"My name is Bjornson, Anders Bjornson." "I'm a journalist with the local newspaper." "Sunnmorsposten." "How did you know who I am?" "Everyone in Alesund knows you've arrived, I think, and why you've come." "Look, I'm sorry." "If I had known you were here I would have asked for permission." "Didn't you see my car?" "Could be anyone's, and I've said I'm sorry." "What were you looking for in there?" "I'm following up a theory of mine." "Oh, and what theory is that?" "I don't believe Hjalmar Jordahl's death was an accident." "I think he was murdered." "Ripped By mstoll" "Do you have any evidence to go with this theory of yours, Mr Bjornson?" " No, not yet." " So what's it based on?" "The fact that whatever else he was, Jordahl wasn't a fool." "What have you been told about his death?" "Nothing, just that he went out sailing, got caught in a storm and he was drowned." "And that on its own doesn't make any sense." "Sounds perfectly reasonable to me." "The storm that day wasn't sudden and unexpected, you know, it had been forecast, and it had been blowing up the night before." "So?" "So, Jordahl can't have got caught unawares." "He cast off from here with the weather already against him." " I don't see that's any..." " He just wasn't that stupid." "Not to go out in the fjord alone in a boat that size with a force nine gale blowing." "He was a very experienced sailor." "He would never have taken such a risk." "Not without a good reason." "Well, then maybe he had a reason." " Such as?" " Well, I don't know, but that question must have been raised at the time." "Only it wasn't, not seriously." " Well, why didn't you raise it?" " I wasn't here." "The day Jordahl died I flew to Strasbourg to research a series of articles on EEC fishing policy." "By the time I got back a fortnight later, the inquest was over." "I mentioned my doubts to a couple of people, though, including a friend of mine in the police, but they weren't impressed." "It seems they were quite happy to accept that it was an accident and he was out there for pleasure." "Well that's possible, isn't it?" "OK, it was foolish, but people do crazy things like that." " Not Hjalmar Jordahl." " Did you know him well?" "No one did, that wasn't possible." "He didn't let you get close enough for that, but I knew him better than most people around here did, I think." "How come?" "A couple of years ago I did a piece on him for the paper, a sort of business profile, and he liked it, enough to invite me out here for a meal." "It was then I got the idea of writing a book about him, he was a very important man in this country, but he'd always been a bit of a mystery so it would have sold well." " Would have?" " He wasn't interested." "And he made it quite clear that, as far as his private life was concerned, that's how it was going to stay." "But instead, he suggested I wrote a history of Jordahl Industries, just so that it was all on record somewhere, and he said if no one else would publish it, then he would." "So after that we met quite regularly, and when some one tells you in detail, exactly how they worked their way up from having nothing to becoming a millionaire, well, then you learn a lot more about them" "than just how clever they were at making money." "I get the impression he wasn't a very happy man." "Certainly not in his later years, and even less after she died." "Well, maybe there you have it." "Not a murder," " but not an accident either." " Suicide?" "You don't understand." "He never admitted defeat in anything and for him, misery would have just been another challenge." "Did you ever meet her?" "No, I vaguely remember seeing her in town a couple of times, and my family were right outside the kind of circles she moved in." "Well, I'm afraid you're a long way off convicing me that there's anything in your theory, Mr Bjornson." "I'm not trying to convince you." "Why should I?" "You're only visiting here, as I understand it?" "Why did you tell me about it, then?" "You asked me what I was doing in the boat house and I couldn't think of a convincing enough lie." "I wouldn't have thought you were that slow-witted." "Only when confronted by a beautiful woman." "Is it true that you'd never heard of Jordahl until recently?" "That's the story that's circulating." "My God, the local gossips have picked that up already?" "Been going the rounds for a week or more." "That long?" "Who started it on its way, I wonder?" "My guess would been someone in Lawyer Langva's office." "Well, is it true?" "Yes." "I was totally unaware of his existence until a month ago." "So why did he leave you this place and the klippfisk factory in his will?" "Good question, but I'm afraid I can't help you with the answer, because I honestly don't know why." "Any suggestions?" "No doubt the members of the Alesund Ladies Guild have got it worked out, though." "The favourite explanation