Part 2 (1/2)

The weather had been unusually warm during the summer, and the autumn was taking its time to arrive.

In the middle of September he turned up again.

The feeling was just as powerful as it had been on the previous occasion. So powerful that there was an aura around him, a flas.h.i.+ng neon sign with the words HIDING SOMETHING.

She didn't even need to say anything. He walked straight to the counter and heaved up his suitcase, then linked his hands behind his back.

'h.e.l.lo again,' he said.

Tina made an effort to sound normal: 'I'm sorry? Do we know each other?'

'No,' said the man. 'But we have met.'

He waved one arm towards the suitcase in an inviting gesture. Tina couldn't help smiling. She waved her arm in turn, indicating that he should open the case.

He's treating the whole thing like a game, she thought. But this time I'm going to win.

'How was your summer?' he asked as she went through the case. She shook her head. He might be treating this like a game, and she might have thought about him now and again, but when it came down to it they were on opposite sides of the counter. He was trying to bring in something illicit, and she forced herself to think Drugs... drugs that will be sold to thirteen-year-old kids. The man in front of her was one of the bad guys, and she was going to break him.

The contents of the case were largely the same as before, except that the Mankell novels had been replaced by ke Edwardson. She picked up the insect hatching box and looked inside. Empty. She tapped on the base to check that there was no hidden s.p.a.ce. The man followed her movements with amused interest.

'Right,' she said when she had established that the case contained nothing more than the eye could see. 'I am convinced that you are hiding something, and this time I intend to have a more thorough search carried out. Could you come this way, please.'

The man didn't move. 'So you do remember,' he said.

'I have a vague recollection, yes.'

He held out his hand and said, 'Vore.'

'I'm sorry?'

'Vore. That's my name. What's yours?'

Tina met his gaze. His eyes were so deep set that hardly any light from the fluorescent tube on the ceiling reached them, and they looked like faintly reflective black mountain pools. Most people would probably be frightened by such a gaze. Not Tina.

'Tina,' she said dryly. 'This way, please.'

Since the search was of an intimate nature, Tina did not partic.i.p.ate. No ferries were due for some time, and while Robert carried out the external physical check she wandered around the entrance hall making bets with herself, fixing the odds on what might be found.

Drugs of some kind: two to one. Heroin: four to one. Amphetamines: eight to one. Something to do with spying: ten to one.

But the more she thought about it, the more the odds on spying shortened. He wasn't the type to smuggle drugs.

Vore's suitcase was still lying on the counter. She took out the two detective novels and flicked through them. No words were highlighted or underlined. She held the pages up to the light. Then she looked around and took out a lighter. Ran the small flame to and fro underneath a page to see if any invisible writing might appear. She singed the edge of the paper, but no writing emerged. She quickly put the book back in the case, its blackened edge glistening.

This is ridiculous. Kalle Blomqvist.

But what was it, then?

She walked between the pinball machines and the panorama windows and back again. Her job, her ability was something she simply took for granted. This was something completely new. The man spoke with no accent whatsoever. But Vore? What kind of a name was that? She supposed it must be Russian, Slavonic.

At any rate, if the external physical examination didn't produce any results, she would apply for a warrant allowing a doctor to carry out a proper search. Check every orifice.

Robert came out, made a comment to the occupant of the room, and closed the door behind him. Tina hurried over. Her heart sank when she was only halfway across the hall; Robert was shaking his head.

'Nothing?' she asked.

'No,' said Robert. 'Well, nothing that concerns us, anyway.'

'What do you mean?'

Robert drew her a little distance away from the door.

'Let me put it this way: you can rest easy. He did have something to hide, but nothing punishable by law. The problem is that we've now stopped him twice without...'

'Yes, yes. Do you think I don't know that? So what is it, then?'

The thought had struck her, but she hadn't seriously considered what Robert was suggesting: the fact that they might have been guilty of professional misconduct. Subjecting Vore to an examination on two separate occasions without any solid evidence for doing so. If Vore made a complaint, they would probably be reprimanded.

'The thing is,' said Robert, 'he's...he's a woman.'

'Come on, stop winding me up.'

Robert folded his arms and looked uncomfortable. With exaggerated clarity he said, 'He...or rather she, does not have a p.e.n.i.s but a v.a.g.i.n.a, to use the technical term. You should have carried out that search, not me.'

Tina stared at him open-mouthed for a few seconds. 'You're not joking?'

'No. And it was rather...embarra.s.sing.' Robert looked so miserable that Tina burst out laughing. He looked at her, his expression furious.

'Sorry. Has he got...b.r.e.a.s.t.s as well?'

'No. He must have had an operation or something. I didn't actually ask. He's got like a big scar just above his b.u.m, by his tailbone. Whatever that might be. Now it's your turn to talk to him and try to explain that-'

'What did you say? A scar?'

'Yes. A scar. Here.' Robert pointed to the bottom of his back. 'If you want to take this any further, you can do it yourself.' He shook his head and headed off towards the cafeteria. Tina stayed where she was, looking at the closed door. When she had thought things through she opened it and went in.

Vore was standing by the window looking out. When she came in, he turned to face her. It was impossible to think of him as 'her'. If you wanted to define the repellent aspect of his appearance in a few words you could perhaps say: exaggerated masculinity. He looked too much like a man. The coa.r.s.e, broad face. The squat, muscular body. The beard and the powerful eyebrows.

'So,' he said, and now she noticed how unusually deep his voice was. Up to now she had taken it as a natural complement to his body. 'Are we done here?'

'Yes,' said Tina, sitting down at the desk. 'Could you spare a few moments?'

'Of course.'

He showed not the slight sign of being angry or offended on this occasion either. He sat down opposite her.

'First of all,' said Tina, 'I would like to offer my sincere apologies. Again. I must also inform you that you have every right to make a complaint against us. You can-'

'Why would I do that?'