Three, Four ... Better lock your door. (Rebekka Franck #2) Page 6

  Dad served them rolls and juice. I was going through the newspapers as I always did in the morning. Making sure no other paper had a story that we should have done before them.

  "When am I going home today?" Tobias asked.

  I put down the paper and looked at him. "I don't know, sweetie. I told your dad to let you stay for a few hours, giving you some time to play."

  Tobias and Julie cheered and looked at each other with great excitement.

  "That means we can go in our secret hide-out and finish the game," Julie whispered so loudly everyone around the table could hear it.

  "What secret hide-out?" I asked.

  "If I told you it wouldn't be a secret," Julie said with a smile. Then she whispered to Tobias, "Hurry up and finish your breakfast so we can play."

  Tobias shoveled in his rolls and washed it all down with his orange juice, causing him to cough.

  "Easy there," I said. "Can't have you choking."

  Tobias threw me a smile to ensure me he was fine. Then they ran off.

  "What about your plates?" I yelled after them. "You know you have to clean up after yourselves."

  But they were long gone. I took their plates and put them in the dishwasher.

  "What's that about a secret hide-out?" I asked Dad.

  He shrugged with a mischievous smile. Then he shook his head. "If I told you it wouldn't be a secret," he said.

  "Are you on their side now?" I asked.

  "I think I have always been on their side."

  "Hmm," I said. "As long as you know that they're not getting themselves into any kind of trouble in there," I said and went back to my paper.

  "What kind of trouble?"

  I lifted my head from the paper and looked into the eyes of Sune. He turned his head as our eyes met.

  "Sune!" Dad exclaimed. "Come on in. Have a bite to eat."

  Sune shook his head. "I really can't. I’m just here to pick up Tobias."

  I exhaled. "So soon? I thought we agreed they could have the day to play together. It's Saturday."

  "I know what day it is. I just really need to bring him home now." His voice was cold and dismissive.

  "Do you have anywhere to be? Is there something you need to do today?" I asked. "I don't understand why ... You didn't say anything about this yesterday."

  "You know what? It is really none of your business," Sune said.

  "How about a cup of coffee?" Dad asked.

  Sune shook his head again. His eyes were still avoiding mine. "No thanks. I'm good." He went towards the stairs. "Are they up there?"

  Dad nodded. Sune started walking. I got up and followed him. As he reached the end of the stairs I grabbed his arm.

  "Sune. Please don't do this. Don't punish the kids for what happened yesterday. It was a simple mistake. I'm willing to forget. I have already forgotten all about it. It's no big deal. It really isn't."

  He turned and looked at me. His eyes were cold and distant. It scared me. His eyes were normally so warm and caring. "It might not have been a big deal for you and you might be able to forget it easily. But I can't. Not like that. I don't run around kissing girls every day. I never expose myself like I did last night. You hurt me. I will get over it eventually, but it will not be easy."

  I stepped backwards and let go of his arm. "But ... but. What about work? We have to work together."

  "I need this job and you need a great photographer who understands how you think. We need each other, so we will have to make this work. I see no other way. But for now I'll ask you to forgive me, but I need some space. I need to keep you at a distance."

  It was like someone had ripped a part of me out when he spoke those words. I knew I was going to miss his friendship terribly, but I also knew that he was right. Keeping a distance and staying strictly professional for a while was the only way we could save this.

  I just didn't know if it was possible.

  "Why are you here so soon?" Tobias said.

  They had heard us and started walking down the stairs.

  "I've come to take you home now, Tobias. We need to go," Sune said.

  Julie's expression changed drastically. I walked up to her and hugged her. "But Mom, we were supposed to ..."

  "I know sweetie, but Tobias has to go home with his dad now, so you'll have to play another time."

  "Dad?" Tobias said with a reproaching tone. "Can't we at least stay for a few minutes more so Julie and I can finish playing?"

  I felt angry at Sune. This was ridiculous. The kids hadn't done anything wrong. There was no reason for them to be punished because their parents had acted foolish.

  Sune exhaled. I saw the hurt in his eyes. He didn't want to split the kids apart either. But somehow he felt he had to. He had to separate our lives. I understood that. I didn't applaud it but I respected his wish.

  "You'll see each other in school on Monday," I said.

  Julie hugged my hand tight as we waved goodbye to Sune and Tobias. It was like she somehow knew that something was going on.

  "Let's play Scrabble," I said forcing a cheerful voice.

  "I'd rather play Monopoly," she said.

  I didn't pay much attention to the game while we were playing. I was thinking constantly about Sune and how to make this up to him. If only there was some way I could make him feel better, make him forget that stupid kiss, that entire stupid evening. I cursed myself for asking if he wanted a glass of wine. If I had only let him go home like he wanted to. If I had not let him kiss me.

  Julie noticed quickly that I wasn't all there.

  "Mom," she said sneering. "You're not even listening."

  "Sorry. What, honey?"

  "You're going to jail."

  "Oh? I am? Well that's a shame."

  Julie tilted her head and sighed annoyed. "Mom. You're losing the game. If you don't pay more attention I'll win."

  I nodded with a smile. "That's nice honey."

