‘They’ll need to make a formal identification, of course, but not until the professor’s had his way with her. Maybe even smartened her up a bit for her mother?’

‘I’m not a mortician, Bernie,’ he said coolly.

‘Come on. I’ve seen you sew up a bag of minced beef before now.’

‘Very well,’ Illmann sighed. ‘I’ll see what I can do. I shall need most of the day, however. Possibly until tomorrow.’

‘Have as long as you like, but I want to tell them the news this evening, so see if at least you can nail her head back on to her shoulders by then will you?’

Deubel yawned loudly.

‘All right, inspector, you’ve passed the audition. The role of the tired man in need of his bed is yours. God knows you’ve worked hard enough for it. As soon as Becker and Korsch turn up you can go home. But I want you to set up an identity parade later on this morning. See if the men who work in this office can’t remember our Sudeten friend.’

‘Right, sir,’ he said, already more alert now that his going home was imminent.

‘What’s the name of that desk sergeant? The one who took the anonymous call.’

‘Gollner.’

‘Not old Tanker Gollner?’

‘Yes, sir. You’ll find him at the police barracks, sir. Apparently he said he’d wait for us there as he’d been pissed around by Kripo before and didn’t want to have to sit around all night waiting for us to show up.’

‘Same old Tanker,’ I smiled. ‘Right, I’d best not keep him waiting, had I?’

‘What shall I tell Korsch and Becker to do when they arrive?’ Deubel asked.

‘Get Korsch to go through the rest of the junk in this place. See if we might not have been left any other kind gifts.’

Illmann cleared his throat. ‘It might be an idea if one of them were present to observe the autopsy,’ he said.

‘Becker can help you. He seems to enjoy being around the female body. Not to mention his excellent qualifications in the matter of violent death. Just don’t leave him alone with your cadaver, Professor. He’s just liable to shoot her or fuck her, depending on the way he’s feeling.’

Kleine Alexander Strasse ran north-east towards Horst Wessel Platz and was where the police barracks for those stationed at the nearby Alex was situated. It was a big building, with small apartments for married men and senior officers, and single rooms for the rest.

Despite the fact that he was no longer married, Wachmeister Fritz ‘Tanker’ Gollner had a small one-bedroom apartment at the back of the barracks on the third floor, in recognition of his long and distinguished service record.