"Chapter 1:" "THE SACRIFICE" "Show me what you have on Hydro, to see if there's a political angle." " It doesn't make us look good." " It's exactly 50 steps." "From the newspaper door to here." "I bet it was maximum 50." "It's 50." "Don't listen to them." "Did the same people advise you to wear that cap?" "You know how I know this is the best coffee shop?" "We voted it the best." "We go 50 steps and find the winner." "Our regular coffee shop." " They must have the best coffee then." " It's not about the coffee." "You know that Peter just smiles and pushes on with this?" "I'm the news editor, I'm the one pushing on." "Peter, he just smiles to be polite." " Have you read it?" " I have to know the source." "You will." "When the story's been printed." " I promised." " Would you write it based on that?" "That's up to you." "I got the most important stuff on that condition." " Peter..." " A promise is a promise." "Would you have done what I do?" "Shamelessly take all the credit?" "Haven't you heard?" "I have no shame." ""From his mouth came a sharp sword to strike down the nations." ""He will rule them with an iron rod and tread the winepress of the fury" ""of the wrath of God Almighty." Book of Revelation 19:15" "I talked to the lawyer." "We could get serious claims against us." "It's a lot of money if he isn't guilty." " Should I go to the press conference?" " Don't bother." " They'll just fire him and blame us." " And that's good, is it?" " We'll hold the story." " I've checked everything..." " We'll hold the story." " What do you mean?" "We won't print it yet." "We have the material, but it's bad timing." "We do what's right, not what's convenient." "There's a correct order for things like this." "We've already written loads." "This is the final nail in the coffin." "Let the Financial Crime Unit finish their work." "Then they'll see if our facts hold up." "I've been contacted, we have proof, and we wait." " How will that affect my credibility?" " Our standards demand that we wait." "We started this, and now we must let Financial Crime write their report." "That is the lawyer's view, and mine." ""Sometimes the best defence is not to open yourself to attack." Your words." "Hydro Finance Director Daniel Verås rejects all the allegations of corruption published by Aftenavisen." "Verås told N TB he looks forward to the Financial Crime report and that he will take legal action against the newspaper." "I will read a short statement from the company and Daniel Verås." "Hydro's management has scrutinised the claims of irregularities published by Aftenavisen." "The Financial Crime Unit report, published in days, will confirm our own findings." "The claims have been found to be groundless." "Groundless?" "Are we the scandal now?" "He must've read the report." "Nevertheless, Finance Director Verås has, after conferring with us, chosen to resign, to give the company some peace." "We regret this, and we regret the unreasonable pressure put on him and his family." " Thanks." " Why's he resigning?" "The investigation clearly shows that Aftenavisen was wrong." " No money stolen, no crime committed." " Then why's he resigning?" "I have no more to say." "We're considerate, and they shit on us!" "We know we're right." "Peter gave us proof, but you refused to print it." "It's me." "Send somebody." "The car won't start, and there's someone here." "I'm sure." "He almost got into my car." "Okay, you'll get your way." "Briefing in two hours." "I'm having lunch with a nice lady from the Sports Desk." " Hello, Eline." " We'll talk soon." "Bye." " Well, look at that." " Yeah, look at that." " It has everything on it." " Cucumber relish?" "Are you serious?" "This is serious." "The cucumber relish is just affection." " How are you coping?" " A "How do you feel now" question?" "More like:" ""This shouldn't be personal."" "He has to take the responsibility." "You'll regret it." "I will anyway." "But I have to do the same I've asked everybody else to." "I can't keep sweeping things under the carpet, you understand that?" "No." "Maybe that's why you work in Sports." "First they'll go after the newspaper, then Mathiesen and then you." "I want a holiday." " Transfer to Sports." " I haven't got the vocabulary." "THE FINANCIAL CRIME UNIT" "Haglund?" "Have you got a moment?" "Haglund, you've been here six months." "And called for back-up three times." " Sorry, but..." " This is Financial Crime." "The biggest danger here is long PP presentations, messy accounting and the coffee." "Next time you ask for back-up, you'd better be shot." " May I please explain?" " No." "But please tell me who you think leaked your report." "Have a seat." "I don't know." "You know who has access to it." " Did it say anything new?" " No." "Just that Daniel Verås had made too much money." "I can see that." "What do you think?" "There are too many good explanations even though no money is missing." "And I think somebody's tried to hack into my computer." "Vibeke, we've been through this so many times." "Black holes are common." "Many things have no explanation." "Crime is what we can prove, not what we dislike." "If you spare me that speech again, I won't point out any anomalies." "Hey..." "When you leave your car with the