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before October 1. That s what they d said, and the first was on
Friday.
b o r k m a n n s p o i n t
On Friday he would retire. Exit Bausen. A free man with
every right to fill his time with whatever he fancied. Who
didn t need to give a damn who the Axman was, and could do
whatever he liked.
Or might he not be too happy about that freedom? Would
this case cast a shadow over his hard-earned future? That was
not impossible. He thought about his wine cellar and its valu-
able contents.
Three days?
He eyed Van Veeteren s weighty figure on the other side of
his desk, and concluded that he had no idea where he would
have placed his bet if he d needed to do so.
Your move, said Van Veeteren again, raising his bottle to
his lips.
What s your name? said Kropke, starting the tape recorder.
The well-built man opposite sighed.
You know perfectly well what my damn name is. We were
in the same class at school for eight years, for God s sake.
This is an official interview, said Kropke. We have to
stick to the formalities. So?
Erwin Lange, said the well-built man. Born 1951. Owner
of the photographer s shop Blitz in Hoistraat. I m due to open
twenty minutes from now, so I d be obliged if you could get a
move on. Married with five children is that enough?
Yes, said Kropke. Would you mind telling me what you
saw last Friday evening?
Erwin Lange cleared his throat.
I saw Inspector Moerk leave this police station at ten min-
utes to seven.
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Six-fifty, in other words. Are you sure about the time?
One hundred percent certain.
How can you be so sure?
I was due to meet my daughter in the square at a quarter
to. I checked my watch and saw that I was five minutes late.
And you re sure that the person you saw was Inspector
Moerk?
Certain.
You had met her before?
Yes.
How close to her were you?
Six feet.
I see, said Kropke. Did you notice anything else?
Such as?
Er, her clothes, for instance.
Tracksuit . . . red. Gym shoes.
Was she carrying anything?
No.
OK. Many thanks, said Kropke, switching off the tape
recorder. I hope you re not intending to leave Kaalbringen
during the next few days?
Why on earth do you want to know that?
Kropke shrugged.
We might need to ask you some more questions . . . you
never know.
No, said Erwin Lange, rising to his feet. That s the prob-
lem with you guys. You never know.
Ten to seven? muttered Bausen. Shit, that means she could
well have fitted in something else as well. Or what do you think?
b o r k m a n n s p o i n t
Kropke nodded.
It takes fifteen minutes max from here to the smoke-
house, he said. So there s a gap of at least fifteen minutes.
What s the situation on the drawing pin front? asked
Münster.
A hundred and twelve, said Kropke. But there are no
more conglomerations. No pattern, if you like and nothing
more from the beach.
She might have sat in her car for a while before driving
off, said Bausen. Down by the sea, perhaps. Or outside the
station. That seems the most likely.
Not necessarily, said Van Veeteren. She must have
attracted his attention somehow. Or do you think he already
knew about her jogging plans?
Nobody spoke for a few seconds. Mooser suppressed a
yawn. Where s the coffee? thought Münster.
Ah well, said Bausen. I m damned if I know, but it s
important, obviously.
Extremely important, said Van Veeteren. When was the
earliest sighting at the smokehouse?
Ten or eleven minutes past, or thereabouts, said Kropke.
Van Veeteren nodded, and contemplated his thumbnail.
Ah, well, he muttered. I suppose every move has to be
considered in its context. There s always another island.
Excuse me? said Kropke.
He s going senile, thought Münster. No doubt about it.
44
What did you say? asked Münster.
Eh? said Bang.
Will you repeat what you just said about Inspector Moerk
and that fruit shop?
Bang looked up from the lists and looked slightly shifty.
I don t understand. . . I just said that I met her there last
Friday at Kuipers, the place that sells fruit out at Immels-
port.
What time?
A quarter past five, roughly. It was before she went to The
See Warf. Obviously, I d have mentioned it if it had been
afterward.
What did she do there?
At Kuipers? Bought some fruit, of course. They have really
cheap fruit there . . . and vegetables as well. But I don t see why
this matters.
Just a minute, said Münster. She left the police station
shortly after half past four . . . around twenty to five, perhaps.
How long does it take to get to Immelsport?
By car?
Yes, by car.
I don t know. . . about twenty minutes, I suppose.
b o r k m a n n s p o i n t
And you saw her there at quarter past five. That means she
can t have had time to go home first, doesn t it?
I suppose so, yes, said Bang, trying to frown.
How long would it take her to drive home from Kuipers
to Vrejsbakk, that is?
Bang shrugged.
Er, about a quarter of an hour, I d say. Depends on the traf-
fic. But I don t see why you re going on about this.
Münster contemplated his colleague s rosy-cheeked face
with an almost pitying smile.
I ll explain why, he said slowly, emphasizing every word.
If Inspector Moerk was out at Immelsport at a quarter past
five, she can hardly have got home until about . . . let s say
twenty to six. She was at The See Warf in a tracksuit at quarter
past six. Can you tell me when the hell she could have found
time to read the Melnik report?
Bang thought that over for a while.
You re right, of course, he said eventually. So she didn t
read it, is that it?
Exactly, said Münster. She didn t read it.
He knocked and went in.
Van Veeteren had moved from the room s only armchair to
the balcony. He sat there smoking and gazing out in the direc-
tion of Fisherman s Square, at the spiky outlines of the build-
ings as twilight began to descend over the bay. The chair was
placed diagonally; all Münster could see of him were his legs,
his right shoulder and right arm. Even so, it was enough for
him to understand.
Something had happened. And it wasn t a question of his
2 7 7
being struck down by senility. On the contrary. I must learn to
be humble in thought, Münster decided. Not just in deed.
Sit down, said Van Veeteren wearily, gesturing with his
hand.
Münster moved the desk chair and sat down next to the
detective chief inspector at an angle he hoped would at least
give him the opportunity of some eye contact if necessary.
Let s hear it again! said Van Veeteren.
Münster cleared his throat.
Bang met Moerk out at Immelsport at quarter past five
last Friday afternoon.
Is he sure?
Yes. They exchanged a few words. Not even Bang could
get that wrong.
Van Veeteren nodded.
I m not sure where that is. Do the times fit?
I ve checked, said Münster. There s no possibility of
her having read the report. She left the police station at
exactly four-thirty-five, together with Miss deWitt. They were
the last to leave. She went to her car; drove out to that green-
grocer s and bought various items; drove home; got changed;
tried to phone me, presumably, but received no answer.
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