In poor shape, but she was breathing.
‘Ambulance!’ Holger Munch shouted, and helped his colleague carry the little girl down the steps.
‘Doctor, we need a doctor here!’
And this time the ambulances did not move discreetly. A noisy motorcade of flashing blue lights and sirens left the house and sped through the evening darkness towards the E6.
VII
Chapter 89
The waiting area outside Ullevål Hospital’s intensive care unit was packed to the rafters. One of the nurses had been out several times to ask them if they could possibly wait elsewhere, but every time Munch had just dismissed her with a wave of his hand.
The mood in the room was strained. Gabriel Mørk sat in a chair with his hands in his lap, for once not in front of a screen, staring emptily into space. Anette and Ludvig sat on the sofa and had made room for Kim and Kyrre. The whole team had gathered in the small room; they looked glum and nobody said very much.
Anette had just stepped outside to call Mikkelson. She had winked at Munch when she came back in again, and Munch had nodded and given her a small smile in return before the tension resumed.
Curry was pacing up and down, refusing to sit down, unable to make his small, compact body relax.
‘For God’s sake,’ he said, flinging out his uninjured hand. ‘Surely we’re entitled to know what’s going on?’
‘Sit down,’ Anette said. ‘We won’t be told anything before they’re sure, that’s how it works.’
‘Damn,’ Curry swore, and continued to wander up and down the blue linoleum.
‘Coffee, anyone?’ Ludvig offered, getting up.
The experienced police officer had a dark expression on his face and was just as weighed down by the situation as the rest of the team. A couple of hands shot up. Ludvig nodded and disappeared down the corridor.
Miriam arrived. Munch went to meet her and gave her a hug.
‘Is everything all right with you?’
His daughter nodded and gave his hand a small squeeze.
‘I’m fine. I’m all right now.’
She spotted Kim on the sofa, ran up to him and put her arms around his neck.
‘Thank you,’ she said.
She wiped away a tear.
‘It’s nothing,’ Kim said. ‘I was just doing my job.’
‘No, thank you, I mean it. Thank you,’ Miriam said, putting her arms around his neck again before running over to Curry and repeating the gesture.
Curry seemed almost embarrassed at the attention. He nodded to Miriam and gave her a long hug in return.
‘Is she all right?’ Munch said, going up to his daughter.
‘Marion is fine.’ Miriam nodded, wiping another tear from her cheek. ‘She’s with Johannes. She was exhausted, but in surprisingly good shape. She asked after her Grandad.’
Munch smiled.
‘Any news about Mia?’ Miriam asked anxiously.
‘No,’ Munch said, and his eyes turned dark again.
A doctor came down the corridor with some papers in her hands.
‘Jon Larsen?’ she enquired, looking across the gathering.
‘Curry,’ Anette said, pointing him out to the doctor.
‘Eh?’ Curry grunted.
‘She’s asking for you.’
Curry turned around.
‘Jon Larsen?’ the doctor said again, looking down at her papers.
‘Yes, that’s me,’ Curry said, raising his hand.
He kept the other one pressed to his chest.
‘Want me to take a look at you?’
‘No, no, I’m all right,’ Curry said, dismissing her with his undamaged hand.
Munch looked sternly at his colleague, who was still evading his gaze. Curry had almost wrecked the whole operation, risked everyone’s lives with his impulsive behaviour, but they would have to deal with that later; the time for disciplining was not now.
Munch glanced at the door to the ward, but there was still no sign of movement.
‘I think we should take a look at you, all the same,’ the doctor said, smiling at Curry.
Curry sighed and reluctantly followed the doctor down the corridor.
‘Keep me in the loop,’ he called out, jabbing a finger on his one good hand sternly at them.
‘Debrief tonight?’ Anette asked, looking at Munch.
‘No, no, we’ll wait,’ Munch said, combing his fingers through his beard as the door opened and another doctor appeared.
‘Mia Krüger’s next of kin?’
A sea of hands went up immediately.
‘How is she?’ Munch said, walking up to the doctor.
‘It was touch and go. But she’ll be fine.’
The relief was palpable in the small room. Gabriel got up and hugged Anette. Kim was grinning from ear to ear.
‘Can we see her?’ Munch asked.
‘She’s exhausted,’ the doctor said. ‘But we will allow one visit. Provided it’s short.’
‘Me,’ Munch said.
He took off his duffel coat, gave it to Miriam and followed the doctor through the door.
Mia was lying in a bed with her eyes closed when they entered the side ward.
‘A short visit,’ the doctor said firmly, and disappeared.
Munch went over to the bed and took her hand in his. Mia slowly opened her eyes and smiled when she saw him.
‘Have you been smoking?’ she whispered.
‘Not for a while,’ Munch smiled.
‘Good for you,’ Mia said, closing her eyes again.
Munch squeezed her hand gently.
‘Did we get her?’ Mia said weakly.
‘We got her,’ Munch said.
‘And Marion?’
‘Marion is fine,’ Munch said.
Mia opened her eyes again and smiled cautiously.
‘Yes?’
‘Yes,’ Munch nodded.
He watched as her body suddenly relaxed. Her hand in his grew limp and her head sank deeper into the pillow.
‘Will you come and visit me?’ she said quietly.
‘On Hitra?’
Mia nodded softly.
‘Maybe on holiday,’ Munch said. ‘But I think you should stay here. I need someone to keep me company.’
‘OK,’ Mia mumbled, and closed her eyes.
The doctor popped his head around the door and tapped his wrist. Munch nodded.
When he turned to look at Mia, she was already fast asleep.
About the Author
Samuel Bjørk is the pen name of Norwegian novelist, playwright and singer/songwriter Frode Sander Øien.
