Part 26 (2/2)

Obviously, Camilla is worried about her figure. Her colleagues try not to comment on the rather odd things she has for lunch. Currently, shes eating almost nothing but cuc.u.mbers. During the past year Camilla has tried three contradictory diets, all of which have failed to produce a result. At Lyngby, two of Anne-Lises colleagues also ate erratically, but they would joke about their fad diets. Camillas problem is that she takes her weight issues far too seriously, even though she is nowhere near as large as Anne-Lises former colleagues. Camilla is small and on the plump side, but no more than one might expect of a forty-year-old woman with children. Couldnt Camillas obsessive relations.h.i.+p with her body fit with the kind of upbringing that might also cause DID?

Despite being about the same age as Camilla, Anne-Lise feels she looks younger than her colleague. One reason is Camillas hairdo, an outdated perm that has dried out her ash-blond hair. The overall effect is dull and matronly.

Anne-Lise recalls the dramatic story of Camillas friend who died from uterine cancer, and the way Camilla stepped into her friends life to live with her husband and care for her daughter. Apart from that, all Anne-Lise has to go on is her observations of Camillas behavior.

The day after Iben and Malene received the e-mails, Iben had been speaking about what made people commit war crimes. She had argued that, in one sense at least, they too were victims of forces they could not control. Anne-Lise had never seen Camilla so upset. Was that significant? And if so, what did it mean? Why couldnt she discuss forgiveness for such crimes? Then there was her strong reaction to receiving one of the e-mailed threats herself. All she had wanted was to lie down and be alone. Was that a typical reaction, or was it a sign of a disturbed person?

The water is about to boil when Iben turns up in the kitchen and leans against the fridge. Im aware, Iben begins hesitantly, that my tirade on the phone yesterday was unreasonable.

It sounds closer to an apology than anything Anne-Lise has ever dared hope for.

I had no good grounds for being so convinced that you were the one whod exchanged the pills, Iben continues, looking away timidly.

Anne-Lise realizes that she should try to be receptive to Ibens attempts at conversation or sh.e.l.l never be able to persuade Camilla to give away her secrets. She must control her anger. You were very upset, naturally. You werent yourself. I understand it must have been terrible for you.

It really was.

Anne-Lise thanks Iben once more for her suggestion about phoning Tatiana. The call went very well so well, in fact, that she almost got the impression that Tatiana had been expecting it.

It was so good of you. Lets see if Tatiana will use our library more after this.

Anne-Lise has an impulse to phone Henrik, but discreet conversations are impossible now that the door is open all the time. It wouldnt look right if she were to shut it again, even for a short while.

Over lunch they discuss the changes in the lives of university students in East Pakistan after 1971. The Indian army had intervened in support of the Bengalis to stop the genocide and establish East Pakistan as the independent state of Bangladesh. Part of the contempt felt by the Pashtuns and Punjabis for the Bengalis was related to the fact that they were not a warrior race; indeed, they were regarded as unfit for military service. However, the genocide wrought many changes and the effects were perhaps especially marked in the universities.

One of the top priorities of the Pakistani soldiery had been to kill off university staff, students, and other intellectuals to stop them from becoming leaders. In 1971 the universities became slaughterhouses and, after the secession, the students were so used to carrying arms that conflicts between opposing student factions were frequently settled with shoot-outs. This made universities among the most dangerous places to be in Bangladesh. The extreme violence of the students undermined the whole academic system.

Anne-Lise cannot concentrate. She thinks about the change in Ibens behavior. The peaceful morning has been like a breath of fresh air. She watches Camilla pause before covering her fourth slice of crisp-bread with fat-free cottage cheese and slices of cuc.u.mber. The three of them seem quite at ease with each other. Perhaps she can persuade Camilla to reveal something that would show her emotional volatility and prove that she is the one who should be under suspicion.

As Anne-Lise tries to muster the courage to ask Camilla a question, Iben interrupts: Isnt it amazing how little we know about each other, even though we work so closely together?

It is.