is that he has to have been your father." " Oh, well he wasn't." " You're sure?" " Quite sure." " Not that it matters." "Well, only to me, perhaps." "Yes, of course it might." "I'm sorry." "I must get back to the office." "Well, that's the second time I've had to apologise to you in less than ten minutes." "How's that for a bad start, eh?" "Well, I wouldn't worry." "I very much doubt if fate ever intended this to be a lasting relationship." "By the way, I would be grateful if you didn't say anything to anyone about my theory." "Do you really think you have any chance of proving it?" "No, probably not, but I'll go on digging when and where I can, and it wouldn't help if what I was up to was common knowledge." " OK." " Thank you." "There is something else to back it up." "I was out here with Jordahl the night before he drowned, going over some old company records and he could hardly move his right arm." "It seems he'd pulled a muscle in his shoulder earlier in the day, and it was causing him quite a bit of pain." "Of course it could have cleared up by the following morning, but I doubt it." "So, with only one arm working properly would you go out sailing in bad weather?" "Now that is something to think about, isn't it?" "Hello?" "Hello?" " Hi." " Hi." "I'll do that." "You've been for a trip on the fjord?" "Just into town." "When there is much traffic, it is quicker by boat from here." "Really?" "Much more enjoyable way to make the journey!" "Yes." "Did you go to Jordahlsholmen again?" "Yes, I just got back." "And this time did you also visit the island?" "Just briefly." "Tell me something." "Anna-Marie said that no-one's been over to the house on the island, since your mother died?" "That's right no one has, except the woman who cleans it." "Of course, I should have realised." "How often does she go across?" "Not every week, I think, but often enough." "Well, that's that mystery solved, then." "Only why?" " Yes?" " Oh, nothing." "She is a good worker, I understand, but you perhaps would want to make other arrangements from now on." "Oh no, if she's happy to go on doing it." " Catherine?" " Yes." "Will you sell Jordahlsholmen to me?" "Well, I don't know..." "The property is of no use to you, is it?" "And I will give you a very good price." " More than it is worth, even." " Oh no, I wouldn't..." "Its very important to me that Jordahlsholmen stays in the family." "Of course if you were going to live there, even for a little while each year, that would be all right." " But since you're not..." " It's unlikely." "...it could pass into the hands of strangers and I would not want that." "It must not happen." "So I want you to know that I will buy it from you for whatever you ask." "Ingrid?" "Lars is home early today." "Think about it, and when you're ready to sell, we will talk again." "But say nothing to Lars about this or to Anna-Marie, they would only think I was being foolish." " Please, promise me." " Yes, of course." " I won't say a word." " Thank you." " Hello, Catherine." " Hello." "Did you have a good day?" "Well, an interesting one anyway." "Good." "So, what arrangements did you finally make with Anna Marie about tonight?" "She'll be with us at seven o'clock and then we will all go to the restaurant together." "Fine." "You'll like the Kaiser Wilhelm, I think and it will be good for you to have an evening away from home." "Persuading my wife to go out anywhere is not easy, believe me." "Obviously, she has everything she needs to make her happy right here." "Yes, that's right." "You see, Catherine understands." "You do, don't you?" "Of course." "Come in." "Anna-Marie has just telephoned." "She'll be late, I'm afraid, but at least that means we do not have to hurry to get ready." "I thought you'd like to know." "Thank you." "Well, I'm nearly ready now anyhow." "Your mother?" "Yes, taken six years before she died, and the other one when she was 18 and her last year at school in Oslo." "What was her name?" "Kirsten, Kirsten Enger before she married." "She was very beautiful." "Were you very close, the two of you?" "Oh yes, we were, but more so because my father died when I was very young." "So, Each other." "It was different for me, I hardly knew my mother." "Oh, why was that?" "I never got the chance to really, nor did Anna-Marie, neither of us did." "He kept her away from us, you see." " Takk." "Skål." " Skål" " Skål." "Delightful place." "And the food is excellent." "What is it?" "We seem to be attracting rather a lot of attention." "Really?" "Alesund's a small community, and yours is a new face, there's bound to be curiosity about who and what you are." "According to Bjornson everyone in town knows who I am." " Bjornson?" " Anders Bjornson." "He told me he works for the local newspaper." "Yes, he does." "He's with Sunnmoresposten." " Where did you meet him?" " At the farmhouse." " What was he