The Last Judgement

By Angelika Friedemann

When you are criticised, you must be doing something right. Because you only attack the one who has the ball. Bruce Lee
Three men were found murdered within several weeks of each other and now the files have reached the Hamburg LKA. The officers assume that he is a serial killer. He placed his victims shaved in the Ohlsdorf cemetery in front of various monuments. At first, Martin Kuhlmann's officers cannot establish any connection between the dead. A fight between two colleagues causes further excitement. An unbelievable suspicion grows in Martin. This puts him once again in the crossfire.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Angelika Friedemann
• Release date: Dec 5, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215327395

Angelika Friedemann

Die Autorin: Wenn die Menschen nur über das sprächen, was sie begreifen, dann würde es sehr still auf der Welt sein. Albert Einstein Ich versuche, die Aufmerksamkeit der Leser zu fesseln, sie zu unterhalten und zu erfreuen, möglicherweise zu erregen oder tief zu bewegen.

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Angelika Friedemann

The Last Judgement

Published by Kevin Friedemann at Smashwords.

Copyright 2023

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author, Angelika Friedemann.

Picture source: piqs.de.

Chapter Monday

He walked down the corridor reading the headlines in the newspaper, when he turned the corner he saw Chief Inspector Oliver Gross and Commissioner Sina Seidler kissing. He cleared his throat briefly, glanced at the headline.

Moin Moin, Sina called to him cheerfully.

Moin, everybody, he stopped, waited until she had disappeared into the office.

Are you stupid? he growled at the man in his deep melodious voice like an irritated wolf. Find yourself a playmate somewhere, but keep your hands off the Commissioner. If her father finds out, he'll castrate you.

Martin, she's moving in with me. And now? it sounded mockingly from his mouth.

Excuse me? And your male acquaintances?

Sina knows everything because I confessed it to her right at the beginning. Wasn't a secret in general thanks to your and Kai's gossip. It's different with her, at least for now. Let's give it a try. Maybe she'll give me the peace I crave. A lot has changed inside me since my stay at the clinic.

Do her parents know?

Not yet, but we want to tell them shortly. Why? What do you have to do with her parents? Sina is no longer a child, but a grown woman. No matter what they think of it, we will test it, even without your, their consent.

Sorry. I really wish you would finally find the right partner. Only Sina doesn't correspond to your image of women in any way?

Oh, do you know or did the great Kai tell you? Even if it's none of your business, I liked her from the first time I saw her, despite her curves, that she's relatively small. The last few months with her have been a wonderful time for both of us and now we're taking a step forward.

I really like Lütte because she is so refreshingly honest, always embodies good humour, while being a good investigator.

Stay out of my private life, Martin. She is not a silly little girl, but a 32-year-old woman. Take care of your highly acclaimed, oh-so-honest, faithfully caring Kai and his problems. I've had enough of you constantly knowing everything better, trying to foist something on me, coordinating my privacy, telling me who I can meet, who I can talk to. You tell me scary stories about the evil Oliver, you both go on about how incapable I am of everything, how capable Kai is. Is this how you and he are going to get me kicked out again? Would be attempt number three or am I gonna get shot again? You disgusting criminals have Lars, Jan, Peter ... Try it! I looked up to you? You can see how stupid I've been. Emphasis on... Was. A civil servant who had something to do with men doesn't fit into your image of the supposedly proper life of a Martin Kuhlmann or Kai Razioni. So go there, talked Sina out of it. Does she fall for your drivel, unimportant because I save myself an additional disappointment.

Sorry, Oliver! It's really none of my business, nor do I want to intrude on your privacy. It's a mess.

What do you mean?

Must tell you Sina. Afterwards you'll understand why I reacted like that. Shit! Why do I have to be continuously involved in such a stupid tügs?

Oliver grinned. Because you notice too much, never mince your words. Spit it out! What don't I know?

Oliver, sort it out with Sina. Again, my apologies.

So it has something to do with her parents, he turned and walked away.

Martin looked thoughtfully after Oliver for a moment, then entered the large workroom.

Moin ! Sina, please come to my office in five minutes.

His duty room, a spacious light room. In an alcove next to the door, which he had painted lime green, were two shelves made of beech wood, below them a refrigerator with the coffee machine and two capsule stands on top. On the shelves were cups, glasses, sugar bowl. He took off his jacket, locked his gun in the top drawer, brewed coffee, looked at the cardboard staplers lying on his desk.

Pieter, you could have read, he addressed the police bear, Bünabär, which his colleagues had given him a few months ago and which was sitting on the back of an armchair. A sitting area with four light beige armchairs and a round wooden table.

The young detective knocked and entered.

Close the door, please, he picked up the coffee pot, drank, sat down on the desk chair.

What is it? Is it about Oliver?

No! It's that he has no idea who your father is. You want to build a relationship? Don't you think that involves telling your partner the truth? Do you want Dieter to find out from work colleagues what's going on between you?

I honestly didn't dare tell both men. Oliver will be pissed off. I can hear my dad raging, he's bi, he likes guys too. That's who you're hanging out with?

That's the only way it doesn't work at all. You have already kept the colleagues in Department 38 in the dark for a year. It would be no different with me. By chance I found out about it through a third party. I told you several times that you should finally make things clear to your colleagues, because that would be honest. Sina, this doesn't concern your private life, only the purely professional side. What you do in your private life is completely irrelevant here. If your father finds out from a colleague, life will go wild here. Oliver won't be happy about it either. So sort it out, and sort it out quickly with your parents, Oliver. There's a meeting in five minutes.

Dieter would probably really rage when he found out. And Oliver? He was once again the focus of attention among his colleagues because of the story. He sighed. Was this all a muddle. He brewed the next coffee, thought about it.

He took two files and entered the meeting room. Let's begin.

Martin, I would like to announce something first, Sina came forward.

He looked at her, frowned slightly, and was just about to say something back, when she continued chattering.

