by Ellin Carsta
“What do you propose we do?”
“Do not leave this bed under any circumstances. Linhardt will stay with you. Upon the changing of the guard, choose somebody you can trust.”
“I don’t need a replacement,” Linhardt pronounced. “I’ll guard you with my life.”
Johannes threw him a grateful look and then faced the vicar general again. “Do you really think my life is in danger?”
“Frankly, I’m not sure. But think about this scenario: the sheriff’s men guarding the door declared that if you tried to escape, they would kill you, and you’ve been accused of a premeditated, cold-blooded murder. What would people deduce? That the archbishop’s fully authorized agent was the leader of a conspiracy to kill an innocent man? That he had been contracted by the archbishop to do this, or that our imperial monarch is such a poor judge of character that he granted full power to someone who then arbitrarily killed a citizen of Cologne?” He exhaled noisily. “Do you understand what I mean?”
“Yes, I understand. Tell me, do you think it’s possible that we’ll find the person responsible for the murders of Bartholomäus, Christopeit, Duretta, and Bernhard von Harvehorst among these people?”
The vicar general thought about it. “What did you say a few days ago? The murders might have been committed to weaken the position of our beloved archbishop. What if you are looking in the wrong place for the murderer?”
“I hadn’t really thought about that,” Johannes admitted. There was a loud knock on the door.
“Open the door immediately!”
Linhardt looked at Johannes, who nodded. The guard moved the chair, which had been jammed underneath the doorknob, aside and opened the door.
“Why in the world did you block the door?” the sheriff of Cologne snapped at Linhardt after entering.
“He was acting on my orders,” the vicar general said. “We are in the archbishop’s palace. And I don’t believe we have to have a long discussion about whether your people or mine rank higher here.”
“Which is why I will now take the prisoner and welcome him to the accommodations we’ve gladly provided for him,” the sheriff responded smugly.
“Not so fast, Sheriff! We’re waiting for the doctor to make his examination. He’ll be the judge of whether the attorney is healthy enough to leave his bed.”
“What do you think, Counselor? Are you strong enough? After all, you merely got hit on the head. As far as I can tell, you’re healthy enough to come with me.”
“Oh, have you been trained as a doctor?” Johannes asked, his voice oozing sarcasm. “Besides, I would really like to know why I should go with you. I was knocked unconscious, and I certainly didn’t attack anyone. You can take my statement right here and now.”
“Unfortunately for you, I have a witness who says otherwise.”
“Really?”
“You don’t know about that yet?” The sheriff sneered. “I can hardly believe the honorable lord vicar general hasn’t yet informed you.”
“Believe whatever you want.” Johannes smiled.
“You know it and I know it. You are guilty of murder! You are a dangerous man, Counselor, and it is my job to protect the fine citizens of Cologne from people like you.”
Johannes shook his head. “I think we both know that’s a lie, Sheriff. I’m no danger to anyone except those who are themselves criminals.”
“Like you?”
“How dare you address me in that tone, Sheriff. I’ve been patient with you so far, but enough is enough! As you well know, I’ve been assigned by Archbishop Friedrich to solve the murders. And obviously now someone is doing their best to hinder my investigation.”
“Come with me and I promise to give you a fair trial.”
“I prefer to stay here at the palace.”
“Only if the doctor swears under oath that this is absolutely essential.”
“Wrong. I haven’t just been assigned to investigate the murders. I have been given full authority to take over administration of all of the archbishop’s affairs during his absence. I have been anointed with full power in Friedrich’s stead. You see, Sheriff, it wasn’t necessary for the vicar general to assert his supremacy in this jurisdiction. I”—he tapped himself on the chest—“have the highest rank here. I even have house rights, which means I can forbid entry or eject anyone from these premises at any time. And you can’t do a single thing about it.”
“Where is this note of authorization? I would like to see it.”
“A copy is in the scribe’s study here in the palace. I can submit it to you immediately. And another copy is kept at a secure place known only to me. Oh, yes, and the archbishop himself also has a copy of the document. So you see, there are several ways to verify my rights.”
“That may apply here inside the palace, but as soon as you step one foot onto the streets of Cologne, it will be a different story altogether.”
Johannes shook his head. “As a lawyer, I can tell you that your claim is not quite accurate. But I don’t want to question the king’s rights, even though he is subject to the directives of the imperial monarch, the position that Friedrich holds. But oh, well.” He raised his hand and gestured affably. “If we are in agreement about the fact that you have no business here unless I explicitly summon you, then we’ve made a good bit of headway. So you may go now, Sheriff. If I need to speak to you, I will send a messenger.”
The sheriff snorted with rage. “If you put one foot on the streets of Cologne—”
Johannes raised his hand to silence him. “When I decide to do so, I’ll notify you, of course.”
The sheriff glared at him. “I’ll convict you of those murders even if I have to go to the king to do so.”
“Then have a good journey, Sheriff. And don’t forget to take the guards standing outside my door with you. I’m afraid that at this time, they are no longer welcome on my property.”
“We’ll see each other again.”
