The banter subsided as Lauer asked for attention and gave everyone their marching orders.
“Review everything you’ve got, and keep Detective Niehaus’s theory in mind as you do. Then focus on the main suspects. We can’t waste time with lukewarm leads. Marcel will join me at the press conference. I’ll speak to the chief about what information we should reveal and how to proceed.”
Federsen glowered until Lauer left the room. The other investigators kept glancing at him. There was no doubting the nature of the conversation outside the room.
“Let’s start with Manuel Birkholz,” Federsen said and nodded to Marcel.
“He’s decided to cooperate, which is good for him. He couldn’t have killed Mr. Lück because he has an airtight alibi for Monday night. He gave us the names of the two women he spent the night with. They weren’t very pleased because . . . well, let’s just say they’re wives of two well-known individuals. We promised them discretion, and they confirmed that Birkholz didn’t leave the house until two o’clock in the morning. One of the women said he was also with her on the night of the crucifixion. Her husband was on a business trip.”
Hannes breathed a sigh of relief. It was in his interest that Birkholz be ruled out as a potential suspect on account of his careless remarks about Antje Kramer. The situation had brightened for Daniel Novak as well. The dealer was able to produce several credible witnesses to vouch for his whereabouts on the night Benjamin Lück choked on his own tongue. Novak had gone to his team’s soccer practice, then got drunk at a bar with several teammates. A taxi driver confirmed that he had driven the plastered Novak home around two o’clock in the morning. Some of the investigators wanted to cross him off the list. Federsen said no because there was still no evidence to suggest that the recent killings hadn’t been committed by several culprits.
For this same reason, Mr. Böhm also remained on the list. After all, he had a clear motive, at least for the murder of his wife and her lover. And as Marcel explained, there was a growing body of evidence against him in the tax-fraud case. But it had also been suggested that he could have lowered his tax debt in an entirely legal manner using a loophole. According to Mr. Böhm, he had been at home the night Benjamin Lück died. His employee Jonas Talmann had spent the night on the farm with the veterinarian helping to bring a foal into the world. Both had confirmed that they had seen lights on in the house. Since Böhm wore a size twelve shoe, it was highly doubtful that he had left the footprint at the scene.
Then the investigators turned their focus to the Church of the Creator. The longer they discussed the Ten Commandments theory, the more convinced they were that the idea was the most promising lead they had. David Bach had fled; he didn’t have an alibi for any of the murders; and he had a history of violence which suggested he was capable of committing such acts. However, doubts remained as to whether he’d acted alone.
“From what we know about him, he’s easy to manipulate,” said Isabelle. “He was probably glad to belong to a group that sees everything in black and white.”
“Who is he closest to at the church?” Marcel asked.
“Frank Meister and possibly Ludwig Obermann,” Clarissa said. “It’s a little unclear what goes on inside that church. So far we’ve been unable to determine how it’s structured or what its dynamics are like. They have a lot of members, but everyone’s refusing to talk.”
With his broken leg, Ludwig Obermann could only hobble around on crutches and was downgraded to a person of interest. It was possible he had constructed the wooden cross, which would make him an accomplice. Frank Meister was more difficult to write off.
“So far we can’t pin anything on him, but he and Bach are close friends,” said Per. “Evidently, he’s the most intelligent of the three and indoctrinated in the Church of the Creator’s ideology. He plays a very active role in the church and is as much a spiritual firebrand as the minister, Ahrendt. But he doesn’t seem like the type who would get his hands dirty.”
For that reason, Hannes voted that the minister shouldn’t be written off either. While the older gentleman might have been physically incapable of committing the murders, he could still be the one pulling the strings.
Marcel looked at the list of potential suspects. “We can’t ignore the incidents before the murders either. Bach could have used the printer in his apartment to print out that image of the Devil.”
“We’ve also examined the letter sent to Mrs. Brinkmann’s children,” Hannes said. “Our experts are confident it was printed by the same model.”
“How common is the model?”
“Pretty common, unfortunately. It’s one of those all-in-one printers that lets you print, copy, scan, and fax. They’re sold all over the place.”
The investigation into the arson of the Grafs’ house had yet to be closed. Isabelle had taken a closer look at the evidence and came across an important detail.
“Footprints were found in their yard. And—wait for it—the print is identical to the one at the scene of Benjamin Lück’s murder. Of all the suspects we’ve mentioned so far, only one of them wears the right shoe size: David Bach. We went back to his apartment and checked all his soles again. Unfortunately, none of them matched.”
“Well, that finally proves that the killer committed the arson,” Hannes said. “Our theory’s true.”
“Still, the killer couldn’t have acted alone,” said Marcel. “From what we know about Bach, he’s impulsive and not very intelligent. The killings were all meticulously planned. I’m convinced he’s not acting alone.”
“The bottles used to start the fire were beer bottles,” Isabelle said. “Unfortunately no fingerprints were found. But the brand doesn’t have a very wide distribution, and two of these bottles were found in Ludwig Obermann’s refrigerator. He claimed not to drink beer and said Bach had brought them to a barbecue. His fingerprints were found on them.”
