He banged his fists against the door, screaming frantically.
‘Hello?’
His banging became more desperate while he tried to clear his head.
‘Is anyone there?’
He rummaged through his pockets again. Searched his duffel coat and his trousers. Staggered back to the bed and started pulling off the bedlinen. There was no sign of his mobile anywhere.
The door behind him opened and a carer he had never met before popped round her head. She looked at him, startled.
‘Who are you? What are you doing here?’
‘Munch, Oslo Police, Violent Crimes Section,’ Munch said drowsily as he forced his way past her. ‘Have you seen Karen?’
‘Karen?’ the terrified carer said. ‘Her shift has finished. Why?’
‘I need to borrow your phone,’ Munch said, stumbling towards reception.
‘No, wait, you can’t just…’
‘Munch, police, my mother is a resident here,’ Munch mumbled and picked up the handset.
He held it in his hand, still feeling groggy. Bloody modern technology, he didn’t know any telephone numbers by heart these days. He called Directory Enquiries and asked to be put through to Police Headquarters in Grønland. Finally, his call was answered and he asked to be put through to the special unit. Ludvig picked up the phone.
‘Grønlie speaking?’
‘It’s Munch.’
‘Holger, where on earth have you been?’
‘I haven’t got time to explain. Ludvig, is Mia there?’
‘No, she’s gone.’
‘What do you mean, ìgoneî? Where is she?’
‘She’s not here,’ Ludvig said.
‘But what the hell -’ Munch said. ‘Is Gabriel there?’
‘Munch…’ Ludvig began.
‘Put me through to Gabriel. He must be able to trace her mobile. Get me Gabriel.’
‘Munch!’ Ludvig said again.
‘For Christ’s sake, Ludvig, just put me through to Gabriel!’
‘Your granddaughter has gone missing,’ Ludvig said on the other end.
Munch fell completely silent.
‘Marion is gone,’ Ludvig repeated. ‘Someone took her from the flat. But it’s going to be all right, Munch: we have Stoltz. She turned herself in. Did you hear me? We have Malin Stoltz. Anette and Curry are interviewing her as we speak. Everything will be all right.’
Munch slowly woke up. Like a bear from hibernation.
‘It’s not her,’ he growled.
‘What do you mean?’
The whole world was spinning for Munch now.
‘Send a car.’
‘But Munch?’
‘Send me a bloody car!’ he screamed down the phone.
‘But I don’t know where you are!’ Ludvig screamed back at him.
‘Sorry,’ Munch said, realizing he was shaking all over. ‘Høvikveien Care Home. Send a car, Ludvig. I’m not in a fit state to drive. Send a car.’
He put down the handset on the table and staggered out into the evening twilight.
Chapter 78
There was an atmosphere of both tension and relief in the modern interview room in the basement of Police Headquarters in Grønland. They had been looking for her for so long. First, as an invisible face, a serial killer whose identity they didn’t know, then for every woman with different-coloured eyes living in a flat covered with mirrors. And now she was here. Just one metre away. Anette watched her furtively while Curry poured yet another glass of water. Malin Stoltz. Anette didn’t know quite what she had expected, but probably not this. Stoltz was so delicate and frail. Long, black hair covering a pale face. Thin fingers that could barely manage to raise the water glass to her dry lips.
‘Thank you,’ Malin Stoltz said timidly, bowing her head again.
Anette almost felt sorry for her.
‘You have the right to have a lawyer present, do you understand that?’ Curry said, sitting down.
Malin Stoltz nodded faintly.
‘I don’t need one,’ she whispered.
‘It might be a good idea,’ Anette suggested.
Malin Stoltz glanced up at her. One brown and one blue eye, looking like they had lost the will to live.
‘I don’t need one,’ Malin Stoltz repeated, then raked a thin hand through her black hair. ‘I’ll tell you everything I know.’
‘The suspect has declined her right to legal counsel,’ Curry said into the small microphone on the table.
‘Are you sure?’ Anette said.
Malin Stoltz nodded once more, still very carefully. She was so fragile. Anette feared that she would break if she spoke too loud or even just snapped her fingers.
‘I’ll tell you everything I know,’ Stoltz continued. ‘But I want you to call someone.’
‘And who would that be?’ Curry said brusquely.
Anette signalled for him to back off. There was no cause for aggression. Malin Stoltz was already broken.
‘I’m ill,’ Malin said. ‘I have a disease. I want you to call my doctor, please?’
Malin looked at her again, this time with a pleading expression.
‘Of course,’ Anette nodded. ‘What is the number?’
‘I know it by heart,’ Malin said.
Curry pushed a notepad and pen across the table. His mobile beeped. He checked the message while Malin wrote down the number. He raised his eyebrows and slid his mobile across to Anette. It was from Ludvig.
Munch is on his way.
Anette smiled and pushed the phone back. Munch was back. At last. Anette took the notepad from Malin Stoltz and passed it to Curry.
‘Please would you make the call?’
Curry nodded and left the room.
‘Would you like some more water?’ Anette asked her when they were alone.
‘No, thank you,’ Stoltz whispered, hanging her head again.
‘What is wrong with you?’
‘The doctors can’t work it out,’ Malin said. ‘But it’s in my head. My mind is not sound. Sometimes I don’t know who I am. But they can’t work out what it is.’
‘Where is Marion Munch?’ Anette asked her.
‘Who?’
Malin Stoltz looked perplexed.
‘Marion Munch. You took her from the flat, didn’t you? Where are you keeping her?’
‘Who?’ Stoltz said again.
She seemed genuinely mystifed now.
‘You know why you’re here, don’t you?’
‘Yes.’ Malin nodded.
‘And why are you here?’
‘We conned the old people,’ Malin said in a weak voice.
This time it was Anette’s turn to look astounded.
‘What do you mean?’
Malin looked up at her.
‘We conned the old people. We didn’t mean to. That was just how it ended up. Karen and I. We needed the money. I was going to adopt a child. It’s difficult when you’re single and you’re not in good health. Do you know how difficult and expensive it is to adopt a child?’
Anette had absolutely no idea what she was talking about.
‘Are you ill at this moment, Malin?’
‘What? Am I?’
Malin Stoltz sat up with a jolt and looked around.
‘Right now are you Malin, or someone else?’
‘My name is not Malin,’ Stoltz said.
‘Then what is your name?’
‘My name is Maiken Storberget,’ Malin Stoltz said.
‘So why do you call yourself Malin?’
‘It was Karen’s idea,’ the skinny woman said.
Maiken Storberget. Anette was really confused now, but she didn’t let the other woman see it.
Curry returned to the interview room.
‘Right, I ‘ve had a chat to your doctor. He asked me to give you his best and tell you that she’s on her way.’
He had completely turned off his aggression. And there was no need for it, anyway. As she sat in front of them, Anette began to wonder if Malin Stoltz really was the woman they were looking for. She would have to be a very good liar. Which was a possibility. She had told them she had a mental illness. That she was not always herself. But Anette had met her fair share of liars throughout the years and, if Malin Stoltz was one of them, she was extremely good. Anette switched off the recorder and excused herself. She pulled Curry out into the corridor, leaving Malin Stoltz alone in the interview room.