The Body on the Beach by Anna Johannsen

Author:Anna Johannsen [Johannsen, Anna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781542003797
Published: 2019-07-31T16:00:00+00:00

13

‘Oh Christ, not you again,’ Leon muttered when he picked up Lena’s call.

‘Herbert Bergendorf,’ Lena said.

‘The deleted mystery email?’

‘I need to find out more about him.’

‘What are you after?’

‘If only I knew. Just sift through his emails and anything else you can find, would you? The works. He has a house on Amrum and another in Hamburg.’

Leon hung up without saying goodbye. Lena knew this was a good sign. He’d get straight to work.

After leaving Bergendorf’s mansion, Lena walked back to the main road and headed towards her aunt’s house. She’d texted Johann to pick her up from there once he had finished his interviews.

On her walk over to Beke, she tried to make sense of Herbert Bergendorf’s replies and demeanour. On the one hand, he’d seemed relaxed and quite normal, but she’d had the distinct impression that he’d been tense behind the blasé exterior, and very careful with his replies. He’d paused each time before speaking or repeated part of Lena’s question as though gaining time in order to avoid making a mistake. It wasn’t unusual for people to become nervous during an interview. They were, after all, being questioned by the police and it was a natural reaction to act as though they had something to hide. But Herbert Bergendorf was different. He’d observed her calmly, patiently, like a hunter waiting for the right moment to fire the fatal shot. Lena felt certain that she was on to something. Whether that something had anything to do with Hein Bohlen’s murder remained to be seen.

Lena knocked on Beke’s door. Moments later she heard footsteps in the hallway.

‘Lena, what a nice surprise. I’m just preparing lunch. Are you in a rush?’

‘I don’t think so,’ she said and checked her buzzing phone. A text from Johann. He’d be at least another hour. ‘I’ve an hour or so.’

‘Wonderful,’ said Beke, hugging her niece.

Quarter of an hour later, Lena sat at the table with a plate of Labskaus in front of her: a dish of corned beef and potatoes with a fried egg on top.

‘Yum,’ said Lena. ‘How did you know I was coming for lunch?’

‘Because I made your favourite meal, you mean? I think it had more to do with the fact that you’re on Amrum at the moment.’

‘Delicious!’ said Lena after she’d tried a spoonful. ‘The best Labskaus in the whole world.’

Beke smiled and said, ‘You’re exaggerating, deern.’

After Lena had finished her second helping, she leaned back and grunted with satisfaction. ‘That’s exactly what I needed.’

Beke cleared the table. ‘Tough day on the job?’

‘We’re still completely in the dark. We should have come here two weeks ago – the first forty-eight hours are crucial. Do you know a Herbert Bergendorf?’

‘That peculiar bank director fellow from Hamburg?’

‘He’s retired, but yes, he was CEO of a large Hamburg-based bank until a few years ago.’

‘Either way, I don’t care much for people of his sort. He’d be better off on Sylt.’

‘Sounds like he’s not too popular?’

‘Well, you know how long it takes for Amrum folk to accept an incomer.

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