Norah saw the sign from a distance as soon as she rounded the corner: POLICE.

After a long wait, she was called into the office of a middle-aged female police officer who introduced herself as Kern. There was a hint of cold cigarette smoke in the small, sparsely furnished room. Norah sat down in the chair that was offered to her, wondering how much of her story she should tell.

The policewoman looked at her. She had a nice frank face.

‘Would you like a glass of water? Cup of coffee?’

Norah shook her head.

‘So, what can I do for you, Ms…Richter, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, Norah Richter,’ Norah said, her voice firm. ‘I’d like to report something.’

She gave Constable Kern the bare bones of what had happened: the woman in the pedestrian precinct and her subsequent death, her suspicion that someone had been in the flat, her encounter with Arthur Grimm and his threats to her. She also mentioned the figure she had seen at her door the previous evening. The longer Norah spoke, the less coherent the whole thing sounded, and when she came to the end, there was a long silence. Constable Kern looked at her pensively.

‘Were there signs of a break-in?’ she asked eventually.

‘No,’ said Norah, ‘there weren’t. I think whoever was in my flat must have had a key.’

Kern made a note.

‘Can you give me a list of the things that have gone missing from your flat? Slowly, so I can write it down.’

Norah suppressed a sigh; she knew it would sound funny.

‘A toothbrush and a pen.’

‘Any items of value?’

Norah shook her head.

‘No.’

‘How long have you been living on Rilkeplatz?’

‘Three weeks. I’ve just moved here from Berlin.’

The woman looked at her and jotted something down.

‘Do you know your landlord?’

‘Not personally. I found the flat through an agent.’

‘Do you have your landlord’s name?’

Norah gave it to her and told her about the phone call with his office. The woman made another note. Then there was silence.

‘And the man you say threatened you. What was his name?’

‘Arthur Grimm.’

‘How do you know this Arthur Grimm?’

Norah frowned.

‘As I said, I don’t know him. I’d never heard the name until this strange woman mentioned him.’

‘So why did you go looking for him?’

Norah reflected.

‘Curiosity, I guess.’

Kern laid her head on one side.

‘Interesting,’ she said, drawing out the word.

‘You make it sound as if you don’t believe me.’

Kern gave Norah a narrow-lipped smile.

‘I just find it interesting that you claim not to know Arthur Grimm.’

‘I don’t,’ said Norah coldly.

‘But you told me that you were recently in the building where he works and yesterday went to his home.’

‘Yes, and I told you why. Listen, why don’t you just take down my report?’

‘Right,’ Kern said, pulling a form out of a drawer. ‘By the way, we’d have been in touch with you in the next few days anyway, Ms Richter.’