Iben has always been pale, but recently shes had dark rings beneath her eyes from lack of sleep. She looks at Anne-Lise and smiles.

So I was thinking, Anne-Lise, now that were just sitting here: why dont you tell us a bit more about yourself.

chapter 29.

its raining hard when Anne-Lise parks in a dark street, well away from the post office building. She walks quickly. Under the golf umbrella, which she always keeps in the trunk of the car, not even her shoes get wet. When she has pa.s.sed the entrance to the Tivoli Concert Hall, she turns left at the Central Station.

Anne-Lise is scared. She has never done anything like this before and it goes against her nature, but her back is against the wall. If she is fired, she may never work again.

She has to find out more about Camilla.

The edifice in front of her is not so much a single building as a ma.s.s of concrete blocks all joined together: Copenhagens Central Post Office.

Outside one of its doors waits a group of women, mostly in their fifties. Anne-Lise introduces herself: Im Brigitte.

They seem pleased that she is joining them this evening. One of the women unlocks the door with a magnetized ID card and leads the way down a steep metal staircase.

A woman in a long black dress explains where they are going: The room we use is actually next to the reception area, but in the evenings so many of the alarms on the doors have been set that we have to go via the bas.e.m.e.nt.

They negotiate a maze of corridors lined with doors, almost all of them closed. The walls have a fresh coat of white paint, and a great many doors are closed. They walk up another metal staircase and into a large plain room that looks like some kind of conference hall. Three of its walls are painted white and the fourth is made of gla.s.s. Behind the gla.s.s you can see the reception area. The whole place seems designed with s.p.a.ce in mind: there is plenty of standing room and just a few pieces of colorful designer furniture. Near the door, about twenty women of all ages are talking and laughing. The air smells of damp coats.

A handful of mature-looking men have settled down with their cans of beer in a group of scarlet egg-shaped chairs. There is an electric keyboard by the gla.s.s wall, and a young woman seems to be testing it. She must be the conductor. Anne-Lise feels almost queasy watching her, because she looks like Malene, only not as pretty.

Anne-Lise checked the home page of the Copenhagen Postal Choir and one of the things she found out was that the conductor recently completed a university degree in music. Before last year Anne-Lise used to enjoy being in the company of artistic young women, but now they just annoy her.

The conductor welcomes her. Its great to see a new face. How did you find out about us?

I found you on the Internet.

Oh, good, our Web site must be doing its job. She turns to the rest of the group and speaks to them in the beautifully controlled voice of a singer, not unlike Camillas. Listen, everybody. This is Brigitte; shes going to sing with us tonight. Try not to scare her away! Hopefully sh.e.l.l come back next Wednesday.

The women laugh and begin to introduce themselves. Talking across each other, they tell Anne-Lise about the choir, its performances in churches and elsewhere, and the various excursions they go on.

We sing every year at the Summer Festival here in Copenhagen.

But the main thing is, we always have such a good time together. Great parties, dont you think, ladies?

Several exclaim at the same time.

The home page had informed Anne-Lise that although most of the singers worked within the post office, the choir has been open to outsiders for a long time.

Have you sung in a choir before? one woman asks.

Youll get the hang of it quickly, dont worry.

The conductor addresses Anne-Lise. Brigitte, do you know what part you sing?

Im not sure.

You sound like an alto. Why dont you join the altos for now.

A woman in her early sixties with very black hair holds up her case of sheet music. Brigitte, my name is Tess. Come and stand next to me. You can sing from my music until you have your own set.

So far, so good. The knot in Anne-Lises stomach is loosening. When people around you are as kind as this, it is impossible to stay scared for long. She had been so worried that someone would recognize her and instantly see she was lying. Or, almost as bad, that shed have one of her sudden fits of weeping.

The conductor claps her hands. The men drag themselves away from their chairs at the far end of the room and join the women.

Suddenly Camillas name is mentioned. Camilla Batz called me from work this afternoon. She cant come tonight its the parent-teacher evening at her daughters school. The woman has mahogany-colored hair that is pulled back in a knot, and shes wearing a navy scarf.

<script>