‘He said I should deny everything. Bakke, that was. Say I had no idea what David had taken with him. The cops didn’t care when I had met David. I should just say it was someone I had met in Kastrup Airport and had tagged along with. And… they would have to accept that. In court at any rate. No one could prove anything different. And David didn’t give me away. You could rely on him…’
‘But he was convicted?’
‘Eight years in clink.’
‘Eight years!’
‘It was a huge amount we had with us. But the worst of all, do you know what that was?’
‘No.’
‘Imagine the guilt I felt afterwards. After all, I’d lied!’
‘Ably assisted by your lawyers, it has to be said.’
‘Yes, but nevertheless… it wasn’t true, was it. I betrayed him just as much as someone had betrayed us. And when he hung himself it was like someone had thrust a knife into my chest and twisted it.’
‘He hung himself in prison?’
‘He suffered from claustrophobia. He couldn’t stand it. He’d already told me in Copenhagen: if we get arrested, Mette, take my life. I’ll never be able to cope with being locked up. And he couldn’t. He held out until the sentence was passed, but then it was over. As soon as he got an opportunity he used a sheet as a rope and tied it round his neck. They found him in the morning. By then he was dead.’
She stretched out her hand as if to say she wanted the photo back. I passed it to her. ‘From then it was curtains for old Mette. From then on it could only go one way. Down, to hell.’
She was trembling with sobs now. Her lean body was shaking with convulsions, and she wept uncontrollably. I let her cry herself out. When things had calmed down, I asked carefully: ‘And you have no idea who it was who informed on you?’
She shook her head gently. ‘It must have been some prick in Copenhagen. Who was jealous that David had cleared off with the Princess.’ Before I could say anything, she added: ‘Yes, that’s what they called me, that summer down there. Princess Mette they called me. Or simply the Princess…’
‘But someone must’ve lost a hell of a lot of money on that number
…’
‘They did, the bastards.’
‘You never heard any more?’
‘Why should I? I didn’t have anything to do with it, did I.’ Her voice was saturated with bitterness as she said: ‘I’d only just met him, too. That was what they said in court. At Kastrup on our way home.’
‘But someone knew you were a couple in Denmark…’
‘Of course! But I never had any trouble because of that. I just hope…’
‘Yes?’
‘Well… they arrested the man who snitched on us.’
‘You’re sure it was a he?’ As she was about to answer, I went on: ‘It could’ve been someone who was jealous of you as well? A woman.’
She looked at me blankly, seemingly incapable of following my gist. Again there was a silence between us, as though both of us had more than enough to do with the musing our conversation had triggered. In the end I said: ‘But by then you had Jan…’
‘Yes.’
‘So you could still have gone on the straight and narrow, Mette.’
‘When I had Johnny boy, I was already a dopehead! That was all I had to console myself with. Hash was just the beginning of it. Then it was acid and pills alternately. He was born affected, they told me afterwards.’
‘But you were still allowed to keep him.’
‘I did everything they said! I did rehab, got dried out, found myself a place to live, out there on the Rothaugen estate. They would get me a job, they said. Help me get some training. But it didn’t happen like that. Instead I met Terje. And then I got some help in a different way, if you understand what I mean. It was straight back to dreamland again.’
‘Terje Hammersten.’
‘Yes.’
‘That name has a habit of popping up in the strangest of places.’
She gaped at me. ‘Really?’
‘Tell me, Mette. Terje Hammersten told you that Jan had moved up here. You followed him. Have you ever tried to contact him?’
‘Johnny boy?’
‘Yes.’
‘Well, I… I’ll tell you what I did. Yes, I found out where he lived, in that valley.’
‘Angedalen.’
‘Right. So I caught the bus in one day, walked along the road, tried to have a look in at the farms. But I didn’t know which farm it was. Then the school bus came along and some kids got off. A boy and a girl. Kids I call them. Though they were young adults…’ She visualised them, without speaking. ‘I walked past them. And they looked at me, a bit snouty like. Who’s that old biddy then? I met his gaze. I looked straight into his eyes. But I couldn’t say anything to him. I couldn’t have a chat with him! He doesn’t know who I am… he hadn’t seen me since he was three years old! And I was so close I could’ve touched him!’
‘But you… how did you know it was him?’
‘I recognised him. From his dad.’
‘So he looks similar then?’
‘Yes…’ With a snuffle, she breathed in through her nostrils. ‘Later… I made the trip several times. I didn’t always see him. But a few times I did. And after a while I found out where he lived. I saw the people he was with. The old boy and his missus. Bloody farmers!’
‘They’re dead now. Both of them.’
‘Yes, what do I care! I didn’t do it.’
‘Well, the police think… Jan did.’
She looked at me, her eyes black. ‘Yes, I suppose they would. But life has taught me one thing, Veum. The police are not necessarily always right. No way!’
‘Possible, possible. Are you still in touch with Terje Hammersten?’
‘I hadn’t been until…’ She bit her lip and said sulkily: ‘No.’
I waited for her to continue. ‘You were going to say something else. You said: I hadn’t been until…’
‘Oh, for Christ’s sake! Can’t you stop pestering me!’
‘Until…’
‘A couple of days ago.’
‘A couple of days ago! When?’
She looked at me helplessly, as though unsure. ‘Monday — I think.’
‘Monday just gone?’
‘Yes. I hadn’t seen him for… six months. He’d been here before, but I didn’t want any more to do with him, so I told him to pack his bags and go to hell.’
‘Sounds very sensible.’
‘Sounds very sensible,’ she mimicked with contorted lips. ‘But out of the blue he reappeared… late one night.’
‘Monday evening?’
‘Yes, I told you! Monday! Forced his way in, although I… Said he had to spend the night here, otherwise he would hammer me black and blue. Yes, he’d done that before, so I knew he wasn’t exaggerating. Then… well… he had to stay here. But don’t you get it into your bloody head that I let him fuck me, if that’s what you’re thinking!’
‘No, but… did he say where he’d come from, that Monday night?’
She shook her head. ‘Just that he’d come from town. The heat there had got too much for him. He was always in trouble, in one way or another. There was always trouble with Terje.’
