Frits
Frits is a Dutch criminal who, together with Martin, ambushes Boris and Theo in the Overtoom parking garage in Amsterdam on Christmas Eve, acting on behalf of Horst to recover the stolen Fabritius painting. He is shot and killed by Boris during the ensuing gunfight.
Identity and Background
Frits is a Dutch national from Amsterdam, described as having coarse features out of Nordic folklore. He is an associate of Martin, who is himself a dangerous figure from Horst's circle. Frits and Martin are both drug users, high on heroin and cocaine when they confront Boris and Theo. Frits is armed with a pistol and is prepared to use violence to recover the painting.
The Ambush and Shootout
Frits and Martin intercept Boris and Theo in the parking garage after the successful recovery of the painting. Frits immediately disarms Boris, taking his gun and passing it to Martin. He then holds a pistol to Boris's temple and yanks his head back, causing Boris to groan in pain. When Boris refuses to hand over the painting, Frits gestures with his gun for Theo to move to a darker corner of the garage, signaling their intent to kill both men. In the chaos that follows, Boris throws his lit cigarette at Frits, who screams and slaps his cheek as the ember lodges against his neck. Boris then shoots Frits three times, killing him instantly. The fatal shot leaves a baseball-sized hole in the side of Frits's head, and his blood sprays across the car and onto Theo.
Consequences and Aftermath
Frits's body is left in the garage, and Boris stages the scene to look like a drug deal gone wrong, scattering white powder and wiping his own gun clean before dropping it on the ground. The Dutch police later report the deaths of "Frits Aaltink afkomstig uit Amsterdam en Mackay Fiedler Martin uit Los Angeles" as a drug-related shooting. Boris later reflects that Frits was "no flower" and that his death was a necessary act of self-defense. The incident forces Boris to flee Amsterdam and drives Theo to the brink of suicide before he ultimately decides to turn himself in.
