A young woman holding a child on her hip and another by the hand tried to sit down at the table next to theirs. It wasn’t easy – the three-year-old refused to take off his jacket, and the baby was screaming like mad. Lars Winther pushed their table half a metre to the left. They both moved their chairs accordingly. None of this helped.

‘Have you …’

Selma hesitated. She moistened her lips and chose to continue: ‘Have you ever heard anything about a … close shave in the run up to the season in Italy?’

‘Eh?’

‘An ointment? That the national team doctor had bought?’

‘What are you talking about?’

Either he was the best actor in the world, or he certainly hadn’t got wind of Stian Bach’s gaffe.

‘Jan Morell,’ Selma said quickly.

‘Yes,’ he answered, sounding bewildered.

‘What do you know about him?’

‘About Jan Morell?’

‘Yes.’

Last night Selma had been convinced.

That Einar Falsen was right, that she had finally discovered an angle of attack on what had really happened in Hege’s doping case. The old down-and-out had seemed so convincing. So logical. It was Jan who was the intended target, not Hege. Selma had gone home to Løkka feeling relieved, in a state of near-euphoria.

Almost like after a successful night at the Poker Turk’s place.

Her enthusiasm had evaporated in her sleep. This morning it had all seemed far-fetched. Distant, as if the conversation beneath the Sinsen interchange around a gas flame had been nothing but a sweet dream about succeeding again at last.

All the same.

She had to ask.

‘I don’t know very much about the man,’ Lars said, frowning. ‘If he’s the one you want to know more about, you’d really be better asking someone who covers the financial news, such as Dagens Næringsliv.’

‘He’s quite prominent in the NCCSF as well.’

‘In my opinion, not nearly enough! A man of his background and experience would be worth his weight in gold for the Federation. Ages ago, before cross-country had the arrogance to break away from the Norwegian Ski Federation and wanted to manage things for themselves, he was actually on the board. He was continually mentioned as a possible candidate for the post of president, but didn’t want it. At least that’s what all the rumours say. After Hege began to do well at the various ages and stages and looked as if she would have a career in skiing ahead of her, he more or less withdrew completely.’

‘More or less?’

‘Well, he’s still involved, in a sense. His company is a pretty major sponsor, for instance. He’s still the majority shareholder in MCV, isn’t he?’

Selma nodded.