'Please,'she breathed.
Heran the knife across her hips. 'Not there…'
Hescraped the tip across her stomach and throat again.
Thenhe got to his feet. He stood with his back to her.
Shelunged for the duvet.
'Liestill,' he commanded her.
Herstomach hurt. She wanted to get away.
Hewalked to the window.
Hesaid something, with his back turned.
Shetried to force her vocal cords into action.
Againhe said something.
'Whatwere you…?'
'Whereis it?' he asked, spinning round. She saw only his eyes. They were flashing.She tried to pull her nightdress down over her thighs.
'Answerme!'
'Idon't understand what you mean.'
Hesaid nothing and glowered at her. She tried to avoid looking at his eyesthrough the holes of the mask. His eyelashes were grey and rigid. Then he wasby her bed. He seized her wrist. The blade glistened in the light from the lamp.At the very moment she felt the skin around her wrist being twisted, she felt astab of pain in the palm of her hand.
'Doyou understand this?' he raged.
Bloodcoursed down her fingers and wrist.
'Yes,'she whispered, looking down at her hand which was covered with hot bloodpouring out of the wound. Numb from the sight, she sat watching the blood flowout until she came to her senses, then wrapped a corner of the duvet around herhand.
'Don'tmake a mess,' he yelled and grabbed her leg to pull her out of bed. He let goof her ankle and she fell. He tugged at her and pulled her hair. She got to herknees, but stumbled again. She tried to get up and follow him. Once in thebathroom her sole sensation was the underfloor heating.
'Plaster,'he whispered in a panic. 'Where do you keep your first aid things?'
'There.'She pointed to the medicine cupboard beside the mirror.
'Butwe'll have to wash the cut first,' he whispered and kicked her head first intothe shower cabinet. There was a crack as her forehead hit the tiled wall. Asecond later freezing cold water sprayed down over her body. She coiled up inthe corner and screamed. In a flash she saw the blood from her hand mingle withthe water and flow towards the drain. The pain shot up her arm as the icy waterstung her back. She was unable to breathe normally. And at last the showerstopped. She couldn't stand up. She tensed all her muscles waiting for theboiling hot water, the water that would scald and burn her body. But it didn'tcome. After a time that seemed like an eternity she opened her eyes, blinkedwater from her eyelashes and stared at the man standing with his back to her ashe rummaged through the cupboard. She dragged herself up.
Shedrew herself up onto one knee. The thin nightdress was drenched; it stuck toher stomach, her thighs and her breasts. She tried to find support. The glassof the shower cabinet was stained with blood where she had groped for a hold.She sniffed and wiped the mucus off her face with her good hand.
'Pleasedon't make any more mess,' he said, turning round. 'Well, aren't youattractive?' he whispered, licking his red lips. He took a towel and passed itto her.
'Here,dry your face on this.'
Sheobeyed.
Secondslater he had placed a wad of gauze on her hand and bound it with a bandage. Shelooked down. But he grabbed her chin and raised it. She shut her eyes.
'Open!'he ordered.
Hiseyes were pale blue, almost grey. And she recoiled because she had seen thoseeyes before.
He beganto laugh. But she had no energy left for anything except staring.
Hesnapped his mouth shut, then said: 'Where is it?'
Shecouldn't stop herself. She began to cry.
Atthat moment the telephone rang.
Chapter 47
Gunnarstrandafirst rang at 3.30 a.m. without getting an answer. At 3.56 the unit leader wasable to say with certainty that there were people in the flat. A man's and awoman's voices had been identified. At 4.04 the Special Forces unit had theirpeople in position. At 4.10 one of the officers had seen a glimpse of the manthrough one of the windows in the flat. The man was wearing a mask. Then theunit leader asked Frølich to draw him a map showing the layout of the flat. At4.18 Gunnarstranda rang for the second time.
Theyhad situated the centre of operations in Fritzners gate. Gunnarstranda wasparked on the pavement in Bygdøy allé. In the car beside him sat two men, onethe Special Forces leader listening to the conversation. It was blackest nightoutside.
Gunnarstrandacounted eighteen rings before Ingrid Jespersen answered. 'Yes,' she saidnervously.
'PoliceInspector Gunnarstranda here,' he said.
'It'sthe middle of the night,' she replied.
'Wehave reason to believe that there is a Hermann Kirkenær in your flat,' Gunnarstrandasaid. His feet were freezing. The cold was coming through the car door.
Shedidn't speak.
'Wehave reason to believe you are in a hazardous situation.'
'Me?'she said.
'Couldyou go to a window facing Thomas Heftyes gate so that we can see you?'
Therewas silence for a few seconds before she spoke. 'I'm still in bed.'
'Ican wait until you dress.'
'Whyshould I?'
'Dearfru Jespersen, answer me the following: Are you alone or is there someone withyou?'
She clearedher throat. 'I'm alone.'
'MayI speak to the man who is with you in the flat?'
'Don'tyou believe me? I'm alone.'
'Verywell, fru Jespersen. We're coming up and will ring the doorbell. We expect you tolet us in so that we can search the flat.'
'No,'she gasped.
'Whynot?'
'It'simpossible.'
'Wehave reason to believe that a wanted person is hiding in your flat. I canassure you that we…'
'Youcan't do that,' she interrupted.
Gunnarstrandaglanced to his left and exchanged looks with the man listening. The man pulleda face and said something inaudible.
'Well,I think it would be best if you let me talk to Kirkenær,' Gunnarstranda said,unruffled.
Thistime the silence was a little longer. The sounds suggested a hand held over thereceiver.
'He'sasleep,' she said on her return.
Gunnarstrandaglanced across at the two men in the car. They were grinning at her comment.'Wake him up,' Gunnarstranda said calmly.
'Justa moment.'
'Hello,'said a man's voice.
Thesound of the voice created a buzz of activity in the adjacent car.
'Thisis Police Inspector Gunnarstranda, Murder Squad. I'm leading the investigationinto the killing of Reidar Folke Jespersen,' Gunnarstranda said, and went on:'It's important that you understand I do not have overall authority in thissituation that you have placed yourself. I therefore urge you to follow myinstructions. That way we can bring this to a satisfactory conclusion.'
'Ifyou have nothing else to say, I see no reason to continue this conversation,'Kirkenær said, unmoved.
'Iknow that your grandmother's name was Kirkenær,' Gunnarstranda said. 'I know your mother's name is orwas Amalie Bruun. I know you have taken your grandmother's surname.'
Kirkenærcoughed. 'You're putting me in a very difficult position.'
'Yourposition is very simple. Grant Ingrid Jespersen safe conduct out of thebuilding and come out with your hands over your head.'
'Justa moment,' Kirkenær said.
Gunnarstrandaexchanged a swift look with the unit leader in the adjacent car. The manmotioned him to keep talking.
'Hello,'Gunnarstranda said.
IngridJespersen came back on the line. 'Hello,' she said in a starched tone. 'We'refine here. Please don't disturb us. I invited this man here.'
'FruJespersen, leave your flat. That's the only thing you can do to make us calloff the action. If you don't come out, there will be very grave long-termconsequences, especially for the man with you.'
Anothersilence.
Kirkenærcame to the telephone. 'Ingrid likes it here with me,' he said. 'Shall we sayyou ring back tomorrow?'
Gunnarstrandawatched a policeman slowly releasing the safety catch of his weapon. He said:'Grant her safe conduct.'