Read Online The Defeated Aristocrat by Katherine John - Free Book Online Page B

reporter always starts by talking to the cleaner. They pick up more than dirt …’
    ‘How did you know there was a story here?’ Klein demanded.
    ‘I didn’t. Von Braunsch’s murder sparked interest in Konigsberg at night. I was working on an article that chronicles night vices …’
    ‘Night vices!’ Klein pushed Meyer into a corner. ‘Only the Sonne would want to print dirt like that.’
    ‘Take him to HQ so he can be interviewed at our leisure,’ Kriminalrat Dorfman ordered.
    A kriminalassistent handcuffed Meyer. Another went to the door and called for a sleigh.
    ‘Kriminaldirektor Hafen?’ Dorfman asked.
    ‘Upstairs, sir.’ Klein offered Lilli his arm and they followed the kriminalrat to the first floor.
    A tall, thin spare man with grey hair was standing in the doorway of a room at the top of the stairs. He turned when he heard them.
    ‘Kriminalrat Dorfman,’ Georg Hafen bowed to his superior. ‘Fraulein Richter, what are you doing here?’
    Lilli stared past him, transfixed by the sight of the bloodied mutilated corpse on the bed. She felt lightheaded, strange as though she’d been transported back to the ‘hotel’ in Wasser Strasse.
    A man dressed in a plain black suit, starched collar, and tie glanced up from his examination of the body. ‘You’re in shock, Mrs Gluck. Sit down. I’ll be with you in a moment.’
    ‘There’s no need, Dr von Mau. This is not the first corpse I’ve seen in this condition.’ Lilli opened her bag and removed the note. ‘I received another communication …’ She decided it might be more circumspect to hand it to the senior officer. ‘… Kriminalrat Dorfman.’
    Dorfman took the note. Georg Hafen touched Lilli’s arm. She winced. He stared at her in the dim light of the overhead lamp. ‘What happened to you, Fraulein Richter?’ Lilli was Georg’s godchild, but as they were in a professional situation he automatically reverted to her professional name.
    ‘I fell downstairs.’
    ‘Excuse us, Kriminalrat Dorfman.’ Georg propelled Lilli into the next room. Like the crime scene, it contained a bed, couch, washstand and chair. The doctor, Martin von Mau, joined them.
    ‘I’ll offer you my hand, Lilli, but only after I’ve washed it.’ He went to a washstand and poured water from a jug into a bowl.
    Lilli knew Martin. She’d attended the same music academy as his older sister Charlotte who’d been devastated by her husband, Anton von Braunsch’s, murder. Although neither of them had embarked on a musical career she and Charlotte had remained close friends after their academy days and Charlotte, or Lotte as she was known, had worked as her assistant on the newspaper for the last two years.  
    ‘Please don’t stand on my account.’ She was aware how much trouble Martin’s club foot gave him.
    ‘Thank you, Lilli.’ Martin dried his hand, shook Lilli’s, and turned to Georg. ‘I can give you a verbal preliminary report, sir.’
    ‘Take a look at Mrs Gluck before we discuss it.’
    ‘No, really,’ Lilli protested. ‘I fell. It was clumsy of me. You know how it is when you’re in a hurry. We received a report at the paper that a man and two children had fallen through the ice into the Upper Lake when skating. I ran from the office and tripped down the stairs. Of course no one was at the lake by the time I arrived. Firemen had fished them out and taken them to the hospital in Hinterrossgarten. They all survived …’ Realising she was elaborating more than necessary, she sank down on the sofa. Martin moved a chair in front of her, sat, and held his hand up before her eyes.
    ‘How many fingers can you see?’
    ‘Kriminalrat Dorfman will want to talk to me. I’ll leave you in Dr von Mau’s capable hands, Lilli. Listen to him and do as he advises.’
    ‘We’ll discuss this case in my office, seven o’clock sharp.’ Dorfman handed Georg the note that had been delivered to Lilli. ‘You have my authority to employ as many men as you