‘Meaning?’ challenged Schriver. Müller could see – even in the half-light of the beer cellar – that his face was flushed with anger.

‘It’s not a personal accusation,’ said Müller. ‘It’s not even an accusation against your team. But we all know every police district has its official and unofficial liaison officers working with the Ministry for State Security. Our suspicion is, if the incident was reported in the normal fashion, that the Stasi was tipped off first.’

‘That’s a very serious accusation,’ replied Schriver. ‘If – and I stress if – there is any truth to it, then perhaps whoever did this had good reason. Perhaps they knew the case had political overtones and therefore it was, quite correctly, the preserve of the Ministry for State Security.’

Schmidt, who up until now had been silent, cleared his throat. ‘With respect to all of you, rather than debating the whys and wherefores of how and when the crime was reported, shouldn’t our focus be on solving it? Isn’t that why we’re having this meeting?’

Tilsner was about to shout Schmidt down, but Müller held up her hand.

‘Jonas is quite correct, of course. But as part of that, one important focus is finding who this anonymous tip-off came from. And whether anyone witnessed an argument, fight, or anything similar from anytime from Monday through to when the body was discovered by your officers, Magnus.’

Schriver took a deep breath, as though he wanted to give Müller and Tilsner a piece of his mind, but was counting to ten first.

‘OK, so what you’re talking about is block-by-block inquiries in Gorbitz, where the blocks have already been occupied, and close questioning of the construction workers where apartments are still being built. That’s easy enough, although it will take a lot of manpower. I’ll get on it right away. But just to make myself clear – my team is happy and willing to co-operate with you as far as is practical. I see that as our duty to the Republic. What I don’t appreciate is the implication that one of my officers might have been trying to undermine the investigation even before it’s started. It might be all right to go slinging round accusations like that in Berlin, but that’s not the way we do things round here.’

Chapter 6

6

ARNIE

Bad Schandau, Germany

Summer 1938

I wonder about disturbing my parents to let them know where I’m going – it feels wrong somehow just to sneak off. I voice my worries to Lotti. She looks at me with pity.

‘Why do you need to tell them anything? They’re probably busy . . . you know . . .’ She crosses her fingers, one over the other. I don’t think she’s wishing for luck.

So I sneak quietly past their room, trying to keep up with my new German friend.

*

When we’re outside the hotel, she asks me what I want to do.