Read Beyond the Truth: Hanne Wilhelmsen Book Seven (A Hanne Wilhelmsen Novel) for Free Online Page A

nutshell,” Billy T. said, “it revolves around a middle-sized shipping company, Norne Norway Shipping. Hermann Stahlberg was the first generation. He built up the whole enterprise from 1961 to the present day. Smart guy. Hard as nails. Cynical – at least if the newspaper commentators are to be believed.”
    His finger, its nail bitten down to the quick, tapped the red ring binder.
    “The man has three children. The eldest, Preben, went to sea in his early twenties. He had quarreled with his father and wouldn’t even sign on board one of his dad’s ships. A few years later, the guy came ashore in Singapore. Started his own shipbroking firm, which was extremely successful. At home here in Norway he had been written off completely. The younger son, Carl-Christian, eventually took the place intended for his brother in the shipping company. Obviously he was easier to deal with. Though not as promising as his brother.”
    “Not as strong,” Hanne interjected. “More willing to defer to his father, in other words.”
    “That may be,” Billy T. said impatiently. “In any case, the point is as follows: Carl-Christian works his socks off for Hermann. He does well, without ever distinguishing himself in any way. The father begins to get impatient. He refuses to hand over the shipping company as long as he remains unimpressed by the younger son’s abilities.”
    “But Preben,” Håkon asked. “When did he come home?”
    “Two years ago.”
    Billy T. grabbed the folder of newspaper clippings and began to browse through them.
    “All of a sudden, he sold the entire business in Asia and came home to the old country, pretty well loaded with cash. His father was still pissed off and dismissive, of course, until the prodigal son coughs up a considerable sum to invest in the family firm and shows himself to be the spitting image of his father. He is given a chance in the shipping company and, after two or three advantageous maneuvers, he’s back in his old father’s good books. The younger brother is increasingly sidelined.”
    “Then the fun begins,” Silje said with a sigh.
    “Yep. Accusations have been thrown about all over the place. Two court cases are pending at present, and there could be a few more to look forward to.”
    “We’ll be spared them now, of course,” Hanne said tartly and yawned.
    “But who’s the third?” Silje asked.
    “The third?”
    “You said that Hermann and Tutta Stahlberg had three children. What part has the third sibling played in all this?”
    “Oh, her … a young girl. An afterthought. Drop-dead gorgeous, as far as I can make out. She’s the family’s free spirit, loved by all. Respected by none. Apparently she made an effort at bridge-building, but to no avail. According to what I found out last night, she spends most of her time splurging the unexpectedly generous fortune that her father endowed her with on her twentieth birthday. It doesn’t say much about her here.”
    Once again they heard a piercing ring from somewhere below the chaos on the desk.
    “Sand,” Håkon said crisply, when he finally retrieved the phone.
    He listened for three minutes without speaking. A frown appeared behind the heavy frames of his glasses. He fished out a pen and scribbled something on the back of his hand. Hanne thought it looked like a name.
    “Knut Sidensvans,” he articulated slowly when the phone conversation ended. “The fourth victim. He’s called Knut Sidensvans.”
    “Odd name,” Billy T. said. “Who is he?”
    “At the moment they know very little. He’s sixty-three and works as some kind of publishing consultant. And writer. Originally an electrician.”
    “Electrician? And involved in publishing?”
    “Yes, that’s what they said.”
    Baffled, Håkon shook his head and continued: “It was probably not so strange that he wasn’t reported missing. He lives on his own. No children. A quiet, unassuming life, so days could have gone by before anyone began to wonder