Don't be angry. Dieter Seidler from 45 is my father. I didn't want to make it public right away because otherwise everyone would have thought that's why she came to the LKA.

You thought of letting us in on this after four months? A bit late, isn't it? Ben with a puckered face.

Excuse me? You were in the 38 for over a year, did you hide that there too? I don't believe it, Sven shook his head. So Dieter arrives here, acting as if you were strangers. Nice colleagues.

I had forgotten about it in the meantime. It doesn't matter. There is something else. Chief Inspector Gross and I are moving in together. We've been together for four months. Yes, I know all about him, she looked at Kai, who was sipping his coffee and looking out of the window.

With whom? inquired Sven, grinning.

Oh, what a shame. Well that won't last long, Kai shook his head at that. Man, Sina, he's into guys, only takes women along briefly in between because he needs a cleaner for his luxury domicile.

Kai, that's enough!, Martin indignantly.

Why? Everybody knows what he is. One who's more into guys. Be careful, he might have AIDS.

You are mean, really disgusting. I'm just saying it, I don't want to hear any comments because I'm not a stupid teenager who decides on his own. So that's all.

Martin, did you know that?, Elmar dumbfounded.

Yes - both. Subject closed.

I still think it's rotten the way Sina lied to us.

Does she do that everywhere. Nice colleague!

Now she's sucking up, Ben, Bircan added. How I hate lying chicks and their guys. Gross, the same lying guy. He suits you.

Quiet! It was not Martin's volume that interrupted the chatter, but the tone of voice that silenced all talk.

In two weeks she'll arrive crying because this guy dropped her. Girl, give him a kick in the ass. That's what he likes, Kai, who was staring thoughtfully ahead.

I wish you good luck, although I also think the issue will be settled in a few weeks. I knew it, by the way, because I saw you together. You're always smooching around now. Only you'd better teach your father and Oliver. He doesn't know yet, does he? Honesty would have solved the problem and Gross would have dumped you by now.

I'll clean up tonight. Thank you, Bircan.

Invite your parents and Oliver to the Greek and tell them there. No one can make a fuss, Sven grinned. That's how my wife and I always settle problems. We behave politely, don't complain, discuss calmly. Then a round of schnapps and all is right with the world.

For a few weeks, Kai laconically.

Kai, she has to go through it alone. If she wants to be number 120 on his list of colleagues, let her, Gerd said laconically. Just don't let her run around the house crying afterwards because no one warned her.

Love seems to make you blind, just because of that take a criminal like that? Sina, don't make yourself unhappy, Kai shook his head, drinking coffee.

Kai, I report your malice. You're not slandering anyone here. Good riddance to you as of Wednesday. Maybe they'll at least lock you up in prison for a while. You are so despicable, Uwe angrily. You're jealous because you can't come close to holding a candle to Olli. Just vicious scum.

Uwe, we'll never see this guy again, so dump him in the bin, Severin now.

Uwe, you are rejoicing too soon. No one will put me in prison because I generally only tell the truth. Who is scum? Oliver? You might be right about that. The guy got promoted because Lars was shot in his presence. I guess he wanted to cash in on that alone, or are you in on it too, Uwe? Is that why you want to see Stefan hanged, you hypocrites? It just never happens. Tell Martin how you four losers, bugiardo, are going against him. Elmar has been spying on Martin illegally for years. Severin and you run to Doctor Winkler, tell the man tall tales. The Gross and her three criminals intend to take over the department so that he can continue his criminal activities and get rich in the process. Oliver will never stay with Sina. Ever. He cheated on her for weeks with three other women and a guy. He'll never give up his other womanising and his lovers. Makes a man out of him. For that, the way he lives and resides would stand out. Such criminals call themselves criminals. A disgrace to justice.

Kai, you may report to Doctor Seller at nine o'clock. Not like that! The worst decision in my long professional life was to bring you into this department. Let us devote ourselves to...

There was a knock and Doctor Winkler came in. Hello, everybody. Mr Kuhlmann, you'll get work, he put two file folders in front of him. The rest of the documents will be sent to the department a little later.

The two dead men from the cemetery?

However. We assume a serial killer because both men were murdered in the same way. The bodies are at the Forensic Institute. You should not take any of the ladies with you for this. Incidentally, number three was found recently, hence our intervention now.

We don't have any other work, Severin murmured.

What is needed here now is a centred approach and a team of investigators with experience, as you have to end this as quickly as possible. Doctor Mahlow is expecting you in half an hour. Thank you and have a nice day.

Thank you, ditto. Doctor Winkler, can I report it to you right here. Mr Razioni has just described Chief Inspector Gross as a man who might have AIDS. He would be a criminal. Please get rid of this unpleasant person immediately.

Mr Razioni, please hand in your badge and miscellaneous downstairs at 9.00 am. This is an instruction! I will pass this on immediately. You really think you always get away with this? Make no mistake about it. He left the room.

Martin opened the binder, read, then looked at the photos.

Elmar, you take over the two ongoing cases together with Gerd. Kai can help you for the two hours. Ben, please find out everything you can about Torsten Koch. The usual. Interview neighbours, friends, employers. We'll bring you the keys to his flat from the CTI. Afterwards, you and Sven will go to the flat of victim number one, he pushed the file towards them. You'll be able to read what overlaps later.

He briefly skimmed over victim number two.

Bircan and Severin, you take over the ditto for Jürgen Ebner. Uwe, we're going to the doctor and the CTI. Katja, please request bank and phone numbers from all three victims, including mobile phones, if that hasn't been done. Find out everything you can about Karsten Schellack. You'll find his address in the Ebner file and open a new file. Elmar will discuss everything else with you. Gerd, can you put out a call for the media? Elmar, if I'm not back by nine, please inform Doctor Seller about Kai's behaviour. Tell him to get him out of the department immediately, and to use him to sweep the car park, for my sake. Enough! Thank you. Kai, you will stay out of my way for all time if, contrary to expectations, you remain in the LKA. Uwe, let's go.

