‘Like our kidnapper,’ Nik remarked. ‘Is the CID on the case?’
‘No. There’s no mention of abduction in the police report and going by Simon’s history, it would be easy to assume he’s just done another runner. But bearing in mind recent events – and the lack of investigation results – this might be a good lead.’
‘What’s the care worker’s name?’
‘Regina Eichert. Works in a home in Neuhausen.’
‘Write down the address for me, would you?’ said Nik. ‘As soon as Balthasar’s out of hospital, I’ll look into it.’
‘D’you not want to get some sleep?’ asked Jon. ‘It’s one in the morning.’
‘I don’t want him to be alone when he wakes up. And as long as I don’t know who the bastards are that are responsible for this, I’m staying here.’
‘Have you got a gun on you?’ asked Jon.
‘In my jacket.’
‘Give it to me. I’ll do watch duty for the rest of the night.’
‘Do you even know how to shoot a gun?’
‘It’s a small room. At such short range, I’m sure I can’t miss. And believe me, I won’t let them get Balthasar a second time,’ Jon said resolutely.
‘OK.’ Nik took a short-barrelled black gun out of its holster. ‘Safety catch is on the left. Just push it down, hold out your arm and pull the trigger. If anyone comes through that door who doesn’t look like a doctor or a nurse, shoot them first and ask them afterwards what they want.’
Jon nodded, taking the weapon. He took Nik’s place on the chair in the corner of the room. The cold steel of the gun felt peculiar against his skin, but holding it in his hand, he instantly felt he could take on the whole world.
‘I’ll head to the kids’ care home as soon as it’s light.’ Nik raised his hand to say goodbye. ‘Let’s hope that search of yours turns out to be worth it.’
The sunny morning clashed with Nik’s mood. The sight of Balthasar’s smashed-up face was still haunting him. It had even followed him into his dreams. He had kept his mobile beside the bed, terrified Jon would call to say there was a problem. But the phone had stayed silent all night. It was only as Nik was parking the car, still thinking about the call that had never come, that his phone started to ring. It was, of course, Jon.
‘How’s he doing?’ asked Nik.
‘He slept for a long time. And then woke up, only to start complaining about the breakfast. So he must be feeling a bit better,’ Jon answered.
‘Any unwanted visitors?’
‘The nurse on night duty stopped in twice to look at him. Other than that, everything was quiet.’ Nik heard Jon take a sip of water and the rattle of crockery in the background. ‘The doctor wants to examine him once more this morning but then they’ll let him out at lunchtime.’
‘We’ll need to get him somewhere safe straight away.’ Nik stepped out of the car. ‘Do you have a flat he can go to?’
‘Just the one you’re in and my loft here in the industrial estate,’ explained Jon. ‘And I already know that mine will be nowhere near Balthasar’s usual standards . . . even after the refurb.’
‘OK. Take him to mine. He can have the second bedroom. He’ll be safe there – as long as he doesn’t throw out my beer again, that is.’
‘And you’ll take care of the guy who did it?’ asked Jon.
‘Even if I take the Grohnerts out of the equation, Simon’s disappearance might still have something to do with Greta’s kidnapping, and if our new friends find out I’ve not given up the search, they won’t be happy. I can look after myself but I’ll have to make sure Balthasar’s safe.’
‘I don’t think he’s going to be happy about moving.’
‘Well, if he says no, I’ll tie him up and push him to my flat in a wheelbarrow. Whatever happens, he’s moving in with me.’
Jon laughed. ‘It’ll be the weirdest flat-share in Munich.’
‘Don’t remind me. But I can worry about that later. I need to deal with Simon first.’
‘OK. Let me know how you get on.’ Jon hung up.
Nik pocketed his phone and made his way towards the children’s home. It was a surprisingly large building: four stories high with a roof extension, blue shutters on the windows and surrounded entirely by large grassy areas. Some children were playing football on a lawn, while others were testing out their climbing skills on an oak tree.