“I can hardly wait.”
“Let me through! I’m the doctor!” someone yelled outside the door. Linhardt opened it to find the sheriff’s men blocking the doctor’s way.
“Let him enter,” the sheriff called out, and the guards stepped aside.
The doctor smoothed his clothing. “Ruffians!” he cried then scowled at the guards. “I came as quickly as possible. Step aside. Everyone must step aside and leave me alone with the patient. I will determine whether he’s well enough to leave his bed.”
“That will not be necessary,” Johannes declared. “I’m feeling very well indeed, Doctor. Thank you.”
The doctor looked at the vicar general uncertainly.
“And the good sheriff of Cologne was just leaving,” Johannes added. “Have a nice day, Sheriff.”
Johannes could see the sheriff bristle. He glared, then departed without saying good-bye and ordered his guards to follow him.
“I thought I was coming to prevent your arrest,” the doctor said, obviously confused. “At least that’s what the guard you sent relayed to me.”
“Our legal counsel here found another way to expel the sheriff from the palace.” The vicar general couldn’t suppress his mirth. “I’m amazed that you were able to act so judiciously in such a difficult situation,” he said to Johannes. “Still, you shouldn’t leave the palace. The sheriff will be ready and waiting.”
“Where are my clothes?” Johannes asked.
“I burned them.”
“Why?”
“They were completely soaked in blood. If the sheriff had seen them, he would have used them as further evidence of your guilt.”
“Thanks for handling that with such foresight.”
“Is there anything else for me to do now?” the doctor asked. “If not, I will take my leave.”
“No. I’m doing fine,” Johannes assured him again. “My head hurts, but that will diminish over time.”
“With your permission, I would like to examine your wounds before I go.”
“Of course
.”
The doctor walked around the bed and gestured for Johannes to sit up so that he could examine his skull. “You’re getting a nice bump there, I can already feel it. Do you feel nauseous? Can you see clearly?”
“Just a throbbing pain, that’s all.”
“Good. You can lie back again. Stay in bed and enjoy some peace and quiet. You’ll be your old self in a few days.”
“In that case, I would love to take a nap now,” Johannes said. He in fact did feel nauseous but didn’t want to admit it to the doctor just yet.
“A good idea,” the doctor proclaimed. “Come on. Let the man sleep.”
The vicar general nodded. “I’ll check up on you a little later.”
The vicar general and the doctor went to the door, which Linhardt had closed after the sheriff’s departure. The guard opened it.
“Come on, Linhardt. You can give up your post here,” the vicar general said.
“I’ll stay,” he said firmly, looking to Johannes to confirm his decision.
“Thank you, Linhardt. I feel quite secure having you here.”
“As you wish,” the vicar general said. The doctor and the vicar general said their farewells and left together.
Linhardt closed the door behind them then immediately grabbed a chair and wedged it under the doorknob. “You can sleep easy, my lord. I’m here.”
“Come closer,” Johannes said.
The guard approached Johannes’s bed. The attorney signaled him to lean in close.
“I don’t know who to trust anymore,” Johannes whispered, “and something tells me that these walls have ears.”
“I get the same feeling,” Linhardt said.
“Please, tell me how I was found.”
“From what I understand, a man—perhaps the one who claims to be a witness against you—got ahold of the police. Richard, one of the archbishop’s guards, had just brought in a drunk who’d been hanging around, vomiting in front of the palace. He wanted to put him in jail to sleep it off away from the palace. I’ve known Richard for many years, and he knows I’ve been in your personal service for a little while. So he contacted me when he heard the witness’s story at the jail. He took over my job of guarding Benedict. I ran to the place this witness had described to the police; they’d just spoken to him. You and the other man—this Wentzel, as you called him—were sprawled on the ground. It was obvious that there was nothing that could be done for the young man. You were unconscious, lying facedown over him. You’d been hit from behind and had pitched forward onto him.”
“Did what you saw match what the witness reported?”
“Yes. The police wanted to take you with them, but I told them that you were in the service of the archbishop and that you needed medical attention. I said that they should help me bring you to the palace. Good thing that the sheriff hadn’t arrived yet. The police helped me bring you here. Then I notified the vicar general, and you already know the rest.”
“I understand.” Johannes stroked his chin. “What was your impression?”
“My impression, my lord?”
“When you saw me lying there semiconscious on the dead Wentzel, what did you think?”
“May I speak frankly, my lord?”
“I order you to do so, Linhardt.”
“What I saw seemed to match what the witness said. He claimed to have seen two men arguing, but he didn’t attach any importance to it. Then the fight got louder, and you pulled out a knife, stabbed the young man in the belly twice, and, finally, cut his throat. When that happened, the witness ran over to you and hit you on the back of the head with a piece of wood.”
“What is this man’s trade?”
“Who? The witness?”
Johannes nodded.
“I don’t know, my lord.”
“Well, if he’s not a carpenter, I ask myself, why would he be carrying around a piece of wood that was big enough to strike me down?”
“A good point.”
