Konstantin finished the treacly coffee and left a few coins on the table. He got to his feet and made his way to the door. The young waitress caught his eye as he moved. He smiled at her. The return look she gave was as though she’d seen a ghoul. Then, finally, a smile broke through.
Forced? No, he didn’t think so, just that confusion twisted in her mind. Her reaction was common. He didn’t have a ghastly appearance, at least not with his clothes on. In the past some women had commented that he was handsome, like a rugged movie star, even if he saw his jaw as a little too square, and his nose a little too Roman. No, there was nothing peculiar about his face. So why the odd looks from strangers?
His eyes. Anyone who looked closely enough, into his eyes, shared the look the waitress had given.
The eyes. The window to the soul.
He gave a playful wave to her before opening the door and moving into the cold.
She was pretty. If he was interested in that sort of thing. He wasn’t. Not today at least. Perhaps before he left this country he’d make a point of seeing her again. Is that what a normal man would do?
He pulled his phone from his pocket as he walked over to his car and sat down in the driver’s seat. Jesper answered on the third ring. Quick. Had he been sitting waiting on his golden throne for an update?
‘I’ve been following the woman,’ Konstantin said. ‘Like you asked.’
‘And?’
And? And why the hell was he here, in this poxy country, following this poxy woman around all day? That wasn’t his skill set. Jesper knew that. Was Jesper punishing him?
‘And I don’t know why.’
A guffaw from Jesper. Konstantin could imagine the mocking look on his face. His grip tightened on the phone.
‘She’s important to me,’ Jesper said. ‘Carry on with what you’re doing until I tell you otherwise.’
‘She’s been in that house now for more than an hour.’
‘With the man? Do you have a picture of him?’
‘I already sent it to you. And the other man too.’
‘The other man?’
‘There’s another man following her.’
Silence.
‘I did say that in the message too.’
‘What other man?’
So clearly Jesper didn’t know already about the other man, and also hadn’t read the message. So perhaps he hadn’t been waiting on Konstantin after all. He briefly wondered what Jesper actually did all day. Did he have an army of Konstantins all around the world, keeping him abreast of their movements all day, every day?
Konstantin explained what he’d seen. He’d arrived outside Berg’s house at six am, when it was still dark outside. He’d parked his car and moved closer on foot, hiding in foliage until sunrise. A little after seven am the other car had arrived. The one with the man inside. The man who had since been on Mrs Berg’s tail for hours, keeping a distance, never too close, but always there.
‘Security, do you think?’ Jesper asked.
‘No. He’s not close enough to her,’ Konstantin said. ‘She doesn’t know he’s there. He’s definitely spying on her.’
‘Spying on her, not him?’
‘I already said, he was at her house this morning.’
A grumble in response. Had Konstantin spoken out of turn?
‘Has he seen you at all?’ Jesper asked.
‘I don’t think so.’
‘That’s not a very clear answer.’
‘If he has, he hasn’t shown it. And I’ve been careful. You know I always am.’
‘I’ll find out who the men are. Both of them. I’ll let you know. Until then, stay with her.’
The call ended. Konstantin brought the phone down. His eyes rested not on the building where Mrs Berg was cooped with her friend, but on the car further down the road, parked at the edge of an alley, where the watcher was... what was he doing? It was too far for Konstantin to tell even though he could make out the man’s form behind the glass.
Konstantin sighed and sat back in his seat. He counted the seconds, then the minutes as he awaited the return call from Jesper. He hoped the wait was worth it. It was about time this trip got more interesting.
A police car rumbled by. The male driver glanced over in Konstantin’s direction. Konstantin stared. Not a challenge, more curiosity.
Soon the car was past him and heading on.
What an odd little town, full of odd little people.
He was still waiting for Jesper’s call when the woman came out of the house. The man too. They stood outside the closed door, chatting. Then she moved up to him and they hugged. Quite a long, tight hug. Mr Berg wouldn’t be impressed. Or perhaps he would.
Was that why the follower was there, because of the husband?
Moments later she was walking away, alone, back toward her parked car. Across the street, the watcher shuffled out of view behind his car window.
Amateur.
She moved out of sight. But the watcher remained. Only as he reversed out onto the street did Konstantin turn his engine on.
He followed the watcher, as he had earlier in the day. Every now and then he caught a glimpse of Mrs Berg’s Tesla further ahead, but only fleetingly.
Finally the call came through.
‘The man she’s with is Stefan Tronstad,’ Jesper said. ‘He’s a lawyer. When you get a chance, I want you to approach him. Find out why she’s with him.’
‘Any way I can?’
‘Do what you need to do. But don’t make too much of a mess. You might be in that town a few days yet.’
Konstantin grimaced at the thought. ‘And the other?’
‘Jonas Nyland. He’s a private investigator.’
A private investigator? As he’d thought, most likely the husband had hired him.
‘He’s a loner. An added complication,’ Jesper said. ‘Make him go away.’
Another call abruptly ended. Jesper’s words swam in Konstantin’s mind. The slashes on his chest, the most recent two in particular, ached as he thought.
This was what he’d been waiting for, wasn’t it?
Yet he felt no better for it at all.