A monotone voice floated out of the speakers: “Well, what’s it going to be? Isn’t there something that tickles the gentleman’s fancy?”
The man’s expression remained unaffected for a few seconds, then turned serene. He licked his lips and answered eagerly, “I think I’ll take this one, this tasty little morsel, number three.”
The video stopped but the words hung in the air and only dissipated slowly.
The publisher’s plastic cup shattered. He had squeezed it beyond its breaking point. The beer spilled out over his arm and down one pant leg. He broke the tension for all of them by bursting out, “Jesus Christ—what the fuck?”
The lawyer sprang up with a bunch of napkins but was waved away. The outburst was not regarding the spilled beer and the executive editor didn’t bother trying to dry his clothes. He simply moved to another chair. No one had heard him swear before.
The managing editor asked Anni softly, “Do you know what he’s looking at?”
“No, but it isn’t that hard to figure out.”
“A menu of children,” the publisher snarled. He waved at the screen, where the man’s face was still frozen. “Get rid of him, Anni. I simply can’t stand it.”
“Then it’s time to see what happened to him.”
The projector displayed the man’s face again. This time the camera was handheld and the quality poor, out of focus from time to time. Occasionally a diffuse white object covered the screen. When the camera pointed down, which it did once, one saw that the man was naked and apparently had his hands tied behind his back. There were bloodstains on his cheek and down across one shoulder, and around his neck was a sturdy blue rope. He spoke haltingly but clearly and with great intensity.
“No child shall be subjected to arbitrary or unlawful interference with his or her privacy, family, or correspondence, nor to…”
Anni paused the video on his face and distributed three packets of papers. On the first page was the same picture as that on the projected screen.
“His name is Thor Gran and he lived in ?rhus. The picture that I gave you is from the police. I got it this afternoon and then my informant gave me his name. The photograph was taken after his death, and after some specialists repaired his facial features. Thor Gran is one of the five murdered men from the Langeb?k School in Bagsv?rd, and the film that we see is a record of the execution. It also shows three additional executions. I have two more positive matches that you can verify in a moment.”
The managing editor’s reaction was inarticulate and almost sputtering. It was difficult to tell if he was angry or excited. “Are you completely out of your mind? For the love of God, this is … this is—”
The publisher interrupted sharply, “Be quiet and listen to what she has to say.”
Anni Staal went on. “What we have here is an exclusive. None of our colleagues from other media—I have made inquiries—have received anything like it. Not even the police.”
She resumed the video and the man on the screen continued his speech.
“… Nor to unlawful attacks on his or her honor and reputation…” The camera angle changed abruptly. It was clearly a cut. “The child has the right to the protection of the law against such interference or attacks.”
The publisher asked Anni Staal, “What is he talking about?”
She paused the video again and explained, “He is reading excerpts from the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. I believe that the photographer is holding a piece of paper that he is reading from. From time to time it crosses in front of the camera but not here. By the way, this information has cost me twelve thousand kroner.”
The publisher did not hesitate for a second. “Granted, go on,” he said.
“A child has the right to be protected from all forms of physical or mental violence, injury or abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment…” The man’s chin quivered as if he was cold, and tears streamed from his eyes. There was another cut. “… Or exploitation, including sexual abuse, while in the care of parents, legal guardians or any other person who has the care of the child.”
An audible click followed, then the face disappeared from the frame and was replaced by the blue rope. The camera panned down. Thor Gran looked surprised as he swung back and forth, the image coming into focus only every other second. Anni Staal paused the video once more and set the counter to zero.
“There are three more that you are going to see.”
CHAPTER 37