Friday 04.11.2016 National Police, Alexandras Avenue, Athens

I see the truck of 'Köbel Möbel' before we arrive. In the entrance hall, Lucy angrily puts the parcels to one side. Then I realize again what we've ordered: A large shelf, dozens of files, a wastepaper basket, magnets, pins and the deco-fairy hasn't even stopped at a few accessories. "This is your chance," Marcos whispers to me.

Never in my life would I have expected to feel sorry for a human being. But as Lucy drags the heavy parcels from one place to the next and actually just wants a little break, she gets my sympathy. I lend a hand as she pushes the largest one, which most likely contains the shelf, to one side. "How are you, Lucy?"

"Shitty!" she replies. Marcos joins her with two smaller parcels in his arms. "Really, why?" She pauses briefly to contain her anger. "Someone called 'Marcos Karafoulidis' has ordered a lot of stuff at the Ministry's expense. I don't know who it is, but I want to kick him between the legs." Marcos makes a pained face.

She smiles at me. "Sorry, it's been a tough week for me."

Lucy tries to push the parcel on. I continue to help her. "It's okay, we'll take everything upstairs. I think I know the guy and then I'll tell him to pick up his presents himself next time."

I look at him accusingly.

She thanks me and an unfamiliar feeling spreads through my chest, making it difficult for me to breathe. We take the things up in the elevator. Several trips later, our large room is filled with all kinds of things.

Then we start to unpack everything. I hang the map of Athens on the wall and mark the first location again with the new pens. We set up the shelf, which looks very wobbly, on the wall opposite our desks. 

I stuff the small items into the drawers under the desks, while Marcos distributes the remaining decorative items to our colleagues. When I'm done, I wait and watch the ball pendulum swing back and forth.

"You know, I think Lucy knew my name was Marcos," he says after he closes the door behind him. 

"Of course she knows that! And she also knows that you're not the only one who ordered all this stuff! Oh man, she'll think I'm into aesthetic interior design."

I gather all the current evidence, walk to the wall next to the map and stop in front of it. 

"I think you'd make a cute couple." Marcos joins me with a stupid grin. We've both been looking for girlfriends for a while now and it's about time we found a life partner.

Now we must get back to the investigation. I hang my notes and some photos from the forensics department that we've now received on the wall. Our suspects are five to six men from abroad or of foreign origin. Their motive is unclear, probably illegal art dealing. 

Further information is awaited from the other operational authorities, but it is also unclear when this will arrive. What can be heard clearly, however, is Marco's ringtone. He rushes to the desk and takes the call. "Pisces, this is really bad right now."  

On the other side, people are talking, while tension spreads through him, you can tell by the scratching of his chin. "You can't be serious." Marcos looks at the wall, stunned, and I'm already thinking about the idea that someone has died.

"Okay, we should take a look at this... Oh. All right, we'll talk to him then." He hangs up and puts the cell phone in his pocket. "I never really did much with him, but at least he had my trust." His bewilderment gives way to anger.

"What's going on?" I ask before he can storm out of the door.

The lonely sound of another email rings out.

"I have to go home!" Then he runs down the corridor.