'Ialso know about his receiving stolen goods from a man by the name of Stokmo whosmuggled Jews across the border. Some say it was these stolen goods thatprovided the basis for the business you and your brother lived off.'Gunnarstranda raised a hand in the air to prevent the other man from sayinganything. 'Don't say a word,' he added in a frosty tone. 'The case has beenshelved anyway. I can see that your guilty conscience makes you wary when anold flatfoot like me comes round digging up your past. I can see that, but Idon't accept it. I am not appealing to your moral code now. I am merely askingyou to show me respect. You see, I know it cannot be a coincidence that Frommand your brother maintained their links. You're holding something back.'
Emmanuelraised his hand and placed it on his chest. 'Hand on heart, Inspector. There isnothing in all this business that I'm consciously holding back!'
Thepoliceman scrutinized him – this sweaty, short- winded man with a look ofsuffering on his face. 'If,' he began. 'If you've told me everything you know,there must be something, some detail that has slipped your mind. Somethingimportant.'
'There'snothing. Your phone's ringing.'
Gunnarstrandastarted. He stuck a hand in his jacket pocket for his mobile phone.
'I'vejust been to see Eyolf Strømsted's partner,' Frølich said. 'Sjur Flateby. Doyou know what he does for a living? He's a vet.'
'So?'
'Youshould see his patients. While I was in the waiting room, there were two nymphparakeets, a guinea pig and a forest cat with a bitten-off tail.'
Gunnarstrandastood up and grimaced an apology to Emmanuel before going into the hall tospeak undisturbed. 'How did it go?'
'Hedidn't say a word.'
'Didyou tell him his partner has been humping Jespersen's widow once a week forthree years?'
'Yes,I did, but he's sticking to his story. He and Eyolf were fondling and smoochingin bed until late into the night of Friday the 13th. They fell asleep fromexhaustion at half past five in the morning.'
'Whatdo you think? Is it lies?'
'Noidea. I'm in the dark on this one. I also said that his statement would not betaken into account, but he didn't say anything then either.'
'Didhis face drop when you told him about the widow's sex life?'
'Notat all. That's why I'm in the dark. He said he and Eyolf were keen to havefreedom in their relationship and all that stuff. They've been living togetherfor just one year. And he's always known about Eyolf and Ingrid Jespersen. Hesaid they were both trying to find themselves. Then he began to talk aboutmen's search for their sexual identity. This was Eyolf's big problem. It wasall a bit too glib for my taste.'
'OK,'Gunnarstranda said, ready to finish the conversation.
'Thereis one more thing,' Frølich interjected.
'Comeon then.'
'Someonehas broken the seal on the shop door.'
'Whichshop?'
'Theantiques shop in Thomas Heftyes gate. The seal's broken.'
'Break-in?'
'No,someone had a key. Our police ribbon and seal have gone.'
'I'llmeet you there in…' Gunnarstranda checked his watch.'… In half an hour,' hesaid and rang off.
Emmanuel'scat had taken his place on the sofa. 'What happened to Amalie after the war?'the policeman asked from the doorway.
'Ihave no idea.'
'KlausFromm was imprisoned after the war. What did his wife do?'
'Ihave no idea.'
'Butthat's damned funny – since you know other sides of the story.'
EmmanuelFolke Jespersen shook his head gravely. 'Peace was a happy time – but alsochaos. I didn't think about Amalie much after the war. I hadn't given her athought until you showed me the photo.'
'Onceagain I think we're moving into an area where you find it convenient to holdback the truth.'
'Ihave no idea what happened to her. Ask me in court and you'll get the sameanswer.'
'Haveyou seen her since then?'
'No.I've seen neither her nor Fromm since 8th May 1945-'
Chapter 42
Gunnarstrandatook Drammensveien into town. It was a bad decision. The queue of vehicles wasslow-moving. He turned off at Skoyen where the traffic was just as congested.In Bygdøy allé he got stuck behind a bus that spewed out clouds of black dieselexhaust every time it braked. Evening was beginning to draw in. A frozen,stooped figure trudged along the pavement. Further ahead dark silhouettes stoodwaiting in shelters. Gunnarstranda was twenty minutes late when he turned leftinto Thomas Heftyes gate. He parked outside the window of the antiques shop,got out and waved to Frølich who came hurrying towards the car.
Gunnarstrandapeered round for other police officers. 'Bloody hell,' he said in a low mumble.
'What'sup?' Frølich asked nervously.
Gunnarstrandaran his eyes up the dark street.
'Whatare you looking for?'
'What'sup? You can see as well as I can what's up. Not one of our officers is here.'
Frølichshifted feet, ill at ease. 'Hm,' he said. 'You may be right.'
'There'sno one here,' Gunnarstranda stated.
'Theymust be…'
'Youcan see for yourself there's no one here. Hell,' the
Inspectorsnapped and plunged into his jacket pocket for his mobile phone.
'Whoare you ringing?'
Gunnarstrandadidn't answer.
Carswere parked on both sides of the road. Three youths ventured out of their localwatering hole and stood on the steps shivering in the cold. Gunnarstranda'sphone rang for a long time.
'Yes,'Yttergjerde said at the other end, at last.
'Thereare no officers outside Ingrid Jespersen's place,' Gunnarstranda growled.
'Thoughtyou would ring,' Yttergjerde said.
'Whyis there no one here?'
'Orders,'Yttergjerde replied.
'Whose?'
'Chief's.New priority apparently.'
'Whatare you doing instead?'
'Taximurder.'
Gunnarstrandarang off. 'You knew,' he said to Frølich.
'Me?'
Gunnarstrandaeyed him in silence.
'Ofcourse I knew, but everyone knows you're scrabbling around with this photo of awoman from the war years. As a result it's difficult to make the case that weneed someone to keep an eye on Ingrid Jespersen.'
'Hasanyone asked you?'
'No.'
'Howdo you know then?'
'Iwas told we could keep an eye on her ourselves…'
'Whatdo they need all these officers for?' Gunnar- stranda interrupted and againstared into space.
'Questioning.All our witnesses have to be questioned about Richard Ekholt's movements.'
Gunnarstrandaexamined the main door to the shop. 'This seal is fine,' he mumbled, moving tothe entrance to the flats. The door to the staircase was unlocked. They stoppedin front of the door that led into the shop. The Oslo Police HQ seal had beenripped off and removed. The same applied to the police ribbons across theentrance. They stood contemplating the door for a few seconds. 'Doesn't look asif it has been damaged anyway,' Frølich concluded.
'Whoreported this?'
'AslaugHolmgren. An elderly lady living at the top. She rang Karsten Jespersenwondering whether the shop was going to open since the police had removedtheir… barriers.' Frølich made air quotation marks with his fingers, '…as she called them. Karsten Jespersen rang me. I came here and found what yousee here.'
'Youdon't think Karsten Jespersen went into his father's shop?'
'Neitherhe nor Ingrid Jespersen have been in there, they claim.'
'Haveyou been in?'
'Notyet.' Frølich dug deep in his pockets for a variety of keys. 'I was waiting foryou to come.'
Heunlocked the door.
Theroom was dark. They went in. Frølich switched on the light. The shop lookedmuch the same as before except that there were no forensics or crime-sceneofficers present. Gunnarstranda stood in the doorway watching Frølich open theoffice door, peep in and prowl around the shop. Frølich peered under the table,behind chairs, glanced at the shop window, thrust his hands into his pocketsand turned to Gunnarstranda. 'Doesn't look like anyone has been here,' he concludedcalmly. 'My guess is some young lads were up to their tricks.'