Death Comes to Strandvig

by Diane Hansen-Ingram

  “Someone had called the station. A man. Someone trying to stitch me up.”

  “And?”

  “They let me go. My alibi checked out and I’m cleared.”

  Lea was silent.

  “You don’t look convinced?”

  “Mads, you don’t have an alibi.”

  He spoke very slowly. “Lea, I just told you that I do. The police checked it out and you’re just going to have to believe me. You don’t honestly think that I could murder Stig?”

  Lea didn’t know what she thought. She felt sick. “That Thursday night, Mads. Where were you? I came by and you didn’t answer the doorbell.”

  Mads looked away. “I told you, I must have fallen asleep. I’m sorry. But that’s all over now and I hope that we can—”

  “Mads, the Volvo wasn’t there.”

  He rubbed the back of his head. “Oh shit.”

  Ha, I got you, you bloody liar! “Well, Mads?”

  “Okay, listen to me. I really didn’t want to get into this, but you’ve given me no choice. Pernille phoned and said—”

  Lea felt like a bomb had exploded.

  Mads tried to put his hand on her arm. “She asked me to come to Copenhagen—”

  Lea felt sick to the bottom of her stomach. She turned her back on him, kicked the kickstand on her bike and started to walk away.

  “Lea, please, wait. I can explain!”’

  “Mads, you know what. I really couldn’t give a damn!” She stormed off before the tears could start. God, I’m such a fool!

  CHAPTER 42

  “So we’re all suspects now?” Kenneth was horrified. He thought he’d successfully avoided any unpleasant questioning from the police and now his personal nightmare was beginning again.

  Henrik waved out the window to Mrs Meyer, who had just left the shop and was making her way down Strandvig High Street with a Frandsen Brothers Irish linen shopping bag. Two minutes earlier Henrik had filled the bag with two packages. A stylish Stelton sink caddy, a gift from Mrs Meyer to her eldest son, who had just moved into a flat with his girlfriend. And a dainty white and silver package of luxury ‘Raspberry Red’ almonds from Summerbird – Mrs Meyer’s favourites. A small gift from Henrik in exchange for information received on the latest events at Strandvig police station.

  “You heard what she said, skat. Lisbeth got in touch with the police yesterday afternoon when she discovered that one of the sets of keys they keep behind the bar reappeared. Stig’s set. Including the one with the padlock key for the Vikings.”

  “But I still don’t see what that has to do with us?”

  “The keys weren’t there on Friday morning, the police checked everything. And when they found Stig – God Rest his Soul! – he didn’t have anything on him. Just an empty wallet.”

  Kenneth gulped.

  “And now the keys are back, wiped clean of fingerprints. So someone must have put them there. The murderer.”

  Kenneth started to shake. “But anyone who’s been at the Kro could have sneaked them back.”

  Henrik put his arm around him and gave him a squeeze. “Exactly, skat. But we don’t have anything to hide, do we?”

  CHAPTER 43

  “What’s up, Lea Mus?” Bent answered the telephone, panting.

  “You’ve no doubt already heard on the Strandvig jungle drums about the keys?”

  “Hmmmm.”

  “And the police let Mads go.”

  More panting. “I know, it’s great news!”

  “Is it, Bent? He’s been lying to me. Again!”

  “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. But—” Bent started giggling. Accompanied by female tittering in the background.

  Lea held the phone away from her. “Bent, am I disturbing you?”

  “I’m in the middle of a…yoga class, Lea Mus.”

  Eew! “Okay, give me a call later, will you?”

  “Tell you what, Lea Mus. I’ll come round—” – more giggling – “to your place first thing tomorrow. I’ve got a few ideas about Stig’s keys, but I need to ask a couple of questions first.”

  “Okay. But take care will you?”

  “Take care? I’ve been doing yoga for years, Lea Mus. I can get my body into positions you wouldn’t—”

  Ugh! “Bent, I mean take care out…there.”

  “Out where, Lea Mus?”

  “Out…there. You know. Strandvig.”

  CHAPTER 44

  Gustav was busy carting crates full of Coke and Faxe Kondi bottles into the back of the restaurant, when Bent arrived at Strandhøj. He parked his bike and shouted over. “Hi Gustav, can I have a quick word?”

