But Leah is a novelist and a famous one at that – she is someone who is in a position to draw public attention to things that could ruin my life. I need to know what Leah is playing at; I can’t sit around my house waiting for the phone to ring or something else to happen. Have it your way, Leah, I think to myself. I’m going to find her. And I’m going to shut her up.

26

Kristina

It’s still early morning. If I leave now, I could feasibly be back home by late this evening. I grab a black leather weekend holdall from the closet and place a spare pair of contact lenses into it, as well as some underwear and a thick sweater. I’ll be back tonight, but you never know what might happen and I like to come prepared. I get a torch from the kitchen drawer and throw in some chocolate chip cookies and a large bottle of San Pellegrino too. I grab the car keys from the key holder on the wall by the front door, then step outside into the foyer. I can’t immediately recall when I last drove my car – living so centrally in Oslo, I never have to. All our groceries are delivered to the door, and both Eirik and I walk to work, and yet we keep both a BMW SUV and a Tesla.

As I lock the door, I have a sudden and violent conviction that I am doing it for the last time, that I will never again see these gray turn-of-the-century floor tiles, never again stand in this exact spot, resting my hand on the smooth wooden door handle, never again walk down these black stone steps, or open this door onto Incognito Gate, letting the blustery air rush into my face. I stop for a moment and look back up the sweeping communal staircase toward our apartment. What I am doing is clearly in breach of professional conduct and perhaps a little crazy, but I have the sensation that I don’t quite know what I’m dealing with here. Could it also be dangerous?

27

Kristina

It’s almost three hours to drive from central Oslo to Seljord, the nearest settlement to Leah’s cabin, according to the coordinates on her note. Thankfully I’ve set off early, so I should get there before it gets dark. Hopefully, whatever I find, I can get this strange situation out of my head, arriving back home again before evening. It feels good, actually, to be on the road, driving fast and listening to the radio, doing something other than sitting across from a client or moving around in the hushed, oppressive silence of our apartment. Besides, if nothing else, someone needs to go and check on Leah since the police won’t.