Berlin Burning Read Online Free Page B

Feeling tense?’
    â€˜Are you playing with me, Trautmann? You know I don’t appreciate that kind of treatment, least of all here in my own place.’
    â€˜Tell me about Maria.’
    â€˜Tell you what about Maria?’
    â€˜Her boyfriend was killed two hours ago, give or take. What did you know about him?’
    â€˜Don’t you want to know where I was?’ Fleischer said. ‘I assume I am a suspect.’
    An odd thing to say. Trautmann countered with: ‘To some in the department you’re the only suspect.’
    â€˜So you want to know if I killed him.’ Fleischer smiled.
    â€˜Not yet,’ Trautmann said. ‘First you need to come with us into custody.’
    Fleischer choked on his cigarette. ‘Are you mad?’
    Trautmann heard Roth shuffle uneasily behind him. ‘Not as mad as you’ll be if you refuse. Kessler and his hoodlums are on their way here. It’s only a matter of time. And for some reason, he really wants you for this. I mean he doesn’t just suspect you did it. He wants you to have done it. And I’m assuming you knew about Meist’s political leanings, so you can bet on reprisals...’
    â€˜Brownshirts?’ Fleischer snorted. ‘Those bozos put out my window every other week. Sometimes I wonder what I pay you Kripo boys for.’
    Roth tutted, drawing Fleischer’s attention.
    â€˜Hey, Crip, don’t you give me any of that!’ the big man roared. ‘I meant taxes, not bribes. Bribes are for Vice, not Homicide.’
    â€˜What, you pay taxes?’ Roth shot back.
    â€˜Roth!’ Trautmann warned.
    â€˜No,’ Roth said, ‘I say let them get him. What do we care? He’s as bad as the SA. Worse, he’s been around longer. It’s all just money to him. At least those brownshirted cretins are doing what they do out of principle, however cretinous.’
    Fleischer looked at Trautmann. ‘One of the new educated intake, is he?’
    â€˜Criminology degree, no less,’ Trautmann said. ‘But he’s done his share.’
    Fleischer got out of his chair and walked over to Roth, who was standing by the door.
    â€˜Where did you lose the arm, rookie?’ the big man said.
    â€˜I’m no rookie,’ Roth said.
    Fleischer laughed. ‘I’ve killed men for talking to me that way.’
    â€˜That’s supposed to impress me?’ Roth said.
    â€˜It’s supposed to scare you.’
    Trautmann slammed the desk with a palm and they both turned his way.
    â€˜It’s Maria you need to be scared for, Fleischer,’ he said. ‘Wherever you’ve sent her, if you try to go to her now you could be putting her in danger, either from the SA or from Kessler’s men. You know what they are when they’re blood’s up.’
    â€˜Trigger happy,’ Fleischer said.
    â€˜So do the sensible thing and come with us. That’ll draw the sting and keep the focus on police headquarters while – ’
    There was a loud percussive bang that shook the door. Followed quickly by the sound of screaming.
    â€˜Aw, what now?’ said Fleischer, pulling the door open.
    Smoke obscured Trautmann’s view of the club – the black, oily smoke of an accelerant. Even without it, he wouldn’t have been able to see anything for the press of panicking patrons.
    â€˜What is it?’ Roth said.
    A flickering orange glow pierced the smoke, hissing as it came closer.
    â€˜Bomb!’ Fleischer shouted, bearing the two detectives to the floor.
    Chapter 6
    â€“–––––––
    T he back of Trautmann’s head bumped the floor. He’d half-twisted his body too, so his Walther dug into his hip at the same time.
    The second bomb popped; so did his ears, muffling the patrons’ screams and the sound of shattering glass like a volume dial on a radio turned suddenly all the way down.
    Trautmann pushed Fleischer’s meaty arm