doors open and lights on, it could be a friend who wants to help." " I don't need any friends." " A man?" "You like joggers, don't you?" "They should apologise, all of them." "That would've been priceless." "I would've taken a photo of them." "Then you could show it to them at the Christmas party." "Until next time, thank you." "Bye!" " How many people are coming?" " I've invited 30." " 30?" " There's enough food, Mum." "Champagne for the kids!" "You have no idea what that does to girls." "I'm kidding." " But it is a celebration." " I turn 16." "And you're my dad." "Sounds like you're 40." "Which brings me to our present." "There you are." " An encyclopaedia?" " It's Britannica." "Volume 30." "The remaining 29 will be sent over from my office." "Your mother wanted to buy a sailboat." "But what would that make you?" " A daddy's boy." " And they are spineless, soft ingratiating jerks..." "Daniel Verås has embezzled 2.3 million kroner." "I was waiting to publish until I'd seen the report." "Then somebody leaked it to Hydro, and they found nothing." " Now it's our turn, because we know." " Why didn't the police find anything?" "They didn't know what to look for." "Nobody suspected him." " He'll get prison." " We've got something really big." "Listen, this is important." "We have behaved impeccably." "Who else would have waited for the report?" " We'll show where Daniel got the ale." " Daniel was in the lion's den." " Play on words." "This is about Daniel." " Oh, duh...!" " Bank records..." " How did you get hold of them?" " Google, Roald." " And another thing, damn important." "If anybody asks, Peter is just the researcher." "Inger Marie has the by-line, with Geir and Johan." " Are we sure now?" " Yes." "And not a word outside this room." "If anybody leaks this, I'll stitch their tongue to their forehead." "Get out now." "Remember, in the old days people could keep a secret!" "Daniel?" "Let me in." " What are you up to?" " I didn't want to be interrupted." "With a house full of teenagers." "That's the thing." "There's no one here." " No one?" " There were a few, but they all left." "What about Andreas?" "He's downstairs." "I..." "I hope you understand this isn't your fault." "They..." "They asked if they could take some champagne." "I said yes." "Daddy's boys..." "At school, they say that you stole some money." "Did you?" "What do you think?" "My job was to make difficult decisions." "When they turn out to be wrong, it's my duty to take responsibility." "My next job will be the same." "Did you get a new job?" "Go and get your bike, and I'll join you on the third lap." "Then I may be able to keep up with you." "I'll just make a couple of calls first." "Go now." "Mathiesen said you were going home." "Yes." "I have nothing more to contribute." "The story is yours." "I..." "I want you to know that  I'd have done the same as you." "That's good." "This is your story now." "And I don't believe you." " I think you have lots of shame." " Not everybody would agree." "It's how you use your shame that makes the difference." " Hello!" " Could you come and see me?" "Don't know if that would be right." " Turn right at..." " Yes, I know where you live." "Come in." "We don't see each other enough." "Hungry?" "No, I've eaten." " Is Eva here?" " She's upstairs." "Well..." "It was you who asked me to come." "I know." "Our family isn't that big." " I'm not writing that story." " I'm the one who'll get hell." "You know what's about to happen?" "I know so much more than you." "But I want you to know there are reasons I turned out the way I did." " One day you'll see that." " You'll get two years max." "Two bad years, but you had many sweet ones." " Maybe not just sweet." " I think you'll agree that you've had a bit more sweetness than me." " Let's not go there." " No." "This is about Andreas." "I want you to promise me to take care of the boy." " He's never met me." " He's seen your picture in the paper." "He needs influences other than this." " Does he want me to?" " That's not up to Andreas." " And Eva?" " She'll understand." "I need to say one thing." "I was never after you." "I had a tip-off about something in Hungary." "I never knew you owned so many companies there." "I looked into it." " Clever boy, Peter." " It's not about that!" "Try right and wrong." "Calm down, brother." "This hell is of my own making, with no family help." "But in the depths of my heart I know that one day you'll regret this." "That's why I was better paid." "Super-smart." "We'll talk soon." "Oh, yeah..." "Tomorrow's factual presentation." "I'll leave it on the table, so that Eva gets to see it before our front page is everywhere." " Good." "Have you talked to Dad?" " Yes, he phoned." " And?" " You don't want to know." "Damn right." "Don't say hello from me." "Daniel?" "You can't ride your bike without that." "Andreas hates his helmet too." "Makes you look stupid." "You're doing well these days, sending your brother to prison." "He did that to himself." "Don't think this is personal." "Oh, so it's business?" "That makes it so much tidier." "I really didn't think he'd be that dumb." "You're a small, angry man, Peter." "You know I always thought that." "If you think this is about you, you're wrong." "The