“Shall we ask him why he’s so noisy?” Søren suggested.
Lily nodded.
“I’m a police officer,” Søren said, conspiratorially. “It’s better if I ask the questions, isn’t it? Then Bloppen might think you’ve called the police because he was noisy.”
Lily thought that was an excellent idea.
Søren picked up Bloppen, narrowed one eye and looked at him sharply. “Bloppen,” he said. “Why are you noisy, why do you read Lily’s books, sing, and jump in her bed so she can’t sleep?”
Lily stared at Bloppen, she was mesmerized. Søren barked like a dog.
“Oh, no,” he said. “I’m afraid I don’t understand what he’s saying.”
Lily looked terribly disappointed.
“However, I believe you speak dog language. I think your mom told me.”
Lily turned to Anna, beamed, and looked back at Søren again.
“Oh, yes,” she said. “Bloppen says he’s only teasing me because he feels sad.”
“What’s he sad about?” Søren asked.
Lily asked Bloppen very earnestly and listened carefully when he barked his answers.
“He’s sad because someone’s teasing his mom. Teasing her a lot. And now she’s not happy anymore.”
Søren looked at Lily for a long time before he said: “Shall we agree I’ll catch the people who have been teasing Bloppen’s mom, so Bloppen will be happy again and you can get some sleep?”
Lily nodded.
“Shake on it,” he said, offering her his shovel-size hand. Lily gave him her small pink hand. “I’ll tell Bloppen and you as soon as I’ve caught them, promise.”
Lily nodded, satisfied. Then, somewhat at a loss, she turned to Anna, who said, “Come on, darling. I’ll take you back to bed.”
“No, I want him to do it,” Lily said, pointing at Søren.
“No, Lily.”
“Yes,” she said, pouting. “I want him!”
Søren rose and sent Anna a placatory glance. Then he took Lily’s hand and off they went.
Then something happened that had never happened before. Lily let go of Søren’s hand, went back to Anna and kissed her. A small, dry kiss on the cheek.
“You love me, Mom,” she said.
Ten minutes later Søren returned. Anna sat on the sofa, still dazed. Søren took the chair from the window, placed it with its back facing Anna, and sat down astride it.
“Anna,” he began. “Three and a half days have passed since Lars Helland was found dead, and all I know is how he died; apart from that I’ve got nothing. Today we found Johannes’s body and, again, I’ve got nothing.”
“Do you think I did it?” Anna breathed.
Søren looked at her for a long time.
“Right now I can’t eliminate anyone. But if you ask me, off the record, now that I’ve carried your shopping home and put your daughter to bed, I’m pretty sure you have nothing to do with Helland’s or Johannes’s death. But I have to get to the bottom of this, and I need your help.”
“How?” Anna suddenly detected a flicker of growing interest.
“Number one, stop being so hostile,” he said. Anna looked down. “Do you think you can do that?”
“Suppose so,” she mumbled.
“Number two, keep your eyes and ears open around the institute and report back to me. Your world is uncharted waters to me, and I’m ashamed to admit I’m having problems navigating it. Everyone’s cooperating, answering the nice policeman’s questions, but I get nowhere. You can help me because you speak their language, you understand their rivalries, you can see through them—I hope. Or better than I can,” he added. “Help me find Dr. Tybjerg, for example. I think he’s hiding, but why? Help me understand Johannes. You were his friend. You must know what he was like. Are you sure he wasn’t gay? Was he seeing someone? Can you think of anything that might help the investigation? Did he ever mention anyone who might have reason to dislike him? Everything, Anna. I need help with everything!”
Anna studied him as he spoke. “But what if I did it?” she asked.
“Then I’ll arrest you, take you down to the station, have you put before a judge, and request you be remanded in custody; you risk a lengthy custodial sentence. But I don’t think you killed Helland or Johannes.”
“Why not?”
“Because you have too much to lose.”
They sat for a while.
“Mrs. Snedker said Lily doesn’t have a father,” Søren remarked.
“None of your business.”
Søren raised his hand as if to deflect a ball.
“Be nice,” he warned her.
“Sorry,” she mumbled.
“Though you’re right, it’s none of my business. I’m just curious.”
“Lily has a father. His name’s Thomas and he lives in Stockholm. He’s a doctor. He opted out.” Anna shrugged and looked around the room. “Out of all of it. Lily, the responsibility, and a girlfriend who turned out to be unlovable. Who wants to be stuck with a worthless shit like me?” she said harshly and glared at Søren. “He says he left me, not our child,” she muttered. “That’s what he says. But we haven’t seen him for two years. Satisfied?”
Søren nodded and got ready to leave.
“I want you to come to the station tomorrow and make a statement.”
Anna was surprised.
“My hunch isn’t enough. I need to interview you, as I would any other witness. When can you get there?”
“Tomorrow’s not good for me,” Anna squirmed. “I’m going to Odense.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Yes, I am.” Anna looked defiantly at Søren.
“What are you doing in Odense?” he asked, irritably.
Anna twirled a box of matches between her fingers.
“There’s something I need to find out. I’m going with Lily. It’s a long story,” she added and sighed when she saw the way Søren was looking at her. “Okay,” she explained. “I’ve discovered that my parents have been lying to me. On top of everything else.” She threw up her hands in despair. “They’re lying, and I don’t know why.”
“Sorry, but you’ll have to cancel,” Søren insisted.
Anna rose and looked resolutely at him. “I’ll take Lily to nursery school tomorrow morning, then I’ll come to the station to be interviewed.” She weighed her words. “Ten o’clock. I’ll be at your disposal until one o’clock. Then I’ll pick up Lily and go to Odense. I have to go. I’ll be back tomorrow night, and if you’re going to Helland’s funeral on Saturday you’ll see me there.” She closed her eyes. Johannes was dead. “Christ, Johannes.” Her face crumpled. “It makes no sense at all.”
Søren watched her in silence, then he said: “Okay. I’ll let you go to Odense between one and midnight tomorrow. But you promise not to hurt anyone or make a run for it.”
“This isn’t a joke,” Anna objected weakly.
“No,” Søren emphasized. “It isn’t. And I want you to start taking this seriously. Do you hear? Do you know where Dr. Tybjerg is?” His question came out of the blue.
Anna’s eyes flickered. If she told him where Dr. Tybjerg was, the police would pick him up immediately and her dissertation defense would be canceled.
“No,” she lied.
Søren locked eyes with her. “Okay,” he said and went on, “Is there anything at all you want to tell me now?”
Anna looked at him for a long time. “I know what killed Professor Helland. I know about the parasites.”
Søren groaned. “How?”
“The rumor’s all over the Institute of Biology,” she sent him a knowing look, “and from Professor Moritzen. She called me into her office, told me you had visited her in her cottage and why. She wants me to contact her if I hear any suggestions the parasites might have come from her department. Though I can’t imagine how anyone could know. It’s not as if the little bastards are ringed. But if you can determine their origins, or whatever, and trace them back to her stock, then she wants to know.”