Kai Razioni only looked at him strangely, even sadly.

Martin, I'm going to see Doctor Seller later. It's a pity that no one in 41 is allowed to tell the truth any more. Elmar, Uwe, you'll soon have it made, only without me, Gerd now with a facial expression that expressed all the dislike he felt.

Gerd, it's useless, Sven sent after him.

Kai left the room, Sven, Bircan, Ben and Gerd followed.

Hi, Frank. You have three dead naked people for us?

Well-built specimens they used to be. Now they are less handsome.

Died of what?

Electricity marks in the neck and, in the case of number one, also on the penis. Only then did he receive the blow to the head that led to his death. Identical for all three men, including the shaving off of the pubic hair. In the case of number one and three, the hair in the armpits was removed. In number two, the hair on the legs, arms, one armpit.

Ouch, that hurts.

The electricity or the shaving? How do you know, Uwe? the coroner grinned. Let's go over there, that's where they are. With the dead man from this morning, they're still chopping. But the cause of death is certain. Someone doesn't like men.

Wet or dry?

Wet with no shaving cream, just water.

They followed him down the corridor.

Could it have been a woman?

If she can hit well, is big, yes.

He wheeled a stretcher under one of the glaring overhead floodlights, knocked the cloth away.

Koch, Torsten, 31 years old, was number one. First he or she had the shocker applied to his neck, then his trousers were pulled down. Now shocker to his naked penis. He falls. You can see it on the knees, the palms of the hands. He lived for about 10, 15 minutes, then the blow to the head. Round, heavy object. Iron bar about the way the back of the skull is crushed. Time of death 2.30 to 3.30. Now comes one of the special features. He went to the wall, switched on a light and hung some photographs on it. This is how the head looked from the back when it was found.

Looks like it's been freshly combed.

Martin, exactly. The perpetrator combed the hair, wet combed. Wet with blood, cerebrospinal fluid. He was supposed to wear a hairstyle that the perpetrator liked or something. He cut his hair off for that, amateurish as they look.

Tell me, was he found like this?, Martin pointed to two other photos.

However. It was laid down picturesquely by the sculpture, Fate of Hugo Lederer. Found only at 8.24 a.m. Monday by gardeners or cemetery staff. Oh, murdered Friday to Saturday.

It doesn't exactly look picturesque. Leg bent in a funny way, one arm stretched out, the other bent. He had his mouth open like that?

It was opened like this after he died. There were already some creepy-crawlies in there, as he had been lying there for over two days.

The other victims too?

Uwe, too, but differently. Always one after the other.

Martin took down one of the photos, appraising it. Do you know what this looks like?

You tell me.

Those old painters used to paint nudes in such funny postures. But when I lie down like this, my penis is on my lower right leg.

Martin, not only yours. The perpetrator had a hand in it. The place where he was found is not the place where he was killed. Wasn't on any of the victims, by the way. Now number two.

Are you sure he was lying there that long?

No Uwe, I guessed.

Sorry Frank! There are people traipsing around, aren't there?

I guess no one spotted him. He pulled the cloth away. You see, everything is identical. Ebner, Jürgen, 27 years old. This time he had dark hair. Probably why he shaved his arms and legs. Hair disturbs his overall appearance. 1:28 a.m. He was in the grip of his killer because his watch stopped there. No electrical mark on the penis. Time of death plus 20 minutes. Found 8.53 a.m., gravesite Althamburg Memorial Cemetery by two men who worked there. Uwe, also lay there for more than a day. Murdered Saturday to Sunday. Found Monday morning.

Now he clicked more photos on the wall.

The hairstyle almost identical, only he lies differently and the penis is wedged between his legs. One arm close to the body, that's why only an armpit shave.

He worked efficiently at it, saving where he could, Martin amused. Show us the pictures of number three, please.

Everything is the same, except for the poses. You can see your best piece especially well. Shellac, Karsten, 34 years old. Time of death between 1.30 and 2.30 a.m., Friday to Saturday. Found this morning 7.46 am at the Angel Mausoleum of Peper-Hegel by three people of the cemetery. He also combed his hair and shaved his armpits, as you see.

He looks like he's erect?

Uwe, you said it. Now I come to my hypothesis. Your perpetrator has knowledge of anatomy. Precisely placed stromal features and a blow delivered almost exactly in the same place. He took his time, wasn't rushed. How one manages to induce a post-mortem erection in a dead man is usually known only to medical professionals. Students or doctors.

This meant when he had bedded his victim either vertically, in a hanging position or facing the ground.

Uwe, this form of erection is a congestion of blood produced by the gravity of the outflowing blood, which is no longer distributed throughout the body by the circulation and the pressure of the heart. The blood, like all free-moving masses, accumulates in the lowest parts of the body, where it produces oedema and swelling, the associated discolouration livor mortis.

Could this possibly also be caused by a permanent erection?, Uwe inquired, while Martin looked at the pictures all more closely, now shaking his head.

Unlikely because of the electricity marks. I'll show you on his body in a minute. You can rule out priapism.

Frank, did he ejaculate or did the three gentlemen have sexual intercourse beforehand?

Three times no. Uwe, the erection didn't happen while you were alive. It would have been gone with the electricity. There's nothing left. After that blow to the head, a man generally can't get one, because ...

Frank, why do I want an erection in my victim?, Uwe interrupted him. What sense does that make?

You're the investigators, I'm the doc, Uwe. Maybe he or she thought it looked nicer that way. A kind of aesthetic pleasure. He or she got off on it.

Look how he looks otherwise. The arms strangely apart. His head is turned far back, as if someone is looking up. At least he doesn't have his mouth so wide open. Aesthetically, it looks different to me. That would fit more with a woman then.

Doesn't have to be. Maybe he likes guys, just finds it more artistically expressive. Uwe, what you see as aesthetic doesn't necessarily come across that way to everyone.

