The Man In The Window [Mannen i vinduet - no]

'Butwhat did he say when you were alone – later in the evening?' 'We didn't talkabout the matter.'

'That'sodd.'

'Youdidn't know Reidar. I neither wanted nor dared to broach the subject.'

'Youhad been caught in the act.'

'Yes.'She ran a finger under one eye, moved.

'Itmight have given you a motive.'

'Motive?'She said with a resigned smile. 'Why on earth would it give me a motive? In fact,I was ready to break with Eyolf.'

'Thatstands and falls on how far you are telling the truth.'

Anotherweary smile. 'What do you think, Inspector Gunnarstranda? Do you think I'm tellingthe truth? I know you have discussed this case with others.'

'Letme put it this way,' the detective countered sharply. 'If you fail to presentevidence or information which has a bearing on the case, it will not count inyour favour.' He took a deep breath. 'You maintain you were on the point ofbreaking up with Eyolf Strømsted on that Friday, but how does that tally withthe fact that you met him a short while after?'

'Ineeded it. I needed to meet him again.'

'Why?'

'Becausemy husband had been killed, because I felt alone, because I needed someone tohold me. Is that so damned difficult to understand?'

'Notat all, but there could also be other reasons for meeting him, reasons whichyou are withholding.'

Sheshook her head with vehemence.

'Youand Reidar might have had a row on Friday night when you were alone.'

Shewas quiet.

'Ifyou had a row – there are many outcomes one could envisage.'

Shewas still quiet.

'Didyou have a row that evening?'

'No.'

'Thefact that you have a relationship with another man is not something I canignore in the investigation.'

'Iunderstand that.'

'ThenI'm sure you'll understand that we will have to come back to this matter.'

'Idon't know if I will understand.'

'Whydo you think Reidar did not go to bed that night?'

'Ihave no idea,' she snarled. 'Perhaps you do.'

'Ican only form hypotheses – and have them confirmed or confounded.'

'Ididn't have a row with Reidar.'

'WasStrømsted's name mentioned either by you or your husband that evening?'

'No.'

'Ialso find that very unusual.'

'Sorry,but I can't do anything about that. Eyolf's name was not mentioned at all.'

'You'vealready had to change your statement once. I'm asking you one more time: Wasyour infidelity discussed by you and your husband that evening?'

'Theanswer is no,' she said stiffly, in a low voice and with downcast eyes.

Thepoliceman watched her. 'Do you know if

Strømstedhas other lovers?' he asked quietly.

'You'dbetter ask him, not me.'

'Buthe's been your lover for a long time. You must have had thoughts of thatnature, about whether he meets other people.'

'Ofcourse. I assume he meets other women – on the odd occasion. But whether hesleeps with them… I have chosen not to speculate.'

'Helives with someone,' Gunnarstranda said.

For afraction of a second her eyes bulged, then she looked down, swallowed, shookher head again and gave a disdainful laugh. 'He definitely does not, that muchI do know.'

Thepoliceman, surprised, smiled gently. 'You didn't know he lived with someone?'

'Idon't believe you.'

'Whythe doubt?'

'I'vebeen visiting him every week for three years. I've never so much as seen a pairof knickers or a packet of tampons in that house, no high-heeled shoes…'

'Hasn'the got a double bed?'

'Allmen have double beds.'

'Isthat so?' Gunnarstranda swallowed, then pursed his lips, as though he hadlearned something new, and asked: 'Why do you think he didn't take you to hisplace on Sunday evening when you turned up at the dance class? Why do you thinkyou ended up in a car park?'

'Thisis none of your business.'

'Helives with a man,' Gunnarstranda stated baldly.

Ingridrecoiled. She stared out of the window, folded her trembling hands and after aglance down at the table jumped up and snatched her bag. Without another wordshe turned and strode out between the tables. Inspector Gunnarstranda watchedher. The Vietnamese-looking cloakroom attendant searched through a row ofwinter coats, took one off a hanger and passed it with a smile to IngridJespersen, who donned it with her back to the detective. She spun on her heeland marched out. As she passed the window where Gunnarstranda was sitting, hereyes were fixed in front of her and she didn't even grace him with a look. Atthat moment she slipped on a patch of ice and fell sideways. She landed on herhip and one arm. A young man with a long fringe ran up to her. She waved himaway and struggled up on one knee. It wasn't easy – the soles of her shoes weresmooth and had no tread. The back of her dark coat was white with snow. She hadsnow in her hair. She had snow up her nylons. She stood supporting herself on aparking meter for a few moments. Two small children on the opposite side of thestreet pointed and laughed. It was all over in less than thirty seconds. Notonce did she look in the policeman's direction. When Gunnarstranda finallymanaged to compose himself, the same waiter was standing there. He wasflourishing a slip of paper. 'I've prepared the bill for you,' he said in asoft voice and placed it on the table.

Chapter 28

Motives

Frølichwas lumbering down the corridor when he saw Gunnarstranda switch off the lightand close the door behind him. He joined Gunnarstranda back in his office. Theacrid smell of many smoked cigarettes hung in the room like the fusty smell ofcarriages on the 0stfold railway line.

Frølichtook a seat and put his feet up on the desk, then flicked through IngridJespersen's revised statement.

Gunnarstrandawas smoking a cigarette by the partly opened window and said: 'By the way acomplaint has been lodged against us.'

'Us?'

'Well,me, to be precise,' Gunnarstranda said. 'Someone has claimed I've been smoking insmoke-free zones.' He flipped over the long-necked ashtray behind his chair andlooked down into it. 'It wasn't you, was it?' he asked.

Frølichturned round. 'Me? No.'

'Thecomplaint was anonymous.'

'Doesit matter who complains? You could smoke outside, like all the others.'

'I dosmoke outside.'

'Andyou smoke in here.'

'Areyou sure you weren't the one who complained?'

'Yes.'

'Hm.'Gunnarstranda sat down, placed the cigarette on the rim of the long-necked ashtrayand focused on Frølich, who was still studying the report. 'Suppose it's Ingridwho did her husband in,' Frølich began. 'Her infidelity has been rumbled.Reidar rings her – catches her in the act – threatens her and tells her tofinish with the guy. What would he threaten her with? Divorce? But she'sfifty-four and he's eighty.'

'Seventy-nine,'Gunnarstranda corrected.

'OK,'Frølich said. 'What I don't understand is why she would be afraid that heradultery would come to light. What could he threaten her with? Or what has sheto lose by being divorced? Her share of the inheritance?'

Gunnarstrandalooked at him with unseeing eyes. 'Yes,' he said. 'She would lose theinheritance, but that's not an immediate issue. Divorce would give her halfanyway.'

Frølichput down the papers. 'Imagine the atmosphere,' he exclaimed. 'The meal musthave been a pretty quiet affair. Reidar's son and family are there while thetwo of them are sending each other signals – but when Karsten, his wife andchildren leave, Ingrid is bound to have discussed the matter with her husband!'

'Why?'

Frølichsighed with despair. 'But she had to, didn't she! They have to go to bed. Theyhave to share intimacies…'

'Wedon't know that.'

'I'mnot thinking of sex. But there is something intimate about going to bed atnight. They share a bed. He – Jespersen – has caught his wife with another man.Strømsted is young and virile – a man his wife must have chosen because shewants sex from the relationship. Think about it! Jespersen is close on eightyand impotent. His wife's choice of a lover is like a slap in the face. Ofcourse they must have talked about her infidelity that night!'