Run Run as Fast as You Can (14 page)

I hung up just as Sophia stormed through the door to my house.

"Susanne Arnholm was the woman in your mothers’ group, right? The one who didn't show up yesterday at the hairdresser, right?"

Sophia looked at me without blinking. "Yes, she is, why? Is she dead?"

I shook my head. Sophia breathed in relief. "No," I said. "But she is in a coma at the hospital in Esbjerg. Someone shot her and tried to drown her, just like Simone." I paused and gazed at her. Baby Alma was sleeping heavily in the sling. "Nora is in your group too, isn't she? Nora Willumsen who works at the police station?"

Sophia nodded and put her diaper-bag down on the floor. "Yeah. She's the one who hardly ever says anything. Why?"

"Well I have a feeling someone is targeting members of your mothers’ group. Nora went missing this morning."

Sophia looked like her heart had stopped. "What are you saying?"

"First it was Simone who was killed, right? Then Susanne was shot but survived, now Nora is missing? The only connection between them is the fact that they all have babies and they're in the same group as you."

Sophia sat down on one of my kitchen chairs with a sigh. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I might be wrong, but it is kind of strange, don't you think?"

"But why? Why would anyone target us? We're just a bunch of stupid women with babies."

I grabbed a chair next to Sophia and sat down. "That's what we need to find out. Who else is in your group?"

"Lisa. Lisa Rasmussen. She and I are the only ones left."

"I guess we better talk to her then."

36

November 2013

L
ISA DIDN'T SLEEP
all night. Frustrated with how it had all ended, she decided to clean the entire kitchen once she got back from Nora's place. Then she grabbed some meat from the freezer and started cooking. The stew was still boiling on the stove when she heard Margrethe fuss upstairs. She ran up and grabbed her, changed her diaper, and tickled her tummy, then gave her a bottle. Downstairs again, she put Margrethe in her playpen, then prepared breakfast while wondering what had happened to Nora. Had the burglar taken her to the hospital? Had he seen Lisa? Was this going to become a problem for her? She shook her head while putting more bread in the toaster. No, why would a burglar do that? Was he another secret lover? One she had made plans to meet with in the middle of the night? Why would she do that in her own house and risk getting caught? No it didn't make any sense. Who was he? Lisa knew she had seen him somewhere … in the café. That was it. Yes, he was often a guest at their favorite café, Mimosa.

Christian came down for breakfast. In a line behind him followed Jacob and Amalie. As usual, they were all in a hurry and had no time to chat or, hardly, to eat. They swallowed their food quickly. Amalie, who had piano practice, simply grabbed a piece of fruit and was out of the house.

"You need real food," Lisa yelled after her, but she was long gone.

"I have to get going," Christian said and flushed down a bite of toast with coffee. He looked at Jacob. He had promised to take him to his office today, like he often did on Saturdays. "Ready buddy?"

"Give him a chance to eat," Lisa said.

"I'm late, Lisa. If you had a real job you'd understand. I have a boss who wanted me at the office half an hour ago. You know we're working with an important client and I have to be a team player and pitch in, even on weekends and holidays. We can't all just goof around. Come on, Jacob. Grab your jacket and let's go."

Jacob took one last bite of his toast with jam before he got up and grabbed his jacket. He looked at Lisa with a smile. "See you, Mom."

Christian leaned over and kissed Lisa on the cheek. "See you for dinner, it won't be late."

When the door closed, Lisa stared at all the food she had prepared that they had barely touched. Margrethe was babbling from the playpen. Lisa shook her head and started cleaning up.

I'll tell you who is goofing around. Running for City Council is a job, Mister. I'll show you. I am gonna show everybody.

The doorbell rang. Lisa screamed in frustration, then threw the dishes back in the sink. She walked to the door and opened it violently.

If it's another ignorant plumber …

"What?"

Outside stood an ugly faced man. He smiled and held a badge up in the air. "Morten Bredballe, Nordby police. Could we have a word?"

Lisa looked at the badge. It looked fake. So did he.