  Gustav was oblivious: lost in his music. “Hun danser hele natten, ma chérie Bon Bon”.

  Bent prodded his arm.

  Gustav removed the earbuds from his ears. “God, Bent, you gave me a fright.”

  “I didn’t know you could sing in French. Maybe you could teach me? The ladies would like it!”

  Gustav smiled and dusted the snow off the front of his parka. “The song? No, it’s The Minds of 99, and they’re Danish. So what’s up?”

  “I take it you’ve heard the latest – about the set of keys?

  “Yeah, what about it? Nothing to do with me.”

  “Kenneth said the police are questioning everyone again about what happened that Thursday night, every single detail, big or small. You were late that night, Karsten said so. And when I arrived, I saw you and Stig having an argument – right here in the car park. Mind telling me what it was about?”

  Gustav looked around aimlessly, “It was nothing, Bent.” He started to kick off pieces of ice that had formed on the paving stones with the heel of his boot. “Honestly.”

  “Gustav,” said Bent quietly, “you know I’m not one to tell tales. I’m not going to mention it to the police. I just want to know.”

  “I didn’t kill Stig!”

  “Course not, sonny. I just need to know why you were arguing with him.”

  Gustav thought it over for a moment. “Can you keep a secret, Bent? Promise you won’t tell my Mum?”

  Bent looked up at him. “Course not, you big daftie. I swear to death. Ama’r halshug!”

  “Okay, then.” Gustav paused. “Cigarettes.”

  “What?” said Bent, confused. “You know I’ve given them up, Gustav. Plays havoc with my lungs.”

  “No, Bent. Me and cigarettes. Stig found out I was smoking.”

  “I thought your Mum promised you a moped on your 18th if you didn’t smoke?”

  “That’s the bloody problem, isn’t it? Stig was furious when he caught me that night in the car park. Said how Mum and Karin would be so disappointed.”

  “Was he going to tell them?”

  Gustav sat down on the wall, “Nah. Not Stig. He was a good guy. Just wanted to frighten me, I suppose. And he did put the wind up me. God, I was fuming. I told him to mind his own business. Wish I hadn’t now…”

  “And what happened then?”

  “I quit, Bent. No more cigarettes for me.”

  “No, I mean that night.”

  “Oh,” thought Gustav, “nothing. I cooled down when we got back in the bar. To be honest it was a relief to get it out in the open. I’d been dreading someone finding out. Not just Mum but Ida, too.”

  “And you didn’t fight again with Stig?”

  “No. It was all good. We even joked a bit together before he left with Mads. You can ask Ida.”

  “How is Ida, by the way?”

  Gustav reddened and smiled. “Bloody wonderful?”

  “Ha ha, sonny – you’ve got it bad! Have you asked her out yet, your…chérie bon bon?”

  Gustav laughed. “Good one, Bent! I’m working myself up to it. Perhaps the Moonlight Bathe…”

  “Good idea, very romantic. So about Stig, that’s it? Nothing else?”

  “That’s it, Bent,” said Gustav, “God’s honest truth.” He pulled his finger across his neck, “Ama’r halshug!”

  Bent grinned, pulled o
ut a pack of cigarettes from his inner pocket and offered one to Gustav. “Here, son, these are my last two. After this, we both stop. Right?”

  Gustav looked around the empty car park, then took one and smiled. “Cheers, Bent, you’re the man!”

  CHAPTER 45

  Lea tried Bent’s number again. Why isn’t he answering? Where the heck is he?” She was starting to worry. First the business with Stig and now Bent had disappeared. I told him to take care! Just as she put her phone down on the sofa, the doorbell rang and she ran to answer it. About bloody time too!

  “Hi Lea—”

  “Mads! What on earth are you doing here? Look, I’m kind of busy right now—” She tried to shut the door, but he put his arm up.

  “Please, Lea. Can I just explain?”