I don't think it's that bad without hair. A short cut is fine, but like this? I also find it a turn-off for women. Reminds me somehow of children, teenagers.

Please sort it out later. Can I look at number three for that long, Martin said, slightly annoyed.

Let's go over to number three, Frank Mahlow extinguished the light on the wall. That's the trend of the times, Uwe. Although it's all been there. Women and men shave today, though usually not so radically. You see the splendour or not splendour that way. It makes a small penis look bigger. Plus, it's much more comfortable for your partner during fellatio or deepthroating than if there's longer, stubborn hair all over the place. He opened the door and they greeted.

It's snipped open, though. Show them only the upper part because of the electricity mark, Jörg.

Martin looked at that more concisely, while Uwe held back there.

Frank, were they on drugs, medication, alcohol?

"One and two don't. We're still working on him.

Martin lifted the cloth, looked at the body. The haematomas, older?

Made at least four, five days before his death. Looks like he ran into an object with two sharp edges on top of each other. It must have been really dark blue.

He put the blanket aside, lifted his arm a little. Is that a mole?

Nothing really escapes you. It is, smiled the coroner.

How come I don't see him in the photo?

Make-up. The brand is explored in more detail by Ahmed.

What do you mean, he spammed it on the victim so he wouldn't be recognised? asked Uwe, grinning. He's got a quirk, hasn't he? The bruises too?

No, because he was lying on it. Nothing should spoil his work of art.

Uwe, you should have looked at the photos, Martin chided.

Martin appraised the body. Just under 80 kilos, 1.85 metres. Muscular. Were there any peculiarities like that in numbers one and two?

Nothing.

When do we get the photos and evaluations?

You can take the photos now, Martin. The rest tomorrow. He's only been with us a short time, so don't rush. With all three victims you can assume they were washed after the shaving, the killing. There wasn't a speck of blood on them except in the hair. Anton is searching by blood analysis from the hair to see if there is any of it from another victim. Takes a few days.

Back to antiquity! blasphemed Uwe. I was in Greece with my ex. There you find figures everywhere that look like the three men or on stelae such images. Only they looked different, friendlier, not so fearful, frightened.

A sculptor in disguise with medical knowledge who doesn't carve them in stone but depicts them using living objects? Totally breesig!, the forensic doctor shook his head.

Something like that, only they were already dead. He stored them somewhere for up to, let's say, three hours, during which time he prepared his victim according to his ideas. It doesn't really work, because when he transported them, his painstakingly made poses shifted. Accordingly, he has to start again here. How long does it take for him to stiffen up again?

In my opinion it was the other way round, Uwe. Electrocution, shaving, killing, washing, wrapped in foil and taken to the place where he was found and prepared there. He already put victim number three in the car in such a way that the erection occurred during the journey. He stops near the place where he was later found, and now the picturesque laying out begins. Laying him down, doing his hair all over again, placing his arms and legs, making minor corrections.

Martin, it couldn't have been like that. How much time does this take, Frank?

How should I know when he was satisfied with his work. I'd say up to six or seven hours.

I'm not exactly weak, not small. Getting an 80-kilo man into a car is still possible. Getting him out of there is a bit more difficult, especially without any visible scratches or drag marks. I drive to the cemetery in Ohlsdorf with a corpse in the car. I take the time between 5:00 and 6:00. Dawn is slowly coming. Now I look for an appealing place, park. So I carefully lift it, let's say out of a transporter, van, carry the person wrapped in foil to the place where it will later be found. It's certainly always a few metres, as the graves and sculptures are not directly on the roadside. I am completely exhausted. I carry him on my two arms. Due to the foil - slippery. The legs, arms and his bottom are hanging down. I place him and now have to wait, as with numbers one and three, for his penis to become hard again, i.e. caused by rigor mortis or stiff, erection. Now I start to position the dead man nicely. Arm up, bent, legs slightly spread, bent. Oh no, rather the left one bent. Penis to the right, penis to the left, legs together after all. The hair is tousled, comb it again. Mouth open, mouth closed, head forwards, head backwards, no, to the right. In between I illuminate the whole work with the torch. A few changes here and there. I do it all calmly, hoping that no one will drive by....

It's strange. The men weren't stupid, they could think. They must have known the perpetrator well, otherwise they wouldn't have let him get so close, would have gone somewhere with him. Uwe, there are only a few errors in thinking. Why go to the cemetery at 5 a.m. or later? There certainly aren't many walkers around here at 8.00 or 9.00 in the morning. I assume that he knew beforehand where he was going to place the victim and that he had an idea of what the deceased should look like. Combing, shaving, points to that, including the poses. A dead man can no longer get an erection, that's just by the way. The rigor mortis on his penis could never have been produced while he was lying here, but already during transport. He laid the corpse in such a way that the blood collected there, as Frank explained earlier. Now carefully transported to the later place of discovery by means of a board, foil that one pulls or something similar. The grass is damp from the night air, so it quickly straightens up again. The tracks disappear. I now push the limbs into place. The gates open around possibly 8.00. I drive out a short time later. I'm of the opinion that even if he doesn't drive in until eight o'clock on a Saturday morning, he can complete his work pretty much unmolested. How many people are walking along there at that time? Ten? Twenty? If you go around, everyone thinks you're tending graves, praying, talking to the dead or whatever else you do at graves. Frank, how much do these gentlemen weigh? They don't have any other skin abrasions or anything like that?

Between 74 and 81 kilos. Exact details in the report. All without blatant abrasions except victim one as he fell down. Knees and palms. No, zero lint residue or anything like that. That's probably why the washes. Not even any of the respective clothing, except on victim number two. He had some of his socks between his toes. Cotton, black, commercial material.

Do you know if they found any drag marks or anything like that there, Frank? Uwe thoughtfully.

