listen, Benni,’ he said. ‘I meant what I said. I’ll help you nail this serial, and I can’t stop you going to your boss about Maria. But all that will do is hold up both cases.’