Mikkel Birkegaard - The Library of Shadows

Jon tried to stay neutral. Remer's corporate structure was so vast and complex that it might well be a coincidence, but he still couldn't get the idea out of his head that Kortmann was Remer's mysterious bookseller friend. Kortmann was no book dealer, but he knew enough about Luca, Jon and the bookshop to explain Remer's knowledge and interest.

'Welcome,' Kortmann declared in a friendly tone as Katherina, Iversen and Jon got out of the car. Jon was carrying an envelope with the documents pertaining to the company in which Remer and Kortmann had mutual interests.

They greeted Kortmann and took turns shaking his hand. He then rolled his wheelchair ahead of them, leading the way along a path that went round to the back of the house.

'I thought we might sit outside and enjoy the weather,' said Kortmann.

He led them over to a big terrace at the bottom of the garden. The wall surrounding the property and the tall, old trees gave the impression that they were totally isolated from the outside world.

A black-clad man was busy moving refreshments and glasses from a silver tray onto a patio table surrounded by mahogany chairs. The man, whom Jon recognized as Kortmann's chauffeur, gave them a polite nod and then walked back towards the house.

'Have a seat,' Kortmann invited them, gesturing towards the chairs. 'Let's hear what you've found.'

They sat down as he requested and Jon took the documents out of the envelope. Kortmann didn't react.

'We've managed to find some information about the individual we think is a member of the Shadow Organization,' said Jon, pushing to the middle of the table the paper with Kortmann's name on the list. His name had been highlighted in yellow.

Kortmann turned to look at Katherina, then at Jon. 'What is this?' he asked without deigning to give the document a glance.

'A list of the board members for the Habitat development,' explained Jon. 'Your name is on the list.'

'I'm on so many boards,' said Kortmann wearily. 'What's so special about Habitat?'

'The majority shares are owned by Remer, and we're positive that he's part of the Shadow Organization.'

'Remer?' Kortmann repeated, glancing away for a moment. Suddenly he burst out laughing. 'Remer is supposedly in your Shadow Organization? No, come on now. I know that at times Remer can be very creative in his interpretation of the law, but the idea that he's behind a secret plot…' He laughed again.

'We're not saying that he's the leader,' Katherina emphasized. 'Just that he's part of it.'

Kortmann looked at Katherina, and his smile disappeared. He turned to Jon. 'I must admit that I'd expected more from you, Campelli. First this insane theory, devised by an eccentric like Tom Nшrreskov, about a Shadow Organization, even though it's impossible to prove its existence, and now the idea that Remer, of all people, is supposed to be part of the conspiracy.'

Jon could feel his anger growing. Making a great effort to keep his voice neutral, he described the entire chain of events concerning Remer, his interest in Libri di Luca and how Jon had been fired from his job.

'That sounds more like Remer,' said Kortmann when Jon was done. 'You can call him a hard, calculating and opportunistic man, but he's no leader of some sort of sect.'

Katherina shifted uneasily in her chair, but Iversen placed his hand on her arm to keep her from exploding.

'How well do you know him?' asked Iversen in a placatory tone of voice. 'Does he have a different relationship with you than with the other board members?'

'I don't think so,' replied Kortmann. 'There's a congenial and professional atmosphere, and we happen to agree on many issues – that's all.'

'Has he ever read anything aloud for you?'

Kortmann shrugged. 'We've occasionally read things to each other. The minutes of meetings, drafts for press releases – that sort of thing.'

Kortmann fell silent, turning his face up towards the blue sky. Jon could almost see him thinking through the consequences of the question: 'What if…'

'Can you deny he's a Lector?' asked Katherina impatiently.

'Of course not,' snapped Kortmann. 'Only a receiver can do that.'

'So that's one time when you could have used our help,' she concluded.

Kortmann didn't reply.

'There's another name on the list,' said Jon. 'A Patrick Vedel. Do you know him?'

'Not outside of our work together on the board,' said Kortmann. 'Why?'

'He's on almost all of Remer's boards,' Jon explained. 'We think he's a receiver. A team consisting of a transmitter, Remer, and a receiver, Patrick Vedel, would be a strong combination on a board. Wouldn't you agree?'

'If I bought your theory, yes,' replied their host. Even though Kortmann had sunglasses on, Jon could still feel his sharp gaze aimed at him. 'But I don't.'

Maybe they'd made a mistake by coming here so soon without concrete evidence, but Jon doubted whether Kortmann could ever be convinced, either because he simply refused, or because he was part of the whole thing.

'Why exactly have you come here?' asked Kortmann, turning away from Jon. 'Iversen, why don't you tell me why you're all here?'

Iversen cleared his throat and nodded at the paper in the middle of the table. 'We found your name,' he said without looking at Kortmann.

'Am I on trial here?' The man in the wheelchair clenched his fists, and the tone of his voice was anything but friendly.

'We've proved that there was a connection between you and the Shadow Organization,' said Katherina.

'There is no Shadow Organization!' he shouted, making Iversen jump. 'It's a figment of your imagination, a smokescreen fabricated by the only people who have something to gain by diverting attention from themselves.' He pointed at Katherina. 'Who thought this up in the first place? Tom Nшrreskov, a receiver. And who has been deeply involved in the investigation? And whose opinion has been given a suspicious amount of weight? A receiver.'

Kortmann took off his sunglasses and stared straight at Jon. 'Can't you see it yourself?'

Jon calmly regarded the man in the wheelchair. His reaction was convincing; his eyes were fierce, his nostrils flaring. If he was playacting, he was good at it, but Jon had enough experience of powerful people to know that they were often successful precisely because of their ability to appear convincing, even when there was no substance to their claims.

'I see a man who's afraid of losing power,' Jon said calmly.

The man in the wheelchair studied Jon for a moment and then put his dark glasses back on.

'I'm sorry to hear that,' he said firmly. 'I was counting on you, as a Campelli, to work with the Bibliophile Society.' He sighed. 'But as things now stand, that's impossible.'

'But he's been activated,' Iversen objected. 'Jon is the strongest Lector I've ever seen.'

'And for that reason he's much more dangerous to us, Iversen.'

'Us?' Iversen repeated.

Kortmann pressed a brass button on the armrest of his wheelchair.

'I'd like you to leave now,' he said calmly. 'Iversen can stay, of course. But you two must leave my property immediately.'

They heard a door slam in the house and the chauffeur came walking towards them. Jon and Katherina stood up. Iversen hesitated for a moment, but then got up as well.

'Iversen?' said Kortmann, leaning forward in his chair. 'Don't be stupid. Don't do something you'll come to regret. I can get you another job. The Society is your life. Why throw it away for the sake of a lie?'

Iversen looked at Jon and Katherina for a moment and then turned to face Kortmann.

'I'm not doing this for myself, for them or for the Society,' he said firmly. 'I'm doing it for Luca.'

He turned and headed for the driveway, taking deliberate strides. Jon and Katherina followed.