Chapter 21

The chief looked up when Johannes stepped into his office. "Yes, Johannes, what is it?" When he saw Johannes had files in his hand, he gestured to a chair.

Johannes sat down, placing the files on his lap. "Sir, I have new evidence in an old case."

The colonel nodded.

Johannes placed the top file on the colonel's desk. His boss opened the file and began examining the contents. "As we all do, over the past few months I've been taking some time to review old files — cases that are currently dormant. One of them is an apparent suicide in Stuttgart about five years ago. Today, I received a message from the Landeskriminalpolizei in Stuttgart with the serial number of the gun used in this suicide. As a matter of routine, I called for the file, and entered the new information. For some reason I don't understand, the serial number had never been provided."

"That happens," said the colonel. "But, Johannes, I fail to see how this in an important development. We have no other new information." He looked sharply at Johannes.

"Yes. Well sir, there are several other things. When I reviewed the file some time ago, I noticed that the wife of the deceased was a woman I know. We have been friends for the past two or three years and see one another when she is in Geneva on business. So, I sort of had an interest in that one. That's why it got my attention."

"I presume there is some other connection here? Beyond your girlfriend, I mean."

"Yes, sir, there is. Or, there may be." He opened his other file and placed in front of the colonel.

"When I updated the suicide file, I noticed her name again and recalled that I had seen her name in a recent incident reported by the Baden-Württemburg state police. It seems that a few weeks ago she was on a routine visit at a construction site near Freiburg im Breisgau and someone attempted to attack her and a colleague with the shovel of an excavation machine. The report came to us from the B-W Kriminalpolizei."

"She visits construction sites routinely? What for?"

"She's an architect, and she's building a sauna complex in Freiburg. She told me about it the last time she was in Geneva."

"And what is it you want me to do? Is it that you want me to reopen the suicide case and let you get together with your lady-friend to see if there is a connection?"

"Yes, sir, in a way."

The colonel grinned. "Please explain to me why I should do that."

Johannes returned the smile and sat back in his chair. "At the very least, I want to know whether there's any link between her husband's death and the recent attack. The local police don't know about the suicide, of course, but they did feel there was definitely foul play involved. I know how it sounds, sir. But here's the thing. When I read the files on the new incident I wondered if a pattern were forming. One accident is bad luck. Two accidents are suspicious. Three accidents..."