world is bigger than you." "Dad?" "Daniel!" "No, no, no, no, no..." "Don't come in here!" "Go!" "Go!" "Go and get your mother!" "An ambulance to 14 Christian Benneches Road." "A man's shot himself." "Peter Verås." "The man's my brother." "Go." "Please, go now." "Did you see your brother on the news?" "I can only thank God that Financial Crime found him to be a flake." "Not a thief." "Do you know what he does to mum and me?" "I'll just put something warmer on." "You saw what happened to Bishop Baasland." "Having such a flaky son..." "Had I been fit, I'd have gone and thrown his stuff in his tacky pool." "When were you last there?" "Never." "Your mum took pictures at the christening." "He shot himself." "No, he doesn't kill himself." "He's dead." "No." "He's dead." "I was there." "What's the matter?" "We have to find new revenues and do our best in advertising..." " They're here now?" " Here and now." " For how long?" " 15 minutes." "I called and called." "I'm sorry, I have to go." "I do apologise." "Sorry we meet under these tragic circumstances." " You can't do this." " We wanted to wait for you." " But my unit demanded that we start." " You can't snoop in his computer." "Sorry, the court order Paragraph 193, Part 1 gives grounds for a warrant." " And she knows what she's doing." " Where's Peter Verås?" "Where do you think?" "He lost his brother yesterday." "I insisted that he didn't come in today." "Never, save once, has any prosecutor entered a newspaper office like this." "That once it was a small socialist rag." "Even that caused an outrage." "In my 40 years in the business, I've never..." "Oh, my God, who phoned him?" "What is this?" "People seizing material at my workplace?" " People?" " Have you heard of source protection?" " You can't do this." " Yes." "You know about someone's guilt." " Paragraph 193." " What?" "Your front page says you can prove your brother, my sympathy, is guilty." "In our recommendation to the state attorney, we wrote that no one had committed any crime." " I need a word with you." " Where's your external hard disk?" "You think you're doing your job correctly." "I know I am." "I know my job and like it." "All my work is on that disk!" "Fucking do something!" " Can I have a word with him in there?" " Of course." "We'll stay here and clear up." " Who is your source in Hungary?" " I think it's a woman." "You think?" "You told me you know who it is." " She calls herself Sofia." " You're kidding, right?" "We never met." "It was through chats and e-mails." "She sent documents." "Peter, you said you know who it is, not that you think you know." "I never said I knew her identity." "It all fits." "The proof, addresses, files, accounts, it all points to Daniel." "I really hope you're right." "You understand that much?" "You don't even know who started this?" "You don't know?" "Then I can't rule out that somebody's been conned." " Let's go." " What a bunch." "Take that disk home." "Don't show up until you've been through it all." "The PCC have criticised your use of sources." "You may even face charges for withholding information?" "You weren't fined, but do you feel no guilt in this case?" "I know where you're going with this." " To make it sound like I killed him." " Will you apologise?" "For what?" "This is not about what was said, but what was done." "Your story targeted your own brother." "What do you think now?" "How about shutting your mouth?" "How about saying, "I'm sorry"?" "Or even better, referring to your editor?" "Damn it, Peter, you know better than this." "We laugh at people who can't shut up!" " Know what you have to do?" " Take time off." "No, you keep your mouth shut and lie low for a long time." "Then, in 100 years, you can write an article, a column or even a book." "Anything you say now becomes the view of this paper, so just shut up." "I'm off home." "When I return, I want to transfer to Sport." "No way, I need you here." "You can be a foreign correspondent, Washington." " That did wonders for..." " I've got to leave." " I have to start working on..." " On what?" " Sport will do me." " Don't take it out on Sport." " You don't know sport." " I'm a good skater." "I hate water." "Vibeke Haglund, Financial Crime." "Hello, Vibeke, I remember you." "You made an impression." "It's about the anonymous sender of the papers you used against Daniel." "That case is making me go crazy." "Can we meet?" "I'd like to meet with you." "Thanks." " How are you?" " What do you want?" "I've been better." "Everybody seems done with this, but I can't sleep." "I need to know why." " You only did your job." " I must be able to trust you." "I know who the source is." "What doesn't make sense about this?" " You can't know my source." " Answer me." "It's far too little money to risk that much for." " What was your relationship like?" " Do you know something or not?" "Promise you'll keep this to yourself." "It was your brother." ""Sofia", the source, was your brother." "All the chat, the e-mails, the files, everything." " That's not possible." " It can be traced." "Not legally, of course." "FIVE YEARS LATER 2013" " You have to speak up." " Is there a war?" " I'm at a hockey match." " You asked me to call." " We've got something on." " When will