Lord Lister No. 0031: Vier vaders

Two well‑dressed strangers step off their carriage into Berlin’s bustling Alexander Square, their English accents cutting through the cold morning air. The porter at the Grand Hotel recognises them as expatriates from London, and without hesitation they secure rooms on the first floor, their stay slated for “at least three days.” As they settle in, they exchange wry observations about the city’s famed police headquarters, noting the relentless vigilance of its detectives and the city’s strict requirement for identification.

Their younger companion, curious about the looming structure across the square, learns it houses the Berlin Police headquarters—an institution the older man both respects and envies for its efficiency. Over a cigarette, the senior hints at an audacious plan to exploit the uniformed authority, borrowing the legendary trick of a notorious shoemaker, while insisting the details will remain secret until the operation begins. Together they drift through the city's narrow lanes, scouting pawn shops and modest inns, gathering the disguises and supplies needed for a venture that promises to test the limits of any detective’s reach.