'Jeez. What's she doing in the police? With talent like that, I mean.'
Harry shrugged. 'Do you remember the officer who was shot during a bank raid in the eighties in Ryen?'
'Before my time.'
'He happened to be close by when the call went out and as he was the first to arrive on the scene, he went into the bank to negotiate unarmed. He was mown down by automatic gunfire and the robbers were never caught. It was later used at Police College as an example of what you shouldn't do when you surprise bank robbers.'
'You should wait for reinforcements. You must not confront robbers or expose yourself, bank employees or the robbers to unnecessary danger.'
'Right, that's what the manual says. The odd thing is that he was one of the best and most experienced investigators they had. Jřrgen Lřnn. Beate's father.'
'Right. And you think that's why she joined the police? Because of her father?'
'Possibly.'
'Is she good-looking?'
'She's good. How far?'
'Just passed twenty-four, six left. And you?'
'Twenty-two. I'll catch you up, you know.'
'Not this time,' Halvorsen said, increasing his speed.
'Yes, I will, because here come the hills. And here I come. And you'll be psyched out and get cramp. As usual.'
'Not this time,' Halvorsen said, pedalling harder. A bead of sweat became visible in his thick hairline. Harry smiled and leaned over the handlebars.
* * *
Bjarne Mřller stared alternately at the shopping list he had received from his wife and at the shelf, at what he thought might be coriander. Margrete had fallen in love with Thai food after their holiday in Phuket last winter, but the Crime Squad head was still not completely at ease with the various vegetables which were flown daily from Bangkok to the Pakistani grocer's store in Grřnlandsleiret.
'That's green chilli, boss,' a voice by his ear said and Bjarne Mřller spun round and looked into Harry's flushed, sweat-stained face. 'Couple of those and a few slices of ginger and you can make tom yam soup. There'll be steam coming out of your ears, but you'll have sweated out a fair bit of crap.'
'Looks like you've had a foretaste, Harry.'
'Just a little cycle race with Halvorsen.'
'Oh yes? And what's that in your hand?'
'Japone pepper. A small red chilli.'
'Didn't know you cooked.'
Harry gazed with wonderment at the bag containing the chilli, as if it was new to him, too. 'By the way, lucky I met you, boss. We have a problem.'
Mřller could feel his scalp chafing.
'I don't know who decided Ivarsson should lead the investigation into the killing in Bogstadveien, but it's not working.'
Mřller put the list in the shopping basket. 'How long have you worked together now? Two whole days?'
'That's not the point, boss.'
'Can't you just do your job for once in your life, Harry? And let others decide how it's organised? Having a go at not being against everyone won't inflict permanent damage, you know.'
'I just want the case to be solved as quickly as possible, boss, so that I can get on with the other one, you know.'
'Yes, I know, but you've been working on that case for a good deal longer than the two months I promised you, and I cannot defend the commitment of time and resources with personal considerations and emotions, Harry.'
'She was a colleague, boss.'
'I know!' Mřller barked. He paused, looked around, then continued in more muted tones: 'What's your problem, Harry?'
'They're used to working on robberies, and Ivarsson is not in the slightest bit interested in constructive input.'
Bjarne Mřller was unable to suppress a grin at the thought of Harry's 'constructive input'.
Harry leaned forward. He spoke quickly and intensely: 'What's the first thing we ask ourselves when a murder has been committed, boss? Why? What's the motive? That's what we ask. In the Robberies Unit they automatically take it for granted money is the motive and don't ask the question.'
'So what do you think the motive is?'
'I don't think anything. The point is that they use completely the wrong methodology.'
'A different methodology, Harry, different. I have to get these vegetable things bought and go home, so tell me what it is you want.'
'I want you to talk to the people you have to talk to so that I can have one person to work solo with.'
'Step down from the investigation team?'
'Parallel investigation.'
'Harry—'
'That was how we caught the Redbreast, do you remember?'
'Harry, I can't interfere—'
'I want to work with Beate Lřnn, so that she and I can start afresh. Ivarsson is already getting bogged down—'