Jon had sent Nik a photo of the care worker, Regina Eichert. It wasn’t long before he found her, deep in conversation with a tradesman. The woman was in her late forties, with shaved brown hair and a pair of large square glasses. All this, combined with the monobrow, the lack of make-up and the hair on her arms made Nik wonder if the woman actually cared about her appearance at all. And then there were the red socks that clashed violently with her blue trainers. The look was finished off with a faded old polo shirt and worn-out jeans. Her desire to be alternative couldn’t have been more glaringly obvious.
‘Good morning, Frau Eichert.’ Nik showed her his fake CID badge. ‘Nik Pohl from the Munich CID. Would you have a moment for me?’
Panic flared across her face. ‘Has something happened to one of the children?’
‘Everything’s fine,’ Nik replied calmly. ‘I just want to ask a couple of questions about Simon Fahl.’
‘Oh! OK.’ She let out a sigh of relief. ‘Is the CID dealing with runaways these days?’ She signalled towards a nearby bench.
‘It doesn’t actually have anything to do with Simon’s behaviour, Frau Eichert. He might be able to help me with another case.’
‘Has he got himself into some kind of trouble again?’ She sat down beside Nik on the bench.
‘I hope not. But to be sure, I’d need to speak to him first. I saw you filed a police report saying you were concerned about Simon’s disappearance . . . especially after you saw him speaking to a stranger?’
‘Yes, um. Where to start . . . You see, the kids here can be difficult. You know? It’s not always a bed of roses working with them. Most of them come from difficult homes or don’t have any parents at all. A lot had to look after themselves from a young age. And a lot of them get into crime before they’re even old enough to be prosecuted. So I’m sure you can imagine the kinds of circles they start hanging around in. Some people use the kids as drug couriers, others are violent towards them. So we consider every stranger as a potential risk.’ She squirmed uncomfortably on the bench and rubbed her hands on her thighs. ‘I always try to take people as they are . . . not make assumptions, you know? But the guy Simon was talking to . . . he scared me. He was tall . . . really tall. And he was throwing his arms around all over the place. Looked as if the two were having a fight. And then the next day, he was there again . . . speaking to Simon as if nothing had happened. I tried to talk to Simon about it, but he just fobbed me off with some stupid excuse and went into his room.’
‘Did he tell you the man’s name?’
‘Unfortunately not. And then . . . two days later, Simon never came home. So I went to the police.’
‘You said the man had a bad limp. Did anything else occur to you afterwards that you didn’t mention in the report?’
Eichert shook her head. ‘Sorry.’
‘And have you heard anything from Simon since?’
‘No. I just cleaned out his cupboard and put his things into storage.’ Tears surfaced in her eyes. She wiped them away. ‘Haven’t seen the man either.’
‘OK. Let’s talk about Simon’s background. What can you tell me about him?’
‘Same fate as lots of orphans, I suppose. Doesn’t know his real parents. Spent most of his life hopping from one foster family to the next. It never worked out with the families so he’d always find himself back in the home. He was always mouthy with his teachers . . . always bunking off, and he was first caught stealing at eleven.’ The woman sighed. ‘Simon’s clever, you know? Alert and strong-willed . . . But what can you expect from a child who has never had a proper home or got love and secur
ity from a good family?’
‘What do you know about his most recent foster parents?’
‘Lisa Fürste is a paediatric nurse and Timo Fürste works in a thermal power plant,’ explained Regina. ‘Simon lived with them for seven years but the last few years he was there, it got complicated. Frau Fürste actually stopped working because of it all and ended up needing psychological treatment. Simon and his foster dad kept getting into fights, until Simon finally decided to come back to the home. It was his own decision.’ The care worker leaned over slightly towards Nik. ‘I actually did a bit of research into Timo Fürste. He’s got a clean record but he’s allegedly in contact with the Munich drug scene.’
‘As a customer?’
‘Dealer,’ Regina whispered, shaking her head. ‘But since there’s no evidence of it, Simon’s still allowed to visit his foster parents if he wants to.’
‘Have you asked the Fürstes about where Simon might currently be?’
‘Lisa hasn’t seen him for a couple of weeks. But it was barely possible to speak to her last time I called. Her husband keeps staying out all night.’
