recently?’
‘In the last month or so. Are you hard of hearing or what?’ She glowered at me as if to show how hopeless she thought I was. After a brief pause she added: ‘We got him on our side anyway.’
‘We?’
‘I got him on our side! For Christ’s sake!’
‘But Kristoffer and Ranveig, they hold the opposing view.’
‘Kristoffer just wants to earn money, and she … She has her mind on profit as well. The more money Dad has, the more for her. They’ve been on quite a few luxury trips in recent years while … Dad never went to places like that when he and Mummy … Fishing in Lure Fjord, that was his idea of happiness.’
‘This change of heart of your father’s …’
‘He was definitely on the cusp the last time we spoke to him.’
‘Someone must have a good reason to keep him away from the survey on Wednesday, in other words.’
Her eyes widened. ‘You don’t mean …’
I shrugged. ‘Norcraft Power, others with vested interests in the project, what do I know?’
‘I can’t believe that. After all, this is Norway.’
‘The sunny side of life where it’s all fun and laughter and liquid gold from the North Sea?’
She swallowed. ‘Well …’
I leaned forward again. ‘It was my understanding, from your brother, that you’ve got shares in the company.’
She looked a trifle embarrassed. ‘Yes, but they’re just something I inherited. I’m not in the slightest bit interested in them.’
‘Nevertheless, if you and your father stuck together you’d be the majority shareholders, wouldn’t you?’
‘Yes …’ She seemed unsure. ‘We probably would be. But as I said, that’s not something I go around thinking about.’
‘Nonetheless. You and your father could put a stop to the sale to Norcraft, if it came to a vote. You could bring all the speculation about the wind farm to an abrupt halt.’
‘Yes, I suppose we could …’
‘Have you talked about it?’
‘No. I think Dad was counting on persuading Kristoffer – in a peaceful manner, if you understand what I mean.’
‘And now, now that he’s gone?’
Her lips quivered. ‘Yes, if he … if he’s gone for good his estate would have to be distributed and his shares re-allocated. How that would end I have no idea. It’s not exactly the sort of thing that keeps me awake at night.’
‘No – what is then?’
‘What?’ She looked at me, confused. ‘Erm … other things.’ She moved her gaze to the poster on the wall above me. ‘How the earth’s going to fare, for example.’
‘Gaia?’
‘Yes?’ Now she looked aggrieved. ‘If only a few more people thought the way we do, then …’
‘Then everything in the garden would be lovely and green?’
‘Anything else you’d like to talk about? If not I …’ she snapped, making for the door. Then she turned to me again.
I got up as well. ‘No, I don’t think there is, for today.’ I gave her my card. ‘Here you are. If you hear from your father, or if you remember something that might be significant, then don’t hesitate to contact me.’
She glanced at the card. ‘Alright.’
She accompanied me to the apartment door. The smell of food was stronger now. From the kitchen I heard voices, a high-pitched woman’s voice and a darker bass. Their laughter mingled like a musical piece they were rehearsing.
Else Mæland closed the door as soon as I was in the corridor, as though afraid I would turn back on the threshold and ask another unpleasant question. I trudged down the stairs and out.
While I was waiting for the green man at the zebra crossing further up the street, I wondered what Ibsen had done for Bergen to have this street named after him. However, when the street was named it was probably a great deal more idyllic up here, with grass to the south, where FC Brann would soon site its football ground, scattered houses up towards Kronstad and horses and carts on the road to and from the farms in Fridalen and Landås. Now the traffic crept
‘In the last month or so. Are you hard of hearing or what?’ She glowered at me as if to show how hopeless she thought I was. After a brief pause she added: ‘We got him on our side anyway.’
‘We?’
‘I got him on our side! For Christ’s sake!’
‘But Kristoffer and Ranveig, they hold the opposing view.’
‘Kristoffer just wants to earn money, and she … She has her mind on profit as well. The more money Dad has, the more for her. They’ve been on quite a few luxury trips in recent years while … Dad never went to places like that when he and Mummy … Fishing in Lure Fjord, that was his idea of happiness.’
‘This change of heart of your father’s …’
‘He was definitely on the cusp the last time we spoke to him.’
‘Someone must have a good reason to keep him away from the survey on Wednesday, in other words.’
Her eyes widened. ‘You don’t mean …’
I shrugged. ‘Norcraft Power, others with vested interests in the project, what do I know?’
‘I can’t believe that. After all, this is Norway.’
‘The sunny side of life where it’s all fun and laughter and liquid gold from the North Sea?’
She swallowed. ‘Well …’
I leaned forward again. ‘It was my understanding, from your brother, that you’ve got shares in the company.’
She looked a trifle embarrassed. ‘Yes, but they’re just something I inherited. I’m not in the slightest bit interested in them.’
‘Nevertheless, if you and your father stuck together you’d be the majority shareholders, wouldn’t you?’
‘Yes …’ She seemed unsure. ‘We probably would be. But as I said, that’s not something I go around thinking about.’
‘Nonetheless. You and your father could put a stop to the sale to Norcraft, if it came to a vote. You could bring all the speculation about the wind farm to an abrupt halt.’
‘Yes, I suppose we could …’
‘Have you talked about it?’
‘No. I think Dad was counting on persuading Kristoffer – in a peaceful manner, if you understand what I mean.’
‘And now, now that he’s gone?’
Her lips quivered. ‘Yes, if he … if he’s gone for good his estate would have to be distributed and his shares re-allocated. How that would end I have no idea. It’s not exactly the sort of thing that keeps me awake at night.’
‘No – what is then?’
‘What?’ She looked at me, confused. ‘Erm … other things.’ She moved her gaze to the poster on the wall above me. ‘How the earth’s going to fare, for example.’
‘Gaia?’
‘Yes?’ Now she looked aggrieved. ‘If only a few more people thought the way we do, then …’
‘Then everything in the garden would be lovely and green?’
‘Anything else you’d like to talk about? If not I …’ she snapped, making for the door. Then she turned to me again.
I got up as well. ‘No, I don’t think there is, for today.’ I gave her my card. ‘Here you are. If you hear from your father, or if you remember something that might be significant, then don’t hesitate to contact me.’
She glanced at the card. ‘Alright.’
She accompanied me to the apartment door. The smell of food was stronger now. From the kitchen I heard voices, a high-pitched woman’s voice and a darker bass. Their laughter mingled like a musical piece they were rehearsing.
Else Mæland closed the door as soon as I was in the corridor, as though afraid I would turn back on the threshold and ask another unpleasant question. I trudged down the stairs and out.
While I was waiting for the green man at the zebra crossing further up the street, I wondered what Ibsen had done for Bergen to have this street named after him. However, when the street was named it was probably a great deal more idyllic up here, with grass to the south, where FC Brann would soon site its football ground, scattered houses up towards Kronstad and horses and carts on the road to and from the farms in Fridalen and Landås. Now the traffic crept
Similar Books
