And that was when I understood the tears. The sobbing. The questions Mari had asked my brother, about blood types. I finally understood why Mari and I couldn’t be together. It was because we had the same father.

74

74

While he was driving towards Akershus University Hospital, Yngve asked Therese to re-examine their timeline thoroughly and repeat it to him. She started with Jimmy Tollefsen’s car accident, then continued with Even and Mari’s relationship ten years later. Mari then broke up with Even, just as Frode and Cecilie Lindgren’s marriage was falling apart. The murders on the night of the school show premiere took place next, and then Børre Halvorsen was killed. After that she went through all the people they’d interviewed, most importantly the ones closest to Mari Lindgren, discussing all the possible motives anyone could have for being the murderer.

‘We just can’t find any motive that sticks,’ she said.

Yngve glanced over at her. She was pale again. She leaned forwards slightly, touching her belly.

‘Are you OK?’ Yngve asked.

‘Not really,’ she said. ‘I puked like crazy this morning.’

‘Want me to take you home?’

‘Now?’ she asked. ‘We’re halfway to the hospital. I’ll be fine. I may ask you to pull over in a little bit, though.’ She feigned a puking motion with her mouth.

‘Just say the word,’ Yngve said.

They drove on for a few miles. Neither of them spoke, both deep in thought.

‘Wait a minute,’ Yngve said, more to himself than to Therese.

‘What is it?’ she asked.

‘Just hang on for a second.’

He thought of Tic-Tac’s door again.

‘What?’ Therese was getting impatient.

Yngve grabbed his mobile phone and dialled a number.

‘Who are you calling?’ Therese asked.

‘Knut,’ Yngve said.

The taxi driver answered quickly. ‘I just have a few more questions for you,’ Yngve said. ‘When you left the school that night, it must have been somewhere between ten fifty and eleven, correct?’

‘Yes, I assume that’s—’

‘Did you see any cars parked outside the entrance at the back of the school at that time?’

Knut appeared to be thinking. ‘Yes,’ he said tentatively. ‘I think I did. Yes,’ he confirmed, more sure of himself. ‘Yes I did.’

‘Was it more than one car?’

There was a moment’s pause. Yngve could feel Therese’s eyes upon him.

‘There was just one,’ Knut said. ‘Right outside.’

‘On the janitor’s parking spot?’

‘Yes. I don’t think there’s room for more than one car there. Why – is it important?’

Yngve looked at Therese for a second. ‘It might be. Did you see whose car it was?

‘I did,’ Knut said, another hint of pride in his voice. ‘I’m good with cars. And this car is kind of special, too, so it was easy.’

‘OK,’ Yngve said impatiently. ‘So whose was it?’

75

75

Mari was my half-sister.