"Could I come in?" he asked.

Lisa found her unbeatable election smile. "Sure. Come on in, Officer."

"Thank you."

Lisa stepped aside and let the man enter her house, leaving muddy footprints behind him in the hallway. Lisa growled behind his back, then slammed the door shut.

"Should we do this in the kitchen?" he asked.

"Why not? It's all dirty anyway," Lisa said and walked ahead of him trying to make sure he followed her and didn't leave mud from his shoes anywhere else.

Calm down Lisa. Floors can be cleaned. No need to get angry. Calm yourself down. Think about something nice. Picture the ocean, a meadow, a forest. There you go. Now remain calm, no matter what. You can do it.

"Would you like a cup of coffee, Officer?" Lisa asked.

"Yes that would be great. Thank you."

"Well, you're very welcome. It's the least I can do for our friends in uniform." Lisa grabbed a cup from the cupboard, then poured some coffee in it and placed it on the table in front of the fake officer.

Don't think I haven't figured you out with that toy-badge of yours. What are you? Polish? Ukrainian? Come here to rob me have you? To take advantage of a poor lonely woman home alone? Did you stand outside and watch as my husband left so you knew I'd be alone? Come to steal my money? My credit cards and silverware? My flat screen TV and iPad and sell it on the black market? Well you're in for a little surprise, my good friend. Oh, how you're in for a surprise.

37

February 2013

T
HOMAS HAD BUTTERFLIES
in his stomach as he drove through town. Behind him his old building stood in flames, and in the distance, he could hear blaring sirens. He enjoyed looking at the flames in the rearview mirror while driving out of town and into the countryside. He couldn't help being a little proud of himself. He was a genius, really. Leaving the body of the mailman in the apartment was a stroke of genius. It really was. Once the firefighters put out the fire and they found the remains of the body, it would be so burnt that they wouldn't be able to see it wasn't Thomas. They were going to think he was dead. And the way things were right now in his life, that suited Thomas more than anything.

He had written the address on a small piece of paper. He looked at it feeling so excited. He couldn't wait to see Ellen again. When she woke up tomorrow morning, he would be close to her. And this time, he wasn't going to let go of her again. Never again. Never.

Till death parts us.

Thomas found the address easily. It turned out it was out in the country. A small farm outside of Nordby. Not even half an hour’s drive away.

All this time you've been so close, dear Ellen. And I didn't know. Maybe you tried to tell me, maybe I just didn't listen. I promise it won't happen again. I promise. I'll stay close from now on, never let you out of my sight.

Thomas parked the car not far away, then ran up the dirt road towards the house. It was dark and all the lights were out, making the place seem abandoned, but Thomas knew it wasn't. Somewhere in there behind those walls was his beloved. He knew she was. He could sense she was close. It felt so good to finally be in her presence again, to be close.

Thomas tiptoed around the house and peeked in through all the windows to see if he could spot her. Just catch a glimpse of his beloved who he had missed so deeply for weeks now.

"Where are you, Ellen?" he whispered with so much joy he had a hard time containing it.

Finally he found her. Thomas breathed in a deep breath as he spotted her through the crack in the curtains that hadn't been closed all the way. The light from the full moon outside hit her face and made her look like an angel.

Thomas almost cried with happiness. Oh this lovely sight. How he adored watching her. How he worshipped her. The most perfect creature on the face of the earth.

Next to her, the handsome husband turned in his sleep and put his arm around Ellen. Thomas felt a pinch of rage in his heart. How he loathed the man who had come between them. How he despised him for keeping them apart, for holding Ellen captive against her will. Wasn't there some law against that? Couldn't the police see what was really going on?

Thomas clenched his fists while watching them. He had to restrain himself. He wanted to run in there so badly and beat the crap out of that husband of hers.

Why did you marry that bastard, Ellen? Why? What did you see in him anyway? Did he force you? What has he been doing to you? Has he hurt you? If he has, I swear to God, I'm gonna hurt him too.

