“Okay,” she said and took a sip of her coffee. “So you’ve got a show?”
He laughed. “Yes. Soon. Very soon.”
“Whereabouts?”
“Can’t tell you yet. I’ll let you know.”
Kay saw Bob enter the reception area and instead of taking the shortest route to his place he walked in her direction. He didn’t look happy, and she figured it had something to do with what she’d heard about the previous evening.
“Hi, Bob. How’re things?”
“I’ll find out soon enough,” he said. “Walker wants to see me.”
He carried on walking. She turned to the painter, but he was busy painting again. Kay sighed and went back to her desk.
—
“Tony Stärk has reported you for attacking him,” said Walker as he stood by the window with his back to Bob. Bob had worked out that this habit must have developed because the chief felt more comfortable talking to the view, or maybe his own reflection, than he did face-to-face with his own subordinates.
“Bullshit,” said Bob. “It was self-defense. He was the one who attacked me. Take a look at me, Chief.”
Walker turned reluctantly. He looked on indifferently as Bob pointed to the lump on his forehead, which had now assumed the familiar blue coloring.
“Tony Stärk should be relieved I’m not fucking reporting him for violence against an officer in the execution of his duty. But if he doesn’t withdraw his complaint then obviously that’s what I’ll do. If you tell him that then I think this case will just fade away.”
“Tell his lawyer, you mean? He is of the opinion that your professional status is irrelevant since his client came to see you as a private individual.”
“Tony Stärk came here to the Homicide Unit, Chief.”
“Because you are no longer living at your registered address. The lawyer is claiming that you provoked his client to strike the first blow specifically so that you could then attack him without the risk of legal action. Tony Stärk doesn’t have martial arts training or anything suggesting he’s skilled in unarmed combat.”
“He weighs twice as much as me, Chief.”
“The lawyer claims that the fact that it took three of your colleagues to pull you off him is proof enough of your use of excessive force. I’ve got statements from Olav Hanson and the others, and they confirm the lawyer’s account of what happened. I’m sorry, Bob, but I’m going to have to suspend you while this matter is thoroughly investigated.”
“But—”
“No buts, Bob, my decision is made.”
Bob stared at Walker. The superintendent looked like a man who at that particular moment hated his job but had absolutely no intention of not doing it.
“You’ll hear from me when we know more. In the meantime you’ll have to hand over your ID and your service weapon. Plus the keys to your service car.” Walker coughed. “I’m sorry.”
Bob opened his mouth and then closed it again. Wondered how things could have worked out any differently.Ifthings could have worked out any differently. And even if he actually would have wanted them to. When you start falling into the abyss you might as well enjoy the free fall as best you can. He stuck his hand into the inside pocket of his cashmere coat and placed his ID card on the chief’s desk. Followed by the car keys.
“You have a car of your own, right?” Walker sounded troubled. “A Volvo?”
“Correct,” said Bob. “But I don’t have a gun, it’s—”
“I know that.” Walker’s voice was a little shaky. “I know that when something like that happens it can make a father hate his own service weapon.”
Bob looked at his boss. Was the bastard standing thereempathizingwith him? He felt the rushing sound start up in his head.
“That business with the gun,” said Walker, and had to clear his throat again. “A thing like that can destroy a relationship. It happens time after time. It isn’t anyone’s fault, it’s just the way we are as human beings. But you just have to accept it and move on.”
“What are we talking about now, Chief?” Walker’s features and his body, the features and body of a man Bob respected, some days you would even say liked, seemed to be changing before Bob’s eyes into something reptilian and repulsive, the kind of thing that should be beaten to death with a stick.
“Alice,” said the reptile. “It wasn’t easy for her either. Forgive her, Bob. Let it go. If you don’t you won’t be able to move on. Perhaps you should look on this as a kind of vacation. Take the chance to think about what you want to do with your life.”