However, there weren’t any worthwhile leads with the break-in or the harassing phone calls. Mrs. Reichert had never reported the burglary to the police, and the phone calls Wolfgang Hartmann had received could no longer be traced. The telephone company had its own theory. If it wasn’t a harmless prank, then the calls were probably made using a prepaid cell phone. The number could be traced, but usually not to a name. Although the law required the name and address of anyone who purchased a SIM card, the information was rarely compared against the buyer’s ID.
It had also yet to be determined who was behind the anonymous complaint against Thomas Beck. The accusation that he was working as a psychiatrist without the appropriate credentials had been received in an envelope with no return address. The postmark showed only that the letter had been mailed from downtown.
Benjamin Lück hadn’t reported the assault to the police either. His hairdresser confirmed that the actor had gotten hair extensions in February. However, he didn’t remember Lück ever mentioning that he was attacked.
“What scares me the most,” Isabelle said, “is that other members of New Way could be next.”
The stunned silence suggested that Isabelle had just voiced what was on everyone else’s minds. At that moment, Steffen Lauer walked into the room and was given a quick rundown.
“Someone should attend New Way’s meeting tonight and talk to people,” he said. “We need to stress that we’re working very hard to solve the case and will do whatever’s necessary to protect them. Any volunteers?”
As expected, the enthusiasm was muted. Since Hannes assumed Elke would be attending the meeting, he hesitantly raised his hand. Isabelle glanced over and reluctantly volunteered as well. Marcel, who had already thought he was off the hook, soon found himself roped in as well. That must have put a damper on the start of his weekend with his family. But Lauer thought it essential for a more senior detective to attend. And since it would be such a sensitive undertaking, Federsen was ruled out.
“I think Detective Niehaus’s theory is the most compelling,” Lauer said. “From now on, we’ll pursue
anyone who might be religiously motivated. The search for David Bach has the highest priority. We should also take a closer look at the Church of the Creator and its members. But let’s not forget one thing: the killer’s familiar with the members of New Way. Maybe he knows one of them. Although nothing suggests someone from New Way’s actively involved in the murders, there might be someone who’s helped gather information on the victims. Look for connections.”
“Rebecca Köhler!” shouted Clarissa. “She dated David Bach long enough.”
Lauer nodded, then looked at his watch and sighed. He only had twenty minutes to discuss the press conference with Marcel. It was days like today that made him wish he had followed his childhood dream of becoming a bus driver.
New Way’s meeting that Friday night was packed. When the police arrived, everyone present knew that the evening would be different. Marcel was still sweating a little because the press conference had been chaotic. He excused himself to the bathroom and carefully dabbed his nose bleed. He was afraid that his face might appear in the evening news. The task that now lay before him was not any easier than talking to the press. Exhausted, he explained the evening’s strategy to Isabelle and Hannes.
“I’ll talk to everyone later. But first I’d like to talk to the board members in private. Hannes, mingle with the crowd and see what you can find out. Isabelle, talk with Bach’s ex.”
The three investigators split up and were bombarded with feverish questions. Hannes found Elke standing in a corner and casually made his way over.
“Still can’t be persuaded not to join?” he asked quietly.
She smiled and shook her head. “Pretty exciting. I even filled out a membership form today. The choir group’s really nice. I’d forgotten how much fun singing is. Besides, I get along with a few of the people. I think this is exactly what I was looking for.”
Hannes sighed. He shared his theory with her, but even though he swore her to secrecy, he didn’t disclose any more information than necessary. Still, it was enough for Elke to lose her cool.
“You think someone’s punishing the members for breaking the Ten Commandments? Where would the killer get all this information?”
“Is there anyone here who doesn’t have an antagonistic relationship with the Church of the Creator? Maybe the information’s coming from inside the group.”
“That’s absurd. The Church of the Creator isn’t held in particularly high regard here.”
“Have you noticed any factions? Like stricter people versus free spirits?”
Elke thought for a moment. “Sure, the Schweigers. They sing in the choir and don’t hide their disapproval of other members. They claim the moral high ground. They didn’t like the guy killed on the cross, for example.”
“Do they hang out with anyone in particular?”
“I don’t get the impression that they have a better rapport with other people. Although, Mrs. Brinkmann seems to get along with them pretty well. But anyway, I find it hard to believe they’d pass on information to a killer.”
“Might not be that way. It’s possible Rebecca innocently told her ex-boyfriend a lot about the people here. Isabelle’s questioning her now. We have to explore all possibilities.”
“Now that I know what you’re looking for, I can listen more closely to what people say. There’s a choir getaway for two nights on the second weekend of Advent. Since Mr. Lück . . . well, a spot’s opened up, so I’ll be going. Maybe I’ll hear something.”
Hannes urged Elke to be cautious and reveal as little as possible.
“Does anyone know you’re gay yet?”
“I mentioned it to Rebecca. She also sings in the choir, and we’ve become friends.”
“Tell her to keep it strictly to herself.”
Hannes hoped she would heed his warning. With Elke, he never knew.
Isabelle and Rebecca had walked up to the office on the second floor, where they could talk without being disturbed. She came across as being easily intimidated, and Isabelle was careful not to press her too hard. Apparently, she had located the leak through which all the internal information from the group flowed to the prime suspect.
