She asks the questions even though she’s pretty sure she knows the answer. She wants to make him squirm a little. Her reward is a heavy sigh on the other end.

‘The thing is that we have an acute staff shortage. Half of my detectives are in bed with the flu and the other half are away over the holidays. I myself am getting on a plane to Thailand tomorrow. At least, I was planning to,’ he adds in a resigned tone.

Karen stands up and stares out into the darkness on the other side of the kitchen window. Notes the sound of the rowan’s branches scratching against the panes and makes a mental note to prune them before the next big storm.

‘So you want to put me in charge of the investigation? You’re asking me to cut my sick leave short and cancel the rest of my Christmas?’

Nothing in her voice hints at the relief spreading through her body. Let Jounas Smeed think she’s doing him a big favour; it could prove useful down the road. For a split second, though, she wonders if she’s taken it too far.

‘Well, I figured it was worth a shot,’ her boss replies, stiffly and with no trace of the warmth that suffused his voice earlier. ‘But I obviously understand if you don’t—’

‘No problem.’ Karen cuts him off. ‘I’ll do it.’

A few seconds of complete silence follow.

‘Really? Are you sure? Because I can still cancel my trip and head up there myself.’

Of course you can, she thinks to herself, but you called me instead, even though I’m probably the last person on earth you want to beg favours from. He must be dying for a cocktail on the beach to think it worth being in my debt.

‘You go,’ she says. ‘I’ll deal with it. But are you seriously saying there’s no one else available? I’m on my own?’

‘There’s no one from the CID, but I’ve obviously talked to Brodal and Larsen, who are thankfully both home and in good health.’

Karen sighs inwardly. Neither the coroner nor the head of forensic services is going to be happy at being ordered out to Noorö on Christmas. Especially not Kneought Brodal, she thinks to herself. He’s going to be difficult.

‘They’re going up there early tomorrow morning,’ Smeed continues. ‘Not ideal, but it’s dark now anyway and the crime scene is supposedly cordoned off and under guard. And the body has been taken to the local clinic in Lysvik; apparently, they have a freezer. Which is slightly odd, actually.’

‘You think? Why? Surely it’s for whenever the ferry’s not running?’ she says. ‘I mean, they can be cut off for days at a time up there.’