Peek A Boo I See You (Emma Frost #5) (14 page)

"But most of what he does seems to have a meaning of some sort. Like when he placed the head of a mentally ill person on the body of a social worker. I mean, becoming mentally ill could happen to anybody…even a social worker. Maybe by giving her the head of the mentally ill person, she would be able to better understand them. It's still a theory, but I think I'm on to something. It all has a meaning."

"Not all of it. What about the cemetery?" Morten asked.

"I've been thinking a lot about that. I believe he wanted to show us something by burying Anders Samuelsen."

"Like what?"

"Don't laugh. But I believe he wanted somehow to describe to us what it feels like to be like Anders Samuelsen. He was trapped in his house because of his fear and anxiety. He was unable to live his life properly. Like he was buried alive, like a living dead person."

Morten scoffed. "You're overanalyzing him, I think. He chose the cemetery because it's creepy and scary…that's why. He's nothing but a simple killer."

"I wouldn't call him simple," I said. "What he does demands a certain amount of intelligence."

"You sound like you're fascinated," Morten asked, skeptically.

"I'm not. I'm not going to give him that pleasure. But, I'm just saying that we're up against someone really clever and I think it's going to be really difficult to catch him."

Morten drove over a hill and stopped the car in front of an old building with a sign outside.

The Yellow Cat.

"It looks closed," I said, when we got out of the car.

"That's what worries me. It's not that late. I tried to call from the car, but no one answered the phone. It got me thinking that something was really wrong, but I didn't want to worry you further as well."

I saw Morten grab his gun and pull it out. "Maybe you'd better stay outside, Emma," he said, and walked towards the front entrance.

38

February 2014

I
WATCHED AS
M
ORTEN
tried to open the door to the main entrance of the inn.

He turned and looked at me. "It's locked."

"That's odd," I said.

"I have to go in," Morten said, and kicked the door open. "You stay here."

I walked back to the car with a growing knot of concern in my stomach. I didn't like this at all and wondered if I should call for back-up.

It'll take them at least twenty minutes to get here
.

My heart was beating hard as I heard Morten yell something from inside the inn. I walked closer to better hear him.

"Emma. Get in here. I need your help!"

I ran inside and found Morten in the lobby of the inn. "Is it safe?" I asked.

"I think so. Come here and help me."

That was when I realized Morten was bent over something. It looked like a body. I walked closer and saw a man tied up with duct tape. I leaned over and pulled the piece from his mouth. The man screamed in pain.

"Aw!"

"Sorry."

Morten cut his hands and feet loose with his pocket knife and soon the man was sitting up.

"What happened Ole?" Morten asked.

The man wiped his mouth repeatedly with his hand. "This glue tastes disgusting," he grunted.

"You're the owner of this inn?" I asked.

Ole nodded. "Yes."

"What happened?" Morten repeated.

Ole shook his head like he was trying to remember. "I…I have no idea. I was sitting here behind the counter this afternoon, hoping that a tourist would stop by. Things have been a little slow lately for business and I haven't had a guest in…two weeks, I think. So when a car pulled up and someone entered the inn, I was certain my luck had finally turned." Ole stopped and looked pensive. "I really don't remember much after that."

"Who entered?" Morten asked. "Was it a man?"

"Yes. It was a man. He had long blond hair and was wearing a long black cotton coat. And…uh…glasses, yes that's it. Pretty thick glasses."

I looked at Morten. "Sounds like our guy from Anders Samuelsen's sketch."

"Sure does. What else do you remember? Was he alone?" Morten asked.

"Yes. I believe he was. He…he walked up to the counter and I said
Welcome! Are you here to stay for the night?
Then he…he pulled something out of his pocket. A spray of some sort. A small bottle. Before I could react, he sprayed something in my face. It smelled really bad. Then I became dizzy and I remember feeling really nauseated and…then…this blurry vision…well, that's all I remember."

Morten sniffed. "Smells like ether. He was probably using an ether-filled perfume bottle. Those have been known to be used in bank robberies."

