Imo took a deep breath. ‘He’d left his phone behind. He looked at me, and he looked at Mari. And then he ran. I had to make sure that he couldn’t tell anyone what he’d seen. What choice did I have?’

‘So you beat him to death with his own microphone case.’

Imo didn’t reply, but then again he didn’t need to.

I shook my head. I wanted to punch him again.

Imo seemed to read my thoughts. ‘Come on then,’ he said. ‘I want you to get all your anger out, because you’re going to have to make a decision soon. A big, important decision.’

My fists were still clenched, and there was blood on the knuckles of my right hand. I didn’t feel any pain, any sting. Just anger.

‘What are you talking about?’ I snarled.

Imo straightened up. ‘You can go to the police, and you can tell them everything I’ve just told you. And then it’s over. But before you do that, Even, I want you to think carefully about the consequences. Do you think your mother will be able to live with the fact that she’s one of the reasons for all this? I’ve been trying to protect her. That’s all I’ve done.’

Before I could answer, he continued: ‘She would never cope, Even. She would drink herself to death, I’m sure of it. And how do you think your brother would react? He’s just tried to commit suicide. Without your mother, without me … are you going to look after him for the rest of your life?’

He looked at me. ‘Your family will be destroyed, Even. And if you decide to go to the police, it’s you who will have to live with that. Or … you can consider the alternative.’

He waited a beat before continuing.

‘Ole is the only one who’s seen the microphone case. He hasn’t had the time to go to the police yet, so apart from you, he’s the only one who can give me away.’

I put my hands to my face. Now I knew what he needed my help for. Why he had wanted me to come. Why he had told me all this.

He wanted me to help him get rid of Ole Hoff.

He wanted me to be his partner in crime.

He pointed at the microphone case. Only now did I see that a pair of gloves were sitting on the floor next to it. Of course. He hadn’t lost them after all.