Read Fear Not for Free Online Page A

Fortunately, Johanne had got there before him. She was engaged in a quiet conversation next to the Christmas tree, which was looking somewhat the worse for wear after Jack – Kristiane’s yellowy-brown dog – had gone berserk and knocked it over in a tangle of garlands and tree lights. Johanne’s mother had wrapped up a bone and put it at the bottom of the pile of presents, so you could hardly blame the dog.
    ‘Here he is,’ Johanne said, handing Adam the phone.
    She had the resigned expression that always felt like a punch in the stomach. He spread his arms apologetically before taking the phone.
    ‘Stubo.’
    Johanne wandered aimlessly around the room, picking up a toy here, a book there. Putting them down where they didn’t belong. Moving a Christmas rose and spilling soil on the tablecloth. Then she ambled into the kitchen, but couldn’t bring herself to start emptying the dishwasher in order to load it with the dirty dishes piled everywhere. She was exhausted, and decided to finish off the last drop of red wine left in the bottle her sister had given her for Christmas. According to her mother it had cost more than 3,000 kroner. Talk about casting pearls before swine. Johanne topped up her glass from a box of cheap Italian wine on the worktop.
    ‘OK,’ she heard Adam say. ‘See you in the morning. Pick me up at six.’
    He ended the call.
    ‘Six,’ Johanne groaned. ‘When we have the chance of a lie-in for once?’
    She took a swig of her wine and sat down on the sofa.
    ‘We’ve had a really lovely evening,’ said Adam, flopping down beside her. ‘Your father was both pleasant and enervating, as usual. Your mother … your mother …’
    ‘Was vile to me, kind to Ragnhild, good with Kristiane and patronizing to you. And utterly charming to Isak when he finally turned up. As usual. Who’s dead?’
    ‘What?’
    ‘Work.’
    Johanne nodded at the mobile on the coffee table.
    ‘Oh. It’s a difficult one.’
    ‘When they ring you on Christmas Eve, I assume it’s going to be difficult. What’s it about?’
    Adam took her glass and raised it to his lips with such fervour that he had a red moustache when he put it down. Then he hesitated, looked at his watch and hurried into the kitchen. Johanne heard him spitting into the sink.
    ‘I might have to drive tomorrow,’ he said, wiping his mouth with his sleeve as he came back. ‘In which case I need to be able to think clearly.’
    ‘You always think clearly, don’t you?’
    He smiled and sat down heavily by her side. The coffee table wasstill covered in wrapping paper, glasses, coffee cups and empty soft drinks bottles. With a degree of care you might not expect from such a big man, he slid his feet among the whole lot and crossed his legs.
    ‘Eva Karin Lysgaard,’ he said, sipping at a bottle of Farris mineral water he had brought from the kitchen. ‘She’s dead.’
    ‘Eva Karin Lysgaard? The bishop? Bishop Lysgaard?’
    He nodded.
    ‘How? I mean, if they’ve called you it has to involve a crime? Has she been murdered? Has Bishop Lysgaard been murdered? How? And when?’
    Adam had another drink and rubbed his face, as if that might sober him up.
    ‘I don’t know much at all. It must have happened just …’ He glanced at his watch. ‘Just over two hours ago. Killed with a knife, that’s all I know. Well, we can’t say for certain that she was stabbed to death, but so far the cause of death appears to be a stab wound in the area of the heart. And she was murdered in the open air. Outdoors. I don’t know much more. The Hordaland police wouldn’t normally ask for our help in a case like this, at least not so soon. But this is going to … Anyway, Sigmund Berli and I are going over there in the morning.’
    Johanne sat up and put down her wine glass. After a while she pushed it resolutely further on to the table.
    ‘Jesus,’ was all she could think of to say.
    They sat in silence. Johanne felt a cold draught on her skin, giving her