‘The cost is very reasonable,’ said Rahn. ‘I’m quite sure you’ll be entirely satisfied. But let’s talk about that at a later date. The most important thing is that you meet someone who can help you.

‘There is a man, a very great and gifted man, who is possessed of enormous psychic ability. He might be able to help. This man, as the last descendant of a long line of German men of wisdom, has an ancestral-clairvoyant memory that is quite unique in our time.’

‘He sounds wonderful,’ Hildegard breathed.

‘He is,’ said Vogelmann.

‘Then I will arrange for you to meet him,’ said Rahn. ‘I happen to know that he is free this coming Thursday. Will you be available in the evening?’

‘Yes. We’ll be available.’

Rahn took out a notebook and started writing. When he’d finished he tore out the sheet and handed it to me.

‘Here is the address. Shall we say eight o‘clock? Unless you hear from me before then?’ I nodded. ‘Excellent.’

Vogelmann stood up to leave while Rahn bent and searched for something in his briefcase. He handed Hildegard a magazine.

‘Perhaps this might also be of interest to you,’ he said.

I saw them out and when I came back I found her engrossed in the magazine. I didn’t need to look at the front cover to know that it was Reinhard Lange’s Urania. Nor did I need to speak to Hildegard to know that she was convinced Otto Rahn was genuine.

20

Thursday, 3 November

The Resident Registration Office turned up an Otto Rahn, formerly of Michelstadt near Frankfurt, now living at Tiergartenstrasse 8a, Berlin West 35.

VC1, Criminal Records, on the other hand, had no trace of him.

Nor did VC2, the department that compiled the Wanted Persons List. I was just about to leave when the department director, an SS Sturmbannfuhrer by the name of Baum, called me over to his office.

‘Kommissar, did I hear you asking that officer about somebody called Otto Rahn?’ he asked.

I told him that I was interested in finding out everything I could about Otto Rahn.

‘Which department are you with?’

‘The Murder Commission. He might be able to assist us with an inquiry.’

‘So you don’t actually suspect him of having committed a crime?’

Sensing that the Sturmbannführer knew something about an Otto Rahn, I decided to cover my tracks a little.

‘Good grief, no,’ I said. ‘As I say, it’s just that he may be able to put us in contact with a valuable witness. Why? Do you know someone by that name?’

‘Yes, I do, as a matter of fact,’ he said. ‘He’s more of an acquaintance really. There is an Otto Rahn who’s in the SS.’