Part 19 (1/2)

At the next break Iben zigzags between the groups in the restaurant. She feels the weight of the knife against her leg. What if it was one of these delegates who hatched the plan to send the e-mails and deposited the blood on the bookshelf?

One of the academics who often comes to study at the DCIG stops Iben. He seems puzzled. Something about you has changed. What is it?

What makes you ask?

Nothing I can put my finger on just something.

Maybe Im a little tired.

No, no. Thats not it.

He starts speaking about the e-mails, which he heard about when Zigic was at the top of the list of suspects. Now he is keen to tell her the latest news. The story is that Zigics group of Serbian Mafia is expanding its network into Russia and the USA. Zigic has been sighted recently in the States and in Germany.

Suddenly Lea turns up at Ibens side. She says that she truly likes everything about the DCIG. Every few months or so, you seem to improve on some aspect of what you do!

Oh, good. Thanks.

Take what your Anne-Lise just told me about fixing up the library so there is s.p.a.ce for readers again clearing the book stacks off the reading desks and so on.

This is the first Iben has heard of such a plan. She knows Malene will explode when she learns about it. Obviously, she had better go along with Lea for now.

Yes, it is one of the better ideas weve had.

People are heading back to listen to the last lecture, and Lea joins the movement in the direction of the concert hall, but she makes a final remark: Its so much better to be able to read with Anne-Lise close at hand. And the books as well. Such an improvement on using the meeting room.

chapter 21.

the silence is everywhere over the desks and between the shelving units. It makes wandering around in the Center feel strange. Bleak strip lighting, stillness. Despite the stacks of paper, the computer screens, and all the usual office clutter, Iben feels as if shes walking in the mist over a dank meadow.

It could be that her mind is somehow more porous because she woke up so early after yet another wakeful night. Everything about the office and herself seems unreal and dreamlike.

Just in case Anne-Lise also turns up at work abnormally early and catches Iben on the library computer, Iben has an excuse ready. Her story is that she wants to add a few new keywords on the articles about Sudan that she is working on. The access codes to the database are kept in Anne-Lises computer. Iben has never used the program before, but that doesnt matter much.

She sits down on Anne-Lises chair and cant avoid looking at the photograph of Anne-Lises husband and children. It is placed right next to a digital clock, which blinks 07:18.

The computer is in standby mode. When Iben presses a key a dialog box pops up. It denies access and asks for a pa.s.sword. She tries pressing Enter, which usually does the trick for most of the office computers, but Anne-Lise has actually installed proper pa.s.sword protection. Iben tries Anne-Lise, but still the system wont let her log on.

Complete silence.

Iben and Malene need something tangible to show Paul if they are to defend the Center and themselves against Anne-Lise. Without some proof that Anne-Lise sent the e-mails, he will not force her to take sick leave and she will keep wandering about among the bookcases, growing weirder all the time, until her bottled-up rage finally explodes.

Iben doesnt dare try any more pa.s.swords, because the computer might block any further attempts to log on, and Anne-Lise mustnt find out that someone has been tampering with it. Iben puts the light out, closes the door, and settles back at her own desk, where she tries to concentrate on what a group of Dutch experts has written about Muslims in the southern Russian states.

The others arrive. She gives Malene a whispered account of what has happened, and later, in midmorning, she goes to the library.

Anne-Lise, tell me something: if I come across some new keywords that I think should be added to the library database, what should I do?

You just tell me. Ill key them in. Thats no problem at all.

Yes, sure. But what if I thought I might as well do it myself? How do I go about it?

Iben, its far easier if you give them to me. Ill see to it.

Thanks. But Id like to be able to do it myself.

Well, now I usually manage the database. I have the necessary overview. Why not just leave it to me?

But what if I want to learn?

Iben is aware that it doesnt sound all that plausible, but she doesnt care. How could Anne-Lise object? They repeat themselves a couple more times, but in the end Anne-Lise shows Iben how new keywords are entered for a t.i.tle of a book or an article. Then Iben gets to the point.

If Im in and youre not here, can I just start your computer and get on with this?

How do you mean, if Im not here? Why shouldnt I be here?

Oh, I dont know. If you were ill or had left early or something.

It is obvious that Anne-Lise doesnt like the way this is going, but she doesnt attempt to find out what Iben is really after. You simply start my computer.

Iben smiles and tries to keep her expression innocent. Right. You dont have a personal pa.s.sword or anything?

No.

Anne-Lise looks as if shes telling the truth. She is good at that and doesnt let on that theres any more to this than a chat about entering new keywords. Its only to be expected. She has proven quite capable of coming in every day for months without giving away how deeply she hates them all.

Iben probes a little further. What if your computer is on standby?

That makes no difference.

Still no pa.s.sword protection?

Not at all. It shouldnt be necessary, should it? Do the rest of you use pa.s.swords?

Iben looks at her. No, we dont. Its useful to be able to access everybody elses computer if you want to look something up.

There you are. I agree.

They smile at each other. Irritated, Iben returns to the Winter Garden. Today was the last chance of being alone in the office before nine oclock. Tomorrow Bjarne will install the new computer-controlled lock and the CCTV camera on the landing. It means Camilla will be back at work, and she always comes in much earlier than everybody else because Paul has allowed her the same working hours as her husband.

It doesnt take Bjarne long to install the camera, but then theres the cable through the Winter Garden to the server and the new piece of software to be installed on everyones computer. Camilla loads it on first and Iben and Malene line up to test it. Malene goes out onto the landing.

Hey, can you save my picture?

Iben fiddles with the new menu options and keyboard commands.