‘I think it would be best if you didn’t mention Hole at all in your answers,’ the Chief Superintendent had said. Nor should Røed’s new alibi be touched upon — that he had been at a club for men at the time of two of the murders — since the manner in which this information had been obtained was highly dubious. The first questions concerned the discovery of the heads, and Katrine responded with the standard phrases about not being in a position to answer or being unable to comment.
‘Does that also mean you haven’t found forensic evidence at the crime scene?’
‘I said we couldn’t comment on that,’ Katrine said. ‘But I think we can safely say that Kolsås is not considered a primary crime scene.’
Some of the more seasoned reporters chuckled.
After several questions of a technical character the first awkward one was put.
‘Is it embarrassing for the police to have to release Markus Røed four days after placing him in custody?’
Katrine glanced at Bodil Melling, who nodded to signal her intent to take it.
‘As with every other case, the police are investigating this one with the tools we have at our disposal,’ Melling said. ‘One of these tools is the detention of individuals who suspicion falls upon due to technical or tactical circumstantial evidence, and this is utilised to minimise the risk of flight or tampering with evidence. This is not the same as the police being convinced they have found the guilty party, or that mistakes have been made should further investigation lead to detention no longer being deemed necessary. Given the information we had on Sunday we would do the same thing again. So no, it’s not embarrassing.’
‘But it wasn’t the investigation that saw to it, it was Terry Våge.’
‘Having open lines so that people can call in with information is an element of the investigation. Part of the job is sifting through this information, and the fact that we took Våge’s call seriously is an example of correct judgement on our part.’
‘Are you saying it was difficult to judge whether or not Våge should be taken seriously?’
‘No comment,’ Melling said curtly, but Katrine saw the trace of a smile.
The questions were coming from all directions now, but Melling answered calmly and confidently. Katrine wondered if she had been wrong about the woman, perhaps she was more than a grey careerist after all.
Katrine had time to study the people in the audience, and saw Harry take out his phone, look at it and stride out of the hall.
As Melling finished responding to one question and the next journalist in Kedzierski’s queue was allowed to put one to the people on the podium, Katrine felt her phone vibrate in her jacket pocket. The next question was also addressed to Melling. Katrine saw Harry re-enter the hall, catch her eye and point to his own phone. She understood and slipped her phone out under the table. The text was from Harry.
Katrine read it again. Eighty per cent didn’t mean that the DNA profile matched eighty per cent — then you would have to include all mankind and every animal down to snails. Eighty per cent match in this context meant there was an eighty per cent chance they had the right person. She felt her heart rate soar. The journalist had been right about them not finding any evidence around the tree on Kolsåstoppen, so this was simply fantastic. Eighty per cent wasn’t one hundred per cent but it was... eighty per cent. And seeing as it was only midday they wouldn’t have had time to get a full DNA profile yet, so that figure could increase during the course of the day. But might it also decline? In fairness, she hadn’t taken in everything those times Alexandra had explained the finer points of DNA analysis. No matter, she just wanted to get up and rush out, not sit here feeding the vultures, not now they finally had a lead, a name! Someone they had in the database, probably with a previous conviction, or someone they had arrested at least. Someone...
A thought had crossed her mind.
Not Røed! Oh God, don’t let it be Røed again, she couldn’t face that rigmarole one more time. She had closed her eyes and realised it had gone quiet.
‘Bratt?’ It was Kedzierski’s voice.
Katrine opened her eyes, apologised and asked if the journalist could repeat the question.
‘The press conference has finished,’ Johan Krohn said. ‘Here’s what
He handed Markus Røed the phone.
