Mikkel Birkegaard - The Library of Shadows

Next to Katherina sat her rescuer, a skinny, hollow-cheeked man wearing a crumpled suit over a shirt that had once been white but was now a nicotine-stained yellow.

She realized that she knew him.

This man, Ole, was a receiver. The same receiver that Jon had mentioned meeting in the Clean Glass pub after Luca's funeral. She hadn't seen him often. He preferred to take his problems to places like this, but she was positive it was him.

He must have seen the glimmer of recognition in her eyes because he gave her a knowing wink and smiled broadly, revealing two rows of yellow teeth.

'Not bad coffee, Gerly,' said Ole loudly, taking another gulp from his cup.

'Huh. You should try it more often. Then you might even be decent company.' Gerly turned her attention to Katherina. 'Feeling better, luv?'

Katherina nodded and picked up her cup in both hands. The heat felt soothing against her fingers, and she closed her eyes as she took a cautious sip.

'Men are a bunch of bastards,' Gerly went on. 'Nothing but rapists, the whole lot of them. They should all be castrated, in my opinion.'

'Then you wouldn't even have been conceived,' declared Ole, laughing loudly.

'Now don't get started, wise guy. You should see about taking the girl over to the police station instead of trying to be funny.'

Katherina shook her head. 'That's not necessary,' she said quickly. 'I'm fine.'

Gerly studied her intently. 'Are you sure? They shouldn't get off so easy, those fucking bastards.'

'I'm okay,' said Katherina, sniffling. 'Nothing happened.'

Gerly grunted something incomprehensible and went back behind the bar, where she started cleaning up.

'I'll be happy to take you over there,' said Ole, even though his eyes were bleary, and it probably wasn't where he really wanted to be going just then.

'I can't go to the police,' whispered Katherina. 'But I have to get in touch with Clara as soon as possible.'

Ole nodded firmly and sat up straight. 'I'll get a cab.'

He stood up and tottered over to the bar, where he launched into a discussion with Gerly.

Katherina didn't know what she should do. Maybe the police were the only resort right now, but she couldn't face trying to explain the whole situation while Jon was so near and in need of her help. Clara would know how to get him back.

The discussion at the bar had ended with Gerly giving in and ringing the cab company herself. Ole came back to Katherina and downed the last of his coffee.

'We have to go out the back way,' he said, casting a glance at the windows. 'Come on.'

'Take care of yourself, luv,' said Gerly, giving Katherina a nod.

She stood up and followed Ole to a door at the very back of the pub. A faded sign indicated that this was the way to the toilets, and when he pushed open the door she had no doubt the sign was right. The rank smell made her hold her breath. Ole led her over to a narrow back door, which he wrestled with for a moment before it opened with a loud creak.

The back courtyard was quite large – that much Katherina could see even in the dark. As she followed Ole she eyed the few windows that had lights on in the surrounding flats. She wondered how people could get up and go off to work as if nothing had happened. Didn't they realize what was going on in their own neighbourhood? Didn't they know what was at stake?

Ole staggered onward until they reached a dark doorway that opened onto the street. Katherina's rescuer cursed when he couldn't find the door handle. He was moving much too slowly for Katherina, so she gently pushed him aside and opened the door herself.

Unlike the courtyard, the street was brightly lit, and she pressed her back against the wall as soon as she stepped out. Ole practically fell over her, and for a moment he stood in the middle of the pavement, swaying ominously.

'So where's the cab?' whispered Katherina as loudly as she dared.

'It's supposed to be right here,' replied Ole, staggering around until he had to stop so as not to fall. 'Nordre Frihavnsgade. Right here.'

A black car sped past them and Katherina instinctively pressed her body closer to the wall.

'Over here!' shouted Ole, taking a step towards the kerb as he waved his arms overhead. 'We're over here!' A cab pulled up and stopped in front of them.

Katherina quickly stepped away from the doorway and grabbed Ole before he fell. The cab driver opened the window and stuck out his head.

'You are needing help?' he asked in broken Danish.

'Could you just open the door?' said Katherina as she manoeuvred her rescuer towards the back of the vehicle.

The driver got out and opened the door in one fluid motion. Katherina shoved Ole inside, and he collapsed onto the back seat, muttering gratefully. Then she dashed around to the other side and got in next to the driver.

'That is lucky, you are with him,' said the man as he started driving. 'We do not take his kind at this time.'

Katherina didn't have the strength to protest. She merely told him the address of Clara's terraced house in Valby.

The sun had come up by the time Katherina awoke. Thin strips of sunlight were coming through the white slats of the blinds. Still wearing her jeans and T-shirt, she was lying underneath a cream-coloured blanket on a sofa with big, soft cushions with a floral pattern.

The sunroom was where Clara spent most of her time five months of the year, using the rest of the house mostly for sleeping and for storing food. She did her cooking outdoors on a grill or over a small campfire. The walls of the sunroom were covered with white-painted panelling, and flowerpots hung from every beam on the ceiling. All the windowsills were filled with plants too.

Katherina had been here many times before, but she'd never spent the night. She couldn't even remember falling asleep.

When she'd climbed out of the taxi, it was still night, and Clara's house was in darkness. In the meantime, Ole had come to and insisted on continuing on to his own place. Katherina didn't have the energy either to object or to thank him, and the cab drove off, leaving her alone on the pavement.

As she walked up the garden path, she repeated her wish that Clara would be there. She didn't know what she would do if nobody was home. After ringing the bell several times, Clara finally opened the door, and Katherina threw herself sobbing into the arms of the astonished woman.

For several minutes all Katherina could do was cry. She was led over to the sofa in the sunroom, still clinging to Clara. After recovering enough to be able to speak, Katherina asked for a glass of water, which Clara brought at once. She drank most of the water and then began describing the night's events.

Clara listened attentively. All sign of fatigue was gone from her face and she patted Katherina on the shoulder to keep her telling the story. When Pau's betrayal was revealed to her, Clara swore loudly. She had to get up to pace back and forth in order to contain her fury.

'That little…' she snarled. 'There's always been something fishy about him.' She brought her temper under control when she noticed from Katherina's face that there was more bad news. She sat down on the sofa again. 'Sorry. Go on.'

It was difficult for Katherina to describe what had happened during the test, and she broke down again when she got to the part about leaving Jon behind in the basement.

Clara brought Katherina some more water and tried to reassure her.

'There was nothing you could do,' she said, putting her arm round Katherina. 'If you had stayed, they would have been able to use you against him. Now they don't have anything to use as a bargaining chip.'

Katherina sniffled. 'But what if they kill him?'

'They won't,' said Clara firmly. 'They need him for something; I have a strong feeling about that. Something that only he can help them with.'