By the time Karl got to the Nieuwe Leliestraat it was nearly one o'clock in the morning. The streets were practically empty.
After his encounter with the youths that afternoon he found the street he was looking for, and the correct apartment. He would have preferred not to have got into that fight because it just drew attention to himself, but there was no other way out of it.
Karl looked up and down the street, checking for bikes, cars, or any life at all. The coast was clear.
With a little effort, he climbed the two meter high wall and effortlessly negotiated the rusted barbed wire to land on overgrown derelict ground on the other side. The apartment he wanted was a few doors further up, but first he would have to scale the back wall of the building using the drainpipe on the corner.
He waded through the long weeds and grass then took off his knapsack. Leaning against the wall he strapped on his crampons which gave him the grip he needed.
Minutes later Karl sat down on top of the roof and attached the hard rubber birds feet to the tips of the crampon spikes. This would not only dampen the sound of him walking on the roof, but also help him get silently into the apartments.
Because of the publicity surrounding the deaths he knew the situation was going to be more difficult, but he had taken measures.
For the first time Karl brought a small crowbar to pry open closed windows. On earlier trips he could mostly pick and choose. People were now alert since the police advised everyone to keep their doors and windows shut. Luckily not everyone went along with the rules, but he expected one or two apartments to be shut and locked down tight; the crowbar would sort that out.
Rooftops of new apartments were generally flat in this neighborhood, only a couple were peaked, so moving around would not be too difficult. Karl walked along the gable walls.
After fifty meters he reached his target then stopped and looked down.
Modern homes had a small balcony front and back, while older apartments usually only had one at the rear, if any at all. This had both.
He lowered himself over the edge and peered into the bedroom as much as he could. The door was slightly open.
It was dark and quiet. He heard snoring.
Karl got up then went to the front of the building to check out the second balcony. The door was closed, but next to it a small top window was open a couple of centimeters.
Within a few minutes he was standing in a relatively modern and dark living room, and removed the crampons.
The only information he had about this apartment was the address. He knew nothing about the victims, nor did he want to.
Quietly, he opened a second door and could see the kitchen across the hallway, to the left was the bedroom, the door was shut. He crossed the landing floor in his sneakers. The kitchen was as usual small and compact. Using the light from the open fridge he took an ampoule out of his pouch and emptied its contents into the milk.
Chapter Thirty-Eight