‘OK. Does Simon have any friends who might know where he is?’
‘Simon’s more of a lone wolf. Doesn’t take part in any group activities and avoids contact with the other residents. The only person here he’s ever built up a relationship with is Daniela.’ She pointed over to a woman who was standing behind a football goal watching a group of teenagers playing football. ‘She’s actually only a supply care worker but she got along well with him from the start. Whenever he got into one of his rages, she was always able to calm him down. I would have given her a permanent position ages ago if we had the funding. But she seems happy with the supply work. Likes working with kids.’
‘Thank you for your time, Frau Eichert.’ Nik stood up and they shook hands. ‘If you don’t mind, I’d like to speak to your colleague for a minute?’
‘Of course. Good luck with the investigation. I hope you find Simon.’
Nik said goodbye and headed over to the large field where the woman was standing. He guessed she was in her mid-thirties but the years hadn’t taken their toll on her beauty in any way. She had light skin, brown eyes and full red lips. Her clothes were simple – just a pair of baggy jeans and a sweatshirt – but Nik recognised the outline of an attractive figure underneath. Nik gave his fingernails a quick inspection, straightened out his shirt and cleared his throat.
‘Excuse me, Frau . . . ?’
‘Haas,’ answered the woman, shaking his hand. Nik noticed her attractive floral perfume. ‘But everyone calls me Daniela.’ She looked over at the teenagers, who had started to cheer after the ball flew into the goal. She smiled like a contented, loving mother before turning back to Nik, naturally sweeping her long brown hair over to one side. ‘How can I help?’
He showed her his badge. ‘Pohl. Munich CID. Frau Eichert mentioned you could maybe answer some questions about Simon Fahl.’
‘Has something happened?’ she asked instantly. There was worry in her voice.
‘Frau Eichert reported Simon missing to the police and I’m following it up.’
‘Yes, well, if you’ve already spoken to Regina, then you’ll know what Simon’s like.’
‘I heard you two are particularly close?’ said Nik.
‘I try to be a friend to the kids, not just some strict authority figure,’ explained Daniela. ‘Kids like Simon know when they do something wrong. They know stealing isn’t right and that they shouldn’t skive school. But unfortunately, the more you try to steer them on to the right path, the more they turn the other way. Sometimes they just need a quiet place where they can get away for a while or have someone to speak to.’
‘OK. Well, it doesn’t really seem like this is the right place for that. Did Simon visit you at home?’
Daniela glanced subtly over towards Eichert, who was conversing with the tradesman again. ‘It’s strictly forbidden to let kids visit you at home.’ She lowered her voice.
‘Look, I’m not going to judge you here,’ said Nik. ‘If Simon feels safe with you, he can move in with you for all I care. I’m just trying to make sure he’s safe. If you’ve seen the news recently, you’ll know where I’m coming from.’
‘God, I know. That poor girl.’ She shook her head and looked at the ground.
‘Can you tell me anything about Simon that I won’t find in his file? Maybe what he was like as a child? And as a teenager?’
‘Simon was always a reclusive, contemplative child. Extremely intelligent and wise. But unfortunately, the hurt of being an orphan never left him. He was painfully aware that he was alone in the world.’ She sighed. ‘And sometimes it would get too much . . . So, he became furious . . . wild . . . barely controllable. But it wasn’t actually a violent anger. He only fought when he really had to. And then when he did, it was with the hardness of a kid that’s lived in a home and it would go on until he won or until he couldn’t fight anymore.’ She quickly focused her attention on the football game again, checking everything was all right. ‘Simon had to grow up far too quickly, but I know if someone just gave him a bloody chance, he’d turn into a really decent guy. Unfortunately, until that happens, he’ll have to deal with a lot more challenges and temptations.’
‘Have you seen Simon in the last couple of days?’ asked Nik, taking down some notes.
‘No. And to be honest, I’m worried about him.’
‘Do you have any idea where he might be?’
‘No. I’ve checked all his usual hang-outs and there was no sign of him.’
‘And what about his foster parents?’
