Mikkel Birkegaard - The Library of Shadows

Every once in a while Mehmet poked his head out between the monitors and asked them questions about Tom's age, job, education, known hangouts, and they made the best guess they could.

'Bingo!' exclaimed Mehmet after half an hour when the only sounds coming from him had been the clacking of the keyboard and a few outbursts that were impossible to comprehend. 'What do you want to know?'

Both Katherina and Jon got up and went over to the desk where Mehmet was leaning back in his chair, looking at the three screens with satisfaction.

'First of all, where does he live?' Jon asked.

'Vordingborg,' replied Mehmet. 'On a farm outside of town, as far as I can tell from the map. Twenty years ago he lived in Copenhagen, just as you thought, specifically in the suburb of Valby, but he moved to southern Sjжlland fifteen years ago after getting divorced.'

'Divorced?' Katherina repeated.

'Yes, sixteen years ago. But then he does something strange,' said Mehmet, pausing for dramatic effect. 'First he gives up custody of his children, and then he changes his name to Klausen – that's why it took so long for me to find him. Only then did he move to Vordingborg, where he's lived ever since, according to the national register.'

'So he's a farmer?' asked Jon.

'I don't really think so,' said Mehmet. 'He's made enquiries with the local authorities about the leasing of land, so my guess is that he has rented out his fields. Plus there's a T. Klausen employed by the local rag as a freelance book reviewer.'

Jon nodded. 'That must be him.'

Katherina agreed. 'Is there anything else?' she asked.

'He doesn't have a phone and doesn't pay for a TV licence… What the hell does anyone do out in the sticks without a phone or a TV or a woman?'

'Read books?' Jon suggested.

'Ha! Yeah, well, I guess that's the only thing left.' He gave Jon a searching glance. 'Books again, huh?'

Jon didn't answer. 'Can anyone tell you've been searching for him?'

'If they swipe my computer, they can. Or if there's someone in Vordingborg Municipality who's in charge of watching for exactly that type of search and also has a contact with my Internet service provider.' Mehmet threw out his hands. 'I don't know what you're mixed up in, and I don't want to know either, but it would be very strange if those kinds of forces are in play just because of a bookworm.'

'Even so, make sure you remove any traces you can.'

'No sweat. You know me. I'm caution itself.' Mehmet nodded towards a spot on the ceiling behind them. 'I've even got security.'

They turned around. On the ceiling, just over the door to the garden, was a camera the size of a box of kitchen matches.

'I need to look out for myself, if the police aren't going to do it,' Mehmet explained with a touch of bitterness in his voice.

'Okay,' said Jon. 'But erase the tape of the last couple of hours, all right?'

'Tape?' Mehmet burst out laughing. 'You're a dinosaur, Jon.'

'I know, I know. Just erase it, okay? We've got to go.'

Mehmet shook hands with them.

'And thanks for your help,' Katherina added.

'No prob,' replied Mehmet, opening the door for them.

Jon was extremely happy with the visit. For the first time since he'd agreed to handle the investigation, he had the feeling they'd taken a step forward. He could sense that Tom Nшrreskov had played a role in the whole thing, and they'd been lucky enough to track him down in spite of his attempts to hide. But Jon also suspected that this breakthrough was going to be short-lived.

They had to follow up on the lead while it was fresh, and that meant a trip to southern Sjжlland. They decided that Jon would pick up Katherina the next morning around ten. They both agreed not to take anyone else along. Pau wouldn't be any use; on the contrary, his attitude might ruin the whole trip, and besides, someone had to watch the shop.

This probably wasn't the most convenient moment for Jon to neglect his career, but the sooner he resolved this matter, the faster he could get back to focusing one hundred per cent of his attention on his work.

Jenny sounded worried when he rang in to check for news.

'I don't think they're very happy that you're spending so much time out of the office,' she whispered. 'There are rumours they want to take you off the Remer case.'

'Nonsense,' said Jon. 'As long as Remer doesn't answer my queries, I can't do anything anyway. Halbech knows him. He knows how difficult Remer can be.'

'Maybe. But promise me you won't take any more time off after this.'

'No reason to be nervous on my behalf.'

'Take care of yourself, Jon,' said Jenny and rang off before Jon could reply.

Maybe he was mistaken about Halbech's patience, but there would be plenty of time to make amends – there was nothing like unpaid overtime to smooth things out with his boss.

In a strange way, the meeting with Tom Nшrreskov, Klausen, or whatever he wanted to call himself, seemed far more urgent, as if the trip to Vordingborg were a race. Although Jon didn't know whether there was a prize, or whether he even wanted to win.

'How about if I come along and keep an eye on you?' asked Pau.

Katherina shook her head. 'Someone has to keep the bookshop open.'

An hour earlier she had got hold of a sleepy Pau on his mobile. He answered in monosyllables and with unhappy grunts, but after she told him about their visit to the hospital, his tone changed. When she explained they were going to visit a freelance, he finally allowed himself to be persuaded, and a short time later he showed up at Libri di Luca with rumpled hair and wrinkled clothes.

'But he might be dangerous,' Pau insisted.

'It's not even certain that he has anything to do with this,' she replied. 'Besides, I never said it was a man, did I?'

Pau shrugged and muttered something unintelligible.

Katherina took out her key ring and removed the key to the shop. 'You can close up at five if there aren't any customers. Here's the key to the front door.'

'I have a key,' replied Pau, sticking his hands in his pockets. 'I'll take care of things, don't worry.'

At that moment Jon's Mercedes pulled up at the kerb outside the shop. Katherina grabbed her jacket and bag and headed for the door.

'Have fun working,' she called, giving Pau a wry smile.

'Very funny,' he said, raising his hand. 'Now get out of here.'

Katherina went over to the car. Jon had climbed out and was standing there looking at the cloudless blue sky above the buildings. His nostrils flared and contracted in time with the deep breaths he was taking, as if he wanted to savour the city air one last time before their trip out to the country. It was the first time Katherina had seen him wearing something other than a suit. Instead, he had on jeans and a heavy woollen sweater. He looked good.

'How long will it take to get there?' Katherina asked after a slightly awkward hug.

'An hour, maybe an hour and a half,' replied Jon as he started the car. 'I don't think there's anything but tracks through the fields where his farm is located, so we'll probably have to take a roundabout route.'

Katherina waved to Pau, who was watching them from the new windows of Libri di Luca. He didn't wave back but instead turned round and disappeared further into the shop so she couldn't see him. The Mercedes pulled into the street, and they slipped into the flow of traffic.

Neither of them said anything until they got out of the city. Without the shadows from the buildings, the sharp autumn sun made them both squint.

'Do you think he's the one?' asked Katherina.

'It's possible, though I don't really see what his motive would be, twenty years after he was banished.' Jon paused. 'Unless Mr Nшrreskov has gone insane from being alone. Maybe one day he just snapped, and he turned his anger towards the event that started his whole downward slide – his banishment.'