“We’re not in court and I’m not trying to convince you,” Johannes stated firmly, “but I have questions and you are a good observer. The last thing I remember is both Wentzel and I getting hit on the back of the head. There was a man in a monk’s habit. Wentzel fell to the ground and I did, too. I can’t remember anything after that.” Johannes shoved the blanket aside and swung his legs off the bed. He was wearing only a linen shirt; he felt ill at ease that Linhardt had to see him like that.
“You shouldn’t be getting up yet.”
“I just want to try something.” Johannes put his feet on the ground, swaying as he stood. Linhardt grabbed him to prevent him from collapsing. Johannes took a deep breath, taking a moment to find his balance. “I’m all right now.”
Linhardt let go of him but stayed close by should Johannes overestimate his state of well-being. But the attorney seemed to have gotten ahold of himself.
“Stand in front of me,” he ordered, and Linhardt complied. “Wentzel was smaller than me and even smaller than you.”
“Should I get on my knees?”
“That won’t be necessary for what I’m about to demonstrate.” Johannes held out his hand as if wielding a knife. “I stab you”—he thrust his hand forward—“twice. What do you do?”
“I clamp my hands over my stomach and bend over.”
“Do it.”
Linhardt clenched his stomach then bent over.
“Now, I’m going to cut your throat,” Johannes said and held out his hand.
“You won’t be able to get to my throat.”
“Exactly. In order to cut your throat, I would have to stand next to you, like so.” He stepped to Linhardt’s side, grabbed him, and moved his finger across his throat. “I cut your throat from ear to ear. I get a blow on the back of my head.”
Linhardt stood upright again. “Now I understand. We would have both pitched forward. Wentzel wouldn’t have fallen on his back, and you wouldn’t have fallen on top of him. It wouldn’t have been possible to slit his throat the way the witness described.”
“Precisely.” Johannes got back in bed and pulled the blanket up. The little demonstration had sapped his strength.
“You don’t have to prove to me that you didn’t do it. I already believed you.”
“I don’t want you to just believe me. I want you to really know.”
“That means a lot to me. Thank you.”
“I’m grateful that you acted so quickly in bringing me here. I probably wouldn’t have survived if you’d let them haul me off to the sheriff’s jail.”
“Why is all this happening?”
“You mean, why does someone want to frame me for murder?”
“Exactly.”
“I don’t know. I believe that having Wentzel as a witness was too close for someone’s comfort. And this someone will do everything in his power to ensure I can’t complete my investigation. And he’s already attained quite a bit of success in that regard.”
“How?”
“I have to stay here in the palace, so I can’t go out to perform my interrogations.”
“But I can.” Linhardt grinned.
“Exactly. You will have to be my eyes and ears.”
“I will, my lord. I thank you for your trust.”
“We need more men. I don’t know how long it will take for the sheriff to find a way to take me from the palace. It’s essential that we solve the murders before then.”
“Let’s not forget the murder charge against you,” Linhardt reminded him.
“I’ll get to the bottom of that,” Johannes said more confidently than he felt. “Which of the men are above reproach?”
“I would entrust any of the men who were present at the meeting in your home with my life.”
“I’m inclined to agree with you. Please fetch Anderlin, Georg, Niclaus, Wolfker, and Wilhelm so we can devise a plan.”
“Yes, my lord.” Linhardt turned to go but spun around again to face Johannes. “As soon as I leave, can you wedge the chair under
the doorknob? It would give me peace of mind.”
Johannes smiled, impressed with the guard’s concern. He slung the blanket aside and got up. Unsteady on his feet, he briefly leaned against the bed for support. Then he walked to the door.
Linhardt pushed the chair aside. “I’ll hurry, my lord.”
“It’s good to know someone like you is on my side.”
Linhardt nodded, went out, and pulled the door shut.
Even the simple act of moving the chair under the doorknob wore Johannes out. With a great deal of effort, he dragged himself back to bed then collapsed onto the mattress and closed his eyes. He was dizzy again; he felt as though he had a terrible hangover. He intended to simply rest for a moment to gather his strength, but instead he fell into a deep sleep. He awoke when Linhardt drummed his fingers against the door, calling out his name.
“I’m coming,” he said groggily then stood up.
“Is everything all right, my lord?”
“Yes, everything’s fine.”
Johannes reached the door and pushed the chair aside. As soon as the door opened, six guards entered, one after the other. Linhardt closed the door once they were all inside.
“You don’t look very well, my lord.” Linhardt caught Johannes’s arm and guided him back to bed. “I’m sending for the doctor.”
“I’m all right.”
“No, I think the doctor should come.” Linhardt looked over at the others. “Niclaus, can you fetch him?”
“Yes. I’ll hurry.”
“You need to rest.” The guard spread the blanket carefully over Johannes. “We’re here now, and we’ll do all we can to help you,” Linhardt said, his face lined with worry.
Chapter Twenty-One
Magdalena Grossherr’s servant had told her that the sheriff and an unknown woman urgently wished to speak to her and would not take no for an answer. Her whole body trembled as she walked to her front door. “What do you want from me?”