The Snowman ( PDFDrive )

Hagen plumped down onto a chair and watched Harry raise the glass to his lips and the goldenbrown
liquid slip down into his mouth.
‘I’ve been talking to the Chief Super,’ Hagen said. ‘This is serious, Harry. Leaking that the
Snowman is still at large is a direct breach of his orders.’
‘That’s right,’ Harry said, taking another swig.
‘Right? Is that all you’ve got to say? But in the name of all that’s sacred, Harry, why?’
‘The public has a right to know,’ Harry said. ‘Our democracy is built on openness, boss.’
Hagen banged his fist on the table and received a few encouraging looks from neighbouring tables
and an admonitory glance from the waitress passing them with an armful of half-litre glasses.
‘Don’t mess with me, Harry. We’ve gone public and said the case was solved. You’ve put the force
in a very bad light, are you aware of that?’
‘My job is to catch villains,’ Harry said. ‘Not to appear in a good light.’
‘It’s two sides of the same thing, Harry! Our working conditions are dependent on how the public
perceives us. The press is crucial!’
Harry shook his head. ‘The press has never hindered or helped me in solving a single case. The
press is crucial only for individuals who want to be in the limelight. The people you report to are
just concerned with having concrete results that will give them a good press. Or prevent a bad press.
I want to catch the Snowman, full stop.’
‘You’re a danger to your colleagues,’ Hagen said. ‘Do you know that?’
Harry seemed to be considering the statement, then nodded slowly, drained his glass and signalled
to the waitress that he wanted another.
‘I’ve just been talking to the Chief Superintendent and the Chief Constable,’ Hagen said, bracing
himself. ‘I was told to get hold of you instantly to muzzle you. From this very second. Understood?’
‘Fine, boss.’
Hagen blinked in amazement, but Harry’s face revealed nothing.
‘As of this moment, I’m going to be very hands-on, all the time,’ said the POB. ‘I want regular
reports. I know that you won’t do that, so I’ve spoken to Katrine Bratt and given her the job. Any
objections?’
‘None at all, boss.’
Hagen was thinking that Harry must have been drunker than he looked.
‘Bratt told me you’d asked her to go and see this assistant of Idar Vetlesen’s to check Arve Støp’s
files. Without going through the public prosecutor. What the bloody hell are you two doing? Do you
know what we would have been exposed to if Støp had found out?’