The Snowman ( PDFDrive )

‘I mean I don’t think it’s a slip,’ Harry said.
‘You mean ’
‘Yes, I think he wants us to trace him.’
‘Why?’
‘It’s classic. The narcissistic serial killer staging a game, with himself in the principal role as the
invincible, the all-powerful conqueror who triumphs in the end.’
‘Triumphs over what?’
‘Well,’ Harry said, and said it for the first time aloud, ‘at the risk of sounding narcissistic myself,
me.’
‘You? Why?’
‘I have no idea. Perhaps because he knows I’m the only policeman in Norway who has caught a
serial killer, he sees me as a challenge. The letter would suggest that – he refers to Toowoomba. I
don’t know, Holm. By the way, have you got the name of the shop in Bergen?’
‘Flab speaking!’
Or so it sounded. The word – flæsk – was articulated with Bergensian tones and gravity. That is,
with a soft l, a long æ with a dip in the middle and a faint s. Peter Flesch, who voluntarily
pronounced his name like the word for flab, was out of breath, loud and obliging. He was happy to
chat away; yes, he sold all types of antiques so long as they were small, but he had specialised in
pipes, lighters, pens, leather briefcases and stationery. Some used; some new. Most of his customers
were regulars with an average age in line with his own.
To Harry’s questions about Kono writing paper he answered, with regret in his voice, that he no
longer had any such paper. Indeed, it was several years since he had stocked it.
‘This might be asking a bit too much,’ Harry said. ‘But since you have regular customers for the
most part, is it possible that you might remember some of the ones who bought Kono paper?’
‘Some maybe. Møller. And old Kikkusæn from Møllaren. We don’t keep records, but the wife’s got
a good memory.’
‘Perhaps you could write down the full names, rough age and the address of those you can
remember and email them –’
Harry was interrupted by tut-tutting. ‘We don’t have email, son. Not going to get it, either. You’d
better give me a fax number.’
Harry gave the Police HQ number. He hesitated. It was a sudden inspiration. But inspiration never
came without a reason.
‘You wouldn’t by any chance have had a customer a few years back,’ Harry said, ‘by the name of
Gert Rafto, would you?’