Nothing! Neither anything about shoes, fibres, dragging, pulling. Nothing! Like Martin, I am of the opinion that the victims were not carried like that, but on a board or the like. The legs, or rather lower legs and arms, were moved at the place of discovery. It's all in the report with detailed explanations of why and how. Guys, I have to, as I still have six dead to explain today.

He gave them a binder in the office. The rest in the afternoon. The rest of the descriptions you should have or get from the other office. Martin, you snap him or her up too.

Thank you, Frank.

They were looking for Doctor Fabian Sprengler at the Forensic Institute.

Hello, Fabian. Can you show us the clothes of the two men?

Heard you were getting that already. There wasn't much.

No clothes?

No! Let's go next door, everything is there. There were no clothes or shoes, but the perpetrator put all the valuables next to him. Wallets, watches, a necklace, keys. All clearly visible in the photos.

He opened the first box. Jürgen Ebner. I'll give you gloves.

Do you have the mobile numbers?

Is all on its way to you, as I heard from the office, except number three. More tomorrow at the earliest.

They looked at the few objects.

That's when the killer didn't want to look like a thief.

Martin, that's how we see it too. There are no foreign fingerprints on any of the things. The perpetrator or perpetrators left not one tiny trace. No DNA. Nothing, not even anything on the victims. It was all handled with gloves.

No clue where they were murdered?

"None! Assume, he bedded the men on a foil. They had to undress, at least Koch pulled down his trousers, got the next electric shock there. Why this small time span until the death? Presumption! He first took the injured men to the place where they later died. Then they were shaved, combed and taken to the place where they were found. You'll have to check with the reports from the doc.

"Fabian, that would mean that the gentlemen were all in the immediate vicinity of one place. The places of residence are completely different.

That's exactly how it looks. Only this flat, the location, more than difficult to find. He had time to dump the body somewhere. It's like all serial killers, there's at least one denominator. Men who were good looking, who didn't use their hands to do heavy work. Men with some financial security, if I add the bank cards, watches and mobile phones. Now the flats: All well furnished in a middle class modern way. Clothes a little higher than middle class. No one was in a steady relationship, but there were probably affairs with women, as you could see in the bedrooms. Nothing points to homosexuality. All victims had the most modern devices. The notebooks, tablets are still being evaluated. Fact is, you can rule out internet connections, social networks. One of them was a photo freak, took countless pictures. All still with a top SLR camera and six zooms. Cars good middle class: an SUV, a BMW and an Audi, were all in close proximity to the flats. A graphic designer, a banker, a graduate engineer in mechanical engineering. The Ebner collected model cars. The cook was a snapshot taker and the shellac was a sports freak. There is not much left in common, except a regular pub, a meeting place for ... restaurant, theatre, et cetera. There the perpetrator lies in wait. If he sees an object according to his imagination, he approaches them. Doesn't have to strike the first time.

Well, just Fabian, who goes alone in the evening to the theatre, opera, restaurant, even pub? Maybe at a local pub around the corner, but otherwise?

He had a date with someone? Namely the murderer, Uwe. The fact is, they weren't murdered in the flats. In the cars of number one and two on the passenger side all kinds of DNA traces and fingerprints. Dangerous, however, they were only by the owners. No smudging fingerprints.

Taxi.

Uwe, it doesn't have to be. The murderer picked up his later victim precisely because he had made contact beforehand. Hi Karsten, would you like to have a beer with me? I'll pick you up. Or: It's my birthday today. We're celebrating. Why don't you come round? There are lots of possibilities. Look at the locations. Three of my people are still in Ohlsdorf.

Has anything been taken from the flats?

No, they said. Ask your predecessors that.

But it could be that the perpetrator was in the flat in question?

Uwe, if, then with gloves. One and two no match at all from DNA, fingerprints. Three follows first. Assume he wasn't in the flats. If he had been there, he would have worn gloves. The owner would have noticed. Ebner lived on the fourth floor without a lift. You drag the man down there without being heard.

Fabian, can we please get the flat keys?, Martin deflected.

Yes, as we are done with number one and two. Both are still sealed, though. The third flat, Shellac, call when you're ready. Two people are coming there. They just went there for a quick look, sealed those up.

Now they drove to the cemetery in Ohlsdorf, which is considered the largest park cemetery in the world. At the entrance, Uwe got out, read the opening hours: 8.00 am to 6.00 pm. How did he get in there?

We'll have to find out if they've done any research. Maybe they don't lock all the gates, if there are any everywhere. Now we know he was able to try out on his victim at his leisure how to make him look good. He had five hours to do so. Let's find the colleagues from the Spusi.

The terrain really did look more like a park than a cemetery. Only in certain areas did one recognise that. There were countless old trees, wide grassy areas. Now everything looked rather bleak, as spring had not yet arrived.

It must look great here in the summer.

You've never been here before?

No. I only heard about it.

There are said to be about 450 deciduous and coniferous species here. Plus plenty of ponds and streams stocked with ducks, swans and other waterfowl. It is Hamburg's largest park.

Can anyone be buried there or only celebrities and people with money?

Everyone, regardless of where they live or what denomination they belong to. I don't know if it's more expensive here than elsewhere. There are certain areas: Police Graves of Honour, inaugurated in 1923 after the October riots in which 14 officers lost their lives. The area is called Revier Blutbuche and is named after the tree that grows in the centre of the roundabout. There is a military cemetery, one for resistance fighters, for the fire brigade, a place just for women. In the columbarium in the renovated chapel eight, urns are buried in above-ground niches. The trend towards gravesites without additional grave maintenance is the reason for this form of burial. No knowledge of what else.

After a long search, the staff of the Tracing Service found them at a mausoleum.

Wow! That looks like some ancient Greek monument, Uwe observed. Who's lying there?

Earlier, our third victim. Hi, Klaas. Where was he?

Moin. In front of the angel on the first step. You won't find anything there, no blood, no fluff, just material from the dead man. He was lying on the bed really nicely matching the sculpture. You're still searching the perimeter, but won't find anything.

