Hakan Nesser - The G File

‘Fru Donck, one of our investigators, saw you at Oldener Maas two weeks ago. Your behaviour did not show you in a favourable light.’

Verlangen said nothing.

‘In fact, you were as drunk as a lord, she says. Apparently you molested her companion in the bar.’

Isn’t that why women sit in bars? thought Verlangen, sinking back down into his armchair. In order to be molested?

‘There must be some kind of misunderstanding,’ he said.

‘No doubt,’ said Kooperdijk. ‘The question is, on whose part?’

Verlangen closed his eyes for a second and wondered if he ought simply to stand up and leave. He suddenly found himself wishing he were on some Greek island. But not Crete, he’d had enough of minotaurs.

‘I understand,’ he said. ‘It won’t be repeated.’

‘Presumably not,’ said Kooperdijk. ‘In any case, we are wondering whether we really want to make use of your services in future. Have you any comments to make in that respect?’

‘None at all,’ said Verlangen.

‘Unless, of course, we begin to detect signs of some sort of improvement. That would naturally put things in an entirely different light.’

‘I hope so,’ said Verlangen.

‘But as I said, we have another little problem.’

‘Yes, I recall your saying that.’

‘Or rather, a big problem.’

‘Really?’

‘If you could pull something out of the hat in connection with this matter, then of course that would change the situation quite a lot.’

Verlangen cleared his throat. As it was forbidden to smoke in the presence of Kooperdijk, he popped two more throat tablets into his mouth.

‘Let’s hear it, then,’ he said optimistically. ‘A big problem?’

Kooperdijk opened a red file and produced a sheet of paper. He made heavy weather of putting on a pair of reading glasses, which made his bull-like physiognomy look slightly less aggressive.

‘Harrumph!’ he said. ‘A life insurance matter. Rather expensive, if we don’t play our cards right.’

Verlangen waited.

‘One point two million, to be precise.’

‘One point. .?’

‘. . Two, yes. A lot of money. A hell of a lot too much money. And there’s a strong smell of rat, to quote a dodgy source. A bloody enormous rat, by the look of things.’

‘Really?’ said Verlangen. ‘Well, if this is how the land lies, then of course I’m prepared to do whatever I can. What does it look like?’

Kooperdijk removed his reading glasses.

‘It doesn’t look good,’ he said. ‘Not good at all. We signed up to a life insurance policy for a certain person a month ago. The first instalment was duly paid, no problem: but now it seems that the insured person has passed on.’

‘Died, you mean?’ said Verlangen.

‘Yes, died,’ said Kooperdijk, blowing his nose into a multicoloured handkerchief he took out of his trouser pocket. ‘Expired. Given up the ghost, shuffled off this mortal coil. However the hell you might like to put it.’

‘I’m with you,’ said Verlangen.

‘Trustor has always maintained high standards,’ said Kooperdijk, looking up in the direction of the array of diplomas hanging on the wall opposite. ‘Signed up to insurance policies that other companies have rejected. High risk factors, and premiums in accordance with that. Our reputation has been at the top of the heap for at least thirty years. .’

If he starts going on about insurance policies for Hollywood actresses’ dogs, I shall light a cigarette and walk out, Verlangen thought

‘Obviously, I don’t need to spell all that out for you. But there are limits, and there are customers that don’t hesitate to take advantage of our liberal policy. This business is no doubt one of those cases. The name of the insured is Barbara Hennan — perhaps you have read about her in the newspapers?’

Verlangen’s heart stopped beating.

‘Barb. .?’ he managed to whimper.

‘Barbara Hennan, yes. She died last week. If we can’t stop it, the insurance payment will go to her husband, somebody by the name of Jaan G. Hennan. One point two million.’

Verlangen swallowed the throat tablets, and his heart started beating again.

‘What’s the matter with you?’ wondered Kooperdijk.

‘With me?’ said Verlangen. ‘Nothing. I just felt a bit dizzy.’

‘Felt dizzy when you’re sitting down?’ said Kooperdijk. ‘How old are you?’

Verlangen tried to sit up straight again on his chair.

‘I’ve just had a bout of flu,’ he explained. ‘Nothing to speak of. Hen. . Hennan, did you say?’

I’m dreaming, he thought: but he didn’t dare to pinch himself in the arm while Kooperdijk’s penetrating bull-like eyes were directed at him.

‘Hennan, yes. The whole business stinks of fraud — even a donkey can see that. The police are involved, speaking of donkeys, but they seem to think that it was an accident.’

‘Do they?’ said Verlangen. ‘And what are the terms? Of the insurance, I mean.’

‘Natural death. Unfortunately accidents are included under that heading. If anybody helped to push her over the precipice, or if she jumped, then we are not liable. Manslaughter, murder, suicide. . any of those will do. That’s where we should be syphoning it off to.’

Syphoning it off to? Verlangen thought. The man’s out of his mind.

‘Are you clear about the prerequisites?’ wondered Kooperdijk, glaring at him.

Verlangen didn’t answer. I’ve had more prerequisites than you could ever imagine, little man, he thought. But I don’t understand them.

I’ll be damned if I understand them.

‘You had better go and talk to Krotowsky, and he will be able to put you in the picture in more detail,’ said Kooperdijk. ‘Damn it all, if you can sort out this little matter for us, we can forget all about what might have happened in the past. I’m sure I don’t need to point out that it can cost whatever it costs. .’

Verlangen heaved himself up out of his armchair, and really did feel dizzy for a moment.

‘So I should see Krotowsky now, right away — or. .?’

‘Yes, now, right away,’ said Kooperdijk.

Inspector Münster won all four sets in the badminton match with Van Veeteren. As usual. There was just a short period early on when things could have gone either way, but from 5–5 he proceeded via 9–6 and 12-8 to a confidence-inspiring 15–11. The other sets were secured in more business-like fashion: 15-6, 15-8 and 15-4.

‘It’s that pulled muscle in the small of my back,’ said the Chief Inspector on the way to the shower. ‘It’s hampering me. Next week I’ll wipe the floor with you.’

‘We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,’ said Münster.

‘That Hennan business is nagging away at me as well,’ said Van Veeteren. ‘I can’t make head nor tail of it. If I were an up-and-coming young inspector I would no doubt get my teeth into it and show what I was made of.’

‘Message received and understood,’ said Münster.

He had been informed of the latest development in the case while they were driving to the sports hall. The private dick lark, as the Chief Inspector had chosen to call it. He had also mentioned that he knew who Maarten Verlangen was — one of those police officers, it seemed, who was incapable of distinguishing between right and wrong in the long run — and who had resigned with his tail between his legs and headed off towards an uncertain future. Apparently. Five or six years ago. If the Chief Inspector remembered rightly.

Münster could only agree: it was a peculiar situation. He thought more about it after dropping Van Veeteren off at Randers Park, and was stuck in the traffic jams on the way to the suburb where he lived.

If Barbara Hennan really had employed a private detective to keep an eye on her husband, there must surely be some reason for doing so. But what? Münster thought. What? Perhaps she had suspected that she was somehow in danger. Surely that had to be the case. Maybe she had suspected that her husband was going to attack her in some way. In any case, this Verlangen must have relevant information to pass on.