‘God. His foster mother, Lisa, can’t even look after herself. And rumour has it that his father, Timo, is a drug dealer. Simon made the right decision coming back to the home.’
‘You think Timo might have got him dealing?’
‘Well, if he hasn’t tried already, I’m sure he will at some point. But Simon’s too bright for that.’ She looked over at the teenagers playing football. ‘You know, one of that lot out there’ – she signalled with her head towards the group – ‘he robbed coke off a dealer to go and sell it himself. What happens next? The dealers find him one night on the train tracks near the station and leave him with sixteen broken bones. It was a bitter lesson for the boy but a good warning for all the others.’
‘Can you tell me where Simon’s foster parents live?’
She looked back at Regina. ‘Not officially. But if you leave me your number you’ll have the address by this evening. Just be careful. Timo Fürste’s a . . . difficult guy.’
‘Sounds like it,’ said Nik with an understanding smile.
Daniela grabbed the tops of Nik’s hands and looked him sternly in the eyes. ‘Please call me when you find Simon.’ Her eyes welled. ‘I need to know if he’s all right.’
‘I will. You’ve got my word.’ Nik shook her hand tightly, trying to reinforce that he meant what he had said.
Balthasar still looked terrible and his swollen eye had only gone down slightly. But although the painkillers were making him sluggish, it didn’t deter him from scrutinising the flat intensely, apparently already visualising his planned transformation. Looking at the piles of suitcases, bags and boxes in the hallway, Nik wasn’t sure how they would fit it all in. But despite the impending madness, he was happy to see Balthasar on his feet. The unknown attacker and his vicious gang were still out there so Nik was relieved to have Balthasar at the flat. He would be safe here.
‘Thank God there’s a walk-in closet in your bedroom,’ said Nik, attempting to make a joke.
‘Oh, don’t worry,’ said Balthasar, ignoring the attempt. ‘I’ll just take your cupboard as well. What with your three pairs of trousers, two shirts and that pair of worn-out boots, you won’t be needing it anyway.’ He moved towards the living room table and inspected a half-empty beer bottle like it was an unidentifiable relic from outer space. ‘My God, we do have a lot of work to do, don’t we?’
Nik groaned. ‘Maybe we should set down a couple of rules . . .’
Balthasar took two steps back from the table, giving the bottle a shake.
‘Beer is there to be drunk, not thrown out. So, to avoid hurting your Prosecco’s feelings, I’ve divided the fridge into two areas: my beer goes in the bottom, and above that, I don’t care what happens.’
Balthasar slid a finger over a side table, checking for dust.
‘And then there’s the lavender . . .’ continued Nik.
‘Such a wonderful scent, isn’t it?’
‘You can put the stuff wherever you want but I do not want you washing my underwear with lavender softener. Understood?’
‘I was just trying to help,’ said Balthasar defensively. ‘No wonder you’re always scratching your balls,’ he mumbled.
‘And now, to the live-streaming of football matches—’ Nik’s next rule was interrupted by a loud squawk. A parrot with dark grey feathers, a bright red tail feather and a black beak suddenly appeared, performing a swooping 360-degree inspection of the room before landing on Balthasar’s shoulder.
‘Kara, this is Nik.’ The pathologist stroked the bird’s head. ‘He’s going to be our flatmate for a while. I apologise now for his bad manners and terrible dietary habits, but the flat does have high ceilings and the park is just down the road.’ He turned to Nik and signalled to the parrot with an open hand. ‘Nik, may I introduce you to Kara Ben Nemsi.’
‘Kara Ben Nemsi? As in Karl May?’
‘Yes. The name came to me as soon as I laid eyes on her.’
‘On her? Kara Ben Nemsi is a man. He’s actually called Karl and—’
‘Yes, yes, yes,’ interrupted Balthasar. ‘But my Kara likes the name,’ he said with a smile, stroking her feathers. After a short exchange of affection, the lady parrot flew off again and perched itself on a thick picture frame, pecking at the wallpaper and simultaneously letting the digested remains of her breakfast fall on to the floor.
Blood Ties Page 8