Nice place, Uwe looked around, now contemplating the angel. Only why didn't he take the front den? Wouldn't have had to drag it so far.

Ask him when we catch him. Do you know where the other two specimens are?

You'll have to look up the names of the sites. Something about destiny and old hamburgers.

Somehow the perpetrator has an art obsession, Uwe observed.

You mean because of the angels or how he laid them out?

Both! Klaas, he drags those nicely laid out next to an angel. Breesig, right?

Uwe, he put them down. Only afterwards, on the spot, did he begin to shape his work. Was he supposed to bury them right away?

Why not? If they hadn't been found so quickly. Are there actually male angels?

You're standing in front of one right now.

How can I tell? he appraised the marble sculpture, stroking it with his fingers.

Stop with the skirmishing. Have you looked at all these walls to see if the victims were murdered there?

Martin, we've been at this for months. It works the other way round. You find the masonry, call, we come, say yes, is her blood or keep looking. That's how it works.

Have you checked the entrances?

All unharmed they say.

Look. There they are walking with a coffin. The men look so cute.

Uwe, this is a cemetery, not a theatre. A bit more serious, yes.

Doesn't anyone hear? What is it actually like? A family buys a few square metres and has a building erected. Now the builder dies, his children, grandchildren. They're all buried here? How many generations can you bury there?

You ask the administration, Martin shook his head.

Someone dies, comes somewhere here until they are buried. Probably an old wall, a hall or something.

Uwe, you look for the blood and call us when you find it. This compound is big. Theoretically, he could have murdered him anywhere, even without walls. There's no one here at night. If he roared, no one would hear it except rabbits, birds or any other critters. No, we don't search the grounds.

The chief inspector laughed. I didn't think of that either. We need a plan of the premises and the names of the employees here. Either the culprit is someone who has a key or they don't lock the gates at night.

Or he stole a key.

Would have been mentioned, wouldn't it?

Uwe, we're leaving before there's any more speculation. Let's have a quick look at the other two places, then administration, where you can request everything.

I think there's something about old walls, steles and figures. Somehow I have a soft spot for them.

You should take a closer look then. There are a lot of them, some of them by well-known artists.

They looked around the place where Thomas Koch was found.

Man, that thing is ugly. A half-naked dominatrix with two slaves.

Goddess of fate or something, who wants to teach people how to behave, Martin grinned.

The two figures next to her look as if they were about to be executed. You can't even see where he was lying here. The perpetrator has plenty to do after every murder. Wiping away blood and stubble or hair, cleaning comb and razor. Dispose of clothes: three times the complete male wardrobe.

What are you getting at, Uwe?

It's not exactly a small mountain. There's a dustbin full in no time. Maybe that will help us. When we drove in earlier, there were containers in front. Organic, paper, leftovers, plastic. They'll probably find something we can use from the clothes.

We generally have to go to the administration. Sort it out there. Now for the third location.

Martin, what's wrong with you today? the chief inspector inquired as they sat in the car.

I don't know! Oliver and Sina are running through my head. I bitched at him pretty stupidly earlier, apologised to him afterwards. It's none of my business what anyone does in their private life. I just don't understand Sina that she didn't clear this up within the family months ago, didn't come clean with Oliver. In my opinion, it's the wrong way to go about it, that she first came clean in the department. First parents, then Oliver and only then the colleagues.

Didn't you know that before?

No, as I would have told her then, tell your parents, Oliver.

I only know her father slightly. How does he take it?

Normally he is a calm, level-headed man. Only it's about the daughter ... He actually liked Oliver, that only changed after this mess he made of us, as it did with many colleagues. I don't know. I think angry at first, like Oliver.

"He won't go berserk in a pub, will he? Either he leaves immediately or they talk it out. The restaurant thing was a good idea. You just have to behave, you can't yell, bicker or get physical. If I were Olli, I'd be furious with Sina. I meet someone and she lies to me for months right at the beginning. That's not right in my opinion. At the second or third meeting you should lay your cards on the table. I think that's fairer.

Me ditto! Nevertheless, Sina will not have lied about it, at most she will have concealed it. Only if she had told him, he would have sought out the conversation with Dieter of his own accord, whether it suited her or not. I suspect that's exactly what she wanted to avoid.

How long was she going to go on with this ostrich approach? There are colleagues in the house who saw them together. She had to expect that this would be gossiped about.

Maybe she wanted to wait and see if it would become something more. She's got her head full of things to do tonight. This should be it, Martin stopped and they got out.

Gravesite Althamburger so without angels. Does the murderer have a religious obsession?

Could be, or one for cemeteries, the ancient world.

He's definitely got a screw loose and he's making a lot of work of his victim.

Rather half-heartedly, see the sparse shaving. Let's drive over and ask there, Martin gestured to the distant building.

It looks ancient, too. How long has this cemetery been there?

I don't know. A hundred years or so.

He parked right in front of the building and immediately an elderly woman came out, saying that parking was prohibited here. He should park his car there, she pointed a little further away, adjusting her rimless glasses.

LKA, they walked towards the portal. We are looking for someone who can give us information.

Please come with me. It's all so terrible. It's impious to lay the dead like this, as you're following the official route. They entered an office. Please wait, as I have to register you.

Seemed to be an energetic lady, Martin eyed the woman. She was wearing an elegant dark blue suit with matching pumps. Looked well and especially suitably serious.