doing there?" " Fishing." "I hope you reminded him that it's private property." " Yes, I did." " Good." "So, have you made any plans?" "Well no, not really - apart from selling the factory, that is." "What about Jordahlsholmen?" "I haven't got around to thinking about that yet." "I understand your manager Mr Tunheim is interested in buying the fish factory." "Yes he is, but he has to see if he can raise a loan before he can make an offer and clearance on that" " could take two weeks or more." " Well, when the time comes to close the deal, if there's anything I can do to help," " please don't hesitate to ask." " Thank you." "This will give us a chance to get to know you better and for you to explore the area a little." "Who can tell, you may even decide to live here." "Well, I don't think so, but I'm very happy to stay for a while, but I don't want to go on imposing on your hospitality." "So tomorrow, I'm going to move in to the farmhouse." "No, you musn't." "Why not, if that's what she wants to do?" "There is everything there she will need to make her comfortable." "Well, without seeming ungrateful," "I think it would be the best thing all round." "Well, of course." "If that's so." "It's just that..." "And if it doesn't work out, or you get bored, well, you know you're always welcome." "I really do appreciate what you've all done for me." "Nonsense, it's our pleasure." "Living at Jordahlsholmen, you'll certainly need a car and there's a company car at the factory that no one is using at the moment." "So, if you come over tomorrow, you could take it, and arrange with the car hire people to pick up the other one at the factory." "Well, if you're sure, Anna-Marie, thank you." "Pleasure." "Now, what are we going to have?" "I can recommend the beef, it's always good here." " Good morning." " Good morning." "Did you sleep well?" " Oh, very well." "Except I still haven't got used to it being light so late." "Soon, there will be hardly any night at all." "On midsummer eve you can read a newspaper in the garden at midnight." "But then of course in the winter it is dark" " for many hours each day." " Yes, so I've heard." "But you'll be home long before that happens, won't you?" "Is it true that you destroyed all your other paintings?" "Anna-Marie said you burnt them." "Yes I did, some time ago." "All of them?" "Except that one which my sister insisted I keep," " I don't know why." " Oh, she likes it." "I had the right to burn them." "They were mine." "Of course, it seems a pity that's all." "No, I don't think so." "They were not good." "I found them unacceptable." " There is a letter for you." " Oh, good!" " Coffee?" " Yes, please." "Local?" "When will you be leaving us today?" "Sometime this morning, I thought." "I wish you would change your mind." "You'll be lonely at Jordahlsholmen, I think." "I'll be fine." "It's not so far, and I can always pop back for a chat." ""Dear Miss Durrell, I would be pleased to see you at my home for tea this Friday." "I shall expect you at 4 o'clock and you need only telephone me if this day and time are not convenient for you." "Sincerely yours, Astrid Linderman."" "Does the name Astrid Linderman mean anything to you?" "Yes, she's our great-aunt, my mother's aunt." "Her English is good." "She was a teacher once." "Was she at the party the other night?" "No, we see very little of her nowadays, she's quite old and she seldom leaves her house." "She wants me to have tea with her, today." "She's obviously heard of your arrival and wishes to meet you." "My father's will must have surprised her as much as it did us, and you." "You will go?" "Of course." "Anna-Marie Jordahl." " Who's calling?" " Ingrid Nilsen." " Yes?" " Anna-Marie?" "Oh hello, Ingrid." "Where have you been?" "I've called three times." "I've been with the fabric suppliers" "I've just got back." "What is it?" "She's had a letter." " Who has?" " Catherine, from Astrid." "Oh?" "She's going to see her this afternoon." "Is she?" "So?" "Takk." " Hello." " Hello." " How are you today?" " Just a little less confused." "I didn't help with that theory of mine, I'm afraid." "Well, no." "Even if you're right, and I still don 't think you are." "It's not my concern, is it?" "Unless of course you suspect me?" "No, you're one person who is definitely in the clear." " Are you on your way in or out?" " Out." "I'm going to have some coffee." " Join me?" " Yes, OK." "Fantastic!" " Are you from here?" " Yes." "And are you planning on staying?" "Today, tomorrow, next week, next month, that long at least." "How have the two daughters and Lars Nilsen" " taken to your good fortune?" " Well." "This isn't an interview, is it?" "You're not going to" " put this in the newspaper?" " Of course not." "I don't work that way." "Besides, I very much doubt if I could get anything into the papers about you anyway." "Jordahl Industries wouldn't like