Mikkel Birkegaard - The Library of Shadows

Jon nodded. 'Let's hope that she changes her mind. We could really use a historian.'

Katherina was about to ask him what he meant by this when Clara came in, to be greeted by an effusively friendly Iversen.

'We'd better join them,' said Jon, pulling her gently towards the stairs.

Down below people were settling into the chairs. The separate grouping of transmitters and receivers was obvious, and nervous glances were cast back and forth between the two factions. Katherina and Jon found seats in the front row. In the meantime, Clara and Iversen stood behind the counter, talking in low voices. From their position, Katherina and Jon heard Iversen telling Clara about his attempt to persuade the transmitters to show up. She looked both tired and resigned.

Iversen went over to the door and looked out before he locked up.

'I don't think anyone else is coming,' he said, turning to face the gathering. 'You all know why we're here,' he began. 'But just to sum up: we're convinced that there exists a Shadow Organization of Lectors who are behind the latest attacks on our members. There are strong indications that this same organization was also behind similar events twenty years ago, events that led to the break-up of the Society into transmitters and receivers. We have reason to believe that a certain Otto Remer plays a leading role in the Shadow Organization, and we have proof that he's had contact with Kortmann.' Scattered murmuring broke out in the room, making Iversen raise his hand in a calming gesture. 'It's not clear how serious that contact was. Kortmann may not have been aware of Remer's agenda, and it's not certain that Kortmann was exploited at all.'

'In the worst case, Kortmann is part of the Shadow Organization,' Clara interrupted him. 'But until we know more, we ought to regard him as a victim.'

Katherina shifted uneasily on her chair. She had difficulty picturing Kortmann as an innocent victim. His whole attitude towards her and other receivers had been laced with distrust and arrogance. He'd used every opportunity to make the distance between the two groups even greater, showing no desire for reconciliation. Even Luca, who never had a bad thing to say about anyone, had fretted over Kortmann's negative attitude.

'Kortmann doesn't believe the Shadow Organization exists,' Iversen went on. 'That's why he's not here tonight. Just as twenty years ago he put the blame for events on the receivers.' He nodded towards the group of receivers, whose murmuring expressed their dissatisfaction. 'It could be sheer stubbornness or vanity. Admitting that he was wrong back then, and now as well, would be a great loss of face for him. And those of us who know Kortmann well know that this is something he tries for all the world to avoid.'

Henning raised his hand and Iversen gave him the floor.

'No matter whether we assume that Kortmann is the mole or he's innocent and is being used without his knowledge by this Shadow Organization, it means only one thing.' He paused dramatically. 'It means that they've been able to get very close to Kortmann, and of all of us he is the most protected and isolated, with his private chauffeur and everything. So what's to stop more of us being part of the conspiracy?'

'Nothing,' Iversen admitted. 'It's highly probable that one or more of us sitting here in this room is working for the Shadow Organization, either actively or unknowingly.'

Henning grimaced. 'So how do we make sure there aren't any spies?' he asked, sounding defeated.

'We have to admit that we don't have an answer to that question,' said Clara. 'A polygraph test might be a possibility, but if the individual doesn't even know he's passing on information, it would be useless. All the Shadow Organization needs is for a receiver to be in the vicinity of one of our members whenever he or she is reading.'

'If that person doesn't manage to focus his thoughts,' Iversen interjected, with regret in his voice.

'It could happen to any of us,' said Clara. 'It could be one of your colleagues, a neighbour or a lover. We're not used to taking those kinds of precautions – it would seem too vain. In that sense we've been very vulnerable.'

A lengthy discussion ensued as to how any moles might be uncovered. Some suggestions bordered on resorting to torture by using truth serum. Someone else proposed that each person should read a sufficiently long text under the careful observation of a committee of receivers who, in theory, would be able to receive any incriminating thoughts or images. But this idea was rejected when Katherina pointed out that Luca had been capable of focusing his attention to such a degree that none of his private thoughts could be intercepted. Besides, the method wouldn't be able to catch those who were unaware of their own inadvertent disclosures.

Even though a mood of despondency was beginning to spread through the room, Katherina could sense that those present were still prepared to cooperate. No accusations of blame were exchanged between the two groups; everyone realized that this was a shared problem and offered suggestions for a solution. Yet none of the proposals seemed convincing and they soon ran out of ideas.

For a moment no one said a word, until Iversen cleared his throat.

'The only person we are pretty sure is part of the Shadow Organization is Remer,' he said.

'So let's start there,' said Clara. 'Do you know where to find this Remer?'

'He's on the move a lot,' said Iversen. 'We've found three private addresses and multiple company addresses.' He sighed. 'He could be at twenty different locations, at least – and that's just in Denmark.'

Clara looked around and threw out her hands. 'Twenty locations? There're plenty of us here to handle that. How about monitoring each place?'

'And we do have a photo of him,' Katherina added eagerly.

'And it should be possible to get a sufficient number of vehicles,' Clara interjected. 'All it takes is a little patience.'

Henning raised his hand like a polite schoolboy.

'I'm sorry to point this out,' he began, looking as if the discussion amused him. 'But none of us is exactly a private detective. I may be mistaken, of course, but I don't think that anyone here has ever tried to follow a man or a car, and if this Remer has villainous intentions, as you claim, we have to assume that he's much better at that sort of thing than a bunch of amateurs. I'm sure that he'll see right through it at once and disappear, and we won't be able to do anything about it. What we need is some other way of flushing him out of hiding.'

Clara and Iversen looked at each other. Katherina could see the resignation in their eyes as they realized Henning was right.

'Maybe I can help,' Jon offered.

Everyone fixed their eyes on Jon, who so far hadn't said a word during the entire meeting.

'Of course,' replied Clara, giving him an encouraging nod. 'But how?'

'Hmm, well, I could ring him up.'

'Remer here. Leave a message.'

Jon recognized the voice on the answering machine as his former client, and he cleared his throat before the tone insisted that he speak.

'This is Jon Campelli,' he began, and then paused briefly. 'I think we should meet. Tomorrow, three p.m., at the Clean Glass pub. Come alone, and don't bring any sort of reading material.' He hung up and studied the faces of Katherina and Iversen on the other side of the counter in Libri di Luca. Iversen nodded with approval. Jon himself was a little surprised that he'd got through to the right number. The business card that Remer had given him at their first meeting could easily have been fake.

'The Clean Glass?' Katherina frowned.

'Not many readers there,' replied Jon.

'I still think it's risky,' said Iversen. 'He'll know that something's up.'