Ice Cold Read Free Page B

of Josef Kalteis by
Chief Public Prosecutor Dr R.
Interrogation starts: 10.30 hours
Interrogation ends: 15.30 hours
    – Josef Kalteis, I was born on the 26th of July 1906.
    – In Aubing.
    – Since 31 December 1937.
    – My wife’s name? Walburga, Walburga Pfafflinger.
    – In Aubing. Number 2 Hauptstrasse, Aubing, that’s where we live.
    – For the Reich Railways. I work as a shunter for Reich Railways.
    – I trained as a mechanic, but I’ve worked for Reich Railways as a shunter for four years now.
    – Up till when my old works fired me, then I got this job with Reich Railways. My dad helped me, he’s with the railway too.
    – I work shifts, shunting the trains. We’re on duty all different times, that’s how it is on shift work.
    – What makes you ask a thing like that? What doyou mean, what kind of relationship do I have with my wife? It’s the way it is, that’s all. What else would it be? Sometimes OK, sometimes not so good, that’s life.
    – Well, we didn’t hit it off so well at the start, not when we was first married, but we get on better these days. Better nor before.
    – No, we didn’t quarrel on Saturday. Has she said we did?
    – Yes, it’s a fact, my wife did want to go to the cinema. But after she’d seen the trailer she suddenly wanted to go home instead. Said she didn’t fancy the movie after all. She’d thought it would be different. Happens to her quite often, she changes her mind a lot.
    – What do you think I did? Took her home, that’s what. Didn’t stay with her, though. I guess she’ll have gone to bed. Said she was tired, anyway. But I wasn’t tired, didn’t want to go to bed yet, I put my coat on again and went out. Over to Schmid’s for a glass of beer. The Schmid inn.
    – I watched the card-players. The regulars playing cards at their table. I guess I drank about three dark beers. I met a man I know there, he could tell you it’s like I say.
    – His name? Can’t remember his full name now. Imean, I don’t know him all that well. Just a bloke I see now and then. Exchange a few words with him, that’s all. No, I don’t know his surname, I just know him as Kurt. Kurt what? No idea. You’ll have to ask the landlord at Schmid’s.
    – Then I went on to Huber’s place with Kurt. The Huber inn. Round about midnight. Yes, I’m certain sure it was twelve midnight. At Huber’s I met Adler. He was there at Huber’s when I came in.
    – Adler, he works with me. The three of us went on drinking.
    – What did we drink, how much? Can’t remember none too well now. Two or three lagers it’ll have been. Maybe a schnapps or so as well. Adler wanted to go on to Sedlmayer’s. Very keen to go there, he was, said there’s always something going on at Sedlmayer’s. And great women there too, wow, real wild women, he said. So we went on there, that’ll have been about one.
    – Adler was right. There was all sorts going on at Sedlmayer’s. I drank ten or so shots of schnapps and a few beers, three or four. Well, why not, when everyone’s having a good time? How much exactly? Can’t remember no more. It was only on the way home I noticed I was all boozed up, I mean drunk. But I saw Adler home all thesame. He couldn’t hardly stand no more, let alone walk. Hung on to me all the way, he did. I got him to his front door. Over in Bienenheim, that’s where he lives. You just have to ask him. He’ll bear me out.
    – Then I didn’t feel so good on the way back. All that fresh air. I puked, had to crouch there in the snow for a while, I felt so dizzy.
    – Well, when I felt better, then I went on towards Aubing. Wanted to get home. Lie down and sleep it off.
    – Just before Aubing this girl crosses my path. She was carrying a milk can. She said good morning.
    – I went along beside her for a bit. We talked. All perfectly harmless.
    – A nice girl, she was. Real friendly.
    – Yes, then I took hold of her.
    – I put my hands around her neck and I pushed her down in the