  Julie sighed again. My phone was in the charger at the kitchen table when it started ringing. "Just a second,” I said and got up from the table. "I'd better get that."

  It was Sara. That could only mean one thing. I had to work.

  "Yes?"

  "There’s been another one," she said.

  "Another one what?"

  "Another killing. They found a body at the local badminton club."

  "How do you know it was a killing?" I asked.

  "It's a code Seventy-two, they say."

  "And that means exactly what?" I looked at Julie who was moving all the pieces around on the board continuing the game without me.

  "Over the years I have gotten to know all the codes. They use letters and numbers so people listening in like myself won't understand it. Like fifty-three is a DUI, twenty-three is hazardous driving; AIT is 'an accident in traffic,' CFC is 'cake for the coffee.' That means they want a patrol to bring back a cake from the bakery. A seventy-two is a homicide. Last time I heard them use that term was when Susanne Larsen was found at the inn. I’ve already called Sune. He’ll meet you outside the club."

  Chapter 13

  The sports-center was blocked by police cars and crime tape when I arrived. The blue van belonging to the forensic team was parked right outside of the entrance door. I got out of the car and spotted Sune who was already taking pictures of the police at work by the back door, dressed in their suits and gloves. They were searching the area around the backdoor, slowly, methodically without talking, picking up small things with tweezers and putting them in small plastic bags for the forensic team to look at in the lab later. Some were dusting for fingerprints on the door and marking spots where blood was smeared on the handle. I pointed at the handle and asked Sune to take pictures of it.

  "Already got it," he whispered.

  I nodded while noting on my pad all the details of what I saw. I wanted this to be a kind of "on the scene reportage" so details were of the essence. Someone found a shoeprint. I tugged Sune's shoulder and pointed. He took pictures while they did an imprint.
Sune made sure to stay on the right side of the crime tape to not bother them while they were working. I smiled. He was a true professional; it would be hard for me without him. He was so right. We needed each other. We needed to make this work.

  In the door I spotted Officer Johannes Lindstroem. I waved at him eagerly and soon he saw me. He finished his conversation off and walked towards me.

  "Listen," he started. "I don't know how you and your colleagues get your information this fast, but I have no comments so far. You'll have to wait till we are done here and actually have something meaningful to report to you."

  "Who was killed?" I asked ignoring his remarks.

  "You'll have to wait," he said. "I don't have time right now."

  "Does this killing have any relation to the death of Susanne Larsen?" I asked.

  He started walking.

  I yelled after him. "Hey. What did you mean by me and my colleagues?"

  He stopped. "I just spoke to your colleague from the Express and told him the exact same thing I'm telling you. We are working here, trying to solve a crime and we don't have anything to say this far, simply because we don't know much."

  "Frederik?" I was surprised. They were never that fast at the Express to come out here. Most of the times they never cared much about what happened outside of Naestved, not enough to get out of their offices and actually come here. Plus it was a twenty minute drive. At least. That meant they had to have known much before I did. Even if they also had a police-scanner, they had to have heard it long before I did. How did they manage to do that?

  Johannes Lindstroem shook his head. "No it was a new guy. A Lonstrom or something like that."

  "Christian Lonstedt?"

  Johannes Lindstroem snapped his fingers. "Yes. That was the name. Nice guy, not like that other one they usually send out. He was really pleasant company. Hope to see much more of him. Well gotta get back to work," he said and waved at me.

  "I'll call later for details, then," I yelled back at him.

  He waved back nodding. Then he disappeared back into the gymnasium and left me speechless on the pavement outside. I wasn't used to actually having competition.

  I went around the building and found Sune. I paused when I saw that he was talking to someone. My heart dropped. It was him. That guy again. Christian Lonstedt. They were laughing. Why were they laughing? Why were they suddenly so familiar, like old friends?

  I approached them. Christian Lonstedt was smiling showing pearly white teeth. His hair was impeccable. He was way too good looking to be nice, I thought. He already annoyed me. They both went quiet when I came closer.

  "So what's so funny?" I asked.

  Sune shook his head. "Nothing. Just a joke. It won't be as funny if repeated. It was a 'should have been there in the moment' kind of thing."

  "Yeah. You really should," Christian said.

  "You were here mighty early," I said to Christian. "How did you hear about it?"

  Christian gave me one of his irresistible smiles. "Well that's not something I care to share with you. After all you do work for the competitor." He looked at me and shrugged. Then he tilted his head. "Sorry."

  "It's okay. I wouldn't share it with you if it was me," I said.

  "Scooped up anything good?" I asked Sune.

  He nodded. "Got some pretty nice shots. Should make the old editor happy," he said and tapped his camera. "Got anything from the police? Any statements?"

  I shook my head. "No. They won't talk. Not yet they say. I'll have to call him later."

  "I think I might have gotten something," Christian said. "I know who it is. I know who was killed."

  I froze. Johannes Lindstroem had told me that he hadn't told him anything. How did he get his information?

  "How did you get that information?" Sune asked.

  Christian smiled secretly again.

  "He's not going to tell you that," I said. I pulled Sune's sweater. "Come on let's get back to the office. We have our own ways of finding out these kinds of things."

