Phantom(125)

Harry hailed a taxi on Vetlandsveien and asked the driver to go to Urtegata.

His neck ached and throbbed as if it had a pulse of its own, had become alive, a locked-up inflamed animal made of bacteria that wanted out. Harry asked if the driver had any painkillers in the car, but he shook his head.

As they turned towards Bjørvika Harry saw rockets exploding in the sky above the Opera House. Someone was celebrating something. It struck him that he ought to do some celebrating himself. He had done it. He had found Irene. And Oleg was free. He had achieved what he set out to achieve. So how come he wasn’t in a celebratory mood?

‘What’s the occasion?’ Harry asked.

‘Oh, it’s the opening night of some opera. I took some elegant types there earlier this evening.’

‘Don Giovanni. I was invited.’

‘Why didn’t you go? It’s supposed to be good.’

‘Tragedies make me so sad.’

The driver sent Harry a surprised look in the mirror. Laughed. ‘Tragedies make me so sad?’

His phone rang. It was Klaus Torkildsen.

‘Thought we were never to speak again,’ Harry said.

‘Me too,’ Torkildsen said. ‘But I … well, I checked anyway.’

‘It’s not so important any more,’ Harry said. ‘The case is wrapped up as far as I’m concerned.’

‘Fine, but it might be interesting to know that just before and after the time of the murder Bellman – or at least his phone – was down in Østfold. It would have been impossible for him to make it to the crime scene and back.’

‘OK, Klaus, thanks.’

‘OK. Never again?’

‘Never again. I’m going now.’

Harry ended the call. Leaned back against the headrest and closed his eyes.

Now he should be happy.

Inside his eyelids he could see sparks from the fireworks.





PART FOUR





38

‘I’LL JOIN YOU.’

It was over.

She was his again.

Harry moved forward with the check-in queue in the large concourse at Gardermoen. He had a sudden plan, a plan for the rest of his life. A plan anyway. And he had an intoxicating feeling he could not describe with a better word than happy.

The monitor above the check-in desk said ‘Thai Air, Business Class’.

It had happened so fast.

He had gone straight from Nybakk’s house to Martine at the Watchtower to return her phone, but had been told he could keep it because she had a new one. He had allowed himself to be persuaded to accept a coat that was hardly used, so that he looked relatively presentable. Plus three Paracet pills for the pain, but he had refused to let her examine the wound. She would only want to dress it, and there was no time. He had rung Thai Air and fixed himself up with a ticket.

Then it had happened.

He had rung Rakel, told her Irene had been found and that with Oleg’s release his mission was accomplished. Now he would have to leave the country before he himself was arrested.

And that was when she had said it.

Harry closed his eyes and played back Rakel’s words yet again: ‘I’ll join you, Harry.’ I’ll join you. I’ll join you.

And: ‘When?’

When?

Most of all he had wanted to answer ‘now’. Pack a bag and come now!

But he had managed to think rationally to some degree.

‘Listen, Rakel, I’m a wanted man, and the police are probably keeping an eye on you, hoping you’ll lead them to me, OK? I’ll go alone tonight. Then you follow tomorrow on the evening flight. I’ll wait in Bangkok. From there we can go on to Hong Kong.’

‘Hans Christian can defend you if you’re arrested. The sentence won’t be that—’

‘It’s not the length of the sentence that worries me,’ Harry said. ‘As long as I’m in Oslo Dubai can find me. Are you sure Oleg’s in a safe place?’

‘Yes. But I want him to join us, Harry. I can’t travel—’

‘Of course he’ll join us.’

‘Do you mean that?’ He could hear the relief in her voice.

‘We’ll be together, and in Hong Kong Dubai can’t touch us. We’ll wait a few days and then I’ll get a couple of Herman Kluit’s men to travel to Oslo and escort him.’

‘I’ll tell Hans Christian. And then I’ll buy the plane ticket for tomorrow, darling.’

‘I’ll be waiting in Bangkok.’

A small silence.

‘But you’re wanted, Harry. How are you going to board the plane without—’

‘Next.’ Next?

Harry opened his eyes again and saw the woman behind the desk smiling at him.

He stepped forward and gave her his ticket and passport. Watched her type in the name on the passport.