The killer's art

59

On Wednesday morning, only a few minutes after Knutas had arrived at work, Karin Jacobsson knocked on the door of his office. ‘Come in.’

He could tell from her expression what she wanted to discuss. He felt a lump rise in his throat. It was as if his own fate were about to be determined. It was crazy that Karin could have such a strong effect on him. Ever since he presented his proposal to her on Monday, he’d tried not to think about the matter, but he’d been having nightmares about Karin vanishing and leaving him all alone. Their fifteen years together on the job had made a big impression on him. It wasn’t so easy just to let it all go. He would never find anyone else like Karin.

Without giving away what she was thinking, Jacobsson sat down opposite him. Knutas didn’t say a word, awaiting the verdict.

With each second that passed, he felt more discouraged.

‘I accept, Anders. I’ll stay. But on one condition. I don’t want to have anything to do with the press.’

Then she gave him a big smile, revealing the gap between her front teeth that had always delighted him.

Knutas was so relieved that he felt dizzy. This was too good to be true. He jumped up from his chair, rushed around the desk and pulled his dear colleague to her feet to give her a hug.

‘Thank you, Karin! Wonderful. I’m so happy! You won’t regret it. I promise!’

For a brief moment she stood motionless in his embrace. Then she gently pulled away.

‘You’re welcome, Anders. I think it’s going to be both fun and exciting for me.’

‘When this investigation is over, I want to take you out for a fancy dinner. We have to celebrate!’

He glanced at his watch. He would have just enough time to talk to Norrby before the meeting started. He wanted to announce the news that Karin was going to be his deputy as soon as possible. Then a thought occurred to him.

‘Does Martin know about this?’

‘Yes, I told him yesterday evening.’

‘How did he take it?’

‘It was no problem. You know how he is. Don’t worry about it.’

Knutas had assumed that Lars Norrby would have a strong reaction, but not this strong.

‘What the hell are you telling me? Is that the thanks I get after all these years? We’ve worked together for twenty-five years. Twenty-five years!’

His colleague had straightened up to his full height and was angrily staring down at Knutas as he sat in his old chair, feeling more uncomfortable than he’d ever felt before.

Norrby spat out his words.

‘And what the fuck were you planning for me to do? Sit and twiddle my thumbs behind a desk, waiting to retire? What did I do wrong?’

‘Lars, please, calm down,’ Knutas admonished him. ‘Sit down.’

He’d never seen his soft-spoken and amiable colleague react so forcefully. He’d explained to him that he’d had to offer Karin something dramatic in order to keep her on the force, but Norrby wasn’t buying that argument.

‘So is that what you have to do to get ahead in this place? Threaten to quit? Damn it, how low can you get?’

‘But Lars,’ said Knutas, ‘please, let’s be realistic. You and I are the same age, and I have no intention of throwing in the towel for a long time yet. I suspect that I’ll be sitting here until they literally chuck me out. That’s ten more years, at most, if I retire before I turn sixty-five, which is what I’m planning to do. Then somebody else will have to take over. Karin is fifteen years younger than we are. By then she’ll have the experience and the influence. Besides, you’re an excellent spokesman for the department, and that’s what I want you to consider your primary concern from now on. Nobody is better at it than you are. And of course you’ll keep the same salary.’

‘How decent of you,’ Norrby hissed. ‘I wouldn’t have believed this of you, Anders.’

He slammed the door when he left the office.

Knutas stayed sitting at his desk, unhappy with the conversation and with himself. He hadn’t even managed to mention the most sensitive issue. That he’d decided to take Lars Norrby off the investigative team.