Lethal Investments

34

At that moment Frølich shoved his large body in through the door.

Gunnarstranda allowed himself the luxury of a self-satisfied expression on his face, then straightened up and glanced at the clock.

‘What’s the matter with you?’

‘Davestuen’s found out why Software Partners locks up its files,’ replied Gunnarstranda gently and placed the tape recorder on the desk.

‘But that’s another matter.’ He wound forward and played the conversation with Marketing Manager Svennebye.

They listened in silence. Gunnarstranda supported his head on his right hand. Occasionally he was unable to resist the temptation of playing with bit of scorched paper. Frølich sat back on the sofa with both hands behind his head and his eyes fixed on a point in the ceiling.

‘Love triangle,’ said the man with the beard after Gunnarstranda had switched off the machine.

‘Love polygon,’ Gunnarstranda corrected. ‘Love was all around, as they say. Our little girl was with Bregård for a while, a while longer with the MD, a while here and a while there, in the end she was with Sigurd Klavestad for a while. Until she was killed. Until Klavestad was slashed.’

The inspector interrupted his reflections and anticipated Frølich: ‘Yes, exactly. And in the midst of all this sits the dirty old man messing everything up! Where the hell does Johansen fit in?’

‘Perhaps he doesn’t fit in at all?’ suggested Frølich.

Gunnarstranda breathed in. Johansen’s keeping something quiet, he thought. Dead certain. ‘Do you know what he reminds me of?’

‘No.’

‘A little boy who’s done something naughty. He’s as happy as hell that he’s pulled the wool over our eyes. Regarding one point. One single bloody point. It makes him feel powerful.’

They sat in silence for a while, until Frølich cleared his throat.

‘This break-in at Software Partners…’

‘Yes?’

‘Apparently nothing was stolen.’

‘That’s right.’

‘Apparently nothing was stolen from Reidun, either.’

‘Correct.’

‘Is that a coincidence?’

‘I don’t believe so.’

Gunnarstranda’s fingers galloped up and down the desk edge in impatience. ‘We have lots of good reasons to pursue Software Partners now,’ he said.

Frølich nodded.

‘But we have to take a closer look at this restaurant place, too. Scarlet. I want you to pop by.’

‘Fine,’ Frølich growled. ‘But what now?’

Gunnarstranda lifted the telephone and dialled a number. ‘Terje Engelsviken,’ he said to the voice in his ear. ‘OK,’ he answered when the voice couldn’t help.

‘For a change,’ he grumbled and rang off.

‘Not in, as usual?’

‘At a meeting. Wonder if it’s with himself at home,’ he speculated.

Frank nodded. ‘Not inconceivable.’

‘Then we should be there, so we could have a chat with him.’

‘Would be good. Shame he hasn’t invited us.’

Gunnarstranda smiled and got up. ‘If no one invites us, I think we will be obliged to invite ourselves!’