  “Mads, there’s no need to explain to me. We were finished a long time ago—”

  He kept his hand on the door. “Please, Lea. It’ll only take a couple of minutes—”

  Lea groaned. “Oh, alright, come in then. But make it quick will you?” She was in two minds. On the one hand, she was worried about Bent and wanted to go looking for him. On the other hand, she was relishing the thought of getting an apology from Mads. Despite how much she insisted outwardly that she didn’t want one.

  Mads moved through to the living room and glanced fleetingly at the stereo, where a CD case was lying open on top of the player.

  “Do you want it back?”

  “What?”

  “The Tue West CD. It’s yours.”

  Mads sat down on one side of the sofa. “No, you keep it. I’m glad you like it.”

  There was plenty of room for the two of them, but Lea moved a pile of magazines from the armchair and sat there instead, waiting for him to start.

  Mads smiled. “What? Not even going to offer me a drink?”

  Lea started to stand up.

  “Okay, okay, calm down!” He shifted slightly on the sofa and took a deep breath. “It’s like this. Pernille and I broke up months ago.”

  I already know that! Get to the point! Lea continued to sit in silence.

  “I did love her. At least for a while. But, well, as you probably heard, she got bored of me and…” Mads hesitated.

  Do not feel sorry for him! Bite your tongue and let him suffer! Lea didn’t bat an eyelid. “And what, Mads?”

  “Well, she cheated on me. Not just once. Several times…”

  There’s a surprise! Lea kept eye contact with Mads, but said nothing.

  “That’s when I decided to move back to Strandvig. The whole mess with Pernille and me, that was tough and embarrassing. But it was even more difficult to admit to myself that, as much as I wanted to, I just didn’t fit in in Copenhagen. I missed life here, you know. Boring village life.”

  Lea was enjoying being the Queen of Cool. She simply sat and listened.

  “You’re not making this easy for me.”

  No. I’m not.

  “And then I bumped into you at the Kro that night...”

  Oh, here we go. This is going to be interesting… Lea didn’t bat an eyelid, but just said, “Uh huh.”

  “You know I’ve always had feelings for you. And that night… I may be wrong here, but I thought you felt it too?”

  Lea felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise. “Oh, really? So that’s why you invited me to your place for a drink. And then ran off into the night, as soon as your precious Pernille called?”

  “Lea, she called to tell me she was pregnant.”

  Lea felt hot. And sick to the bottom of her stomach.

  Mads stood up. “She said she was pregnant and that the baby was mine. She was in a right state. Lea, I had to go to her. Believe me, if I had thought for a minute that you might come by…”

  “Well, good for you for being Pernille’s knight in shining armour. So it’s all back on then between you, is it?” Lea tried not to sound aggressive, but this wasn’t exactly the apology she had been expecting. She was angry at Mads. And Pernille too. Why on earth did I let him come in?!

  Mads looked wounded. “That’s what I’m trying to explain! If you’ll just let me finish…” He sat down on the sofa again. “When I went round there that night, I realised immediately that she wasn’t giving me the full story.”

  Well, duh, Mads. A leopard never changes her spots! Or his… Lea said simply, “Go on.”

  “I couldn’t believe it – I didn’t want to believe it. After all the lies I had heard from her in the past….”

  Lea’s shoulders dropped. “So she isn’t pregnant then?”

  Mads looked up. “Yes, I’m afraid she is.”

  Lea felt sick, again. Why do I let him do this to me? It’s like being on a bloody rollercoaster.

  “What Pernille conveniently failed to mention is that she’d been seeing some other bloke since I moved out. She cheated on him. And then he moved out too—”

  “What a right little charmer she is!” Bitch! I knew it all along!

  “And then she found out she was pregnant. And called me.”

  “So the baby is yours then?”

  “That’s the thing. A couple of days later after Stig was found, when I got my head clear, I started asking her questions. Because the dates and times just didn’t add up. There’s no way I can be the father – it just didn’t make sense. I was well off the scene by then.”

  “So why did she call you?”

  “She panicked. She knew all along it was the other bloke’s baby. But he had scarpered and she thought I would be a soft touch.”

  Lea glowered. Yes, I’m sure she did.

  He looked into her eyes. “Thank God I didn’t fall for it. I really wanted to make a fresh start here in Strandvig.”

