Karen pauses in the doorway after a quick rap on the window to Jounas Smeed’s office. He seems to be busy reading something on his computer screen and responds with a vague grunt. She chooses to interpret it as permission to enter.

‘Really smart, actually,’ she says and takes a seat on a visitor’s chair.

‘What are you talking about?’ Smeed says without taking his eyes off the screen.

‘The team meeting. Giving Björken just enough shit to placate Johannisen and the others. And then a bit of sabre rattling about consequences . . .’

That makes him turn to Karen and fix her levelly.

‘What makes you think I wasn’t serious about that?’

She shrugs.

‘The fact that I think you might be a decent person deep down inside, I guess.’

Smeed gives her an incredulous look.

‘I suppose I should take that as a compliment?’

‘So,’ Karen says, ignoring his question. ‘What did Viggo Haugen say?’

‘That I should consider firing both Björken and you. Especially you,’ he adds and looks at her over the rim of his glasses with a sympathetic wrinkle between his eyebrows. ‘Did you really have to call him a cunt?’

‘I was just quoting Freske. I would never use that word.’

‘Well, he seems to feel singled out.’

Karen chuckles.

‘I’m sure that’ll wear off when he gets to hold a press conference to tell everyone we caught the Moerbeck Swine.’

‘I hope you’re right. Why are you here anyway? I assume you didn’t stop by to shoot the shit.’

‘I wanted to tell you I appreciate you backing me up in the prosecutor’s office, too. I don’t have occasion to thank you all that often, so I thought I’d seize the opportunity.’

‘And there’s the reason you’re never going to get promoted. And why Haugen wants to get rid of you. Have you ever considered speaking to your superiors with more respect?’

‘I have. But I’m just not ready to make a final decision on that yet.’

He laughs and she decides it’s time to get to the real reason for her visit.

Billy Formby.

Leo had called Eirik and Kore the moment Karen confirmed Billy had been the one driving the crashed car. She hadn’t commented on their plans to contact the hospital, but the text she had received from Eirik after the team meeting had confirmed her suspicions.

They won’t tell us anything about Billy. We’re not even allowed to see him. Is there anything you can do?

Of course the hospital won’t release information about a patient to anyone but a close relative. And in Billy’s case, his close relatives aren’t interested.

She’s determined to at least try to get Smeed’s approval for what she’s planning to do.