'Four white rolls, please,' Marlene interrupted the artist.
Back at the apartment, a young man and an older man, both in coat and hat, were waiting for her. 'Superintendent Eggebrecht and Officer Meiser,' the older man introduced them.
'These gentlemen are from the Vice Squad,' Fredie explained with derision. He was in his dressing gown, drying his hair, and appeared more annoyed than anxious. There seemed to be no immediate danger.
The superintendent cleared his throat. 'You are Marlene Kaschke, the tenant of this apartment?'
And you are a lout!' Marlene retorted. 'Kindly take your hat off. What do you want?'
Eggebrecht actually did take his hat off. Another tenant in this building has laid a complaint against you for your immoral way of life.'
And you believe such nonsense? Well, I'm going to make breakfast. Would you like a cup of coffee?'
She made for the kitchen, but Meiser roughly grabbed her wrist. 'You'll stay in here and answer our questions.'
She placed a sharply pointed heel on his left foot and turned it slowly back and forth. Meiser screamed. 'Behave yourself, you boor,' she said defiantly. Furious, the officer took let go of her.
'Leave it out, Meiser,' said the superintendent, calming him.
And just who are you?' Meiser jabbed Fredie in the ribs with two fingers at each word.
Alfred Neubert, Fraulein Kaschke's fiance. You have no right to burst in here like this. Or do you have a search warrant?'
'Don't get fresh with me, kid.' Meiser jabbed him in the ribs again.
The superintendent remained courteous. 'Fraulein Kaschke, witnesses have noticed a great many gentlemen visiting you.'
'Oh yes? And what sort of witnesses might those be?'
A man named Ebel on the third floor,' Meiser told her. A bookkeeper with an excellent reputation. He has no reason to lie.'
And moreover, you are often collected from this building by luxury automobiles or taxis,' Superintendent Eggebrecht continued. 'To visit clients, I assume.'
'You assume quite correctly,' said Fredie, his voice calm. As a secretary with a good knowledge of foreign languages, my fiancee naturally works outside her home now and then.'
'This pimp's trying to pull a fast one on us!' cried Meiser.
'I can refer you to the Prussian Interior Ministry,' said Fredie coldly. As a senior civil servant in that ministry, Dr Noack does not, of course, have to give information to a snotty-nosed little cop like you. But he will be happy to confirm to the superintendent here that the ministry commissions Fraulein Kaschke to translate documents for them and also recommends her to international clients. These clients then either visit Fraulein Kaschke here or ask her to go to their own offices or hotels.' Fredie reached for the telephone.
The superintendent made a deprecating gesture. 'Oh, there's no need, Herr Neubert. Please excuse us, Fraulein Kaschke. Come on, Meiser.' The officers left.
Marlene hugged Fredie. 'Wow, that was great! You really showed them. But suppose they come back?'
'Just leave that to me.' Fredie dialled a number. 'Neubert here. Please put me through to Dr Noack. Hello? Good morning, Major. Yes, a great victory for us all, isn't it? And now I expect there'll be some mopping-up operations. Of characters like a man called Meiser in the Vice Squad. for example. He actually dared to question whether you had been recommending my fiancee Fraulein Kaschke as a secretary with foreign language skills. The man's a Social Democrat or worse. It's possible that his superior officer Superintendent Eggebrecht may be in touch with you, and perhaps you should let him know just what his subordinates are like. Heil Hitler, Major.' Pleased with himself, Fredie hung up.
Marlene giggled. 'Heil who?'
Fredie grinned. 'Heil Hitler. That's how the new Reich Chancellor likes to be addressed. He's an Austrian, he's a bit crazy. But I joined his bunch to be on the safe side. Noack's been in it longer than me. You have to back the right horse.'
She pressed close to him. 'Hey, I really fancy you today.'
'Come on, then,' he said graciously.
On Wednesday Ebel, a cross-grained bachelor, was attacked and beaten up by a troop of Brownshirts on his way home. He died on his way to Westend Hospital. Marlene heard nothing about the incident.
There was a healthy smell of soft soap in the hall of the building. The sound of children's voices drifted from of a ground-floor apartment. Marlene climbed the stairs. 'Giese' she read in ornate black lettering on an oval white enamel nameplate on the second floor. She pressed the bell beside it.
Franz Giese opened the door at once. He was wearing a dark suit with a pale-grey tie, attire he had probably copied from Herr Eulenfels. 'Goodness, you do look smart!' Embarrassed, he looked down at the floor. 'May I come in?' Tulips glowed brightly on the round dining table in the living room, a luxury at this time of year. The dining chairs had dark-red, velour upholstery. There was a bottle of wine on the walnut sideboard, and above it hung a gilt-framed picture of a rutting stag in an autumnal woodland landscape. Lace covers adorned the velour sofa, and a potted plant — an African hemp — stood on the window sill. It was all neat and nice. He doesn't often use this room, she thought.
Franz Giese opened the bottle. A glass of Piesporter to welcome you? It's really nice of you to come.'
Just in time she stopped herself saying, well, you paid enough for it. 'You have a pretty place here, really comfortable.' She tried to imagine his bedroom. Probably dark oak with a slight musty smell about the pillows. She'd find out soon enough, that was what she was here for. She wondered when he'd get down to business. Some of her clients were keen to get going at once, others needed a long build up. With hopeless cases she took the initiative herself.
They sat down. 'Cheers.' He raised his glass, put it down without drinking, turned it back and forth. This looked like a sticky start.
'Your health, Herr Giese. So you come from Breslau?'
'With a little detour by way of France. I was there at the end of that unholy mess. They sent the regiment straight on to Berlin. We were supposed to put down the rebels.' He spoke calmly and thoughtfully. 'Most of us refused to shoot at our countrymen. The commanding officer was furious, shouted stuff about refusing to obey orders and called us deserters. "What His Majesty can do, we can do as well," I told him to his face, and I was off before he got his breath back. Well, I stayed in Berlin. I was a mechanic in a workshop for big trucks, I'd learnt about them in the army. Then I was a delivery driver for the Tietz department store, and now I'm chauffeur to Herr Eulenfels. Our local union found me the job. I'd better tell you I'm a Socialist.'
'What, a real Red?'
'Not exactly. We Reform Socialists don't want to take stuff away from someone just because he owns more than we do. We want our sort to be better off, without making anyone else worse off for it.' He took plates, cutlery and paper napkins out of the sideboard. 'I hope you like pork chops.' Marlene was taken aback. She had not been expecting an invitation to supper.
'With green peas. You can get them in a can. I'm no great cook. Back in a minute. Drink all you like, there's another bottle.' He disappeared. She heard pans clattering and meat sizzling in the kitchen.
The boiled potatoes had been roughly cut up into irregular chunks. Marlene chuckled. 'I see peeling potatoes isn't your strong point.'
'There's no woman about the house.'
For dessert he brought out a cake on which the confectioner had piped Marlene in white icing. He waited with bated breath for her reaction.
'But it's not my birthday until June,' she protested.
'Never mind. Coffee and a kirsch with it?'
She glanced surreptitiously at the time. Something really had to happen soon if she was going to be home when she planned. 'No coffee, thank you. And we can drink the kirsch in the bedroom.'