  “Well, yes, that must be a great relief.” Lea tried to sound neutral, but was fuming inside. So this is why he wanted to explain? To make himself feel better?

  “Thanks for letting me explain. I’m so sorry about that night, Lea. Really.”

  He leaned over and reached out to take her hands. “Now, if you can find your way to forgive me, Lea, I’d really like us to—”

  Lea’s telephone rang.

  CHAPTER 46

  Gustav slammed the door behind him and started running down the three flights of stairs, pushing the earbuds into his ears. He fished inside his inside right pocket for his bike key. True to form, it wasn’t there. Shit! He knelt down on the landing, his Fjällräven rucksack making a large thump as it hit the linoleum.

  Gustav pulled open the flap and plunged in a hand, rooting around the bottom of the bag. And pulled out a tightly wound wad of bank notes, secured with a beige plastic band.

  The tick-tick-tick of the stair light stopped and he sat back against the wall, winded. He would call Ida.

  CHAPTER 47

  Bzzzzzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzzzzzz.

  The muffled vibrating outside stopped. Bent sat down on a large can of paint. His arms were sore from banging on the door and he had given up shouting five minutes ago. He pulled on the door handle and shook it. Ha! Here I am rattling on the bars! Holy Helle will have a field day when she finds out. And when she does find out, she’ll probably want to lock me back in! Ha!

  He fished in his shopping bag and dug out his trusty thermos. Luckily for him there was still a drop of coffee in it. And still warm to boot. He swallowed the coffee and took off his yellow beanie. He couldn’t think properly with a hat on. Thinking caps? Who on earth came up with that nonsense?

  Bzzzzzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzzzzzz.

  He was in a right pickle. Stuck inside the storage hut. With his box of tools – and his vibrating telephone – outside. Not exactly his best moment. But how was he to know that there would come a mighty great gust of wind and slam the door, just as he was inside fetching an old towel to kneel on while he worked? He would just have to wait it out.

  It was actually rather cosy in there, with the noise of the wind howling outside. He started to rummage around the shelves at the very back of th
e hut. Maybe he might get lucky and find another bottle of Gammel Dansk lurking there in the cobwebs.

  He stood on his tiptoes, peered upwards and started working downwards. Danish flags, towels, painters’ overalls. Paintbrushes that had seen better days, jars of screws and lengths of rope. Algae remover, linseed oil, white spirit. Bottles, bottles everywhere, but sadly not a drop of Gammel Dansk to drink.

  Well, well, well. What do we have here? Bent’s mind went into overdrive. He forgot for a moment that his arms were still aching from hammering on the door of the storage hut and reached out as far as he could. But aching or no, his Lilliputian arm wasn’t long enough to reach the back corner of the bottom shelf. The folding trestle table was leaning against the shelves, blocking his way. There was nothing for it, he would need to move it out of the way. The table smelt damp and was covered in scratches. But covered with a tablecloth it became the high table for all the social events at the Vikings. Like next week’s Moonlight Bathe…

  Bent pushed the trestle table to the side and triumphantly claimed his prize from the bottom shelf. A pot of luminous paint… He shook it up and down. Yes, it was full. It had never been opened. Just the ticket! Holy Helle is going to have kittens! He chuckled to himself and thought that, yes, Lea was right, he was just a big kid.

  Bzzzzzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzzzzzz.

  It was probably Lea again. He knew he should have called her after he left Elvira’s place. Elvira had even nagged him about it, but he had wanted to fix the door first. He didn’t want that incident with Ellen stuck in the hut on his conscience one minute longer. So now he had both Ellen and Lea on his conscience. Oh well, if he waited long enough, surely they would come and find him. He’d sit tight and enjoy the last of his coffee in peace. He started to reminisce about the early days of the Vikings. Hard to believe that the storage hut had been their communal changing hut in those days. Ach, it’s all changed now. Separate changing huts. Bah!

  Thirty years ago he had opened the door of the hut to find that the local kids had sneaked in late at night and been using the place as their secret den. Leaving behind them a well-thumbed copy of a girlie mag, a few empty bottles of Tuborg on the shelves and the lingering smell of stale cigarettes. He felt in his pocket. He could really do with one right now, but he had given his word to Gustav.