The House That Jack Built by Jakob Melander

him. We’ve got Mikkel Rasmussen.” He put the phone in his pocket. The fatigue made his eyes ache. “Now where’s that patrol car?”
    Lars and Lisa caught the bar manager in the doorway of Penthouse nightclub. She was about to lock up but agreed to find the names and numbers of the three photographers who had been at the club that night. None of them were particularly enthusiastic about being dragged out of bed. One refused to give them his pictures until late the next morning. But when they rang his front doorbell ten minutes later, he still let them in.
    By seven o’clock they were in a patrol car on their way back to the station. They were heading down Nørre Voldgade when Lars remembered that he had promised to call and wake up Maria. He pulled out his cell.
    She didn’t answer until the seventh ring.
    â€œTime to get up, beautiful.” He could hear how tired he sounded.
    â€œMmmm.” Maria didn’t sound like someone who was planning on getting out of bed any time soon. Didn’t she have school? He suddenly went cold. Wasn’t there something about an exam yesterday?
    â€œHow — didn’t you have an exam yesterday?” He coughed, turned to face the window, away from Lisa’s glare. He had a feeling that he had “Bad Father” painted on his forehead in bold letters. “Did it go well?”
    â€œYeah, it went all right.” Did she hesitate a little? But it sounded like she was happy.
    â€œAll right? What does that mean?”
    â€œWell, it was just a mock exam. But I did get a ten.” Yes, there was no doubt. She was happy.
    â€œTen? That’s great. Let’s celebrate when I get home.”
    â€œWe’re going to Grandma’s tonight. Did you forget?”
    Apparently there was a lot he had forgotten.
    â€œSo we’ll celebrate with Grandma.” He sunk back in the seat. “But I’m going to need a couple hours of sleep when I get home. We’re working straight through.”
    â€œJust catch him, Dad. See you later.”
    He was about to say goodbye, but Maria had already hung up.
    â€œDid you forget about your daughter’s exam?” Lisa shook her head.
    Lars looked out the window. It had started to rain. A pouring blanket dragging across RÃ¥dhuspladsen and moving toward Tivoli.

Chapter 19
    S anne sat down as she had been told. She was fiddling with the zipper on her light summer jacket. The view from Ulrik’s office was breathtaking, but the room was stuffy. Didn’t any of those big windows open? A hint of a headache was sailing around the back of her head. She’d had a little too much to drink at dinner the night before. And then there was the argument she’d had with Martin afterwards.
    But there was something else too. Her conversation with Lars had left her feeling sad and with a sense of unease. His hunch and their mutual, unspoken agreement regarding her case.
    Ulrik was sitting across from her with his back to the window. His elbows rested on the desk, his head in his hands.
    â€œSo Meriton Bukoshi’s alibi stands up?”
    â€œYes, and Ukë’s. I’ve checked everyone who was at the club that night, but —”
    Ulrik waved her off. “We have to let them go. I’ve already had their lawyer on the phone twice today.”
    Sanne decided to give it a go. “I don’t think it’s them anyway.” The nails on her right thumb and ring finger started to click against each other. Stop it .
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œThey paid money to bring Mira up here. Why kill her after such a short time?”
    â€œBut they did beat her before she went missing?”
    Sanne put her hand in her pocket. Her fingers twitched once, then rested against her thigh. “As far as I understand, it’s quite common. Beating and rape. It breaks the girls.”
    Ulrik shook his head, then swivelled in his chair. She couldn’t see what