our noses into your affairs like this?”
“You’re only doing your job, I assume.”
“Why did you move to Kaalbringen?”
“Well…” She hesitated slightly again. “Maurice was quite negative at first, of course. I don’t know if you are aware of his relationship with Jean-Claude, his father, that is?”
Beate Moerk nodded.
“I suppose it was me who talked him around, I’m afraid.
Well, it was to do with work, of course; I assume you realize that. The posts were advertised at the same time-the very same day, in fact-and I expect I thought… that it was a sign, as it were. Maurice thought it was something different.”
“What were you doing in Aarlach?”
“Maurice had a temporary post in the long-term ward. Not exactly his specialty. I was working at three or four different schools.”
“And out of the blue you each found your dream job in
Kaalbringen?”
“Maybe not dream jobs, but a big improvement, even so.
More in line with our level of education, you might say.”
Beate Moerk turned a page of her notebook and thought for a moment. Miss Linckx poured some more tea. Munster stole a glance at the two women. Tried to imagine Synn sitting in the third, empty armchair, but couldn’t quite manage it the same age, all three, more or less, he thought; and he won dered why that thought had occurred to him. Perhaps it was about time he asked a question-was that what Inspector
Moerk was waiting for?
“Perhaps we should get down to the nitty-gritty,” he said, “so that we don’t need to take up too much of your time, Miss Linckx.”
“By all means.”
“Have you any idea at all about who might have killed your fiance?”
The question was a bit brutal, perhaps. He saw that Moerk gave him a quick glance, but the reply came without the slight est hesitation.
“No. I haven’t the slightest idea.”
“Did he have any enemies?” asked Beate Moerk, taking over again now that he’d smashed the door down. “Somebody you know who didn’t like him for one reason or another?”
“No, I think he was quite well liked by most people.”
“Anybody he was on bad terms with? At work, perhaps?” asked Munster, but Beatrice Linckx merely shook her head.
“Before we leave,” said Beate Moerk, “we’ll ask you for a list of your closest friends and the colleagues Maurice had most to do with, but perhaps you could tell us about the most important ones right now?”
“Who might have murdered him, you mean?”
For the first time there was a hint of hostility in her voice.
“Most murders are committed by somebody quite close to the victim,” said Munster.
“What are you getting at?” said Beatrice Linckx, and red patches started to grow on her cheeks. “I can’t think of a single name… I haven’t the slightest suspicion. I took it for granted that we were dealing with this madman… isn’t that the case? I mean, he’s already killed two people who had nothing at all in common with Maurice.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Linckx,” said Beate Moerk. “I’m afraid we have to ask you all kinds of questions, and some of them might appear to be bizarre or impertinent. Would you please promise that you’ll contact us the moment you think of even the slight est little thing that could have to do with the murder?”
“A telephone call, somebody who said something that seemed a bit odd, if Maurice ever acted strangely in some way or other,” added Munster.
“Of course,” said Beatrice Linckx. “I don’t want to criticize the police in any way. Obviously, there’s nothing I want more than for you to catch him.”
“Good,” said Munster. “Speaking of colleagues, by the way-Dr. Mandrijn, is he somebody Maurice had much to do with? He works at the hospital as well.”
She thought about it.
“A bit, I think,” she said. “But not much… I’m not sure who he is, but Maurice did mention his name once or twice.”
Inspector Moerk made a note, and chewed at her pen.
“You work at the Seldon Hospice, is that right?” she asked.
“Yes.”
“As a welfare officer?”
“As a psychologist, rather-”
“Do you come into contact with Pierre, Maurice’s brother?”
Beatrice went over to the window and looked out over the park before answering.
“Nobody comes into contact with Pierre,” she said at length. “Nobody at all.”
“I understand,” said Beate Moerk.
When they came out, they found that it had started raining again; and when she suggested they should have a beer at The
Blue Ship, he agreed without a second thought. It was true that they’d downed so much tea that their need of fluid intake was fulfilled for some considerable time to come; but it was a good idea to become acquainted with this establishment as well. If his memory served him correctly, it was from there that the second victim, Ernst Simmel, had embarked on the last stroll he would ever take in this life.
He opened the door and bowed somewhat chivalrously.
What the devil am I doing? he thought.
“Are you married?” she asked when they had sat down.
Munster took out his wallet and showed her a photograph of Synn.
“She’s pretty,” said Beate Moerk. “Good, I don’t need to worry.”
“Two kids as well,” said Munster. “What about you?”
“No to both questions,” said Beate Moerk with a smile.
“But that’s only temporary.”
“Cheers,” said Munster, and smiled as well.
23
“Cocaine?” wondered Bausen.
“It’s a link, in any case,” said Kropke. “To Eggers, that is.”
“Doubtful,” said Munster.
“A weak link, in that case,” said Van Veeteren. “Cocaine is an upper-class drug; don’t forget that. I doubt if Heinz Eggers and his mates used to sit around and get high on anything as sophisticated as that. Not their line, as simple as that.”
Bausen agreed.
“But we have to follow it up, of course. Mind you, given the number of people on drugs nowadays, it’s probably no more than a normal statistical probability.”
“Two out of three?” asked Inspector Moerk.
“A bit high perhaps, I grant you. But of course we must look into it. We don’t have much else to do, let’s face it.”
“How far is it between Selstadt and Aarlach?” asked
Munster.
“A hundred, hundred and twenty miles, I suppose,” said
Bausen.
