Chapter 4 third chapter

Superintendent Otto Schiffer, two uniformed officers and Mr. Karl Goetz, the building's superintendent, gazed at the desiccated, naked body lying at the bottom of the overflowing bathtub.A vague scar circled her neck. The sheriff put a finger under the dripping faucet. "Cold." He sniffed the empty wine bottle by the bathtub, turned to face the property manager, "Her name?" "Sonia Verbrugge. Her husband's name is Franz Verbrugge. Technician." "She lives in this apartment with her husband?" "Seven years. Great tenant. Always pays rent on time. Never caused trouble. Everyone likes..." He realized what he was about to say and stopped.

"Does Franz Verbrugge have a job?" "Yeah, at the Cyberlin, the kind where people pay to use their computers to—" "What made you discover the body?" "It's the cold water tap in the bathtub. I've tried to fix it several times, but it just won't close." "so?" "That's why the downstairs resident complained that the ceiling of his house was leaking this morning. I came up, knocked on the door, but there was no answer, so I opened the door with my master key. I walked into the bathroom and found..." His throat was choked up.

An agent walks into the bathroom: "There's no liquor in the cabinet, just wine." The sheriff nodded. "That's right." He pointed to the wine bottle by the bathtub. "Take it for a fingerprint check." "Yes, sir." The inspector turned to Karl Goetz: "Do you know where M. Verbrugge is?" "Don't know. I usually see him in the morning, when he goes to work, but—" He made a resigned gesture. "You didn't see him this morning?" "No." "Do you know where Monsieur Verbrugge plans to travel?"

"No, sir. I don't know." The sheriff turned to the detective: "Talk to the other residents. Ask if Mrs. Verbrugge has been depressed lately, or if she's had an argument with her husband, or if she's been drinking heavily. Find out as much as you can. ’” He looked at Carl Goetz. “We’re going to investigate her husband. If you recall any information that might be useful—” Carl Goetz tentatively said: "I don't know if this is useful, but a resident told me that an ambulance stopped in front of the building last night and he asked if someone was sick. I went outside to see an ambulance. At the end of the day, the ambulance was gone. Would it work?"

"We will investigate," the sheriff said. "What—what to do with her—her body?" Carl Goetz asked nervously. "The medical examiner is coming here. Drain the water and put a towel over her."