it, and no one in this town is foolish enough to offend Jordahl Industries." "Any more than they ever did anything openly to offend Hjalmar Jordahl when he was alive." "I was just interested in how the family reacted." "Surprisingly well, in fact." "They've gone out of their way to make me welcome." "So why are you moving into the farm house?" "Well, I just want to play lady of the manor for a while." "I've never owned 60 acres before, and I won't for long." "Are you gonna sell everything?" "The factory is good as sold and I've got one potential buyer for Jordahlsholmen, but in the meantime" "I'm going to enjoy it for myself." "Do you swim?" "Well, just about, why?" "Well stay out of the channel between the farmhouse and the island." "There's a very strong current running through there." "Thanks, I'll remember that." "Yeah, do." "Have you ever been out to the island?" "Nope, never." "That house..." "it's strange, eerie." "Oh?" "Well, when you go into it, it's as though someone's still living there, and just stepped out for a while." "My guess is, it's been left just the same as it was the day" "Freya Jordahl committed suicide." "I can believe that, Jordahl adored his wife." "So maybe after what happened, for him that house became a sort of shrine to her memory, to be left unchanged and undisturbed." "Have you asked Anna-Marie and Ingrid about it?" "Well, no, I haven't liked to." "They both seem to have quite a hang-up about the place." "So what are you going to do with it?" "Leave it as it is, and hand that problem on to whoever buys it." "Unless Freya claims it back, of course." "I'm not joking." "When I was coming up from Bergen on the coastal steamer I saw this woman onboard, only briefly, staring at me from the end of the corridor." "When I turned back she had gone." "The next time I saw her was when I first laid eyes on the portrait of Freya at the farmhouse." "The likeness was uncanny." "A remarkable likeness." "Of course." "Look, I've got to go, I've got some shopping to do." "I'm sorry, you haven't finished." "Have now." "Thanks for the coffee." "I'm glad I ran into you." "Do you like sailing?" "I love it." "Will you come out with me sometime?" "Yes, OK." "When?" "This Sunday?" "I could sail around to Jordahlsholmen and pick you up." "We'll make a day of it." "Sounds like it might be fun." "Sunday then - but no mysteries, right?" "I like it." "I like them all." "And this one." "The chair of the future." "Well, I hope so or we're in trouble." "Although we still make the more traditional furniture, as you can see." "Oh this is marvellous." "It's so comfortable." "I want one of these in my flat in London." "It must be very expensive." "I think for you we can make a special price." "Oh no, Anna-Marie." "Full trade discount." "No more of a favour than that." "Oh right, thank you." "You know, I wish I had this kind of talent." "But you already have a talent - for advertising." "And I'm very anxious to break into the market in the UK." "So if you do set up your own agency, you might like to take on our account?" " Are you serious?" " Of course." "Before you go back to England" "I'll show you around the whole factory and we'll" " discuss the idea in detail." " Good." "Mmm, lovely." "What's this?" "Something new you're working on?" "It's only a rough idea at the moment." "Do you like it?" " What is it?" " It's a play chair for children." " Oh, I see." " It may work." "Have you moved into Jordahlsholmen yet?" "No, I'm on my way now." "Why don't you stop and have some lunch here, then?" "Yes, I'd like to." "Oh, but I arranged with the car hire people to settle up with them here." "Oh, they'll ring from reception when they arrive." "Excuse me, I just must sign these letters." "Course." " Anna-Marie?" " Mm?" "Have you got any other keys to the rooms in your mother's house?" "No, why?" "Well, one of the upstairs rooms is locked and none of the keys on the bunch you gave me fit." "Really?" "Those are the only ones I was given." "I'll talk to Bjarne Langva." "He may have a separate one he forgot to hand over to me." "Thanks." "I understand you're going to see Astrid Linderman this afternoon." "Yes, I am." "What did Ingrid tell you about her?" "Just that she used to be a teacher before she retired." "Yes, sadly she's been ill for some time." "Oh, you'll like her, I'm sure, but sometimes she gets a little confused about things." "My name's Catherine Durrell" "I have an appointment with Miss Linderman." "Wait in here." "Thank you." "Hello." " How old am I?" " I'm sorry?" "How old am I?" "And I want the truth, not a polite lie, and I will know if it is." "Well?" "Come on." "I'm not very good at guessing anyone's age, Miss Linderman." " No, Astrid, I think." " Thank you." "Well, my age?" "Say what you see." "76?" "77?" "Oh, I knew it, that fool Albrigsten told me only this morning that I was looking better." "So much for doctors." "I will be 70 in four months." " So glad to meet you, my dear." " I'm delighted to be here." "And of course you don't like to ask what is wrong with me." "It's arthritis, it's worst in my hips but now it's starting to get into my hands." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I'm sorry too." "It's extremely painful at times." "Do you like this house?" "It's very beautiful." "And what do you think of this room?" "Hideous, isn't it?" "Most of the furniture belonged to my parents and it 's worth a great deal of money, I'm told and that is the reason why I have held on to it." "Not because it's valuable, you understand, but simply that I get a great deal of perverse pleasure in refusing to sell it to all the greedy dealers that keep calling on me." " Oh, do sit down, please." " Thank you." "It was Doctor Albrigsten who told me that you were here." "Not that he needed to." "You were looking at my photographs?" "Yes." "I've got one of almost all the children I've taught in my career, and certainly one of each of my, my girls when I was head teacher." "Stupid of me, isn't it?" "Oh, I don't know." "We're back to pleasure again, aren't we?" "Exactly!" "I knew I would like you." "But I'm afraid you're going to be very disappointed in me because you came here hoping to learn something" " from me, didn't you?" " Yes, I did, partly for that reason, anyway." "You can't help me?" "No, I regret I know no more about your inheritance" " than you know already." " That's practically nothing." "When Hjalmar's will was read, no one was more taken back than I was, I assure you." "And so, if information is all you came for?" "I said that was partly the reason." "You invited me to tea, remember?" "Good." "Yes, indeed I did, and it's ready." " Give me your arm." "Thank you." " You all right?" " Yes." "I told Gerda we would have tea in the garden." "And I would like" " to walk there with you." " Yes." "My sister and her husband were killed when Trondheim was bombed in 1940." "Freya was only three years old." "So, after the funeral I took her back to Oslo with me and I looked after her from then on, till the end." "That can't have been easy for you." "No." "No, it wasn't, but she was a good child." "She gave me hardly any trouble when she was growing up." "And she did so well at school." "I still have all her exercise books and every one of her reports." "She was an excellent student, and she was such a talented artist." " In what way?" " Oh, she painted." "That's what she was studying when she met Jordahl." "Oh, that's where her daughter gets it from." "Ingrid, she's a very good painter, isn't she?" "Yes, yes, so I understand." "But Freya was exceptionally gifted." "Do you have any of her pictures?" "No, sadly." "She didn't do much painting after she was married and none of the pictures she did at the art school satisfied her." "So she gave them away to people who didn't know any better, she said." "You, er... you've been to the island, of course?" " Yes." " And into the house?" " Yes." " Were you surprised?" " Very." " You know about that?" "Of course." "I was the one who laid everything out the way it is." "Hjalmar asked me to, and as a last favour to him." " And so, before I left..." " You were living there?" "Yes, of course, with Freya." "And were you there when?" "Yes, yes I was." "I'm sorry, that was thoughtless." "She had not been well, you know." "Not for some time." "Clever, artistic people." "I do so envy them, but I pity them too." "Because life is so often just too much for them." "All those dolls, were they Freya's?" "Yes, she, um..." "she collected them." "Some of them are lovely, aren't they?" "Not that they were any comfort to her, though." "Forgive me, but these days I have to snatch at moments of sleep when the pain allows me." "Of course, I understand." "I think it's time I was going." "Shall I take you back into the house?" "No, no, I will stay here a while and Gerda will see to this, by and by." "Thank you for inviting me." "I was so sorry I couldn't help you." " But you have, quite a lot." " Good." "How long are you staying in Alesund?" "I'm not sure." "Two or three weeks, at least." "Oh, then we can meet again, if you have time, and if you should need a friend, look on me as one." "Yes, thank you, I will." "Do not trouble yourself greatly over Hjalmar Jordahl's motive." "Whatever his reason was in naming you in his will." "Accept that it was good enough, for him and for you." "I shall have to." "Do you know why Hjalmar wanted Freya's house kept the way it is?" "As some kind of memorial?" "He loved her so much, he never really believed that she was dead." "Poor man." "And he was quite sure that one day she would want to come back there." "Thank you." "Who are you?" "What do you want in this house?" "Watch out!" "You bloody fool!" "Get over!" " No!" "Ripped By mstoll"