The Redbreast(160)

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