‘They must have come for him sometime after eight in the evening,’ Angel replied, ‘because Hendricksen signed for a room service tray at seven forty-five. He was tortured and left to die in the tub, but somehow, he held on. He lived long enough to tell me that a young girl hurt him. He seemed to be saying that she was dead, but he was in a lot of pain, so who knows what he meant. He passed away shortly after they got him to Vienna General. The police are looking at the security footage from the hotel right now. There are cameras in the elevators and the lobby areas, and one on every external door, although not on every corridor. Unless whoever killed Hendricksen magicked a way in and out, they’ll be caught on camera somewhere.’

‘What did you tell the police?’

‘That Hendricksen and I were friends who happened to have crossed paths in Vienna. We’d agreed to meet for dinner, but Hendricksen didn’t appear. When he didn’t make it for breakfast either, I grew worried. I asked a maid to let me check on him – I didn’t mention the bribe – and found him dying in the tub.’

‘And they believed you?’ said Louis.

‘Not completely, but they accept that I didn’t kill him, although I get the feeling at least one of the detectives thinks I know who did. She can think whatever she wants. It won’t get her anywhere.’

‘Will you be able to get a look at that security footage?’

‘I’m sure I’ll be asked to view it, just in case I recognize anyone. But Louis, what was done to Hendricksen was strange.’

‘What do you mean, “strange”?’

‘He was very weak when I found him, but while we were waiting for the ambulance, he said the girl used her fingers on him. She cut him with a blade and then dug deep, working on him with her nails. What kind of child does that to another human being?’

Louis didn’t have an answer to the question, although he felt certain that if anyone could find such an individual, it was the Vuksans.

‘It means there’ll probably be prints,’ he said.

‘I saw smudges, but no obvious fingerprints. I guess you’re right, though. Where are you, by the way?’

Louis gave him the address.

‘The police have told me not to leave the city, and to inform them if I change hotels,’ said Angel. ‘It makes sense not to move, and I wouldn’t want to draw attention to you.’

‘If this is the Vuksans’ work, then they know about us by now,’ said Louis. ‘Did Hendricksen say what he’d told them?’

‘No, but judging from what they did to him, I’d say he gave them everything he knew.’

‘Then we need to move on Frend.’