that be printed?" "Tomorrow." "It's a dead cert, but stay away or there'll be trouble." "Then why are you calling?" " We can't go on like this." " Yes, we can." "Taken an hour ago." " I didn't get the expression." " Yes, it's good." " There was smoke from the chimney." " Burning evidence?" " A fire in a cottage is normal." " Cool photo with a smoking chimney." " You can't snap smoke at night, idiot." " Pay attention, this is great." "I want graphics showing what he did under: "This is how he did it"." "I agree, I want a new headline." "And I have one thing to say..." "My God, is it possible?" " How does he know?" " I'm fed up with him coming here!" "Could somebody do something?" " Peter..." " You're hanging Åge Haugen now?" " You can't be here now." " Somebody get rid of him." "Listen, you damned fool." "You are here by my good grace." "Nobody else is defending you." "You're connecting too many dots." " This'll blow up in his face." " We've talked to Haugen." "He's in his cottage." "He answered the phone calmly." " This is a dead cert." " What about his family?" "Don't you work in Sport?" "Isn't there a championship on?" "As news editor, you should know." " Orienteering?" " In October?" "The Football Cup." "Great, go and cover that." "Just stay away!" " Has he gone?" " Yes, I sent him home." " Stop bothering me." " It's about your husband." "I'm a journalist at Aftenavisen." "I'm here to warn you about a story coming out tomorrow." " "Warn you"?" "About what?" " Can I come in?" " No." " You need help." "We're hardly the ones in need of help." "Your husband has been caught embezzling." "He hasn't been at work for three days." " He's in London." " No." "He was at your cottage a few hours ago." " Who told you?" " It'll be in the paper in five hours." " Do we have a visitor?" " Where've you been?" " Who is he?" " He's from Aftenavisen." "Oh, Aftenavisen." "He's a sports journalist, and not a very good one." "I've got a suggestion for you." "Go home and bother your own family." " That's what you're good at." " He said you weren't in London." "I was sitting in my car thinking about what I could use this club for." "I phoned your boss instead." "Like an adult would." "Get in." "Get in!" "You being there makes it worse." "And you're betraying your colleagues." " They don't understand." " No, you don't." "You're betraying me!" " By tipping off our subject!" " I know." "You know?" "You don't know shit!" "You've just seen the beginning of what we're uncovering." "You've turned into a moralistic old biddy!" " Do you know what you're ruining?" " Someone has to be the biddy." "For five years now, you've acted like Mother Teresa." "Listen..." "It wasn't us who did anything wrong." "Remember that." "It wasn't us who stole loads of money." "Get some sleep, we'll talk tomorrow." "You do know you'll be called in?" " Get yourself a lawyer is my advice." " I'm meeting one today." " You've engaged a lawyer already?" " She phoned me." "About something else." " Do they sell flowers here?" " You can't buy me off." "Moron." "Thanks for the coffee." " Eva Verås?" " Yes?" " Are you Torgersen?" " Yes." "I'm lawyer Runa Torgersen from Torgersen  Thorsen." "I've come to give you this." "That was an expensive courier service." "It's from your late husband." "It was to be given to you five years to the day after his death." "The instructions were clear." "You have to read this letter first." "No way, I can't meet Peter." "My son will totally freak." "Then you can't open this case." "The letter stipulates that you both have to be present." "Is this a joke?" "Is he giving me instructions from the grave?" "No." "Perhaps that's why he used a law firm and not a courier company." "I've already arranged for him to come here." "Your son's here." "I thought I'd let you know." "Get a grip!" "You're not putting flowers here." "You get that, don't you?" "What is this?" "My God, here...?" "Shall I phone the police?" "No, that is Daniel's son." "Don't you recognise him from mum's funeral?" " Are you coming for dinner tonight?" " No." "No, I've got an appointment." "Hello, Eva." "Come in." "Then my job is done." "Thank you." " So..." " Is this a joke?" "Torgersen is no joke." "She's a partner and what have you, but she's no joke." ""22-10-2013, at 3:00pm." ""Don't contact the police." "You will find answers."" "A map." "Of Hurum." "Have you been to Hurum?" "Who was I really married to?" " Could I borrow a jacket?" " Yes, you can take Daniel's." "Your car or mine?" "We'll take yours." ""Go to the roundabout, take the first right, go 30km to the next turnoff."" "Shouldn't we give this to the police?" "If this is some bullshit, I don't need the attention." "What about all the attention Andreas gets?" "Yes, we have to talk about him." " Can you see anything?" " The bottom." " Then dive!" " Do I look like a diver?" "You do actually." " See anything?" " Fuck!" "Shit!" "No, just the bottom!" "What time is it?" "Five past three." "My God..." "I hate the water." "Help me!" "Help me!" "How do you know my brother?" "How do you know my brother?" "How do you know my brother?" "Abraham!" "Abraham!" "You don't know anything." "No!" "Do you know who that is?" "Åge Haugen." "He's on the front page of today's newspaper."