Forgetting that he was supposed to keep his mouth shut, Troulsen fell in behind him: “This is a clear-cut case of withholding evidence, and you—”
Helmer Hammer stopped him with a hand movement, which he immediately obeyed, much to his own surprise. His sentence was left hanging in the air. But their host picked it up. He glanced invitingly at his accompanying employee.
“Perhaps we should discuss this matter of evidence first. Would you?”
His legal council wanted nothing more. For the next ten minutes she used lengthy legal phrases that no one listened to. She wrapped it up triumphantly: “And anyway we sent the video sequences with an accompanying letter to the Store Kongensgade police station on Saturday night. The material was delivered around two o’clock. In the letter it is made clear that the videos may have some bearing on the police investigation of the pedophile murders, which, for your information, we are not obligated to inform you of.”
“Do you have a copy of this letter?”
Faster than anyone could say “pro forma,” she found two copies in her file and handed them to her guests. Poul Troulsen and Helmer Hammer thanked her. The publisher smugly poured himself a cup of coffee and gallantly offered the coffeepot to his lawyer, who declined with a shake of her head. The guests read the letter. It was long, ornate, and unnecessarily complicated. What it should have explained in eight lines was stretched out over three and a half pages and only on the middle of page 2 did the reader have a reasonable chance of gaining an impression of what the letter was really all about.
Helmer Hammer finished first, and said, “Yes, with this you could have been sure it got put at the bottom of the pile. You haven’t even printed it on your own letterhead.”
The lawyer was halfheartedly apologetic: “That was an oversight. It was late. But as I see it, we have followed the law to the letter.”
“Perhaps you have and perhaps you haven’t.” Helmer Hammer answered her, but he was looking at the publisher. “To this point six people have been killed and we have no guarantee that this won’t continue. If it turns out later that this … shall we call it a delay?—can reasonably be claimed to have cost a person his life, then I promise you that your actions will be tried in a court of law and that it will be a very long and drawn-out affair.”
The publisher did not look like the kind of man who wanted a very long and drawn-out affair on his hands. He flinched uncomfortably. In direct contrast to his lawyer, who aired her chemically whitened teeth in a wide, expectant smile.
The next step belonged to Helmer Hammer. He took a piece of paper out of his coat pocket. Poul Troulsen saw that it was a handwritten note and not particularly long but could not read the contents.
The publisher read it, grew pale, and was silent for a moment. Then he asked, “What do you want?”
Helmer Hammer took his paper back and said quietly but directly, “A recorded transcript of the conversations Anni Staal has with the readers at twelve o’clock as well as access to the contact information for those people who have relevant information about the victims. In addition I would like Anni Staal’s full and active cooperation with Poul Troulsen over the next few hours.”
The publisher’s face took on an unhealthy hue and his voice went up an octave as he replied, “That’s completely out of the question. We do not give out the names of our…” He stopped when Helmer Hammer took out his cell phone and started dialing. He turned helplessly to his legal counsel and said, “Thank you very much. You’ve been a lot of help.”
It took a moment before the woman realized that she was being asked to leave. When the penny finally dropped, she quickly stood, gathered her papers, and left the room with a sullen air and without saying goodbye. The men waited until she was gone.
As soon as the door banged shut, Helmer Hammer also got to his feet.
“I think I’ll be going as well and I’ll let you take care of implementing these arrangements. I’m certain that you will find a reasonable solution. Poul, can you call me in half an hour when you’ve come to an agreement?”
His sharp arrogance had effect. The publisher was absolutely not accustomed to being treated like one who implemented arrangements. In the absence of viable alternatives, however, he had no choice but to submit.
CHAPTER 42