Dead of Night by Simon Scarrow

Author:Simon Scarrow [Scarrow, Simon]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-02-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-One

Wilke sat back down, and Liebwitz stood between the young man and the door. A woman carrying a steaming bowl and some strips of towelling over her arm emerged from the doorway behind the counter and made for Hauser. Behind her came the innkeeper with a bottle and three small glasses. As she set the bowl down on the floor beside the sergeant, the light from the flames in the grate reflected off a pendant hanging around her neck. Then she straightened up and returned to the kitchen.

Schenke hesitated for a moment before his gaze shifted to the innkeeper. He indicated Wilke. ‘We’ll need another glass for our young friend there.’

‘The lad’s had more than is good for him already.’

‘All the same, I think he’ll need another drink.’

The innkeeper glanced towards Wilke, who was rocking slightly on the bench. ‘Fair enough. But you’ll be the ones answering to his mother if he’s reeling drunk when he goes home.’

‘I’ll take that risk.’

Schenke took off his coat and hung it over the back of Hauser’s chair. The sergeant’s face was smeared with dried blood, but the cut over his nose was no longer bleeding. Schenke picked up one of the strips of towelling and dipped it in the hot water, then began to wipe away the blood from Hauser’s face. The sergeant stirred and opened his eyes.

‘What the hell?’ He made to rise, and then winced. ‘Oh, my bloody head . . .’ He slumped back and waited for the pain to recede. ‘Where are we, sir? What happened?’

‘One thing at a time, Sergeant. Let me get on with cleaning you up while I explain.’

Hauser nodded.

‘You came to grief against the steering wheel when the car went over. Remember?’

He frowned. ‘Oh, yes . . . We skidded and hit something.’

‘That’s right.’

‘And the car? There was a fire.’

‘The car went up in flames.’

‘The Audi? It’s gone?’

There was a hint of tragedy in Hauser’s voice, and Schenke could not help a slight smile as he responded. ‘Yes, but at least the three of us are alive and safe, eh?’ He finished cleaning the sergeant’s face. ‘There. Now let’s get that schnapps inside us.’

Once the innkeeper had provided the extra glass, Schenke poured from the bottle and handed the glasses round, the last one being for Wilke.

‘Drink up.’

He set the example by downing his drink in one go, feeling the tingling fire of the liquid spread through his stomach. Hauser and Wilke followed suit, while Liebwitz, still standing, took a tentative sip.

‘Another,’ Schenke instructed as he refilled Wilke’s glass. The youth hesitated. ‘Drink it.’

Wilke did as he was told, then held the empty glass in his lap out of the inspector’s reach.

Schenke set the bottle down and focused on the young orderly. ‘Let’s talk. I want to know what happened when your director left. I take it he went out by the main entrance?’

‘Yes, he did.’ Wilke nodded, the slur in his speech more pronounced. ‘Me and Huber were at the counter when he came down the stairs, in a hurry like.

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