Harry had to admit he hadn't seen obvious leadership qualities in the self-effacing, shy young girl when she went to the Robberies Unit after Police Training College.
'Wanted to have a look-see at the container where Per Holmen was found. Tell me, how did he get into the area?'
'Cut the lock with wire cutters. They were beside him. And you? How did you get in?'
'What else did you find?'
'Harry, there is no suggestion that this is—'
'I'm not saying there is. What else?'
'What do you think? Tools of the trade, a dose of heroin and a plastic bag containing tobacco. You know, they poke the tobacco out of the dog-ends they pick up. And not one krone, of course.'
'And the Beretta?'
'The serial number has been removed, but the file marks are familiar. A gun from the days of the Prince.'
Harry had noticed that Beate refused to let the name of Tom Waaler pass her lips.
'Mm. Has the result for the blood sample arrived?'
'Yep,' she said. 'Surprisingly clean, hadn't shot up recently anyway. So conscious and capable of killing himself. Why do you ask?'
'I had the pleasure of communicating the news to the parents.'
'Ooooh,' Lønn and Halvorsen said in unison. It was happening more and more often even though they had been together for just two years.
The Chief Superintendent coughed and the gathering turned towards the table of presents and the chatter subsided.
'Bjarne has requested permission to say a word or two,' the Chief Superintendent said, rocking on his heels and pausing for effect. 'And permission was granted.'
Chuckles all round. Harry noticed Bjarne Møller's tentative smile to his superior officer.
'Thank you, Torleif. And thank you and the Chief Constable for my farewell present. And a special thank-you to all of you for the wonderful picture you have given me.'
He pointed to the table.
'Everyone?' Harry whispered to Beate.
'Yes. Skarre and a couple of others collected the money.'
'I didn't hear anything about that.'
'They might have forgotten to ask you.'
'Now I'll distribute a few presents of my own,' Møller said. 'From the deceased's estate, so to speak. First of all, there is this magnifying glass.'
He held it up in front of his face and the others laughed at the ex- PAS's distorted features.
'This goes to a girl who is every bit as good a detective and police officer as her father was. Who never takes the credit for her work, but prefers to let us shine in Crime Squad. As you know, she has been the subject of research by brain specialists as she is blessed with the very rare fusiform gyrus , which allows her to remember every single face she has seen.'
Harry saw Beate blush. She didn't like the attention, least of all concerning this exceptional gift that meant she was still being used to identify grainy images of ex-cons on bank-raid videos.
'I hope,' Møller said, 'that you won't forget this face even though you won't see it for a while. And if you have cause to doubt, you can use this.'
Halvorsen nudged Beate in the back. When Møller gave her a hug as well as the magnifying glass and the audience applauded, even her forehead went a fiery red.
'The next heirloom is my office chair,' Bjarne said. 'You see, I found out that my successor Gunnar Hagen has put in for a new one in black leather with a high back and other features.'
Møller sent a smile to Hagen, who did not return it, but gave a brief nod.
'The chair goes to an officer from Steinkjer who ever since he came here has been banished to an office with the biggest troublemaker in the building. And forced to sit on a defective chair. Junior, I think it's time.'
'Yippee,' Halvorsen said.
Everyone turned and laughed, and Halvorsen laughed in return.
'And, to conclude, a technical aid for someone who is very special to me. He has been my best investigator and my worst nightmare. To the man who always follows his nose, his own agenda and – unhappily for those of us who try to get you to turn up on time for morning meetings – his
'Wanted to have a look-see at the container where Per Holmen was found. Tell me, how did he get into the area?'
'Cut the lock with wire cutters. They were beside him. And you? How did you get in?'
'What else did you find?'
'Harry, there is no suggestion that this is—'
'I'm not saying there is. What else?'
'What do you think? Tools of the trade, a dose of heroin and a plastic bag containing tobacco. You know, they poke the tobacco out of the dog-ends they pick up. And not one krone, of course.'
'And the Beretta?'
'The serial number has been removed, but the file marks are familiar. A gun from the days of the Prince.'
Harry had noticed that Beate refused to let the name of Tom Waaler pass her lips.
'Mm. Has the result for the blood sample arrived?'
'Yep,' she said. 'Surprisingly clean, hadn't shot up recently anyway. So conscious and capable of killing himself. Why do you ask?'
'I had the pleasure of communicating the news to the parents.'
'Ooooh,' Lønn and Halvorsen said in unison. It was happening more and more often even though they had been together for just two years.
The Chief Superintendent coughed and the gathering turned towards the table of presents and the chatter subsided.
'Bjarne has requested permission to say a word or two,' the Chief Superintendent said, rocking on his heels and pausing for effect. 'And permission was granted.'
Chuckles all round. Harry noticed Bjarne Møller's tentative smile to his superior officer.
'Thank you, Torleif. And thank you and the Chief Constable for my farewell present. And a special thank-you to all of you for the wonderful picture you have given me.'
He pointed to the table.
'Everyone?' Harry whispered to Beate.
'Yes. Skarre and a couple of others collected the money.'
'I didn't hear anything about that.'
'They might have forgotten to ask you.'
'Now I'll distribute a few presents of my own,' Møller said. 'From the deceased's estate, so to speak. First of all, there is this magnifying glass.'
He held it up in front of his face and the others laughed at the ex- PAS's distorted features.
'This goes to a girl who is every bit as good a detective and police officer as her father was. Who never takes the credit for her work, but prefers to let us shine in Crime Squad. As you know, she has been the subject of research by brain specialists as she is blessed with the very rare fusiform gyrus , which allows her to remember every single face she has seen.'
Harry saw Beate blush. She didn't like the attention, least of all concerning this exceptional gift that meant she was still being used to identify grainy images of ex-cons on bank-raid videos.
'I hope,' Møller said, 'that you won't forget this face even though you won't see it for a while. And if you have cause to doubt, you can use this.'
Halvorsen nudged Beate in the back. When Møller gave her a hug as well as the magnifying glass and the audience applauded, even her forehead went a fiery red.
'The next heirloom is my office chair,' Bjarne said. 'You see, I found out that my successor Gunnar Hagen has put in for a new one in black leather with a high back and other features.'
Møller sent a smile to Hagen, who did not return it, but gave a brief nod.
'The chair goes to an officer from Steinkjer who ever since he came here has been banished to an office with the biggest troublemaker in the building. And forced to sit on a defective chair. Junior, I think it's time.'
'Yippee,' Halvorsen said.
Everyone turned and laughed, and Halvorsen laughed in return.
'And, to conclude, a technical aid for someone who is very special to me. He has been my best investigator and my worst nightmare. To the man who always follows his nose, his own agenda and – unhappily for those of us who try to get you to turn up on time for morning meetings – his
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