The House That Jack Built by Jakob Melander Page B

wasn’t her dad.
    In a way, she understood why Dad had run away from everything. If only it hadn’t hurt so much. If only she could have gone with him. But she had to think about school, her future, yada yada yada. They made her sick. Two months alone with Dad, with no stupid teachers, no overprotective Mom and her expectations. It could have been fantastic.
    She heard a chair scrape the floor a few tables away. A couple of twelfth graders sat down. Christian and his friends. He was the one with the nice ass, the sandy hair, and the twinkle in his eye. Almost all the girls in the class, the entire school even, were prepared to open their legs for him if he even looked their way.
    She glanced at his table from behind the photocopy. Was he looking over here? No, it was probably just her imagination. Just concentrate on that crappy poem .
    sleep’s ether seeps
    through the half-open mouths
    clings heavily to the bodies’ dance
    What did that mean? It sounded creepy, almost like a horror film. And then the ending: “The way of the drunken to a dreamless sleep.” A chill ran down her spine. She had to get up, move her legs a little. But maybe it also meant something else? The bodies’ dance. She glanced over at the twelfth graders again. No. Stop it. Stop .
    â€œOh my god, Maria. Isn’t that your dad?”
    â€œWhat do you mean?” She walked over to the other table. Leise and Christina were looking at her with their mouths agape. Two stupid cows with big tits.
    She leaned over Christina’s shoulder. Berlingske was on the iPad. There was a picture of Dad — not the best — and beneath it a short article.
    Another Rape in Central Copenhagen. Suspect in Custody
    Last night, another young woman was raped in central Copenhagen, this time at the star fortress. Police have detained a suspect in this violent case. The night of June 15, a 24-year-old Danish woman was raped at Püchlers Bastion in Østre Anlæg, Copenhagen. A man of similar age and Danish descent is currently remanded in custody and is due for questioning later this morning. Heading up the investigation, Lars Winkler from Copenhagen Police states, “It’s a very unpleasant case, but we hope to soon have enough evidence for an arraignment.” When questioned whether there was any concrete evidence, Winkler indicated that the case was still under investigation, and that he was therefore unable to comment.
    â€œIsn’t that your dad?” Christina repeated, pointing a long, pale pink fingernail at Lars’s name.
    â€œUh, yes,” Maria granted. She wasn’t quite sure what kind of status it would give her, having a dad who was a police inspector. Probably only marginally higher than if he had been a garbageman. She had heard that Christina’s dad, for instance, was a film producer.
    â€œI hope he locks up that bastard and throws away the key.” One of Leise’s sandalled feet was rocking back and forth. “Soon everyone’s going to be too afraid to go out anymore.”
    Had she heard that correctly? Was her status rising?
    Behind her, a chair scraped the floor. Steps echoed through the assembly.
    â€œHey girls.” It was him. He smiled. At her. “What are you reading?”

Chapter 21
    M ikkel Rasmussen sat at the end of the table with his elbows resting on his knees and his head in his hands. A mop of curls covered his face. He groaned. Lars and Lisa looked at each other. They were both tired. Neither of them had slept, and it was already late in the morning.
    â€œI told you, I don’t know her,” a voice said from behind the hair.
    â€œI’ve got the police report from a former girlfriend, one Anne-Mette Møller.” Lisa glanced at the report. “Assault and battery. Is that correct?”
    â€œDammit, I explained all of this a long time ago. She was just pissed off because I fucked one of her friends.” He glanced at Lisa.