Selma herself felt that it must be some kind of defect, even though she never spoke to anyone about it. In her brain, perhaps. It was called oxytocin, the love hormone, and it was impossible for her to produce enough of it. She was concerned about people, she experienced empathy and felt deep pleasure from friendship. She had been a team player from a young age, and she had liked the fact that in their early years, Jesso had admired, loved and wanted her.

It was just never particularly reciprocated.

Kristina and Vanja had been so head over heels in love that Selma didn’t really understand what became of them at the time they moved in together. She married Jesso because he was kind. They had a good life together, for a long time: he gave her space and was already earning a good salary when they set up house. Since Selma considered children to be a natural consequence, it wasn’t insignificant that Jesso was a fine figure of a man, smart, and also exercised almost as much as she did.

Jesso had good genes, and was a good dad in every way.

Selma had, however, never been in love with him. They had just lived together for almost quarter of a century. The only person she had ever been infatuated with was Morten Harket. By the same token, she had never met him. There was some kind of connection here that she had never really bothered to grasp.

Nils Holm, Kristina’s older lawyer brother, had approached from behind her without her noticing.

‘Hello,’ he said softly, almost whispering.

‘Hello.’

Her eyes were still fixed on the corpse.

‘I’ve been here all weekend,’ he continued. ‘Expected to see you here.’

‘I was here all Friday night. And Friday evening too.’

She tucked her hair behind her ear and tried to look emotional.

‘When the police came.’

He nodded.

‘I heard that. Thanks.’

Selma did not reply. Merely nodded. It must be possible to leave now.

‘There are rumours,’ Nils said. ‘That you’ve sold up. Suddenly.’

She finally turned to face him. Gave a sad smile.

‘It would be nice to have a chat with you, Nils. To catch up, you know. But this is hardly the time, don’t you think?’

He hesitated. Studied her.

‘You left us suddenly as well,’ he said.

‘Yes, a long time ago. A very, very long time ago.’

The doorbell rang.

‘I’ll open it,’ Selma said quickly, gesturing to Vanja and Kristina that they should remain seated.

Not until she was on her way to the door, relieved at escaping from her very first real employer, did she remember the sign someone had attached to the door.

Don’t ring the bell. Just come in.

Of course, it could have fallen off. She emerged into the deserted hallway and took three deep breaths before putting her hand on the heavy brass knob and opening the door.

‘Bottolf Odda,’ she blurted out. ‘So good of you to come. Come in.’