The Girl in the Ice aka A Price for Everything

CHAPTER 54

The sharp light came on without warning and totally blinded the two women, so that the first they knew of Andreas Falkenborg’s presence was the cry of lament he let out as soon as he entered the room. As little by little they regained their sight, they saw him jumping around on the floor in front of them, waving his arms and legs like a child out of control. Occasionally he shouted furious reproaches at Pauline Berg for the calamity she had inflicted on herself.

“You shouldn’t have done that, you don’t understand anything, you stupid goose!”

His mask hung crookedly, and he made no attempt to straighten it. Pauline said nothing to start with. She had been jolted from a troubled sleep, and the pain in her scalp struck her again full force. She had bitten her lips bloody besides.

“You’re going to get a shock that will make you lose the rest of your hair, that’s what you deserve!”

Jeanette Hvidt twitched nervously when he heard him mention the electric prod, and stammered, “She did it herself. I told her not to, but she begged me, and I couldn’t do anything about it. But I’ll do what he says.”

Falkenborg straightened his mask and stood quietly for a moment while he observed Jeanette, who continued to protest her innocence. He commanded curtly, “She will be quiet.”

Jeanette fell silent immediately. Pauline said in a controlled voice, “You can torture me as much as you want, with your cowardly electric stick, but that won’t make my hair grow, Andreas. Maybe it would be a good idea to think about getting as far away as possible while you have the chance. Here in the Copenhagen area thousands of people are searching for you, and it’s only a matter of time before they find you. And in that connection there is a little unwritten rule within the police force that you probably aren’t aware of, but you soon will be in a very unpleasant way.”

To start with he ignored her bait. Soon however he asked, “What rule is that?”

“That anyone who tortures a police officer gets the exact same medicine from their colleagues when he is caught. And, believe me, you’re going to be caught.”

“You’re lying.”

“All right then. By all means keep on living in your dream world, I don’t care. Go and get your silly prod, if you want. I’m not half as scared of it as you will be when they use it on you. By the way, that couldn’t possibly be a substitute for your dick, little Andreas, could it? You know, I think it is. You’re impotent, aren’t you? Even there you can’t live up to your father, you miserable little creep.”

“Shut your damn’ mouth.”

“Certainly not. Aren’t you going out to get the prod? Just admit you can’t manage without it.”

“You can’t allow yourself to talk that way. As a police officer you have a duty to talk properly.”

“Andreas, there is no end to your childish idiocy. Go out then and get your prod, and let’s get it over with. I’m just going to say to you that whether or not you give me a shock, I’m going to say you did when we’re found. I’ll say the same thing too if you bother Jeanette, and it will be a real pleasure to see you writhing in pain while three of my colleagues hold you, and another one empties the whole battery into your forehead.”

Falkenborg pleaded.

“You mustn’t do that, that’s wrong.”

“Then see about getting away while you have a head start. Here in Hareskoven you don’t have a chance. They already started going through the bunkers yesterday, it’s standard procedure with kidnappings so I’m sure they’ll be here soon. Tick, tock, tick, tock, Andreas-can you feel time running out?”

Jeanette also sensed the new division of power and added, “Then you’ll get a taste of your own medicine, you pig. And if you kill me, I guarantee that sooner or later my boyfriend will find you and poke your eyes out.”

“She will keep quiet.”

“You keep quiet yourself, you psychopath.”

He turned on his heel and left the room without closing the door behind him.

As soon as he was gone, Jeanette’s fear got the upper hand again.

“Oh, no. If he gets the prod, I can’t bear that.”

Berg shushed her, and both of them listened for a long time. Finally Jeanette said, “Do you think he’s gone?”

“Yes, I think so, but I couldn’t hear a car.”

They waited a while without anything happening, and again it was Jeanette who broke the silence.

“And then someone will come and find us?”

“Yes, they will.”

“You said they were already starting to go through the bunkers. That it’s standard.”

“Yes, I’m sure they are.”

“How many are there?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re lying. It was a lie, right?”

“You were very brave, Jeanette. Your courage saved your life.”

This evasive manoeuvre of Pauline’s did not succeed. Jeanette insisted on the truth.

“Wasn’t it a lie?”

Pauline Berg answered harshly and angrily.

“Yes, it was a lie. A lie that means you are sitting here alive and not down in that hole while he shovels dirt and chunks of cement over you. Are you satisfied now?”

Falkenborg’s triumphant howl filled the room; he was standing in the open door. The mask was missing.

“I knew it, I knew you were trying to cheat, you cheater!”

He was gone again, only to return to the room soon afterwards, this time with his mask on and a pair of sturdy hearing protectors on his ears besides. In one hand he held the prod, in the other two pieces of fabric. The sight was ridiculous, but neither of the women laughed. He placed himself in front of Jeanette Hvidt and shouted, “She will open her mouth.”

The girl obeyed immediately, and he stuffed one piece of fabric in her mouth. Then it was Pauline Berg’s turn. She clenched her teeth, he raised the prod and held it a few centimetres from her neck without saying anything. Pauline opened her mouth, and the result was the same.

Falkenborg removed his hearing protectors and his mask. He set both down on the floor, and for the next hour Pauline had impotently to watch while he worked. Occasionally he left the room to get materials, tools, and whatever else he needed. A large plastic tub, two buckets of water, two sacks of concrete mix, masonry tools and a long concrete finishing trowel. From time to time he made small talk with her to mock her. Everyday things, indifferent comments, mixed with swear words and dark threats.

“In the old days you had to mix the concrete yourself. It was easy to remember anyway: one, two, three-one part cement, two parts sand, and three parts gravel or small stones-but no one bothers to do that any more. Today you buy it pre-mixed ready for use.”

Then he retrieved a small table and unfolded it by the side of the grave. Carefully he picked up his mask and set it on the table. He left and returned immediately with scissors, lipstick, a roll of duct tape and a plastic bag.

“First the concrete will have to set, then we can get started. Meanwhile you can rot in that chair, and we’ll see whether anyone is looking for you. Yes, go ahead and cry… cry as much as you want. You made the bed you’re lying in. You should have stayed away from me, hussy.”