The Catalyst Killing (K2 and Patricia series Book 3) (17 page)

I permitted myself to remind him that this was after all a murder inquiry and for the present would only involve one policeman and some confidential information.

No more was needed for Asle Bryne’s temperament to make an appearance. He suddenly leaned forward in his chair and launched into a lengthy tirade about the security service’s responsibilities, the essence of which was that they were the country’s only hope in the fight against communist infiltration and Soviet occupation, and that they therefore needed room for manoeuvre without any interference from either politicians or the other police organs.

I waited until he started to calm down. Then I asked if they had found anything to indicate that this small group of students had contacts abroad, or constituted a threat to the status quo in Norway. This unleashed another almost equally violent eruption behind the cloud of smoke. The fact that they did not always uncover something in the short term should not fool anyone into relaxing their focus on potentially violent terrorist groups. Furthermore, it was better that ten innocent groups were kept under surveillance than that they did not watch the one group that might prove to be a real threat to society.

I took this as a ‘no’, and quickly carried on when he paused for breath a couple of minutes later. I told him that I fully understood that the security service could not reveal their contacts and that I could see why they had kept the group under surveillance – which could in fact be of great benefit to the investigation. I therefore would dearly like to know what the security service knew about Falko Reinhardt’s disappearance and the murder of Marie Morgenstierne.

Asle Bryne took a couple of deep breaths, nodded – and made an attempt to answer my request. He assured me that as long as one respected the security service’s situation and work methods, they would of course be more than happy to do what they could to help solve any crimes that were under investigation by other police divisions.

As far as the disappearance of Falko Reinhardt was concerned, however, the police security service knew nothing about it and had no information that might be of any help.

Again, when it came to the murder of Marie Morgenstierne, no one from the police security service had been in the vicinity. They had, however, successfully bugged the group’s meeting place in Smestad, and could thus provide a recording of the last meeting that Marie Morgenstierne attended. The meeting had been short, and the security service had not picked up anything of interest from the recording. But if it could be of any help to the murder investigation, they would be able to lend it to the head of investigation for a day or two, in the strictest confidence, and on the condition that the tape was returned within forty-eight hours and that no reference was made to it in public.

He then made a great show of taking the tape out of the desk drawer and placing it on the table between us.

To humour him, I thanked him for his help and assured him that the conditions would be upheld. I then reached for the tape and pulled it over to my side. To my relief, he did not protest.

I casually added that the investigation had brought me into contact with old Nazi circles, and I asked if the security service was familiar with them. Bryne peered out at me from under his great bushy eyebrows, obviously taken aback, and shook his head almost before he had heard the names.

Another long tirade followed, about how he himself had fought against the Nazis during the war, and that ‘now it is the Cold War that is important, my young man, and not the Second World War.’

These old Nazi circles only involved ‘a bunch of random, bitter’ individuals who hardly constituted a threat to anyone but themselves. The security service was of the definite opinion that the focus should now be on left-wing rather than right-wing extremists. In that sense, he added, both the government and the opposition were in agreement with the security service.

I made a blunder just before I stood up, when I remarked briefly that there was perhaps no reason to believe that military intelligence might know any more. Asle Bryne leaned even further forward across the desk and boomed that there was absolutely no reason to believe that military intelligence might know more than the security service about anything. In fact, military intelligence with its incompetent management was perhaps the second greatest threat to the security of the Norwegian people after communism. It was incomprehensible that neither the government nor the Storting had taken the matter in hand and transferred all surveillance to the police security service.

Asle Bryne was struggling to control himself, and I realized that a far more serious outburst was now imminent. I was genuinely concerned that he might have a heart attack in front of my very eyes. When he eventually stopped for breath again, I gave a disarming shrug and assured him that I was extremely happy with the help the police security service had given so far and did not really think that military intelligence would know any more about the matter. He sat in silence after this, and we then shook hands briefly before I left.

I suspected that the security service knew more than they were willing to tell me. But I was curious to see what the recording from Marie Morgenstierne’s last meeting might reveal, and relieved to be able to take it with me when I left the room.

VIII

Patricia listened intently to my report of the Valdres trip and my meeting with the head of the police security service. When I finished by telling her about the tape, she nodded with cautious appreciation and pointed at the stereo player. I personally was very keen to know what might be on the tape, so quickly put it on.

The recording lasted no more than half an hour. It was very odd to hear the late Marie Morgenstierne’s voice in amongst the other three now-familiar voices. In the short sequences where she spoke, her voice was quiet and soft, but firm and clear at the same time. It also sounded young and vital. I identified the various voices for Patricia the first time they spoke, then we listened to the rest of the tape in silence.

Anders: Well, it’s time then to start our first meeting after the holidays. We will discuss our planned demonstration against the imperialistic war in Vietnam and other plans for the autumn. But first, do any of you comrades have any other points you would like to raise?

Kristine: No other points. But we should perhaps start by marking the second anniversary of Falko’s puzzling disappearance, and renew our hope that he will soon come back.

[Applause]

Anders: Unanimously agreed. We hope and believe that our comrade has not fallen victim to some plot by imperialists, capitalists or class traitors, that he is alive, and that he will soon return to continue his work in the fight to liberate his country’s oppressed people. Does anyone have anything else to say on the matter?

Trond: In cases like this it is often the person who is closest who is the first to notice a change. There are many examples, even among non-religious groups, where the person who was left behind felt something before the missing person returned. So it would be particularly interesting to know what you, comrade Marie, think about the situation?

