‘Actually,’ she says, ‘I’d like your permission to do something. As you know, there was a big accident on the motorway south of Gaarda yesterday.’

‘Yes, I do know. I was stuck in traffic for half an hour.’

‘The thing is that the driver was one of the KGB guys I spoke to when we thought Luna was missing.’

Jounas Smeed seems to search his memory.

‘Oh, right, the lady who ran off to England without telling anyone. What happened with that, speaking of which? She’s not back, is she?’ he adds with sudden alarm.

‘No. She did come back from England, but from what I’m told she has finally returned to the US now.’

‘And why are you interested in the guy who crashed his car? It was just a regular traffic accident. He was probably drunk or high, I imagine, given where he works.’

She can’t be bothered to argue with him. Doesn’t want to risk putting his back up when he seems amenable for once.

‘Maybe,’ she replies tersely. ‘Or maybe he sneezed, or swerved to avoid something. Or maybe he ran into the side of the mountain on purpose. Either way, he’s now in a critical condition at Thysted and his parents don’t give a shit. Apparently, they’ve disowned him for being homosexual.’

‘That’s a shame, but hardly any of your business. Or do you just have an open-door policy now for kids who don’t get along with their parents?’

Karen considers her boss for a second.

Don’t say anything.

‘Are you upset about it?’ she asks. ‘About Sigrid living with me?’

He laughs. Slightly too harshly.

‘Not at all. Better she’s out there than up in Gaarda, I suppose. She actually called me last week. Apparently she has a new boyfriend. Do you know who he is?’

‘His name is Keris Gudmundson. He’s a chef.’

‘A chef? What the hell kind of profession is that?’

She chortles.

‘A pretty noble one compared to ours, I’d say. Anyway, he works at P27 up on Parkvej, so I assume he’s good at what he does.’

She decides not to mention the fact that he has made lamb roast in her kitchen or that he’s eight years older than Sigrid. Neither would elevate her or Keris in Jounas Smeed’s opinion.

‘Anyway,’ she says. ‘I was thinking of heading up to Thysted to see what I can find out. Check how the guy’s doing, see if I can find out what kind of treatment he’s receiving, and if I can dig up anyone who needs to be informed. Hopefully, there are other relatives. The doctors won’t let friends and colleagues in, but maybe as a police officer I can do something.’

Smeed gives her an indifferent nod and turns back to his computer.