problem, I mean healthwise, and needs treatment he can’t afford—”
“Forget it,” Lina said, waving it away. “He won’t take your money.”
Max nodded again and said after a while, “What about you? Will
it land you in trouble?”
Lina shrugged, turned away, and looked out the window. “Not
more than I already am.” They drove silently for a long time. It was still light out even though it was after eight in the evening.
“Marcel’s not the first kid you brought to Lutz, is he?” Max asked.
“What makes you say that?”
“You didn’t need to explain anything. Lutz knew right away.” Max
was silent as he turned left at a large intersection. “He did a great job; knew exactly how to capture the boy.”
Lina nodded slowly. “Whenever I have the feeling that someone
isn’t too far gone, I bring him to the dojo. You saw where it is. Not the best neighborhood. Lutz took on the responsibility to help those who are the worst off and we divide the membership fee for the club
between us for most of them.” Why was she telling Max about this?
Why had she taken him along in the first place? It was none of his business. But it felt good. Until now, she had strictly separated her private life from her job. Maybe she had even disguised herself a little. She didn’t want to think about this right now, but she knew that she needed no camouflage in front of Max.
“And you and Lutz, are you together?” Max held the steering wheel
loosely and only glanced at her briefly. Lina felt his interest and liked it, somehow.
“Lutz is . . .” She laughed. “. . . my other brother.”
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Maria C. Poets
Good god, she thought, that means incest. But she liked the description. It fit Lutz just as it fit Max, though with some differences. Lutz was more of a buddy who always had her back and with whom she could
pull all-nighters. Lutz was always there for her without ever demanding anything. Lutz simply belonged in her life; she couldn’t and didn’t want to imagine living without him. Max, on the other hand, was
the quiet, reserved one, who unobtrusively knew her well, like siblings sometimes do. Lately she had felt that he watched her intensely, looked deeper than she was comfortable with—maybe deeper than she could
see herself.
Max winked at her. “Another brother? Quite an interesting family
you have.”
Lina almost choked. If you just knew, she thought.
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Chapter 11
The quiet, leafy side street with stately nineteenth-century houses was close to the university. The Grindelviertel, populated by students, felt much livelier than the more sedate Rothenbaum where Katja Ansmann
lived nearby.
Lina arrived there shortly after ten in the morning. She had been
at headquarters briefly, where Hanno had handed out the day’s assignments. Max had found out who was responsible for the mapping of
the Niendorfer Gehege—Franziska Leyhausen, a freelance biologist,
not an employee of the government agency. Lina had picked up the
slip of paper with the woman’s name, telephone number, and address.
A call would have been sufficient, but Lina took any opportunity to
be outside in such lovely weather. A swarm of sparrows was incredibly noisy in the huge plane tree in front of the house. It was warm. Lina stood for a moment in the sunshine and relative quiet, before returning to work with a sigh.
It turned out that Franziska Leyhausen didn’t even have an office
of her own, only a spot in a small office partnership, together with two other biologists and a geologist. A man opened the door and introduced himself as Klaus Beck after Lina had shown him her badge.
Maria C. Poets
“Franka isn’t here,” he explained. “During the summer, biologists
are usually outside most of the day.”
“Do you know where she is?” Lina asked.
“In the Niendorfer Gehege,” Beck replied. “Where there was a
murder last week.” Finally the man got it. “Is that why you want to talk to her?” When Lina nodded, he added, “Then you have the right one to ask. She’s mapping the area there and can probably tell you everything about the place. You should be able to reach her on her cell phone.
Hold on a moment. I’ll get the number.”
“That’s all right. I have the number.” She stopped the man who
had already eagerly picked up his own cell phone from the desk.
“Do you want me to tell her anything?” Beck asked.
“No, thanks. That’s not necessary. I think I’ll try to catch up with her in the forest.”
Klaus Beck seemed sorry that he couldn’t be of any further help