The Snowman ( PDFDrive )

‘Perfect? So Jonas was in the bank?’
‘Yes.’
Harry pondered. It was starting to dawn on him what he meant.
‘In other words, someone had already sent in a sample for Jonas’s DNA profile,’ Becker said. ‘I
was informed that the previous sample was seven years old.’
‘And they confirmed it was Jonas?’
‘No, it was anonymous. But they had the name of the client who had ordered the test.’
‘And that was?’
‘A medical centre that no longer exists.’ Harry knew the answer before Becker said it. ‘Marienlyst
Clinic.’
‘Idar Vetlesen,’ Harry said, angling his head as though studying a picture to see if it was hanging
straight.
‘Right,’ Becker said, clapping his hands together and smiling weakly. ‘That was it. All I wanted to
say was that I have no son.’
‘I’m sorry.’
‘Actually I’ve had that feeling for a long time.’
‘Mm. Why the hurry to come here and tell me?’
‘I don’t know,’ Becker said.
Harry waited.
‘I I had to do something tonight. Like this. If I hadn’t I don’t know what I would’ve done. I ’
The professor hesitated before going on. ‘I’m alone now. My life no longer has much meaning. If
the gun had been real ’
‘Don’t,’ Harry said. ‘Don’t even think it. The thought will only become more tempting the more
you caress it. And you’re forgetting one thing. Even if your life has no meaning for you, it has
meaning for others. For Jonas, for example.’
‘Jonas?’ Becker snorted with a bitter laugh. ‘The cuckoo? “Don’t caress the thought” – is that what
they teach you at Police College?’
‘No,’ Harry said.
They eyed each other.
‘Whatever,’ Becker said. ‘Now you know.’