When,more than two hours later, a shivering Ingrid Folke Jespersen scuttled alongthe pavement on the opposite side of the street from the café, wrapped in along, grey, fur-lined coat and went through the front door without even so muchas a cursory glance at the café or any other aspect of her surroundings, Reidarhad finished reading the papers. He had smoked a few too many cigarettes. Hehad drunk two cups of coffee and a bottle of mineral water. As the brown doorclosed behind his spouse, he regarded it with a pained look and almost jumpedwhen the young waiter asked him if he wanted anything else. He checked hiswatch. And the moment his eyes fell on the round watch face, he caught himselfwondering why on earth he always looked at his watch when people asked himquestions. With that, he smiled at himself, gave a brief shake of his head andrequested the bill. After paying, he left two 10-kroner coins on the table as atip, which he felt ought to compensate for his rudeness two hours earlier.Then, with an old man's failing agility, he tottered out into the cold and,stiff-legged, walked down towards Uranienborg for a meeting with his brothers.
Chapter 3
Thefirst thing Reidar noticed on entering his brother's flat was a white screenstanding in the corner of the room – in front of Arvid's old Radionette TV withthe roll-up door. He saw that all the others were present: the youthfulbusinessman and his wife as well as Reidar's other brother, Emmanuel. Thestranger's partner had got up from an armchair by the window and stood ill atease, nervously wringing her hands. She was in that indefinable age betweenthirty and forty, with long, dark, curly hair, wearing a navy blue outfit,which created a sense of formality, although her skirt emphasized her legs.Reidar raised his arm and greeted everyone politely. She stuck out a slenderhand, which she swiftly retracted, and flicked back her long, dark hair,releasing an aroma of perfume around her. Reidar turned to the three men andshook hands with her middle-aged husband. The latter did not introduce himself;instead he nodded towards his wife and introduced her: 'Iselin Varås,' he said.Reidar turned and looked at the woman as she sat back in the armchair.
'Mymarital and business partner,' the man added.
Hemust have been around fifty with short, curly hair, greying at both temples.His looks were the kind that stockbrokers and sports commentators used to have:a brash enthusiasm underpinned by two-day stubble, a small inappropriateearring, jeans and a red suit-jacket. His upper lip was narrow and bared alittle of his top teeth, although it was not possible to say whether it was dueto a nervous tic or a stiff smile.
'Watchout for her, Reidar,' Arvid mumbled in jest, nodding towards the woman. 'She'stough in the clinches.' Arvid was like August Strindberg in one of thedramatist's less choleric moments: an elderly but dignified man with a goatee,pockmarked skin, lots of grey hair and a watch chain in his waistcoat.
Reidarsat beside his other brother, Emmanuel, who was the only person present who hadnot stood up. Emmanuel was the sort who liked to sit. He had always beenoverweight, and a long life as a smoker had given him gurgling emphysema, whichmeant he had almost no lung capacity. Standing upright for him was a terribleexertion.
'HermannKirkenær is in good shape,' Emmanuel wheezed to his brother, nodding towardsthe man in the red jacket.
Reidardid not answer.
'Doyou know Kirkenær?' Arvid asked nervously.
Reidarignored the question. 'Don't drag this out longer than necessary,' heinterjected sourly.
Arvidand Emmanuel exchanged glances in response to this bad-tempered retort. Arvidmade an impatient sign to get the meeting started. Emmanuel spoke up in such aloud voice that it sounded formaclass="underline" 'Now that we are all gathered here, perhapswe had better get on with the matter in hand.' The ensuing silence seemed tocatch Emmanuel off guard. In his confusion, he craned his neck round, sendingeveryone a good-natured look, and stammered: 'The floor is yours, Kirkenær.'
Kirkenazrtook a step forwards and folded his hands. 'Thank you, gentlemen,' heresponded, moving behind his own chair and grasping the backrest with bothhands. Then he nodded to his wife. 'Iselin.'
Thewoman rose to her feet and passed him a brown folder. Then, with an elegantsway of her hips, she sashayed to the opposite corner and stooped over anoverhead projector on the floor. Arvid Folke Jespersen gave an eloquent coughas she bent down and her skirt tightened over her haunches.
Shewinked at Arvid and smiled in a maternal, indulgent way as she straightened upand put the overhead projector on the table in front of them.
Arvidand Emmanuel scraped their chairs to see better when she switched it on.
'It'salways a little special to talk to such a small audience,' Kirkenær began. 'So,let me first emphasize how happy I am to be here.'
Reidarglared at Emmanuel, who had expected this reaction and therefore ignored it,concentrating on Kirkenær instead.
'Iwould also like to take this opportunity to thank you, Arvid, for our enjoyableand instructive collaboration and also for allowing us to use your flat.'
Arvidgave a gentle, amiable nod.
Ithad now become obvious to all that Reidar Folke Jespersen was not on the samewavelength as his two brothers. He seemed grumpy and displeased, and he himselfwas aware of his role in this game. There was a great deal he disliked aboutthe situation. And this displeasure was given greater nourishment as Kirkenærconsistently addressed him by his Christian name.
Kirkenærstared straight at Reidar with a broad smile. 'I have, as you know, alreadyinformed Arvid and Emmanuel about what I want to say, but let me first presentmy goals for this little gathering here today: I represent freedom, gentlemen.I represent freedom and security because I have a huge amount of money behindme. But I do not wish money to be at the centre of our conversations. Aboveall, I am keen to ensure that you trust me. I want everyone to be clear thatthe fruit of your lives' work is in safe hands.'
Heclosed his eyes as though devising the formulation of his next nugget:
'Experienceis our shared capital. I have cast my eyes over what you have built up withhumility and respect. When I, and Iselin…' he sent an inclusive glance to theremote, queen-like woman who was smiling at the three aged gentlemen '… havegot that far, all that will be left to do is to oversee the investment withprudence. Gentlemen, we have explored the charts and sounded out the terrain,we have consulted the financial titans, and we are in total agreement that weshould pay you in generous measure in order to manage your shopin our name.'
Theman with the red jacket closed his eyes once again – as though tasting what itwas like to have let the cat out of the bag. Then he stood in silence watchingthe three brothers, almost as if he were checking to see how the land lay -until he spun on his heel and placed the first transparency showing hiscalculations.
Reidarsmelt a conspiracy. He and the two brothers followed closely as Kirkenær warmedto his task. None of the three commented on the exact offer when it wasrevealed at the end of Kirkenær's pitch. The young woman scurried around withrefreshments. Arvid had port and Emmanuel took beer while Reidar politelyrefused a drink. The young lady would not take no for an answer. She delvedinto a trunk and came up with miniature bottles of Hennessy and Chivas Regal,but Reidar caught Arvid winking to her and gesticulating that she should notpress him. This familiarity between the four of them – his two brothers and thetwo buyers – brought home to Reidar that Kirkenær had already sold the idea toboth Arvid and Emmanuel. But that was not what made him cold with fury. Therewas something else – though this was not a matter about which he could talk tohis brothers. Something which was causing him to feel trapped, impatient and alittle aggressive. But he refrained from making any further comment to eitherhis brothers or the buyers. He remained impassive. He did not say a word untilKirkenær and Iselin Varås had left.