"So, where is he now?" I asked.

Ole shrugged. "I have no idea. He can hardly have stolen anything from me, since I don't have much money in the cash register and nothing of real value here."

"I'll run a check," Morten said. He pulled out his gun and started walking around the inn. I stayed with Ole. He looked pale.

"Can I get you anything? A glass of water?" I asked.

"Yes. Please. That would be very nice. I still feel really nauseated. There's a water cooler in the office behind the counter."

I walked into the office and found the water cooler and poured some in a plastic cup, while casting a glance around the room. My eyes fell on a picture of a building he had put up on the wall. I grabbed the plastic cup and walked back to Ole, who was still sitting on the floor. I kneeled next to him and handed it to him. He drank greedily.

"So, what's your relationship to Hummelgaarden?" I asked, while he drank.

He finished the cup. "That really hit the spot, thank you so much. Hummelgaarden you say?"

I nodded. "I saw a picture of it in your office."

"Well, it's a long story, but it has a special place in my heart. I used to work there."

39

June 2007

A
LEXANDRA HAD HER BABY
three weeks early and had to stay in the hospital for a week after the birth in order to make sure the baby was strong enough to be brought home. It was a hard time on all of them, but it especially took its toll on Poul who had to stay alone in the house with Samuel.

Alexandra was worried and found it hard to sleep at the hospital at night.

"The baby will be fine," the doctors and nurses kept telling her. "You need your sleep. You have to relax or you'll only get sick. You won't be able to produce enough milk for your baby if you don't get your rest. She is small and weak and only your milk can give her strength and make her grow. Rest is vital for both of you. Right now, your daughter needs you more than she ever will. She needs you to be well and rested."

But Alexandra wasn't worried about little Olivia. That wasn't why she stayed awake all night and wandered in circles in her room, not being able to lay still. No, she was concerned about Poul and Samuel being all alone in the house.

I just hope they don't kill each other.

Things had been turning from bad to worse to terrifying ever since she had brought Samuel home from the hospital. Poul had been so angry with her because she made the decision at the hospital without even consulting him first. It had started already on the evening when they brought him home.

"I don't want the boy living in my house again. I don't trust him, Alexandra. He tried to kill you, remember?"

"No, he didn't. It was an accident."

"It wasn't an accident, Alexandra. Don't make excuses for the boy. He stabbed you on purpose."

"I don't think he meant to harm me, Poul. I really don't. He just couldn't control himself. Besides, it won't happen again. He’s changed. He regrets it so much. Didn't you see it in his eyes at the hospital? He's back. He's our sweet little Samuel again. Didn't you hear him? I mean, he is our son, for crying out loud. We have to love him. We have to care for him. We have to forgive him."

"Well, I certainly don't. I think he only said all those things because he wanted you to take him home. I'm certain he only tried to kill himself because he wanted to come home. He didn’t even take enough pills to kill himself…the doctor told us so. He's just acting, Alexandra, and you're falling for it. It's all just a clever act. Can't you see that?"

"No!" Alexandra said, crying heavily and worrying that Samuel would hear every word his dad was saying from his room next door where he was supposed to be sleeping. "He's a good boy. I know he is. He's just not well. Somewhere in there is my boy and I am determined to find him. I saw him today at the hospital. The way he looked at me. There was true deep love in those eyes. He can change. He told me he would. I know he can. We'll get him the help he needs. We have to try, Poul. We have to give him a second chance."

That was when she had seen it in Poul's eyes. Pure hatred for the boy. That was when she realized that Poul blamed everything on Samuel. He thought the boy had ruined everything for them and now that he was in their lives again, he was going to destroy it all. Poul shook his head and lifted his hands. "I'm not. I won't forgive him and I refuse to let him manipulate me. I see right through that act of his. He is dangerous, Alex."

