That Which Severs Part 13

Yefim knocked on the open door of the police records room. The slender officer standing by the back window looked up, and placed her touch screen down on the table.

"I am looking for Officer Grunwald." Yefim explained from the doorway.

"I am she. How may I help you?" She asked, taking off her reading glasses. Her word perfect German sounded slightly off, the vowels softened as she spoke. Tell-tale signs, Yefim had learned, of someone from a German canton of Switzerland.

Yefim walked in and extended a hand. "I am Yefim Formin, Russian Attaché. I was told to see you about the Müller investigation."

"So, you are my new supervisor." She replied sourly, and placed the touchscreen in a cardboard box.

"Pardon?" Yefim allowed his hand to drop to his side.

"Earlier today my chief came in and cleared my desk of all cases except for this one. He then tells me that a Russian absconded with the only possible witness in my case, and that I was to answer to him in this investigation." Officer Grunwald placed both hands on her hips and scowled at him. "Understand this, Russian Attaché Yefim Fomin, in addition to being a nuisance, by injecting yourself into this investigation, you have made yourself the primary suspect on a very short list."

Yefim blinked, and took a step back.

"I- I am terribly sorry, Frau Grunwald." Yefim spoke with measured slowness, his mind racing. "There appears to have been a miscommunication. Maria is at the Consulate, her brother, and now guardian, asked that I look after her, but I can produce her for an interveiw at any time. Further, when I called earlier, it was to offer my services, not to take control of this investigation. I work for the Fraud department."

Officer Grunwald studied him for a long moment. Yefim suffered the distinct impression that he came up lacking.

"Fraud? Can you explain these wire transfers?" She handed him the touch pad. Yefim scrolled down the list.

"These look like... no, I am certain these are tuition payments." He pointed to the routing number next to the high lighted transfers. "These first five digits are area code for Kiev. The Müllers' son is attending univeristy there."

"And these?" She double tapped the screen, bring up a credit card statement.

"Ah... these and this one are charges to the University bookstore, this one and all these are to the same cafe just outside the University grounds. The rest look like purchases made here Hamburg." Yefim replied.

"And this cafe, what do you know about it?" Yefim thought he detected a slight softening in her harsh tone.

"It is a nice cafe, it caters to the students, has reasonable prices. And almost every student goes there at some point to listen to the Economics professors pontificate over their beers." He explained, handing back the touch screen.

Officer Grunwald took the touchscreen, then looked him in the eye. For a second time she studied him.

"You'll do," she decided, and pulled a chair out for him. "Have a seat. These are photos from the scene." She grabbed a second touch screen, and keyed the files up.

"Be warned," She cautioned him, "there was a lot of blood."

Yefim nodded, and took the offered touch screen, and immediantly regretted his large breakfast.

"Maria found them?" His voice was bleak.

Officer Grunwald nodded.

Yefim sighed, and placed the touchscreen on the table before him.

"Was anyone else at the scene?" He asked, and made a mental note to have Maria see the Consulate therapist.

"No, and as you can see here and here" Grunwald pointed to shots of the pavement "there was no attempt to brake."

Yefim frowned, and picked up the first touch screen, tapping back through it to the police report.

"Wait, I know this road, it's very narrow. How did they get to that speed, let alone flip?" He asked, perplexed.

"I don't know, that's why I'm investigating." Officer Grunwald shrugged. "But there are a lot of trees in area, and ice forms in the shade they throw."