When the moon rises over Berlin

       When the three of them gathered in the half-cold office the next day, they wanted to discuss the next plan of action.       “So, gentlemen, let’s decide what we will do next. We don’t have many leads so far,” Wieland summed up, sitting down in the chief’s chair and looking at Adler and Ehrman, who were sitting on the sides. He was looking at a beautiful picture of snow-covered Berlin, with passers-by and passing cars.       “I suggest we wait for the results of the examination of Ingrid’s apartment. The results of the blood on the carpet, the results of the imprint on the coat and the analysis of the composition of the tea will come soon, then it will be possible to consider more options, so far we have only leads and nothing else,” Ehrman concluded, rubbing his neck a little tiredly.       “Wieland, Ehrman is right. I think that spying on the victim’s father and brother will do something. I think we shouldn’t waste energy on a lot of leads, we don’t have much time,” Adler twirled the pen in his hand. Despite yesterday’s fatigue and lack of sleep, he still radiated energy and willingness to work, which could not escape Wieland’s gaze.       “Besides, let’s start with the simplest explanation,” Ehrman concluded, leaning on the velvet table. He just could not stand to sit around today and just go through the options. Wieland pressed his lips together in disapproval.       “Why is that?”, asked a question Wieland.       “The simplest explanation may be the most truthful,” concluded Ehrman.       They sat there wondering how to investigate and close the case in a short time. However, all their guesses were that the case had its roots on another plane, or that their thoughts had no basis at all. Everyone wanted to settle things at home. Wieland had to take his wife to her friends, Ehrman had to prepare the wedding and send out invitations for the guests. Adler had to make up with his wife somehow — he would not survive the second night of sleeping in the car.       It was approaching noon when a private rushed into their office, mumbling that there had just been a call from Ingrid’s father and brother. All three looked at each other. When Wieland asked what the Fuchsmanns needed, the soldier mumbled that they had reported vandalism to the father’s house and asked Adler Schiller to come.       “I’m wondering, why it’s you,” Ehrman stubbed out his cigarette and looked at the man. Adler stood up and put on his cap, shrugging his shoulders.       “How the hell should I know? Maybe something related to the victim was stolen from them. Or maybe they decided that since I interviewed them, then I always have to interact with them.”       “Well, anyway. Go, Adler,” Wieland adjusted his tunic, making himself comfortable; he had work to do.       “Will you come with me? I’m sure I could use your help,” Wieland nodded and stood up, putting on his raincoat as he walked. Adler’s offer was made very unexpectedly, but Wieland realized that Adler was calling him for a reason. They have developed a certain level of confidence in each other. Adler, looking at Wieland, knew that he hardly had anything to hide. By making enquiries he learnt that the man really fought in the war, his experience was useful to him. Wieland, inquiring about Adler, also found out a lot. About his family and about his father, who went off the rails when his son came home. At the moment he had more favour for him and wished for a purely human friendship. ***       The car stopped in front of a large red brick house with a high fence. The house at the end of the block smacked of a certain abandonment and greyness. Adler and Wieland walked along the low-growing bushes to the chatter of the policeman, who was muttering something to himself.       Wieland thanked him for bringing him up to date, and, sending him to the other police officers who had arrived, began to wait for the owners of the house. They went down the spiral staircase in about five minutes, Werner Fuchsmann walking with small steps and repeatedly looking around. Wilhelm walked at a measured pace, but his eyes were constantly out of place. They ran from one subject to another. After a quick hello Wieland began to ask them about what had happened.       “Mr. Fuchsmann, tell me, what happened,” Wieland spoke more gently, seeing that Werner was at his limit.        “My son and I woke up to the loud sound of breaking glass,” confusedly said Werner. “As soon as I heard it, I immediately jumped out of bed and went downstairs, Wilhelm was already there.”       “Tell me, Wilhelm, you were downstairs before your father, did you notice anything strange?”, Wilhelm, who had just arrived, pretended at first that he had not heard, but later answered Wieland.       “No. I heard a sound and immediately thought something was wrong. I ran out of the room to look, but by that time there was nothing but broken glass.”       “Tell me, was there anyone else in the house besides you?”       They both nodded their heads, “The driver and the housekeeper. They usually sleep in the servants' quarters.”       “Okay, tell me, is anything missing from the house?”       “No, nothing, I checked everything. All the papers and all the money are still in place. I don’t even know what they wanted to take from the house.”       ” All right, go get some rest, the district police officer will interview you and will draw up a protocol. If anything turns out, we will contact you,” finished Wieland, his gaze fell on Adler, who was carefully examining the broken glass.       Adler looked at the window and tried to guess how it could have been broken. The shards lay flat, whatever had been used to break the glass was nowhere to be seen.       “What do you think?”, Adler jumped up in surprise.       “Wieland, don’t scare me like that!”, after slightly catching his breath said Adler. “What do I think? It was probably smashed with a heavy stone. Maybe with something else, because the size of the stone is too big,” Adler pointed to the hole in the glass.       “Maybe the glass fell out later.”       “Maybe, or maybe it was punctured in several places. For example, so that someone could get out of the house.       “Are you saying that the person was in the house at that point?”, Adler nodded. “But what was he looking for then?”       “If he didn’t take anything, then there wasn’t what he was looking for in this house. There’s nothing missing in the house, is there?”       “Nothing, the owners of the house said so. Everything of value is in place. There were two other people on the territory of the house besides them — this is the driver and the housekeeper.”       “Most likely they could have noticed someone, but if they didn’t steal anything, then what was the purpose?”, the man sighed softly. The other looked around. Luxury. Unjustified luxury. Though maybe it was envy that resonated in his soul.       “Maybe they wanted to give them something? A message of some sort?”, Wieland passed by the servants, and both of them went to the housekeeper and driver’s cottage.       “No, maybe he went into the house. When he realized that there was no way out of it, he decided to leave through the window. There’s no trace of him yet, because it snowed last night and everything was covered in snow.       Adler turned to Wieland. Both walked in silence. Each of them was thinking about their own things.       After interviewing the housekeeper and the driver, they achieved nothing. Both were in their house at that moment, no one heard anything. Besides, the owners discovered it in the early morning only, when dawn was just beginning to rise.       On his way out Adler was stopped at the door by Wilhelm who handed him some of the victim’s belongings.       “I found this in her room recently, we took out almost all her things, but I think it will be useful to you. This is her diary and her ring, as well as the travel documents to Norway,” Wieland and Adler looked at each other.       “Have you read the diary?”, asked a question Wieland.       “Yes, I read it, but personally I didn’t find it interesting. She constantly writes about three men,” Adler swallowed his saliva, Wilhelm continued to tell something, but Adler could hardly distinguish it, the main thing now was to get to the car. Wieland, listening to Wilhelm very carefully, began to outline in his head a picture of everything that was happening in Ingrid’s life.       The two hastily said goodbye, Adler moved to the car with lightning speed. Wilhelm was still shouting something about Ingrid’s funeral, but Adler could not hear it anymore.       As soon as the doors slammed shut, both found themselves in a ringing silence, it was pressurising and painful, but neither of them wanted to say anything. Wieland leafed through the diary, then closed it and looked at the white snow lying on the pavement. Handing the diary to Adler, he looked at the weather outside the window.       Adler, on the other hand, read the diary and did not understand anything. Half-empty pages with a clear description of Ingrid’s life and a description of their meetings with her.       “Who do you think it is?”, Adler pointed to a note written six weeks ago.       It was cold, W. L. and I agreed to meet in the park and go to the exhibition of the latest inventions. Of course, I didn’t really want to go to it, but he persuaded me. In general, all this is so strange, he is not like A. S. He always gives me something, we sit together, I have to listen to his poems for a long time. They’re great, of course, but if his management finds out about them, then I think it won’t be too good for him. After all, he holds a high position, like W. L. He should not go to exhibitions in a desire to escape from his wife. Actually, they’re both running from something, but I can’t figure out what exactly. E. W. is fundamentally different from them. He is still have a soul of a child, but a body of a man. He’s great in his shape. Every time he comes to my house, I know he really likes it there. Poor E.W., he is so lacking in warmth and peace. He looks like a child who was abandoned by his own mother. I I’m giving him that illusion, at least a little.       I know that someday I will have to say goodbye to them, but I don’t want to do that now…       “Adler, I…” said Wieland, stammering a little. For the first time in his entire life he felt only an agonising sense of conscience, which almost suffocated him.       “W. L.”, isn’t that you?”, Adler’s stern and cold voice had a harsh effect on him. Wieland had to be honest with him and with Ehrman. “You don’t have to answer that, though. It’s you. You’re married and you love science. You graduated from university. You went to war, where you were wounded by a grenade, and moved into an office with warm air and a cushioned chair. And you also had a dead… Never mind, though,” Adler never finished his thought.       “How do you know?!”, Wieland glanced at him.       “Do you think you’re the only one who has the right to seek information on anyone?”       “It turns out, you are “A. S.” then. You like to give jewellery to women, because as a child you watched your father beat your mother,” Adler felt sick at the memories from his childhood, he urgently needed to get some air, but all he did was to open the window. “You also joined the organization for money, because your wife’s parents are wealthy people.”       “Don’t say anything, it’s useless. I don’t think it makes sense for us to discuss this,” exhaled Adler. “But who was the third one?”       “It must be an unmarried man.”       “And younger than us.”       “The third was Ehrman.”       “What?!”, screamed Adler with genuine surprise.       “Mr. “E. W.”,” holding out the diary with the page open on it, Wieland showed it to Adler. He recoiled in shock.       “Why?”       “He’s the man whose father died. He was my commanding officer, my mother worked in a brothel. A child abandoned to the mercy of fate. Can you imagine how lonely he was? He was eager for Ingrid because she was like a mother to him.”       “Shall I drive?”, suggested Wieland. “I don’t want to freeze out here.”       “Oh, yes,” — recovering from the shock and gathering his thoughts, Adler finally started the car. They drove down the highway along the forests that flashed in front of their eyes and hid behind the horizon. The sun had already begun to set, and, as its rays left the earth, it spread a beautiful pink and purple pattern across the sky. ***       They arrived at the headquarters late in the evening. Upon entering the office, Ehrman immediately noticed them. Both were quiet, silent and sullen.       “Well, what? Did you find out a lot?”, but it didn’t have any effect on them. Ehrman was very surprised. While collecting the documents, he waited for a detailed story.        “Not much,” said Wieland with irritation in his voice, “but what about you?”       “The results of forensic evidence have come back.”       “What’s there?”, Adler, sitting down, poured himself whiskey from a flask taken from his breast pocket.       “Well, it’s good. Sit down, I’ll tell you everything. I’ll start with the carpet. There was blood on the carpet, but not just blood. In addition there was shampoo and toothpowder. Moreover, they both match the ones Ingrid has in the apartment.”       “So the killer was trying to drain the blood,” Ehrman agreed with Adler’s words.       “The coat has also lipstick on it. But I don’t know yet how to connect it with the murder. Tea seems to be an ordinary one, the only thing is that…”       “Ingrid didn’t drink green tea,” Adler said mockingly.       “Where does this assumption come from?”, Ehrman jumped to attention.       “Today we discovered a rather strange crime,” Wieland put Ingrid’s diary along with the ring on the table.       “Be more precisely,” Ehrman said cautiously, fearing the worst.       “The window frame is completely broken, but nothing was stolen, no one saw anything. But her brother, Wilhelm, gave us her diary and ring,” Wieland handed the ring to Ehrman. He looked at it carefully.       “It’s the same as the one I found in the apartment. Only the size of the ring is more suitable for the size of her fingers.”       “Yes, there are also her Norwegian entry papers.”       “Now it’s clear why she needed a car. She was planning on running away there. But it’s a long way by car. She wouldn’t have had enough money for it. If she had sold the ring, she would have been found in a heartbeat.”       “Exactly, but there are some interesting entries in her diary,” Wieland handed him the diary, Ehrman opened it with trembling hands and read carefully, turning page after page. After that he exhaled and looked at Adler and Wieland.       “From your frowning faces and the way you came in, that’s what upset you, isn’t it?”, Adler noticed how smart Ehrman was, Wieland shook his head.        “It’s true,” concluded Adler, Wieland agreed with him. Ehrman leaned back in his chair and lighted a cigarette, releasing puffs of smoke into the air above him.       “I think it’s all becoming clear now. Those conversations when I wanted to come to Ingrid on another day from the one that we had agreed on. She angrily refused. And she explained it to me by saying that I should come only when I have an appointment and called me a child,” Ehrman got up and started packing.       “But you were a child to her.”       “Look who’s talking, Adler Schiller!”, Ehrman snapped angrily. When Adler wanted to put him in place, saying that only pigs scream at their elders, Wieland intervened.       “Enough!”, he shouted and pulled Adler and Ehrman apart, clutching their breasts. “We were all someone to her. And now, as you remember, Ingrid is dead, and it’s not for us to judge her. Yes, maybe she did something stupid to us somewhere, but it doesn’t matter now.”       “Then why don’t we investigate the case individually?”, Ehrman recoiled from them, screaming.       “Don’t talk nonsense,” Adler shouted at him.       “It’s not going to work, Ehrman,” Wieland gestured for him to sit down. The man hesitated, but then he sat down anyway. “Ingrid’s funeral is tomorrow. We must attend it.”       “Already?..”, Adler was surprised, but under Wieland’s stern and overwhelming gaze, he fell silent.       “Yes, already.”       “I’m not going,” Ehrman said quickly.       “Ehrman, don’t be naughty,” Adler shushed him. “Do you think it’s easy for me? Ingrid, if she hadn’t died, she would have wanted to… see… all three of us,” he finished haltingly.       “Besides, think about it as an investigator, there will be a lot of people, we can interview them or find another clue. I’m asking you to put personal emotions aside until we figure out Ingrid’s death,” Ehrman sighed. He turned away from them, spread his arms and turned to speak:       “It’s not that we were all her lovers that upsets me. It’s the fact that no one could notice that she was in danger,” Ehrman said quickly. Wieland and Adler looked at each other.       “What could we do?”, whispered Adler. “We are not omnipotent. Besides, Ingrid didn’t talk much about herself.”       “But she didn’t hide everything perfectly, why didn’t any of us pay attention to it?!”, Ehrman raised his voice.       “Ingrid didn’t want to drag us into this,” concluded Wieland. “Think about it. She got involved in something that matters more than that. Besides, how could we help her? We would have been killed ourselves, Ingrid understood that. She was not stupid and knew everything in advance.”       “That’s why she chose not to explain or rush to anyone for help,” Adler said this with sadness in his voice.       “Her funeral is tomorrow. The gathering is at St. Adalbert’s Cathedral at eight in the morning. Please, let’s get ready. Ingrid probably knew that sooner or later her lovers would run into each other; I think she didn’t want any quarrels between us.”       Ehrman and Adler agreed. After cooling their ardour, they left the office one by one. Wieland sighed. Their anger was absolutely understandable and appropriate, probably Ingrid knew it all. She understood that Wieland, as the oldest of them, would behave differently, so she left him to separate the men.