The Carnival Master

6.

Andrea opened the door of her apartment to Tansu and Fabel. She was dressed in a short skirt and loose black blouse. There was also a cluster of heavy costume jewellery at each wrist and her face was even more made up than the last time Fabel had seen her. She could not have presented herself more femininely, yet the sheer stockings only served to accentuate the heavy musculature of her thighs, the blouse the breadth of her shoulders and the make-up the masculine angularity of her features. What was it about Andrea Sandow, thought Fabel, that provoked such hostility within him?

‘I was just about to go out,’ she explained.

‘This won’t take long,’ said Fabel and made to enter the apartment. Andrea did not move.

‘I have an appointment. I can’t be late.’

‘We’ve got him, Andrea,’ said Tansu. ‘The man who attacked you eight years ago.’

‘You sure it’s him?’ Whatever Andrea was thinking, it didn’t penetrate the mask.

‘Positive,’ said Fabel. ‘We’ve got a perfect DNA match. It’s a man called Oliver Ludeke.’

The mask shattered. Andrea gazed at Fabel in disbelief. ‘Oliver Ludeke?’

‘You know him?’

Andrea stood to one side. ‘You’d better come in. I have to make a call – see if I can put back my appointment…’