She made a phone call and thanked him. Doctor Krüger will be here shortly. Please take a seat. Nothing like this has ever happened in our cemetery before. Visitors get a fright when they hear such reports. 136 years there have been no incidents at all. The cemetery was inaugurated on 1 July 1877. There are 235,000 graves here and over 1.4 million burials have taken place. Between 1896 and 1905, the Althamburg Memorial Cemetery, then called the Cemetery of Honour, was built opposite the main entrance, she pointed out the window. Its structure is that of the parterre of a baroque garden with symmetrically arranged paths and columnar cut yews. The gardeners work carefully there so that everything is neatly trimmed. Above the garden at our staircase is a large, clearly visible statue of Christ made of white marble. It is the work of the sculptor Xaver Arnold and was donated by the shipowner Friedrich Wencke in 1905. He died the same year at the age of 63. You should have seen it. It is really impressive, it sounded reproachful. Our cemetery of honour is regarded as Hamburg's city-historical memory, because people whose work was significant for our Hamburg were buried here. In the first years of its existence in particular, important personalities were reburied here from the old cemeteries that had been dissolved, and in the 1960s the remains from the cemeteries in Hamm and in Wandsbek were added. Since 1998, we have been reburying persons whose resting time in their original graves has expired in the cemetery of honour. The resting period for these graves in the public interest is in fact unlimited, you must know. The graves are arranged along the path axes according to occupational and important groups. There are 74 collective graves, for example for mayors, senators, lawyers, pastors of the main churches, poets and writers, musicians, actors, teachers, merchants. There are six family graves, such as for the Anderson and Rodenborg families, of course ...

The door opened and she nodded. These gentlemen are from the police, State Criminal Police Office.

LKA. Kuhlmann and Chief Inspector Siegel. Doctor Krüger, we have some questions and they don't concern the layout of the plant, nor any trees, although that can be instructive. My compliments to Ms Kramer.

He grinned. Accompany me.

The dead man today was found before work started. Why?

You can question the three employees, as they are still in the house. I was only informed. I, in turn, immediately called your colleagues.

After all, there are several access roads. When will the gates open?

Seven. Between 7.45 am and 8.00 am. Different employees take care of that. I already asked everywhere, but the gates were all locked, I was assured.

Still, someone must have come in to deposit the bodies.

I know, Mr Siegel. Today's case in particular is inexplicable to us. Ms Kramer, the lady who just gave you very comprehensive information about the facility, unlocked at 7.45 am. She is always the first one here. She would probably have had a heart attack if the gate had not been locked. One of the workers, who appears first after her, opens the two wings. If a car had driven along here, she would definitely see it. Nothing escapes her.

Who has a key to these gates?

He opened a door, let her enter and pointed to a seating area. Take a seat. We already wrote down the names on the first case, he went to his desk and picked up a notebook. Here are the names, who has a key, plus a list of all the staff. The people have been employed here for many years. No key has ever been lost.

Thank you. Has anyone left recently?, Martin skimmed the names. Oh man, that was a lot of employees.

Yes, some gentlemen last year. They had reached the retirement age they deserved.

Doctor Krüger, we noticed that there are rubbish containers in front. When are they emptied? asked Uwe.

The bio-containers vary, as we process the contents here. The others are emptied weekly.

Did any staff member happen to notice any clothes in there?

No! Anyway, nothing has been reported to me about it. Normally they don't use them either.

Are there containers like this at every entrance?

Yes, because of the size of the park, visitors go in and out everywhere, so they can dispose of the rubbish there. At the moment, the park is less frequented than in the warmer months. There are litter bins everywhere, which are emptied by the staff in the morning. They then throw the bags into the containers.

Doctor Krüger, do the names Torsten Koch, Jürgen Ebner and Karsten Schellack mean anything to you?, Martin deflected from the subject. The man seemed amused by this and he generally dismissed it. The perpetrator worked meticulously, he wasn't that stupid to throw away here.

No! Not at the moment, anyway. Are these the victims?

Yes. Can you please have someone check whether people with the names Koch, Ebner and Schellack were buried in the cemetery?

Of course. Ms Kramer can pick that out for you. Especially with the name Koch, there will most likely be several people.

Can we speak to the staff who found the victims?

I'll send for the gentlemen. Three are in the building. I'll take you there.

They left the office. Do you know why the dead man was found before eight o'clock?

At eight o'clock they wanted to start pruning the trees. The gentlemen wanted to check again beforehand whether they had all been marked.

Is such a thing common?

Yes, Mr Kuhlmann. Particularly now at the beginning of the spring season, the employees start working earlier so that the necessary work can be done undisturbed in places where there are many visitors. It is easier for the employees and the visitors are not disturbed. No, on the days when these unfortunate men were found, no one was on the premises so early. It is only now gradually beginning to prune trees, plant flowers. The traces of winter have already been removed. Now gradually the restful time for the garden staff is over.

All seven men testified how they found the three dead. Although they were used to dealing with death, they still got a shock. That was all they knew. Martin and Uwe drove around the containers, but nowhere did they find any clothes.

Ms Kramer reminded me of my grandmother. I like people like that. I just almost had to laugh when she said it was impious to just put the dead down like that.

A very resolute lady, with a distinguished demeanour. Uwe, that's how she feels. One deals even with murdered persons properly, does not lay them naked somewhere. As the lady expressed - impious.

In the office, Sina handed him the details of the last victim. The parents lived in Dresden. He was also born there. He had studied in Hamburg, lived there. Otherwise he was clean. An aunt still lived in Hamburg.

Sina, please search through the missing persons reports. The victims were not discovered immediately, but only a day or two later. Thank you. Uwe, let's go to his flat first, then employers and finally the aunt. Sina, please ask the colleagues in Dresden what the parents said. Have the bank and connection certificates been applied for?

Done.

Elmar, where are the others?

On the road, except Kai. He eats, drinks coffee, makes a few phone calls, runs around the house, gossips. Everything is so bad because he had to make his coffee alone in the morning. He wanted to let his Alessia sleep in, the great family man. Now he'll be at Doctor Seller's, I suppose. Told him to get to work. He said, Since when do you get to tell me what to do? Man, find yourself another department to act up in. Maybe you can get a job with that faggot. He'll take any idiot. Martin and I certainly don't need you. So don't talk to me, or I'll tell Martin how you're acting here."

That guy is disgusting, the way he went on about me again, Sina agreed with Elmar, grinning. "He was really mean to us, he was talking about Oliver again, he was talking stupid to Elmar.