“So you say Mr. Bach was interested in the members here. Did it strike you as odd? After all, you knew he didn’t have a very high opinion of your group.”
“Yeah, he always yelled at me, saying I had no business being here,” a frightened Ms. Köhler whispered. “I tried to defend the people here, to prove that they’re not so bad. And whenever David wasn’t in a bad mood, I was glad he was taking an interest in my life.”
“Did you tell him anything about the backgrounds of the members?”
“He already knew about some of them.”
“For example?”
“That Alex starred in pornos and that Thomas Beck used to be a Catholic priest.”
“What else?”
“He criticized Wolfgang for wanting to open his store on Sundays even though it’s supposed to be a holy day. Said homosexuality was promoted here—by that he meant Benjamin Lück.”
“What did you think?”
“I tried to defend them. But he would just yell at me, saying I’d been corrupted. I liked how Benjamin used to say that God loved him just the way he was, gay or not.”
Isabelle stared at her in alarm. “Did you say that to your boyfriend?”
She nodded. Of course, she could put two and two together. It was bad enough her boyfriend was apparently behind the murders. What made her feel worse was that she had delivered him the necessary information. There were tears in her eyes, and even Isabelle had to take a few deep breaths.
Once more Isabelle went over all the information Ms. Köhler had given Bach. The woman grew more and more distraught, which made it increasingly harder for her to remember. Nevertheless, it was clear that she had provided her ex-boyfriend with enough information to give him a pretty good picture of the members. Isabelle even ventured to guess that this was the only reason he had become involved with Rebecca Köhler in the first place.
“What was I thinking?” she wailed and buried her face in her hands.
Isabelle sat down beside her and placed her arm around Ms. Köhler’s shoulders. “Don’t blame yourself. How could you have known that he—”
“But I knew that he was violent and was getting more and more fanatical!” she cried. “I hate myself for not breaking up with him the moment I realized that. Instead, I took advantage of my friends’ trust. Alex, Sylvia, Benjamin, Thomas, Melissa . . .”
“Melissa?” asked Isabelle. She didn’t recognize the name.
“Melissa Vogt. She’s a trainer. She sometimes teaches fitness classes here and was especially close to Sylvia. She always comforted me whenever I had problems with David. She’d tell me he wasn’t worth it, that it’d be easy for me to find someone else. But I’m . . . I’m pretty shy. She gave me tips on how to meet men.”
“So your boyfriend must have been angry with Melissa.”
“I didn’t tell him about that. But David was always jealous, for no reason. I once told him that he shouldn’t worry because I wasn’t like Melissa.”
“What did you mean by that?”
“Melissa’s married, and her husband is the head of a construction project in Tunisia. She . . . well, she stretched the definition of fidelity and would occasionally tell stories about the men she slept with.”
Isabelle breathed slowly. She was aware that the Ten Commandments prohibited adultery, and that no victim had been assigned to that commandment yet.
In the meantime, Marcel had gathered the group’s board, which after the death of Mr. Lück had shrunk to four people, the Becks and Schweigers. But another man had joined the group: Bernd Graf, the owner of the burned house. Marcel guessed he was in his midforties. He wore a suit and rimless glasses, and his hair was meticulously parted. His pursed lips indicated that humor wasn’t one of his strong suits. When Marcel asked whether any members were on good terms with the Church of the Creator, his question
was met with collective headshaking.
“Absolutely not,” Mr. Beck said. “The lines have been drawn. I’ve tried more than once to speak to the pastor over there in an attempt to reach some sort of civil compromise. After all, we do profess belief in the same fundamental values. The discussions went nowhere.”
“Have any members left New Way? We’ve heard that some are toying with the idea.”
“Fortunately, no,” Mrs. Schweiger said. “We’ve even gained a new member. The young woman over there with the long blonde hair joined today. Her name’s Elke Weber.”
Marcel looked at Elke standing in her skintight jeans. He was surprised that someone would voluntarily join the group given the current situation.
“What was the group like before the murders? Are there any former members who’ve turned their back on the group? Anyone you’ve maybe had problems with?”
“We’ve only had six people leave since the group was established ten years ago,” replied Mrs. Schweiger. As a founding member of the group, she was well versed in its institutional history. Of the former members, two had died several years ago. Marcel’s ears perked when he heard this, but Mr. Schweiger reassured him that the deaths had been the result of a heart attack and old age. One woman and a couple had left New Way because they had moved for work reasons, and none of them had left on bad terms.
“What about the sixth person?” asked Marcel and glanced at Hannes, who had joined the conversation.
The detectives noticed an uneasy exchange of glances.
Mr. Beck said, “Carlos di Santo. He was a founding member. He has a very difficult personality. He suffered from depression and—”
“He’s a real know-it-all,” Mrs. Schweiger said. “He was treasurer and always wanted to enforce his opinion. If something didn’t go his way, he’d immediately take offense. He left last March.”
“What precipitated his departure?” asked Hannes.
The Northern Cross (A Baltic Sea Crime Novel Book 2) Page 20