Traudl looked up from her paperwork to see a man wearing a dark green windbreaker over a baby blue shirt. He looked to be in his thirties, clean shaven with a precise hair cut.
“Yes? Can I help you?”
“May we speak in private?”
She studied him more, something about him screamed detective. “What about?”
He sighed, rolling his eyes and looking to the side before he placed a hand on her arm and lead her to an empty room. Traudl made no protest as he escorted her to an unoccupied area, she stayed as he shut the door.
“We have evidence to believe that your husband has been linked with several murders over the last ten years.” He crossed his arms, shrugging. “Care to explain?”
She straightened her back, taking a deep breath. “I’m not sure, I don’t think my husband is capable of doing such a thing. He’s a house call doctor, has been for quite some time. I don’t see how his practice would be linked to this.”
The man sighed. “Mrs. Friedrich, we have several eye witness accounts dating back to the 1960s up to today of him going into people’s homes or talking to them out in public and taking them off somewhere. We know his appearance has changed, and we know that he was a doctor during the second world war. Now, please, Mrs. Friedrich, for you own safety and for your children’s safety -”
“How did you know we have kids?” Her calm demeanor was still present, though a lurking homicidal aura was around her.
“That’s not important, Mrs. Fr-”
“Okay ... Traudl ... what is important is that your husband is the Jack the Ripper of the 21st century.” His arms uncrossed, a hand placed itself on his hip as his other hand pointed down to the floor before joining the other at his side. “Bring him in for us and we will provide you protection.”
Traudl sat the on the bed, giving a sigh. “Detective -”
“Detective Nichols, I am aware that my husband has a menacing look to him, but you have the wrong man,” she played at him. “I -” she briefly stopped herself before saying she was in the camps but recovered, “I had a grandmother who was in the camps, she died there but her husband, who survived, has always disliked Josef because of his resemblance to another doctor. I’m sure that doctor escaped Germany after the war just like he did, but my husband is not a murderer.” She played him with conviction in her words, in her eyes she hid her lies; Nichols was trying to see the lie in her statement, his eyes squinted as he examined and contemplated.
He finally nodded. “Okay. Okay. We’ll talk again, Mrs. Friedrich.” He exited the door, pulling out his cell and dialing. As he left the hospital, the other line picked up.
“I think we got him. She’s lying.”