"Don't say that. It's an awful thing to say. He's your son,” Alexandra hissed in anger and frustration. She couldn't believe that Poul would abandon her on this matter. They were supposed to stick together, to back each other up. Why did he refuse to see what she had seen in the boy? He was there with them in the hospital room. Didn't he see the boy crying his heart out?"

Now, while lying in the hospital bed, Alexandra was scared of what the two of them might end up doing to one another. She was terrified of the future and what they should do with the boy. Where would he go to school?

She worried about those things constantly in the hospital until one morning when they rolled in a new roommate for her. It was a woman who told her that she had a nephew who struggled with mental issues as well. Alexandra found much comfort talking to this woman during the daytime and told her about her worries and troubles at home.

"Well, my sister felt just as frustrated as you until Tommy's social worker sent him to this new place outside of town that just opened a few months ago…it's an institution of some sort, I think. Anyway, it completely changed things for him and for my sister."

"That sounds really good. Maybe I should try and get Samuel in there as well," Alexandra said, suddenly sparked with newfound hope.

"You should. Talk to a social worker at City Hall. The place is called Hummelgaarden."

40

February 2014

"
T
HE PLACE IS SECURE."

Morten came back just as I was about to ask Ole more about Hummelgaarden. Morten looked at me, concerned. "Unfortunately, no signs of Dagmar either."

I rose to my feet with a frustrated sigh. "But there has to be. I mean, the killer led us here."

Morten shook his head. "I'm sorry. You're welcome to check for yourself. I've been in all the rooms upstairs. It's not that big of an inn." Morten looked at Ole. "Is there anywhere else he could have hidden her?" he asked.

"There is the wine cellar," Ole said.

"I'll go check," Morten said, and disappeared.

I looked at Ole. Some of the color had returned to his cheeks. "Feeling better?" I asked.

He nodded. "I think so."

I helped him get on his feet again. "So you used to work at Hummelgaarden, huh?"

"Yes, well it's a long time ago. Now I have this place. It was always my dream to start something of my own, you know?"

I nodded, wondering if it could be a coincidence that Ole used to work there.

Morten came back upstairs and brought me out of my thought pattern. "Nope. Nothing there either," he said.

"That's strange," I said. "Why would the killer bring us here if he hasn't hidden Dagmar here?"

Morten shrugged. "I don't know. I'm getting a little tired of his games. I've called for the forensics team to come out here once they're done with Dagmar's apartment and secure any trace of the killer. Did he touch anything while he was here?"

Ole shrugged. "I…I don't know. Maybe the door handle."

I looked at Ole. "What's that?" I asked, pointing at the pocket on the chest of his shirt. It was bulging like there was something in it.

Ole felt it. "I don't know." He put his fingers inside it and pulled something out.

"What is it?" Asked Morten.

"I…I don't know," Ole said. "I don't remember ever seeing this before. It looks like a…like one of those key chains the tourists buy."

"And you say you didn't put it in your pocket?" I asked.

"I never put anything in that pocket," Ole answered.

"It's a clue," I said, looking at Morten.

He exhaled. "This guy is unbelievable!" He looked at me. "So where are supposed to go now?"

I shrugged. "There is a key on it."

"Yeah but where does it fit?"

"Maybe we can find out if we go down to one of the shops at the harbor where they sell these things?" I asked.

Ole and Morten looked at one another. "Actually, that’s not a bad idea," Morten said.

"Then let's go," I said. I looked at Ole. "Will you be alright? The place will be swamped with police in a few minutes. Should we call for an ambulance as well? Do you want the paramedics to take a look at you?"

Ole shook his head. "I'm fine, but thanks."

I smiled and nodded. "Well, thanks for your help."

"Call us if you remember anything else," Morten said. "Any little detail might help us."

"Sure."

Morten and I drove through the countryside and passed the Copenhagen forensic team in their blue vans going the other direction on our way back to town. My heart was still pumping hard in my chest. I was worried about Dagmar. This little trip to the inn had taken a long time. My hopes that she would survive were decreasing by the second.