‘What?’ He looked at me as if to say it was the most ridiculous thing he’d heard in his life. ‘In that case… you’d better come on in.’
I followed him down a long corridor with blindingly harsh strip lighting, a symbol of the powerful beam the hive of activity in the newspaper’s offices was supposed to train on life outside. Yet there might still be a few dead flies up there like little beauty spots in the light fittings.
Holger Skagestøl was a thin ungainly man, over six feet tall. His light brown Terylene trousers were held up by a tight leather belt, and his silvery grey tie was loosened from the collar of his white shirt with thin blue stripes. His hair was brownish in colour yet completely white at the temples and round the ears, like an Irish coffee with a bit too much cream in it.
He ushered me into a narrow little office with a view of the other side of Nygårdsgaten, where a group of youngish women were doing a cross between gymnastics and ballet exercises in a lit-up hall with large windows looking onto the street. ‘We can borrow this,’ he said as if to emphasise that he was not inviting me into his own office. ‘Take a seat,’ he added, pointing to a chair on the other side of the desk.
Before speaking again he looked at me, shaking his head slightly. ‘I’ve rung the police myself, but Sidsel… Oh well…’
‘So you’ve reported her missing?’
‘No, not officially. But one has one’s contacts. I’ve made a few enquiries, so to speak, and given the problem a certain amount of attention.’
‘The problem?’
‘Yes. That Torild’s run away from home, of course.’
‘Run away from home? Is that how you’d choose to describe it?’
‘Yes, what other term could I use?’
‘Run away where, according to you?’
He licked his thin lips. ‘Well… I don’t know.’
‘But you are concerned about it, aren’t you?’
‘Of course I am. Didn’t I just say I’ve contacted…? Look, what is it you want, actually?’
‘Listen, Skagestøl, I’ve been put on this case by your wife, and so far I’ve been gathering bits and pieces to give me an impression of Torild’s life before she disappeared, who her girlfriends were, the places she went to, things like that. In connection with that, I assumed that her father -’
‘Yeah, yeah. The last thing I need is a lecture. I’ve had a bellyful of that at home. So… what is it you want to know?’
‘Er, what can you tell me about Torild?’
‘Tell you? What are you after? Her life history? You’ve probably already got that from Sidsel.’
I felt my solar plexus start to tighten and had to make an effort to maintain the same calm tone of voice. ‘Just tell me something! Doesn’t matter what…’
‘Well, she…’ He looked out of the window. ‘In my profession… She’s always been a nice girl. There’ve been a few hiccups at school the last few years, but it hasn’t – I don’t think it’s been any worse than anything they all go through. They get sick of it, don’t they? If school can’t hold their interest, how are we parents supposed to?’
‘But – the two of you did keep an eye on her progress?’
‘To be frank, Veum, it was Sidsel who dealt with the children. I took care of earning our bread and butter and made all the major practical decisions -’
‘Er, major?’
He looked at me irritably. ‘Yes, such as when we bought the house, money in general, the summer we went over to Disneyland, stuff like that. But everything to do with the house and the home, I mean, all the domestic side, including the children, was Sidsel’s pigeon. There has to be some division of responsibilities, doesn’t there?’
‘Yes, but -’
‘Look, don’t come the sexual moralist with me. We both agreed about dividing up our responsibilities like this. And don’t talk to me about neglected kids either, because Torild got a lot more attention than many others. Just look around you, Veum! Look at all the single parents; how much time do you think they have for their children?’
‘Some children maybe need more attention.’
‘Not Torild.’
‘Didn’t she?’
‘Things were reasonably OK at school. She had lots of hobbies, played handball, was in the Guides -’
‘But she’s packed that in, hasn’t she?’
‘OK, then. But right up to last year, wasn’t it?’
‘Was it? So why do you think she’s taken off’
He threw up his hands. ‘What does one really know about one’s children?’
‘Exactly.’
‘She’s at the rebellious stage now, though. Maybe she’s clashed with her mother – she can be rather wearing, I can tell you that… You know what kids are like, girls especially perhaps…’
‘What are you thinking of in particular?’
‘At that age, Veum? More – emotional, eh?’
In the gym on the other side of the street, the ballet group had finished their practice session for the day. The participants were now standing around in small groups talking, but some were already on their way out to the changing rooms. I shifted my gaze back again. ‘So you think it’s a result of the upheaval of puberty, in other words?’
‘Yes.’ He looked at me aloofly. ‘And, of course, the family situation at present, well, I assume you know about it.’
‘I know that your wife and you have separated, yes.’
‘That obviously hasn’t helped.’
‘No. What do the police say?’
‘Oh, you know how much they say. So long as no one has officially been reported missing, then…’
‘Who was it you spoke to in the police?’
‘Oh, I’m not sure I really want to divulge my contacts to you.’
‘Afraid I might steal them, are you?’
‘At any rate, they’re people in very responsible positions, Veum.’
‘So… there’s nothing else you have to tell me, in other words?’
‘Not that I can – think of.’
‘Do you know the names of any of your daughter’s boyfriends?’
He shook his head.
‘Girlfriends, then?’
‘No, I… apart from Åsa, that is; they’ve been friends since they were little.’
‘Yes, I realise that. What about a girl called Astrid?’
‘No, can’t remember that one…’
‘Well, in that case, I won’t trouble you any further.’ I stood up.
He accompanied me to the door. ‘You’re not troubling me, Veum! Don’t get me wrong… I’m just as concerned as Sidsel about Torild’s disappearing act…’
Just as concerned? I thought.
‘… but I – it’s not my area of responsibility, as I’ve told you, I just can’t, there are so many other things I have to… And it’ll all turn out OK in the end, won’t it?’
‘Yes, it probably will.’
‘Who… er, has Sidsel enough money to pay for this? I mean, your fee…’
‘Yes.’
‘Oh, because if not… I’ll have a word with her. Don’t bother about it, Veum.’
‘To tell the truth, Skagestøl, that’s the least of my worries.’
‘Oh?’ We’d stopped in front of the lift. ‘Well, then… Good luck. And if there’s anything else, just get back to me!’
‘Thanks.’
He gave me a quick smile and was already on his way back to his office before the lift arrived.
When I came out onto the pavement I noticed a woman coming out of a door on the other side of the street, red in the face and with her hair all over the place. She looked furtively both ways before buttoning her coat collar round her neck and rushing off almost as though she was coming from a secret rendezvous. But it was probably just the end of the ballet lesson.
Eight
THE LEATHER BOUTIQUE was in two sections. One was targeted at young people and people on middle incomes with special offers for under a thousand kroner. The other part was super exclusive and literally on a higher level than the rest of the shop.