She made sure she arrived at the rendezvous point early. That way, she could choose her seat and watch. To see if Bahlow really was alone. She still didn’t understand his full motives. He’d failed to tell them about Lotti’s apartment, even though he claimed to be her handler. He’d pointed them in the direction of the drainage ditch hideout – but if it was so easy to find, how had the Stasi failed to uncover it themselves? And if he really was Lotti’s handler, how did he apparently not know her current location? Müller still couldn’t help feeling that the Stasi major was playing games with her. But even if that were true, what was his motive? What did he want to achieve? What did the Ministry for State Security want to achieve – and did it amount to the same thing, or had Bahlow gone rogue?

Müller felt she had a panoramic view of the park, sitting in the centre of the small, open amphitheatre. So she almost jumped out of her skin when Bahlow sat down next to her – without her noticing his approach.

‘Sorry, Comrade Hauptmann. I hope I didn’t startle you?’

She narrowed her eyes at him, and he gave a conspiratorial smile. ‘It’s part of the training,’ he laughed. ‘I thought you’d be impressed.’

‘Still playing games with me, then?’

‘Why do you say that, Karin? Can I call you Karin?’

‘Of course, Rüdiger. If I can call you that?’

‘Just Rüdi is fine. So, you wanted to meet. And you don’t want to play games.’ He stretched his arms above his head, as though he’d been working at a typewriter and was finally deciding to take a break. ‘All right, I’ll lay my cards on the table. Some of them, anyway.’ He said nothing for a moment, looking left and right, as though checking that they really were alone. Then he seemed to come to some sort of decision. ‘Let’s move down to the front. I don’t like the look of that hedge behind us. Anyone could hide there.’ The joking levity in his voice had disappeared – Müller realised he was deadly serious. Even more so, when, as they got to the front row, he insisted they sat next to each other, but facing in opposite directions.

‘How good are your observational skills?’ he asked.

‘Pretty good, I’d say.’

‘OK, well sitting like this may seem stupid, but it gives us both a one-hundred-and-eighty-degree view. If you see anyone, pinch me to get me to stop talking, and I’ll do the same. Understood?’

‘It sounds like some children’s party game,’ laughed Müller.

Her laughter died in her throat as Bahlow replied. ‘I’m deadly serious, Karin. Lives could be at stake. And not just in connection with the murder you’re investigating. So, you wanted to ask me some questions? Fire away.’