The Gods' Gambit by David Lee Marriner Page B

new information, as
well as a letter of authority from your State Security Cabinet outlining the
context of how we need to work together.”
    The superintendent sheepishly took the papers and started
reading them. Irina waited patiently.
    After a pause, but without enthusiasm, the superintendent
looked up, “Well, welcome to the team. However, I feel a bit uneasy about what
I’ve just read … It’s going to be time-consuming getting you up to speed on the
case. It will also mean I have to assign more resources to do this… Are you
sure that a similar murder took place a couple of years ago in Algeria?”
    “That’s the working hypothesis. I found the Algerian case on
Interpol’s database. It was listed as a short report made by a local Interpol
officer. It’s in the file marked as appendix one. The initial resemblance
between the two cases is not to be disregarded,” Irina replied politely.
    The superintendent looked up at the ceiling for a while,
thinking. “Well, we know that four of Costov’s killers were English. The report
here reads that the killers in Algeria were all locals?”
    “Yes, the police caught them at the crime scene. One of them
was shot dead and the rest managed to flee. The man who was killed turned out
to be deeply religious.”
    “Religious? Do you mean there may have been a religious
motive linked to this crime?” the superintendent asked thoughtfully.
    “I’d rather not speculate at this stage. Let’s get more
details from my Algerian colleagues first.”
    The superintendent started to examine the papers in the file
in more detail, reading the report of the Algerian Interpol officer closely.
“Have you had any word about evidence collected through operative police work?”
he asked.
    “We’re lucky that this case was even recorded at all,”
replied Irina. “It wasn’t really an Interpol matter. The reason it was entered
onto the database was because the victim was a foreigner.”
    The superintendent frowned. He took a piece of paper out of
the file and cast a look at it. “The last month hasn’t been Mr Costov’s
luckiest one. The report states that he was victim of a burglary recently.”
    “I got myself acquainted with the police investigation on
the burglary. It’s not related with his murder.”
    “I see. Look …” the superintendent began, trying to restrain
his increasing annoyance about another person being unexpectedly added to his
team, “Costov’s murder was characterized by unusual circumstances. He’d been
drugged. A unique narcotic was used made partly from hashish, but its other
ingredients remain a mystery. The lab can’t identify them. Costov’s blood was
slowly drained and symbols were drawn on the carpet with it. A swastika was
carved on his chest and he was stabbed in the heart with a horn. The horn comes
from a kind of mountain goat.” He rummaged through the papers on the desk in
front of him. “A Siberian Goat – Capra Ibex Siberica ... My point is
that we need confirmation that something similar happened in Algeria before we
can treat your case seriously.”
    Irina raised her eyebrows. “Well, the link for now is that
the two victims were marked with swastikas.”
    “Right,” the superintendent looked interested.
     “I already tried to obtain more details from the
Algerian police with no success. The people there are cautious about giving out
any information,” Irina explained.
    “Bearing in mind the German nationality of the Algerian
victim, it’s possible that the swastika could have been an expression of some
Nazi hatred,” the superintendent said.
    “It’s possible. Yet I’m obliged to check the line of enquiry
here also.”
    “Okay. I’m sure you can find a way of getting the right
information through to Interpol.” The superintendent smiled.
    This time Irina rolled her eyes. “The official way of doing
things could take months. So I’ve got a better idea. I’m going to Algeria. I’ve
already booked a ticket, but I