Now why was that so funny? asked Martin.

Why funny?

Uwe quickly came to her rescue. Sina, don't get upset. We won't see the gangster again. They'll generally lock him up soon.

Hopefully for a long time, she agreed with him. He's so mean.

There's a repercussion for that. Not like this. He reached for Elmar's phone, dialled. He reported the new incident. Doctor Seller, if he contacts you, please tell him I don't want to see him here again. Tell him to pick up his personal junk and goodbye. No one wants to hear his insolence, the lies anymore. I don't care! Let him sweep the car park or whatever. Thank you, Doctor Seller, he put the phone back thoughtfully.

Elmar, he hasn't reported there yet. If he comes, please call Doctor Seller to have him picked up. Tell him to take his jacket and whatever else he has lying around with him right away. Not like that. I'm just glad we've finally got some peace and quiet. Uwe, let's go. Elmar, here are the keys to the two flats. I'll leave them with Sven and Bircan. Please call Fabian that we are on our way to the flat. Thank you.

It was a pretty new building complex. Martin put on gloves, unlocked the letterbox, took out the mail. Advertising, a telecom bill with no proof of connection and the property management company's statement for the service charges.

They found a spacious three-room flat. Before they entered the flat, they used the plastic bags, as Martin called the white overshoes.

In the first room on the right, a racing bike hung on the wall, an exercise bike stood next to a weight bench. Opposite was a hypermodern kitchen. Next is the dining-living room and the bedroom with bathroom.

Looks nice, Uwe observed. I wonder if he cleaned this place so neatly.

The way he looked, there was probably a female who did it for him. If we look in the phone, we'll probably find numbers quicker than waiting for the phone lists.

Uwe noted down the numbers while he went into the kitchen. As almost always, he first looked in the fridge and freezer. There was nothing there, although he had found jewellery, money, important documents. Only a little rubbish was in the bin. In the dishwasher, two glasses, cutlery. He fetched bags, put everything in there. Now the wine cupboard. There were little treasures stored there, as he noticed when he read the labels. He found nothing else.

He liked listening to rock music.

Is there something on the machine?

It was switched off. The last call from his mother was 14 days ago.

Now the sideboard. Here are countless photos of women. He turned the pictures over. One is called Anita and another Babs. He wasn't into any particular type. Sometimes brown, sometimes red, sometimes blonde.

If he only took her for sex, it doesn't matter. You're looking funny. Have you discovered something or are you brooding?

I'm still thinking about what the doc said.

What do you mean? That it could have been a woman?

No, with the shaving.

Why, what was there? Something relevant?, Martin enquired, puzzled, looking at the photos, reading what had been written on the back.

Indeed! Not for you?

He looked briefly irritated at Uwe. I don't know what you mean. I probably didn't hear it.

Well the shaving.

Personally, I think it's normal. Everyone does what they like. What's the problem? You might also remove your armpit hair, Martin went to the shelf and took a quick look behind the books.

In the summer, yes. The rest, no.

Arms and legs rather atypical. Only some men even remove their chest hair.

Don't have too many. Just sniping at the pubic hair?

Why not? It probably depends partly on the women you have. One minds, the other doesn't. There's a card here from a gym. Let's take it.

Do you shave or snip all over?

Martin pulled out a photo album, leafed through it, looked at the photos. Yes, except for arms, legs and chest. It's generally not noticeable in summer because I tan very quickly. In winter, nobody sees it except my family. If I were the type who had a lot of hair, I would have had it removed properly years ago. My grandmother never liked it and would have persuaded me or my brother to do it. She was an absolute cosmetics freak, without all that make-up stuff though. She put us on the right path when we were teenagers. Men also have to take care of themselves, put on lotion and so on.

Like your grandma said, cut your pubic hair?

Martin laughed. Not that now. That came to me because I just thought about it. What man likes women to be too hairy? Probably few. So why not the other way round? There are only family photos in here, he put the album back.

Sports freak and chips? How does that go together? Uwe held up a bag.

I know a lot of people who stuff themselves with crisps and chocolate first, then go jogging to get rid of the calories.

Breesig, be honest.

I think so in general. If I eat a reasonably balanced diet, even if I occasionally go overboard, I neither have to run around nor do I get fat. I don't have to eat greasy chips, hamburgers and all that kind of stuff every day. It only clogs up your stomach, makes you fat and you can't talk about taste in general. Only unimportant stuff is in here.

I like to eat a burger. I'll see if I can find something in the bedroom.

Two employees of the forensics department appeared and now began the meticulous work.

After two hours, they took three folders. They hadn't found anything else really important. Quite a normal life, but already a little higher up.

Let's ask the neighbours.

That also yielded nothing. Everyone described him as a polite, nice neighbour. No, no loud parties. Yes, some women had already appeared there. Everything was completely normal. They knew friends by sight who often came to visit, but no one knew their names.

Well, that was a bust. Everything sounds normal.

They did not experience anything detrimental with the employer. Popular with colleagues, always reliable, worked a lot, friendly, helpful. About his private life they said: "One who didn't let anything go to waste. He never wanted to marry, because they could live together like that. At forty, he wanted to have a child, if he found the right woman. Some colleagues sometimes went out for a beer with him in the evening. Nobody knew his friends. He only told them sometimes that he had done this or that with two buddies. One of them owned a small dinghy and they were often out on the water in the warm months. No one knew their names.

It didn't do us much good.

Let's go to the aunt. She might know more.

A villa in Blankenese was the address.

It only says von Stein on the doorbell.

Let's try it anyway. Maybe they have a new address from Mrs Walther.

They opened the old, partially rusted gate, which squeaked quietly, and went to the villa.

It all looks a bit rotten.

In need of renovation. Either money is tight there or people don't mind.

An older woman in a wheelchair was waiting for them, behind her was another woman. Martin showed the ID card, introduced Uwe and himself.

What do you want?, the woman