The Dinosaur Feather

outside. A roof had been ripped off, people were screaming and running away from the beach. I called out for Katrine and headed for the beach. I still didn’t know what had happened, but suddenly I realised that I wouldn’t have a chance unless I started running. So that’s what I did. In the opposite direction, away from the coast and up a slope, where I ended up on a hill along with fifty other people. I didn’t want to look down at the bay. I didn’t want to. I lay curled up under a bush, praying that they were alive. But my prayers weren’t answered.’ He laughed a hollow laugh. ‘I had drunk too much wine the night before; we had held an improvised Christmas lunch and I had had too much to drink. My guess is that Katrine went down to have breakfast with Maja on the beach when she woke up, so as not to disturb me. They were helpless when the tsunami came. So they died. They were found further along the beach. That’s what happened, Søren. Happy now? I failed to save them because I was asleep. Because I had a hangover.’ Bo retreated into himself.
    ‘I went to the funeral,’ Søren said. ‘I sat in the back.’
    ‘I know, I saw you.’
    ‘Thank you for arranging such a beautiful service. The flowers on their coffins, the silk ribbons and all that.’
    Bo said nothing. He looked like he had given up. He eased himself out of the sofa and fetched another beer. He didn’t offer Søren one. That was all right. Søren’s daughter had died and he had hidden, like a coward, at the back of the church, convinced that Bo hadn’t seen him. He didn’t deserve a beer. He didn’t deserve anything. A long silence ensued. Bo was staring dully at the television, drinking from the bottle. Søren was numb. When he got up to leave, Bo said: ‘Guys like you, in their late thirties, going for the big confession, hoping for the grand, all-embracing forgiveness for all their sins, you’re all pathetic.’ He hurled the empty bottle into a corner.
    ‘I’ll call you,’ Søren said. ‘I’ll visit.’
    ‘No, you bloody won’t.’
    Bo didn’t look up when Søren left. Søren opened the front door. Just as he crossed the threshold, he heard Bo say: ‘But Maja smiled at me. At me! She never knew who that wanker was.’
    With a heavy heart, Søren walked past the bins and old bicycles that lined the concrete walkway.
    Vibe’s stomach greeted him first when she opened the door. Her head was bullet shaped and her swollen feet were stuffed into Birkenstock sandals. She was grinning from ear to ear.
    ‘I’m the happiest hippo on the planet,’ she said, hugging Søren. ‘How lovely to see you! I thought you were working round the clock and would visit once the police were no longer “clueless”, as the papers say.’ She scrutinised him. ‘Hey, what’s wrong? You look completely shattered.’
    Søren hung up his jacket.
    ‘Vibe, I need to talk to you. My timing’s crap,’ he nodded towards her stomach, ‘but it’s urgent. I can’t wring a single constructive thought out of my head until I have spoken to you.’
    ‘That sounds serious,’ Vibe said, lightly.
    Her husband, John, was sitting on the sofa and the television was on. A bottle of massage oil stood on the coffee table, and John had a towel in his hands. There were also two glasses of red wine. Hers still full, while his contained just a drop. They were watching
Inspector Morse
. John got up and shook Søren’s hand.
    ‘Hiya. Sorry about today’s papers, eh?’
    ‘It doesn’t matter,’ Søren mumbled.
    ‘Can I get you anything? A glass of wine? Are you hungry?’ Vibe asked. Søren hesitated. He was starving. Vibe read his mind.
    ‘Darling,’ she said to her husband. ‘Please would you heat the leftovers for Søren and pour him a glass of wine? He wants to talk to me. It’s important.’
    John’s eyebrows shot up.
    ‘Is it okay if we go into the dining room? Then we won’t disturb you.’
    John checked his watch. ‘I’ll heat some food for you,’ he said, glancing at Søren. ‘And then I’ll take Cash for his walk, so you can talk.’
    ‘I’m really sorry,’ Søren apologised. ‘I didn’t mean to ruin your night in.’
    ‘That’s all right,’ John replied, putting his hand on Søren’s shoulder for a moment.
    Twenty minutes later Søren was eating goulash with mashed potatoes. He tried to remember when he had last eaten. Vibe poured him a glass of wine and they made small talk while the food disappeared. When he had