‘It turns out Greta Hansen can be linked to Freske, too. She has identified him as the man who brought his wheelchair-bound mother to the Thysted A & E the night after Midsummer. The mother, Ethel Freske, suffered from COPD and was having trouble breathing. She was given an oxygen mask and told to wait for a doctor to become available, but then a number of hours passed. You know what A & Es are like on Midsummer; extremely busy, with a constant stream of emergency cases that can’t wait.’

A murmur of agreement while Karen catches her breath and takes a sip of water.

‘Gundar Freske grew increasingly frustrated that other people were seen before his mother and complained to the staff repeatedly. In the end, Greta Hansen had had enough and told him off rather brusquely, according to herself. She still remembers Freske’s reaction. He stared at her in a way she found extremely unsettling, suddenly completely calm, and said just one word.’

Karen takes a deep breath and steels herself. Then she looks the Head of Police in the eyes and says,

‘Cunt.’

The word makes Viggo Haugen stiffen and look away. Silence follows while the people around the table process this information. Karen and Karl exchange a look, thinking the same thought: if this isn’t enough, we’re in trouble.

Dineke Vegen is the one who eventually breaks the silence.

‘All right, here’s what we’ll do,’ she says. ‘I want you to swab Gundar Freske and wait for the results before you arrest him. A good defence lawyer would make mincemeat of most of the things you’ve told me.’

She holds her hands up when Karen opens her mouth to protest.

‘I’m not saying you’re wrong. In fact, a lot of things seem to point to him being our man. But we need incontrovertible proof, not just theories. I have no problem giving you a warrant to perform a DNA swab. But I’m not giving you an arrest warrant until you know for sure. I assume you understand why.’

Nods of agreement; they don’t need to be told twice.

‘I’ll send a couple of woodentops over straight away,’ Karl Björken says.

‘Wonderful,’ Dineke Vegen replies and stands up. ‘And good work. I hope,’ she adds.

Chapter 42

42

The faces of the people around the table express both relief and surprise. But as the information sinks in, irritation grows as well.

Karl Björken’s account of what has been found out about Gundar Freske has made more and more members of the investigation team exchange looks from under raised eyebrows.

Evald Johannisen is the one who puts their feelings into words.

‘I see,’ he drawls. ‘So, you and Eiken have been doing your own thing on the side. A little “investigation within the investigation” that the rest of us weren’t told about.’

Karl Björken shakes his head, but before he can speak, Johannisen continues.