Miriam Munch was standing in the street below their apartment in Oscarsgate in Frogner, realizing that she no longer knew who she was. Once, she had been a rebellious teenager with no money in the bank who had protested with her friends and clashed with police officers on horseback. These days, she lived with a doctor in an apartment in the smartest part of Oslo, whose entrance had a CCTV camera, the balcony a view of the German Embassy, and she had enough money to buy whatever she wanted. She puffed nervously on her cigarette, feeling butterflies in her tummy.
She was dressed in black. There was a balaclava in her rucksack. Alive. That was what she felt. Alive and part of something important. It had been a long time. Life in comfortable Frogner was certainly easy, knowing that Marion could play safely without finding used needles in the playground or be mugged on her way to school, but what about her?
What about Miriam?
She had not felt this amazing for a long time.
Miriam decided against lighting another cigarette and scouted for the car that would soon be there.
A convincing cover story?
Yes.
She had already spoken to Julie.
A break-up with some guy.
Needing a shoulder to cry on.
No problem.
Miriam decided to light another cigarette after all and had almost finished smoking it when the car she had been expecting came round the corner and pulled up in front of her. She threw aside the cigarette and smiled as she got in.
‘Everything OK?’ Jacob asked.
‘Sure,’ Miriam said. ‘Where’s Ziggy?’
‘He got a lift with Geir. They left fifteen minutes ago.’
‘Right.’ Miriam nodded.
‘So we’re definitely doing this? Are you sure?’
‘I can’t wait.’ She smiled and put on her seatbelt as the young man with the round glasses put the car in gear, drove down Uranienborgveien and headed for Hurumlandet.