The Last Fix [En liten gyllen ring no]

'Takeall the time you need and point out the things you think may have belonged toKatrine,' the police inspector said, guiding Ole Eidesen to the desk.

Inthe space there was a rusty old razor, a brass- coloured cylinder containinglipstick, a china hash pipe, a lump of black Afghani hash wrapped intransparent plastic, two gold earrings in the shape of cannabis leaves, a boxof matches, a half-used sheet of contraceptive pills, two gold rings, one inthe shape of a snake, the other with a green stone inset. A black disposablelighter with a figure 1 on the side stood next to a driving licence, a braidedgold necklace, an ivory bracelet, a selection of thinner bracelets of unknownmaterial and a small black shoulder bag.

Eidesenstared long and hard at the objects, then his eyes wandered over to thepoliceman.

'Takeyour time,' Gunnarstranda said, taking a seat, 'Take all the time you need.'

Eidesencleared his throat and pointed to the bag. 'Could I see that, please?'

'Thebag? Of course. Have a careful look.' Leaning back, the policeman pulled adrawer out of the desk and placed one foot in it. 'Take your time and takecare.'

'Thisis hers,' Eidesen said, examining it.

'Sure?'the policeman asked.

'Yes.'

'Howcan you be so sure?'

'Itwas a present from me.' Eidesen pointed to the earrings. 'And these.'

'Areyou sure?'

'Yes,I'm sure.'

'If Isay I bought the cannabis leaves off someone in Markveien what would you say?'

Eidesenfrowned. 'You may have done, but not the bag. I recognize it.' He opened it andturned out the white lining. 'See,' he said. 'She spilt nail varnish in it andI recognize the stain. This is her bag; I bought it in Spain. There are notvery many bags of this type around. You might be able to trick me, but theearrings, the gold chain, the rings and the ivory bracelet, and the lipstick,Lancome, that colour? They're Katrine's things.'

'Areyou quite sure?'

'Yes.'

'Isthere anything else you would have expected to see there?'

'I'mnot sure.'

'Andwhat does that answer mean?'

'Ithink she had another ring, one with two diamonds in it.'

'Youmean she was wearing that ring on that night?'

Eidesenpuffed out his cheeks. In the end he shook his head. 'It would be quitestrange,' he mumbled, shaking his head gravely, 'if she had not been wearingit. She never took it off.'

Gunnarstrandanodded. 'Let's hold fire with the ring,' he said. 'Which of these things lyingon the table belonged to her?'

Eidesengathered the earrings, both rings, the bracelets, the gold chain and the baginto a little pile on the table. 'This, too,' he continued, adding thelipstick. He lifted the sheet of pills. 'Not sure about these.'

'Wasshe on the pill?'

'Yes.'He motioned towards the driving certificate. 'Could I see…?'

'…the driving licence?' Gunnarstranda completed, and nodded. 'Here you are.'

Eidesenturned over the licence and saw Katrine Bratterud's face. He stood staring atit. 'Where did you find this?' he asked in a thick voice.

Thepoliceman did not answer. Eidesen shook his head slowly. The photograph of hisgirlfriend's face had disconcerted him for a few moments.

'Howcome this girl had so much valuable jewellery?' the policeman asked.

'Noidea.'

'Didyou give her any – apart from the earrings?'

'No.'

'Arethey stolen property?'

Eidesenglanced up and twisted his mouth into a scornful grimace.

Gunnarstrandasat watching him.

'Thereyou have it,' Eidesen said, nodding towards the objects. 'Her epitaph – stolengoods.' His mouth had stiffened into a bitter scowl. He was in turmoil.

Gunnarstrandasaid nothing.

Eidesencast around for something to sit on. Gunnarstranda pointed to the low armchairin the suite beneath the window. 'Please take a seat.'

'Ifyou could change anything about that evening,' the policeman continued, 'whatwould you have done differently?'

Eidesensighed, raised his head and stared at the wall, deep in thought. 'In fact, Ihave no idea,' he mumbled.

'Didyou know Henning Kramer picked her up from the party?'

Eidesen'seyes widened.

Thepoliceman nodded. 'She made a call from Annabeth s's house and asked Kramer tocome and fetch her. He jumped into the car at once and she began to walk downtowards the city centre – they met in Voksenkollveien. Did she tell you thatHenning would pick her up?'

Eidesenshook his head in disbelief.

'Shemust have left either just before or just after the five of you took the taxidown to the city.'

'What?'

'Shemust have left after you because you didn't pass her. Well, I assume you wouldhave known if your taxi had passed her.'

Eidesensaid nothing.

'Whydo you think she didn't tell you anything about Kramer picking her up?'

Eidesenwaited for a few seconds before answering. 'I don't know what to say,' he saidin a low voice. He cleared his throat. 'I don't know what to say,' he repeated.'It's come as a complete surprise to me.'

'Whatwas the relationship between Henning Kramer and Katrine?'

'Relationship?'

'Yes,were they friends or…?'

'Lovers?I may have thought that…' He sat looking into space.

'…was she cheating on you?' suggested the policeman.

'Ididn't say that.' 'Did you cheat on her?'

'Eh?'

'Didyou go with other women?'

'No,'said Eidesen.

'Never?'

Eidesenshook his head.

'Notthe night she was killed, either?'

Eidesenlooked up at him without saying a word.

'Comeon, Eidesen. I'm not asking you questions for fun. Were you with another womanwhen Katrine was killed?'

'You'vespoken to Merethe,' Eidesen said, clearing his throat.

Gunnarstrandaheaved a deep sigh.

'Iwanted to wait until you had spoken to her. I had thought about telling you,but wanted to wait.'

'Eidesen,'Gunnarstranda said with a resigned intake of air. 'Imagine you had been chargedas a result of this business and we were about to meet in court. The decisionabout whether you should be given a custodial sentence or not was hanging inthe balance. You would have met your solicitor and do you know what he wouldhave said? He would have whispered in your ear, For God's sake, don't letthem catch you lying. If you lie, you weaken your credibility.

Inother words: If you lie once, who can be certain you haven't been lying thewhole way through?'

Theysat looking at each other in silence.

'Iwould like to change my statement,' Eidesen said at length.

'Whatwould you like to change?'

'WhatI said about the taxi ride home after we were in Smuget.'

'Whatactually happened?'

'Iwent back to Merethe Fossum's place.'

'Whendid you get there?'

'Betweenthree and four in the morning.'

'Whatdid you do?'

'Weopened a bottle of wine and went to bed.'

'Whyshould I believe this?'

'Becauseit's true.'

'Whydid you say something different last time?'

'Idon't know.'

'Atleast make this statement more credible.'

'Whatdo you mean now?'

'Giveme something, something that would help me to believe you,' the policemanshouted in despair.

'She'sgot a poster of Audrey Hepburn in her bedroom, a picture from a film… called…Breakfast at Tiffany's…. you know, one of those fifties diva pictures.''You could have seen that before – or since.'

'Imet her for the first time at the party.'

'Butyou could still have seen the poster in the days that followed the night.'

'Shehas a birthmark.'

Thepoliceman sighed.

'Onthe inside of her thigh, high up,' Eidesen said.

'You couldhave discovered that since then.'

'Onlyif we had been together afterwards, which we haven't.'

'Butwhy should I bother questioning her so many times?' Gunnarstranda stood up.'You waste my time with nonsense and lies. You're obstructing my investigation.'He swept an arm towards Katrine's effects. 'Do you want us to arrest the personwho created this epitaph for her or not?'