  "Nice meeting you," Sune said addressed to Christian.

  "Likewise," Christian said while nodding. "And you too Rebekka."

  "So what did you do with Tobias today?" I asked while we walked back towards our cars.

  Sune found his keys in his pocket. He didn't look at me when he spoke. "A neighbor took him for the day."

  "You had a neighbor take care of him?"

  Sune clicked the remote and unlocked his car. He shrugged while nodding. "Yes."

  "Wow."

  "What?"

  "Nothing. I'm just a little surprised. That's all." I opened the door to my own car.

  Sune exhaled. "So now you have an opinion on who I let take care of my kid as well. Is there anything you don't interfere in?"

  "No. It's not like that. It's just that ..." I stopped myself. "You know what? You're right. It's none of my business anyway."

  "That's right," Sune said.

  I slammed the door to the car and walked towards him. "Come on," I said. "A neighbor? Really?"

  "Please tell me what's wrong with that ..." Sune sighed.

  "Why? Why would you rather place your son with a complete stranger than have him spend the day with his best friend in the whole world?"

  "Just stay out of it," Sune said and got into his car.

  I exhaled and gesticulated resigned with my arms. "Fine. Have it your way. Punish your son for no reason."

  I slammed my hand against the steering wheel several times on the way back to the office cursing last night and the red wine. Sara was already in the editorial room.

  "Thought you'd need a little extra help listening in on the police today," she said with a smile.

  I was happy to see her. Mostly because that meant Sune and I didn't have to be alone all day. I needed him to stay and do a job for me and I really needed him to be in a good mood in order to persuade him to help me with this.

  Sara had brought carrot cake. It was Sune's favorite and I brought him a piece from the kitchen along with a freshly brewed cup of coffee. He was in the middle of uploading the pictures taken this morning. He looked up from the screen. Our eyes locked and for a second it felt like before. He smiled quickly. I shrugged and ate some of my cake. He picked his up and started eating.

  "So what do you want?" he asked.

  "What? Can't I bring you coffee and cake without wanting something from you? Maybe I just want to thank you for being at the scene early on a Saturday morning. It was really great that you were able to react this fast."

  "Still slower than the Express," he said. "That Christian guy was already there when I arrived. Can you believe that he does his own pictures? Some papers have started doing that, cutting out the photographer. Some journalists like Christian are trained to do both. Scary development. If it catches on I'll be out of work in a few years."

  I nodded pensively. I understood his concern. It was something that newspapers had started doing a lot lately. Even the TV stations were training their reporters to make their own shoots so they didn't have to pay for a cameraman as well. VJs they called it. Photojournalists were also getting more and more common on my old newspaper, Jyllandsposten, the national paper I worked for before I moved back to Karrebaeksminde.

  I shook my head. "Good photographers will always be in demand," I said.

  "I sure hope so," Sune said while eating his cake.

  "I'm sorry," I said. "I'm sorry for earlier. It really was none of my business."

  Sune smiled shortly and nodded. "Well I'm sorry too." He paused and looked at me. "For everything. Today and yesterday."

  "It's okay," I said. "Water under the bridge."

  He nodded pensively. "So you never answered my question."

  "What question?"

  "What did you want?" he asked and pointed at the half-eaten carrot cake.

  "Oh. That. Well there is one thing I'd like to ask you to do for me ..."

  "I knew it." Sune leaned back in his chair and smiled. "Bring it on."r />
  "Well. You know how Christian said that he knew who the victim was?"

  "Yes. And?"

  "I really need to know that as well. I can't have him run the story before us. Jens-Ole will kill me. This is my story, this is our exclusive story. It has to stay that way. If the Express has some information that we don't then we need to find it. Maybe find it somewhere else than where they did. Maybe like somewhere we're not supposed to look."

  Sune stopped smiling. "I think that I know where this is going and the answer is no. I can't risk it, Rebekka. If the police catch me hacking into their systems and files I'll be locked up for a long time. I have a record, you know."

  "I know. I'm sorry," I said and walked back to my desk and sat down. "I shouldn't have asked. It was just stupid. We'll let Christian Lonstedt and his self-taught photographs win this round. We'll beat him next time, I'm sure."

  Sune was growling behind his computer screen. I knew how much real photographers loathed these self-taught journalists who thought they could do as good a job as a real photographer could. People like Sune considered themselves artists who just happened to have to work for a newspaper to earn money, but they would never want to be compared to someone like Christian who didn't understand the beauty of photography the way people like Sune did. They didn't know how to use the light and the scene to create something beautiful even from something as dark and ugly as the scene of crime. Sune could do that. He was even brilliant at that.

  Sune snorted and slammed his fist in the desk. "I'll do it," he said.

  I looked at him with a smile.

  "It went well last time, right?" he argued with his own conscience.

  "It sure did. And I'll take all the blame if you're ever arrested again," I said. "I'll tell them that you did it on my order. Since you're afraid of being out of work soon because of the tough times being a photographer, you felt forced to do it. Because of your son, naturally. You need to feed your son, right?"

  "Right," Sune growled. "But you're paying me double for this. I'll overcharge you for today."