He whistled a snatch of melody.
– This wasn’t about you. You just happened to get in the way. He leaned down towards him. – Not your fault, Christ, no. I like you, Glenne. You’re a good doctor, a great father to your kids. She’s the one who stirred up all this shit. She promised me everything. And then off she went. Did she say that you were her twin, did she tell you that too?
Axel couldn’t answer.
– What do you think we should do with these women who promise us everything and then run off?
This time he didn’t wait for a reply.
– I gave her some idea of what was going to happen. Made her feel it was getting closer without letting her quite realise what it was. One… two… three. And the fourth will be… Those other old biddies, that was just chance, same as you.
He laughed.
– She felt sorry for me, Glenne, she couldn’t bring herself to do anything that might get me into worse trouble. She had to be a hundred per cent sure first. Poor girl. Who should we feel sorry for now? What d’you think?
– I like you, Norbakk repeated when Axel still did not respond. – It’s too fucking bad you had to come out here.
– They’ll find us, Axel coughed. – I used my mobile phone up here.
Norbakk clucked his tongue.
– Sorry to have to tell you this, but those calls are my department. And the last call registered from Axel Glenne’s telephone was made from Aker Brygge. Full call-out. I’ll leave you to guess who made it. Now your phone is lying at the bottom of the fjord just off the end of the quay.
Axel tried again: – There’s a lot of people know you and Miriam were a couple. Sooner or later…
– Maybe they will find out, Norbakk interrupted. – And maybe they won’t. In any case, it’ll be too late.
– What d’you mean?
– I’ve just had an idea. Now I can see how this all works out in the end. It’s actually quite beautiful. Norbakk sounded as if he was talking to a close friend. – You’ll be found tomorrow. Together. Someone will discover your bodies in the boss’s garage under the police station. You’ll be lying with your arms around each other, as though you’re embracing… There’s a logic to it. It’ll be big. Like planting a huge bomb under the place.
Axel tried to make sense of what he was hearing but couldn’t manage it.
– If they shape up a bit, they’ll find out who put you there, Norbakk mused. – That’s the way I want it to end. They could have guessed a long time ago. If Viken had been a little bit smarter and a little bit less self-centred, he would have known about Miriam and me weeks ago.
Suddenly he sounded frustrated and annoyed.
– I’ve given them something to work with all along, helped put them on the right track. If they’d done their job properly, none of this would have happened. But now it’s happened anyway.
Axel tried to turn.
– Where is she?
Norbakk coughed.
– You want to know?
– Yes.
– She’s lying in bed in a room up there. Had to lock her in. She’s fine now. I’d just finished putting the covers over her when you came barging in.
Axel shook the handcuffs.
– If you release me, I’ll help you.
Norbakk laughed loudly.
– You’re lying there and you’re going to help me? Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Glenne. I like you, remember. Don’t disappoint me. We mustn’t lie to each other, you and I.
He squatted down and added confidentially: – I’ll let you out of those handcuffs soon.
He picked up a syringe and held it in the light from the torch.
– I’ll give you something that’ll help you sleep. When you wake up, the cuffs will be unlocked. I’ll give you a chance. I’m not a monster.
– A chance?
Norbakk played the light in an arc around the cellar. The room was almost big enough for him to stand upright in. It was partitioned by a gate.
– You ought to be curious about this place, Glenne. Your father must have been here many times when he was with the Resistance. My grandfather helped him escape. It was just before he was caught himself. I can well imagine they were friends. They had a transmitter here. Even a printing press. But no prisoners. That came later. Long after the war. It was my father who put that partition in.
He shone the light into a corner. A huge dark hulk lay there. It was breathing slowly and deeply.
– What the hell is that?
– Not so loud, Glenne, unless you want to wake him up.
Norbakk played the torch back and forth over the sleeping shape a few times.
– Not too hard to trap one of these when you know how they live. And where. How they react when you put out bait for them and cover it up with branches and soil. All you have to do then is lie there and wait. But a giant like this one, I would never have managed to get him here all on my own… You should meet my brother, Glenne.
Axel’s eyes were wide open. He couldn’t believe what they were seeing.
– It’s had the same medicine as you’re going to get. It’ll sleep for a while yet. And now you’re going to sleep. In an hour’s time, when you wake up, you’ll be in there, with the animal.
He leaned forward and pushed the syringe into Axel’s upper arm.
– What’s the matter, Glenne? Don’t you like teddy bears?
67
ONCE MORE THE darkness had coiled itself around him. He lay and swam in it. Felt far away, drugged. I found you, Axel. Somewhere up there he sees her face. Miriam, he says. Do you regret it, Axel? No, you were the one I was looking for. Was always looking for. She smiles down at him. I want you to live. With one finger she closes his eyes. A crowd of people come up the hill, in through the door. They’re carrying candles. They gather round and look at him lying there. Daniel leans forward and lays a flower on his chest. A rose. Tom is crying. His whole face is open wide. I tried to be good enough, Tom. Tried to get close to you. Bie is wearing a little black hat with a veil across her face. She’s holding Marlen close to her. Her eyes are hard and dark blue, resembling a certain kind of jewel, the name of which escapes him.
He sat up abruptly. The cuffs dangled loose from one wrist, his hands were free. The stench was as powerful as before. He picked up another smell too. Wetter, stronger. Blowing in a steady rhythmic stream against his face. Each time accompanied by a small gurgling sound. He was sitting with his back against the partition. Locked in, he thought in panic. With the animal. He fumbled around, touched something, picked it up and gripped it to see if it could be used as a weapon. Dropped it again as soon as he recognised what it was. The remains of a leg and a foot.
– Norbakk, he shouted as he got to his feet, tearing at the gate.
In the corner to his left, a rustling sound. Something happening in that furry pile. An animal, waking up. He backed away as far as he could. The trapdoor opened, light spread across the ceiling and down to where he stood. Then Norbakk was climbing down.
– Slept well, Glenne?
The voice was bright and cheerful.
– Now I realise you mean what you say, Axel shouted. – Open this bloody gate, the animal’s waking up.
– That’s right, Norbakk whispered. – He’s waking up. Now we’ll see, right?
He shone his torch on the pile of fur lying by the wall. Two black eyes visible.
– The big fella hasn’t suffered down here. I believe in treating animals well. But he hasn’t really had all that much to eat. The first two I had down here, I let him scratch them a bit and then doped him again. The last one had to sacrifice her legs. So now he’s had a little taste, no wonder he wants more. It’ll soon be time for him to go into hibernation.