Just as Thomas finished the thought, the handsome husband opened his eyes like he had heard him. He stared directly at Thomas.

Thomas didn't hide himself. He lifted his clenched fist and showed it to the husband without realizing it was smeared in the mailman's blood. So were his clothes. Thomas looked at the husband until he opened his mouth and started screaming. Then Thomas ran. He ran as fast as he could down the dirt road, through the small forest and jumped inside of his car that was parked on the big road. Then he drove off.

38

November 2013

T
HE STRANGE MAN
kept staring at Nora in the cage. She had no idea what to do and was too sore and beaten up to care. She was lying on the newspapers on the floor, whimpering and moaning in pain. What the hell was going on here? She kept wondering. What was Lisa up to? Why was she doing this to her? Had she hired this guy to hurt her?

"What do you want from me?" she moaned.

The man was squatting in front of the cage and had been for a very long time. Nora thought he looked like he was speculating over something. He hadn't uttered a word for a long time now.

"Please just let me out. I want to go home to my baby."

Finally, he spoke. "You won't."

"What? What are you saying? What is it you want from me? Why are you keeping me here?" she cried.

"I’m keeping you here because you deserve no better."

"I haven't done anything to you," she said.

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong. You have. You have done something to me. Something unforgivable."

Nora wailed. "I don't even know you. How can I have done something to you? How? Is this Lisa's doing? Did she put you up to this?"

The man smiled. "Could you be quiet for once? I'm trying to think."

"Think? Think about what?"

"I'm figuring out how best to kill you."

"What?"

"You heard me. Can you even stand up straight?" he asked.

Nora lifted her head. It hurt so badly. She grabbed the fence and pulled herself up till she was standing. Her sore body hurt like crazy. The wound on her hand was pounding where Lisa had pierced it with the knife.

"Oh good, you can," the man smiled. "Now try and move."

"Why?"

The man clenched his fists and closed his eyes. "Just do it, will you? Please?"

Nora drew in a deep breath, then took a step forward. Her legs felt fine but she was extremely dizzy from all the blows she had suffered to her head.

"Good," the man said and clapped his hands. "Now walk a little more."

Nora kept walking while holding onto the fence. The bats seemed disturbed and started moving around.

"Can I please sit down now?" Nora asked.

"Not yet. I need to know that you can walk without holding on to the fence," the man said.

"Why? I'm so tired. Please just let me sleep?" Nora pleaded.

"Just show me that you can."

"Will you leave me alone then?" Nora asked.

The man chuckled. "Even better."

"What could be better?" Nora asked.

The man chuckled again. "I could … let's see … oh, I've got it. What if I promised that, if you can walk over to the end of the cage and back without holding on, I'll let you out of the cage?"

Nora opened her eyes widely. "You'd do that? You'd let me out of the cage?" She asked, her voice filled with hope.

The man nodded slowly. "I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die."

Nora was panting with happiness and expectation. Could it be? Could it really be that he would let her out, let her go home? She took in a deep breath, then let go of the fence and started walking … carefully, so she wouldn't fall and he wouldn’t be able to use that as an excuse for not keeping his word to her. She put one foot in front of the other, and managed to take the first step. The other leg followed and soon she was walking without a problem to the end, then she turned and walked back.

"Tada," she said, her voice shivering.

"Very good," the man laughed.

Nora looked at him waiting for him to say that now he wasn't going to let her out after all, but much to her surprise, he kept his promise and unlocked the door to the cage and helped her out. Nora laughed with relief when he closed the door after her and locked it. Finally, she was out. Finally, she wouldn't have to worry about those disgusting bats. Her face was still hurting from where they had been sitting and licking the blood off of her wounds.

"So why did you have to see if I could walk before you let me out?" she asked.

The man laughed again. "Because,
dearie
… I wanted to make sure you could run."

39

November 2013

I
TRIED TO
call Morten on my cellphone, but he didn't answer. Sophia was sitting in my kitchen biting her nails and swilling down one cup of coffee after another.