house, one to the right and one to the left.
The policewoman in Harry’s car stayed where
she was; her job was to maintain radio contact
with the central switchboard and to keep potential
spectators away. Waaler and the last officer
waited until the other two were in position,
secured their walkie-talkies in their breast pockets
and jumped over the gate with service pistols
raised. Harry and Halvorsen stood behind the
police car, watching the whole show.
‘Cigarette?’ Harry asked the policewoman.
‘No thanks,’ she smiled.
‘I was wondering if you had any.’
She stopped smiling. Typical non-smoker, Harry
thought.
Waaler and the officer were standing on the step,
having taken up positions on either side of the
door, when Harry’s mobile phone rang.
Harry saw the police officer’s eyes roll. Typical
amateur, she was probably thinking.
Harry was about to switch off his mobile – he just
checked it wasn’t Rakel’s number on the display
first. The number was familiar, but it wasn’t
Rakel’s. Waaler had already raised his hand to
give the signal when Harry realised who was
ringing. He took the walkie-talkie from the open-
mouthed police officer.
‘Alpha! Stop. The suspect is ringing me right
now. Can you hear me?’
Harry looked over to the step where Waaler was
nodding his head. Harry pressed the button on his
mobile and pressed it to his ear.
‘Hole speaking.’
‘Hello.’ To Harry’s surprise, it wasn’t Even Juul.
‘This is Sindre Fauke. My apologies for disturbing
you, but I am standing in Even Juul’s house and I
think you should come here.’
‘Why? And what are you doing there?’
‘I think I might have done something stupid. He
rang me an hour ago and told me to come over
immediately, his life was in danger. I drove up and
found the door open, but no Even. And now I’m
afraid he’s locked himself in his bedroom.’
‘Why do you think that?’
‘The bedroom door is locked and when I tried to
peep through the keyhole, the key was on the
inside.’
‘OK,’ Harry said, walking round the car and
through the gate. ‘Listen carefully. Stay exactly
where you are. If you are holding anything in your
hands put it down and keep your hands where we
can see them. We’ll be there in two seconds.’
Harry walked towards the doorstep, with Waaler
and the other policeman following his movements
with amazement. He pressed down the door handle
and went in.
Fauke was standing in the hall with the telephone
receiver in his hand, gaping at them in amazement.
‘My God,’ was all he could say when he spotted
Waaler with the revolver in his hand. ‘That was
quick . . .’
‘Where’s the bedroom?’ Harry asked.
Fauke pointed mutely towards the stairs.
‘Show us,’ Harry said.
Fauke led the way for the three officers.
‘Here.’
Harry felt the door; quite right, it was locked.
There was a key in the lock which he tried to turn,
but it wouldn’t move.
‘I didn’t manage to tell you. I was trying to open
the door with one of the keys from the other
bedroom,’ Fauke said. ‘Sometimes they fit.’
Harry took out the key and put his eye to the
keyhole. Inside he could see a bed and a bedside
table. There was what seemed to be a lightshade
lying on the bed. Waaler was talking in a low
voice on the walkie-talkie. Harry could feel the
sweat beginning to filter down the inside of his
vest again. He didn’t like the look of the
lightshade.
‘I thought you said there was a key on the inside
too?’
‘There was,’ Fauke said. ‘Until I knocked it out
trying to get the other key in.’
‘So how will we get in?’ Harry asked.
‘It’s on the way,’ Waaler said, and at that moment
they heard heavy boots running up the stairs. It was
one of the officers who had taken up a position
behind the house and he was carrying a red
crowbar.
‘This way,’ Waaler said, pointing.
Splinters flew. The door sprang open.
Harry strode in and heard Waaler telling Fauke to
wait outside.
The first thing Harry noticed was the dog lead.
Even Juul had hung himself with it. He had died
wearing a white shirt, open at the neck, black
trousers and checked socks. A toppled chair lay
behind him in front of the wardrobe. His shoes
were neatly placed under the chair. Harry looked
up at the ceiling. The lead had been tied to a
ceiling hook. Harry tried to refrain, but couldn’t
stop himself from examining Even Juul’s face. One