He doesn’t believe me, she thought. ‘No,’ she said firmly. ‘I didn’t. I’ve had more than enough on my plate to…’

She stopped herself. She had seen Mork’s call for help. She’d just decided not to heed it.

‘Besides, like I told you, I left right after. What possible interest could I be to the investigation?’

He didn’t have a response to that. He waited a moment before asking his next question. Susanne felt scrutinised. Invaded. Like he was looking for something deep inside her. She could feel her face becoming hot. Or maybe it was just the drink. My God, she’d had quite a few, hadn’t she? She just hoped it wouldn’t show. That she wouldn’t say something she’d live to regret.

‘You went straight home?’

‘I did.’

Then she laughed.

‘What’s so funny?’

‘It’s just that Even asked me the same question earlier today.’

‘He did?’

‘Yeah,’ she said and rolled her eyes. ‘Little mister police.’

Mork seemed to give that some thought. ‘Mari was doing a feature for the school newspaper about your son and his father before she died,’ he continued.

Susanne felt a sharp pang in her chest. ‘Did she ever talk to you about that?’

‘No.’

‘You’re sure?

‘Of course I’m sure.’

‘She didn’t ask you about your car accident, either?’

She looked at him. ‘And why would she do that?’ She could hear the steel in her own voice.

‘I’m just asking.’

‘No,’ she said quickly, and a tad too loud. ‘She didn’t. And I know you,’ she continued. ‘You’re not just asking. What the hell has Jimmy’s death got to do with any of this?’

‘I don’t know,’ he said. ‘That’s what we’re trying to find out.’

‘Why don’t you tell me what you really want to know, officer? Do you want to know if I killed her? Is that it? Let me save you the time and the trouble. I didn’t. You think I’m crazy? You think I’m evil? I may be a lot of things, detective, but I’m no fucking murderer.’

A voice inside her head wanted to say something, but she managed to push it away. She could tell that she’d given him some food for thought, though.

‘Was there anything else?’ She pushed her shoulders back a little and lifted her chin.

‘Did you leave school with anyone?’

She sighed heavily. ‘No.’

‘What did you do last night?’

She snorted. ‘Depends on what you mean by “last night”.’

‘How about around midnight.’

‘I was at Knut’s.’

‘Any chance he can verify that?’

She laughed. ‘Probably not. He was working, as always. But I sure as hell wasn’t under the railway bridge, beating a kid my own son’s age to death.’

He nodded slowly. Then waited a while, before getting up.