The Dinosaur Feather

Freeman’s arguments for the umpteenth time, and they were just as well-oiled, indisputable and professional as they always had been but, to Anna’s huge astonishment, Freeman’s scientific premises didn’t bear scrutiny. Spurred on by renewed enthusiasm, she attacked Freeman’s book
The Birds
again and the contradictions sprung from the pages like mushrooms after a shower of rain. Triumphantly, she slammed the desk and when Johannes, who had just entered the study at that point, gave her a quizzical look, she got up and kissed him on the cheek. Johannes giggled.
    ‘I don’t know how to thank you,’ she said. A scent of something dark and perfumed surrounded him.
    ‘Ah, well,’ he said, shyly, ‘you’ll think of something.’
    Two students walked noisily down the corridor, past the study, and interrupted Anna’s train of thought. She massaged her forehead and felt ashamed. Her way of thanking Johannes had been to scream at him and he hadn’t deserved it. She tried calling him on his mobile, but he didn’t answer. She left a message and asked him to call her back. The air in the study was oppressive and uncomfortable. She called Dr Tybjerg to cancel their meeting that evening, but he didn’t reply either. Then she did some preparation for her viva. Justafter 2 p.m. she packed up and left, locking the study behind her. Johannes still hadn’t returned her call. She was outside in the cold air when she heard someone tap on a window. She turned and saw Professor Moritzen.
    ‘Can I come in?’ she mouthed. Hanne nodded.
    ‘Have a seat,’ she said, when Anna entered her tasteful office. Anna sat in a moulded chair and, without asking, Hanne handed her a cup of tea.
    ‘I’ll get straight to the point,’ she said with a quick glance at Anna. ‘I’ve a favour to ask you. Can this remain just between the two of us?’
    Anna nodded.
    ‘I presume you’ve heard about Helland?’
    ‘Yes, of course.’
    ‘Good.’ Hanne looked briefly relieved. ‘Yesterday I had a visit from a police officer, Søren Marhauge. I’ve seen him here a few times, so I assume you know who he is? Very tall chap with short hair and dark eyes?’
    Anna nodded a second time.
    ‘He wanted to know if it was at all possible that the material came from my department, and—’
    ‘What material?’
    ‘The proglottids, obviously.’
    ‘I don’t follow.’
    ‘Ah, so you didn’t know that . . .’ she said.
    ‘Know what?’
    Hanne sighed and told Anna what she knew. Anna was shocked.
    ‘Who did it?’ she whispered.
    ‘I refuse to believe that anyone did,’ Hanne said dismissively.‘The material was in my care, and everyone who needs to work with live material must be approved by me, before the material is released, and afterwards they must account in detail for how it was used. Everything happens under strict control, and the people who work in the laboratory are colleagues I trust.’ She took a sheet of paper and reeled off a list of names. ‘All of us have worked with parasites our entire professional lives and we’re very careful. Besides, it requires imagination to even think of infecting someone with mature eggs. It would have been much easier to push Helland out in front of a car, or shoot him even,’ she remarked drily.
    ‘Could someone have stolen the material?’
    ‘No!’ Hanne sounded momentarily offended, then she sighed again. ‘Of course it’s possible – in theory. It’s also theoretically possible to steal the crown jewels. But it’s very unlikely. You need to know how to treat the material, or it will die. Live organisms are complicated.’ She paused.
    ‘So what’s your explanation?’ Anna asked.
    ‘I think he was infected on a trip abroad,’ she said. ‘I know the police claim that Helland has never been outside Europe, but he doesn’t have to have been.
Taenia solium
is cosmopolitan, because it spreads via pigs, so even though the number of incidents is infinitesimal, it’s still a possibility. My conclusion: he must have been infested elsewhere.’ The expression in Hanne’s eyes suddenly changed.
    ‘I don’t know if you’re aware, but there is no permanent Parasitology Department at the Institute of Biology now, nor will there be any teaching next year. The course and the department will be closed due to cuts.’
    ‘I don’t understand.’ Anna was genuinely puzzled. ‘You still work here.’
    ‘I do, but when I leave, it’s all over.’ Her eyes shone. ‘We weren’t