THE BOSS
Her superior’s office is slightly bigger than her own, but not exactly luxurious. It mainly differs from hers in that he has it to himself.
“I assume you’ve seen the video,” he says.
Yasira nods. So she guessed right.
“I won’t beat around the bush,” says Gebhardt. “The interior minister personally suggested that the investigation be led by a ‘non-German.’”
The boss accompanies the compound “non-German” with air quotes. Yasira doesn’t say anything. She wonders whether it is a sign of social progress that she is now only a non-German in quotation marks.
“By handing you the case,” Gebhardt continues, “my boss and the attorney general and the interior minister want to show how liberal and progressive they are. How untainted by prejudices.”
“I see,” says Yasira. The executive floor is trying to preemptively take the wind out of the sails of the predictable criticism from the left, accusing the police of racist tendencies.
“And if you consider how our department started,” says Gebhardt, “it is actually a positive development.”
Yasira nods. Given how many ex-Nazis populated the BKA at the beginning of the Federal Republic, is probably what the boss means, but he doesn’t say it.
Of course Yasira knows about the brown origins of her agency.
Back in the 1960s, Paul Dickopf, a former SS-second lieutenant, was president of the BKA.
Paul Dickopf. What a name. As it later turned out, Dickopf had also been working as an informant for the CIA at the same time.
One of those guys who always managed to stay afloat.
The branch office in Meckenheim had been on Paul-Dickopf-Street.
Upon request from the BKA, the street was renamed in 2011.
Late, but still. And the boss, Yasira’s boss, was one of the driving forces behind the renaming at the time. He’s all right.
“I would like to add,” says Gebhardt and smiles, “that I would have refused to comply with this request if I hadn’t been able to hand the case over to one of my most capable and competent officers at the same time.”
Aren’t capable and competent the same thing, Yasira wonders, but nods politely. You shouldn’t pick apart a compliment from your boss.
“Thank you.”
Capable and competent, then. The boss is really all right. And he probably does want to do the right thing by putting her in charge of the case.
Still, Yasira has a healthy amount of respect for the task ahead. Gebhardt apparently smells that.
“See it this way,” he says. “The case is also a great opportunity. And I promise you the necessary resources and personnel. And I promise you the necessary resources, the staff you need . . . Of course, through the fast track.”
“Becker and I are still dealing with the aftermath of this Reichsbürger incident . . .” Yasira replies tentatively, more to have at least tried for her colleague than really hoping for success.
“Nonsense,” the boss cuts her off. “Tell Becker to get his fat ass moving.”
“May I ask why the case didn’t go to Wiesbaden . . .”
“We’re closer,” Gebhardt interrupts her question. “Besides, the higher-ups want to keep an eye on us. So catch those bastards. Find the girl. And do it quickly.”
Yasira nods, gets up and heads for the door.
“And Ms. Saad . . .” Gebhardt says.
Yasira turns around.
“. . . the case is explosive. Make sure it doesn’t blow up in our faces.”