The Snowman ( PDFDrive )

‘Probably a return from one of the other universities,’ Robøle said. ‘Ours tend to be whole.’
Harry bent down and touched the body. It was cold, and the consistency unnaturally firm because of
the fixative. He ran a finger along the severed edge. It was smooth and the flesh pallid.
‘We use a scalpel on the exterior and then a fine saw,’ the technician explained.
‘Mm.’ Harry leaned across the body, grabbed the woman’s right arm and pulled her over so that she
was facing him.
‘What are you doing?’ screamed Robøle.
‘Can you see anything on her back?’ Harry asked Holm who was standing on the other side of the
body.
Holm nodded. ‘A tattoo. Looks like a flag.’
‘Which one?’
‘Haven’t a clue. Green, yellow and red. With a pentagram in the middle.’
‘Ethiopia,’ Harry said, letting go of the woman, who fell back into position. ‘This woman did not
donate her body, but she has been donated, if I can put it like that. This is Sylvia Ottersen.’
Kai Robøle kept blinking as though hoping something would go away if he blinked enough times.
Harry placed a hand on his shoulder. ‘Get hold of someone who has access to the paperwork for the
bodies and go through all of them. Now. I have to be on my way.’
‘What’s going on?’ Holm asked. ‘I honestly can’t get my head round this.’
‘Try,’ Harry said. ‘Forget everything you thought you knew and try.’
‘Right, but what’s going on?’
‘There are two answers to that,’ Harry said. ‘One is that we’re closing in on the Snowman.’
‘And the other?’
‘I don’t know.’
Part Five
33
WEDNESDAY, 5 NOVEMBER 1980.
The Snowman.
IT WAS THE DAY THE SNOW CAME. A T ELEVEN O’CLOCK IN the morning large flakes