Fabian sighed inwardly. ‘Reidar, I would like to talk about you and Inga. About what things were like between you before she died.’

‘Great. Things were great between them. Isn’t that right, Reidar, things were great between you? Maybe not quite as great as between the two of us, though,’ Beatrice chuckled. ‘You see, Reidar’s a wonderful man to live with, I can assure you of that.’

‘That’s lovely. But I would really appreciate it if you would let Reidar answer for himself.’

‘There are many things in this world I would appreciate. For instance, I wouldn’t mind a plausible explanation as to what you’re really after.’

‘As I said, new information has—’

‘Come to light. Yes, you did say. The strange thing is, the papers haven’t written about it. Not a word, as far as I know. Which they should have, given how sensational the murder was. Correct me if I’m wrong.’

‘That’s true. But for now, we’ve made the assessment that it’s best if the perpetrator believes the case is closed. For that reason, we’ve elected to keep the investigation covert, and I would like to emphasize at this point how important it is that this conversation stays between us until the perpetrator has been arrested.’

Beatrice stared at him expressionlessly, as though she were on the other side of a poker table, pondering whether to call his bluff. Meanwhile, Reidar sat next to her, underlining the silence with his lowered eyes and closed mouth.

He looked strong and fit, with shoulders wide enough to make most men jealous. And yet there he was, hunched over, with a posture that made him look fifteen years older and would give any chiropractor or yoga instructor an instant headache.

The silence was broken by Beatrice’s phone.

‘Yes, this is Beatrice… Listen, can I call you back? I’m in the middle of a… Oh, right, I see…’ She got up with a sigh and walked off.

‘It’s great you’ve met someone new.’ This was his chance. ‘She seems wonderful.’ But he didn’t have much time. She would be back soon, and the door would slam shut again. ‘Reidar,’ he continued, leaning across the table. ‘The reason I’m asking about you and Inga is that there are some indications she was having an affair.’

Reidar finally looked up from his coffee and let the seconds tick by while he appeared to weigh up his options. Then he emptied his cup, stood up and walked out to the outdoor serving area. ‘It’s actually pretty nice out here in the sun.’

Fabian looked over his shoulder and saw Beatrice coming back towards the table so she could keep an eye on them.