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Laura March in death at this very spot。 Apart from an unnatural rigidity； she looked oddly peaceful。
‘Sleeping beauty； yes？〃 Bodo took back the photographs。
‘Dead beauty；' Bond corrected； for； in life； Laura March had been undoubtedly attractive。 He felt irritated by Bodo's seeming callousness； but tamped down his anger。 Cops the world over seemed to develop a hard second skin when it came to sudden death。
Lempke turned and pointed up the smooth green slope； towards a small outcrop of rock。
‘When the forensic folk examined the body first； they drew my attention to the bruise on the back of her neck I have snapshots also of that。 We took some bearings from the position of the body； worked out a possible trajectory。 It's up there； sniper's hide。〃 ‘But you had no idea that the bruise came from something fired at the victim。〃 ‘This also is true。 Could have been inflicted from very close； but there were no signs that anyone else had been in this spot。 I used brain。〃 He tapped his forehead。 ‘I watch sometimes the television of that detective； Hercule Poirot； by Agatha Crusty。。
‘Christie；' Bond corrected。
‘That's the one。 Yes； he calls the brain his little grey cells； no？〃 ‘Yes。〃 ‘Then also that's what I use。 Little grey cells； only I think mine are possibly pink。 I have a liking for red wine。 Okay？〃 There was really no answer to that； so Fredericka and Bond simply followed Bodo up the neatly marked track； rising towards the little outcrop of rock； which was also cordoned off by crime scene tape。
‘This is where the sniper laid his eggs。〃 Bodo made a small gesture to the area immediately behind the rocks。
Laid his eggs？ Bond thought； and knew in that moment his first impression of the man had been correct。 Bodo Lempke； with his slept…in appearance； and feigned naivete'； coupled with a disarming misuse of the English language； was as sharp as a razor blade。 He almost certainly suspected everybody of being guilty of something until he； in person； proved otherwise。
‘You see；' Bodo continued。 ‘You see how the marksman had a clean shot。 Straight down； sixty metres： a good clear shot with plenty of cover。〃 ‘How do you know？ Did the shooter leave a calling card？〃 Bodo gave his blank stare； followed by the imbecilic smile。 ‘Sure。 Of course。 People like this always leave the visiting cards。 Part of their stork in trade。 They like you to know they've been here； and this one for quite a long time was here。
Overnight； in fact。
‘Overnight？〃 ‘Came up as one person。 Went down as someone pletely different。 It rained； quite hard； like dogs and cats even； on the day before Miss March died。 The shooter got wet and cold； then dried out the next day when the sun came out and when his victim rode up on the chair lift。 See； the ground here was softened by rain。 He left perfect marks of his body。〃 Behind the little cluster of rocks there were indentations which undoubtedly showed that someone had lain there for a considerable period。
Lempke gave them his fast humourless smile。
‘e； he said； with a conspiratorial wink。
He led the way up the rise to a small clump of bushes； also corralled by crime scene tape。 At the base of the bushes was a shallow hole； around two feet square and a foot or so deep。 ‘Maybe he planned to e back for his stuff； but we got here first。 I have it in my car。
‘You have what in your car？〃 from Fredericka。
‘Everything he needed except for the weapon； of course； and the other personal items he took down on the following day。〃 ‘Such as？〃 ‘You don't believe me？ You think I'm oaf of detective。 e； I will even buy you lunch at one of my favourite restaurants here。 Captain Bond； you acpany the pretty lady； I'll follow。 Meet you at the bottom； I have to get these flatfooted policemen out of here。 They want to open up the chair lift this afternoon so that the crowds can e up and admire the mountain view。〃 And gawp at the place where a lady got herself killed。〃 ‘What is gawp？〃 Bodo kept his mouth open； waiting for the reply。
‘A lower…class British term for stare。 Like gawping at me with your mouth open。〃 ‘So。 Good； I learn something new。 Gawp。 Is a good word。〃 ‘You don't like him much； do you？〃 Fredericka asked as they sat； swaying down on the chair lift。
‘Cunning as a fox； and he knows far more than is good for him。〃 Bond reached out and took her hand。 ‘Am I forgiven yet？〃 ‘Maybe。 Wait and see。 I'll tell you tonight。〃 Ah。〃 ‘What interests me； James； is that this policeman seems to know much more than we were led to believe。〃 ‘Bozo Lempke。〃 ‘His name is Bodo； I think； James。〃 ‘I know； but I like the name Bozo better。 Bozo the clown。 Lempke drove like a short…sighted racing driver well past his prime。 Rarely had Bond felt so insecure in a car； and Fredericka looked both white and shaken when the policeman finally pulled up outside a small； Mom and Pop restaurant a few kilometres outside Interlaken。
Being Sunday； when Swiss families tend to eat out； the place was full； but Bodo was known； and they soon found themselves in a private room behind the main restaurant。 Lempke waved aside all question of Laura March's death until after they had eaten。 ‘You go into a church to pray；' he muttered； ‘so you go into a restaurant to eat。 This is well…known fact； and I enjoy eating。〃 This became all too clear over the next hour and a half as he efficiently put down two helpings of raclette； that simple； yet wonderfully aromatic； dish of cheese melted over potato； served with pickled onions and gherkins。 He also ate three succulent rainbow trout to Bond's two and Fredericka's one。
Two extra large slices of cherry tart； heaped with cream； followed； and he drank the best part of a bottle of red wine with the meal。 It was only when coffee was served that Bodo looked satisfied。
He gave an eccentric wink； rubbed his hands together and announced that they should now get down to business as he really did not have all day to waste。
‘My superiors tell me that； as the officer in charge of this case； I am to afford you as much help and information as possible。〃 He looked from Bond to Fredericka and back again； as though waiting for questions。
‘So what did you find hidden up there； in the hole under the bushes； Bodo？〃 ‘Everything he couldn't take back down the mountain。
Particularly as he wanted to go down as a different person。〃 ‘What d'you mean by everything？〃 Fredericka leaned forward to light a cigarette。
‘Everything he couldn't carry down。 It was all stashed up there。
‘Such as？〃 ‘Such as a large canvas holdall。 Very dampened by rain and from its contents。〃 ‘Which were？〃 ‘Waterproof camouflaged coverall with hood and gloves； battery…warmed waterproof sleepingbag； the remains of food…from what the military call a ratpack and a thermos flask。 Also one spare CO2 cartridge； so we know what he was using： a high…powered gas…operated rifle。 He also left some special attachments for his shoes。 Make himself look taller with them。
‘And he came up with it？ Anybody see him？〃 ‘Sure they saw him。
ing up and going down。 One of the men operating the chair lift has identified him； even though he looked quite different both times。
‘How？〃 ‘How what？〃 ‘Ho