Swordplay

Part 13

In the station, Buds approached them. "Well, at least you were successful," he said to Semra. "My bird had left the nest."

Semra cocked her head. "Who are you talking about?"

"Samantha Belz. The woman who worked in the museum's cleaning team and who is madly in love with Huudien. Her flat is empty and no one knows where she went." He took the director's free elbow and led him into an interrogation room with Semra.

Moira went into Sabio's office and told him what she had learned about the museum's boxes.

"So we can safely assume that Lif Borson was somehow involved in the burglary. Good work," Sabio said.

Moira's ears turned hot, and she didn't know what to say.

Luckily, Druidus popped in at that moment. "I'm going to the canteen for lunch. Anyone interested?"

Sabio pointed to several files neatly lined up on his desk. "I've got plenty of work, but I'm sure Moira wouldn't mind."

Moira followed Druidus into an uninvitingly green room with many tables and one long counter with glass displays. At least the food looked good. She chose a casserole with salad, and Druidus took a soup. He insisted on paying both. "As a first day treat so to say, since we'll be partners from now on." Druidus walked straight to a table where Grub and some more gendarmes sat. He introduced Moira as a new colleague, and everybody greeted her cordially.

Druidus sat beside her. During lunch, the group discussed the murders of the homeless.

"Sabio has assigned four teams already," Grub said. "But they haven't got much to go on."

"I thought they'd found this footprint on the last crime scene." The dainty brunette beside him looked surprised.

"It was from the gendarme who found it. Typical newbie mistake," a stout man on the other side of the table said. "Also, it's quite possible that we haven't found all bodies yet. Especially homeless often lie around for several days because no one's missing them."

Grub shook his head. "So far, we found each one the day after the murder. To me, it seems the murderer wants them to be found."

"Maybe he likes playing cat and mice with the Gendarmerie." Druidus stole a couple of fries from Grubs untouched plate. The nerl didn't complain.

"Headquarters increased the number of patrols," die brunette said. "Maybe someone will see the murderer next time."

"He's a professional. They'll never catch him that way." The stout gendarme wiped his mouth and leaned back. "I wouldn't mind if someone would come up with a really useful plan though. One that proves to be effective."

Everybody pondered but no one had a new idea how to catch the serial killer.

After a while, Druidus said to Moira, "By the way, Sabio announced us at your dad's for one o clock."

Moira looked at the clock on the wall; a quarter past twelve. "Oh dear." The prospect of having to speak with her father affected her stomach and she couldn't eat another bite. She pushed her plate aside. A little later, Druidus finished too.

On their way to the official carpistos, the met Buds leading Joes van Gro whose hand were tied on his back.

"Wait a moment," Moira said to Buds. "I need to ask him something really important."

"Piss off. The guy is on its way to jail, and as long as he doesn't tell us where to find the stolen crate, he's not getting out again." He tried to walk past her, but Moira didn't give way.

The knowledge of belonging to Commissaire Marten's team now gave her the strength to oppose him. "The crate is a piece of evidence in a murder, and it should be with Excelsior van Steen in the archive right now."

"How would you know?"

"Because I found both, crate and corpse. And now, let me talk to him. It's only one question."

Buds ground his teeth, but gave in after a glance at Druidus. "But hurry."

Moira nodded and turned to the captive. "I would like to know why you placed the stolen paintings into the archive, although you could have made millions with them on the black market."

Joes van Gro straightened up and glared at her. "How could you assume even for a second that I would hawk masters like Leon del Vacca or Marc Franz-Cheval and keep them from the public for good? I am an honorable man, an artist, a …"

"A thief," Buds interjected.

Joes van Gro snorted derisively. "I just wanted to see if director du Mar would live up to his name as art connoisseur. Had the burglary not happened, I would have returned the paintings already. Nevertheless, they haven't been in danger for a single moment."

"You can tell that to your lawyer when he arrives." Buds pushed Joes van Gro past Moira. Since she had learned what she wanted to know, she didn't stop him again.

"Do you believe him?" Druidus asked.

Moira shrugged. "His indignation seemed genuine, but we can only be sure when we know who was responsible for the burglary."

"You sound like Sabio." Druidus laughed and held out his arm. "May I invite you to a short outing, my lady? I know a cozy security firm."

Moira wondered about his turn to silliness but hat to admit to herself that she found it charming. For the first time since Lif's death, she smiled, and she felt surprisingly good.