Marie: I still hope, but no longer know if I dare believe. Falko has been gone for so long now and there has been no sign of any change. So, like you, I can only hope that he will suddenly reappear one day and take up his role again in the class struggle.

Anders: We all share that hope, and once again express our sympathy to you, as you have suffered the greatest loss in his absence. And now we must move on to discuss our planned demonstration and prepare our activities as best we can without Falko. To begin with, we need to plan our participation in the big anti-Vietnam rally on the last Saturday in August. I hope that everyone is able to take part?

Kristine: Yes, of course.

Trond: Yes, I have taken time off from work on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning.

Marie: Yes, I’ll be there.

Anders: Excellent. We will announce it through the normal channels and hope for strong support from the anti-Vietnam movement and others on the far left. It has not yet been decided whether to demonstrate outside the American Embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Storting. I personally think we should take imperialism by the horns and demonstrate outside the American Embassy.

Trond: I agree with you in principle, but I think that psychologically the Storting is better. A mass mobilization there would put pressure on the politicians who are warming to the idea of demanding a change in the Vietnam policy. A good many Labour Party politicians are pushing in that direction and pressure on the government is mounting. No one in the American Embassy is up for election, and no one there is sympathetic to our calls.

Kristine: I see advantages in both, but Falko always said that the American Embassy was the root of all evil in both the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Storting. So I think that the first demonstration after the second anniversary of his disappearance should be there. Marie: I support Anders.

Trond: Then I accept. Should we send invitations to the Labour Party and SPP youth leagues, or just to the Vietnam Committee and other contacts left of SPP? Don’t get me wrong, I am sceptical of any flirtations with the Labour Party, and even more sceptical of any pandering to the SPP. But I do think we should send invitations to both as I think that would make the situation harder for them both, tactically.

Anders: Well-meaning members of the Labour Party and SPP are welcome to join us, but we will not invite them. It’s important to show the Americans how strong the far-left radicals in Norway really are. Clear slogans and committed participation are more important than numbers here.

Marie: I agree with that.

Kristine: I also agree. Reminds me of what Falko used to say: that few can become many if they are just patient and stand united.

Trond: Well, I will back down then. It is easy to compromise on the choice of method as long as the goal is fixed. And what about our other plans for the autumn? I have to look after my practice and my duty to my patients, who have all suffered in some way under the heavy yoke of capitalism. But I have a flexible timetable and will keep patient numbers at a level that allows time for meetings and agitation.

Anders: I have cleared my timetable and work schedule for a very activist autumn. A few daytime lectures are obligatory, but I’ll get a sick note if the good cause so requires.

Kristine: Same here, a few obligatory lectures that I can skip if necessary. But it would be good if I knew about important activities a few weeks in advance.

Marie: Concurred. I don’t quite know what’s happening with my course this winter yet, but I have to get on with my masters. Whatever the case, it shouldn’t be a problem for the first part of the autumn, and I’ll be there for whatever we decide to take part in.

Trond: Excellent. Then our conscience is still clear, in terms of both Falko and society’s repressed masses.

Anders: Agreed. We should also note the good news from China, where new advances in Mao’s Cultural Revolution have been reported. The progress continues, and in sharp contrast to the situation in the USA, it is of benefit to the entire population. A united nation celebrates in the streets in Mao’s China, whereas there are more and more demonstrations against the war in Richard Nixon’s USA. There is no doubt which country and which ideology is on the offensive. We still have the present against us here in Norway, but the future is behind us. In just the same way that the heroes of the Resistance are now honoured for their stand against Hitler’s Nazism in the Second World War, we and other likeminded people will be honoured in the next century by future generations in a new and fairer Norway. The great awakening will reach the sleeping masses in our country within the next few years.

[Applause]

Marie: Thank you for your uplifting words. When shall we meet again to continue our struggle?

Trond: What about the Tuesday before the anti-Vietnam demonstration? There may be a need for more preparations by then, and it’s free in my diary at the moment.

Anders: Suits me very well. I can, if everyone is happy, volunteer to open with a few minutes on communism’s development in China and neighbouring countries. There is exciting news that communism is now advancing fast in Cambodia under the charismatic leadership of the young general secretary Pol Pot, and it would seem that the USA’s lackeys there are on the verge of collapse.

Marie: That sounds like a very interesting theme. And Tuesday is good for me too.

Kristine: And for me. So let’s close then by reiterating our hope that Falko will be back by then to take his seat and place at the rally outside the American Embassy.

[Applause]

Trond: So that concludes the meeting. I’ve got my new car outside. Does anyone need a lift somewhere?

Anders: No thanks, I am becoming more and more environmentally aware and prefer to cycle.

Kristine: I’ll be home by the time you’ve got in the car, but thank you.

Marie: And I’m on the train, as usual.

Trond: Have you got enough time before the next train? Otherwise, I’m happy to give you a lift.

Marie: There’s plenty of time. Thank you for a good meeting and see you soon. No doubt we’ll have a lot to talk about this autumn.

It was a poignant conclusion to the meeting and the recording, to hear Marie Morgenstierne say that she looked forward to seeing more of the others during the autumn. Her voice was just as calm and even as it had been at the start of the meeting.

But a few minutes later, I had seen her running for her life in sheer panic. As I stopped the tape, I wondered more than ever what had happened on the way from the meeting to the station. Patricia had now finished her main course, and was staring at me across the table with an expression that was unusually sharp and concentrated.