Contents
Chapter 2 - Friday. Staff Leave.
Overview
Chief Inspector Bjarne Møller receives a call about a suspicious apartment leak and assembles a minimal summer staff. He sends forensic specialist Beate Lønn and star detective Tom Waaler, then reluctantly adds the troubled but brilliant Harry Hole. Møller risks pairing Hole with Waaler despite Hole’s unproven accusations against him, signaling looming internal tension.
Summary
At Oslo Police Headquarters, a notification about a leak discovered through a downstairs complaint reaches Chief Inspector Bjarne Møller. With half the division on summer leave, Møller seeks available personnel for what may be a serious incident in Sofies gate.
Møller first secures forensic support by contacting Beate Lønn at Krimteknisk, recognizing her singular focus and investigative tenacity inherited from mentor Karl Weber. He promises to send officers to accompany her to the scene.
Needing a lead detective, Møller calls Tom Waaler, the unit’s reliable star with a spotless reputation despite two fatal shootings later cleared by SEFO as justified. Confident in Waaler’s leadership, Møller considers him a likely future chief.
Facing staff shortages, Møller contemplates and then confronts the necessity of calling Harry Hole, the brilliant but erratic detective absent on a month-long binge after obsessively revisiting the closed murder of his colleague Ellen Gjelten and accusing Waaler without evidence. Møller worries about Harry’s mental state and career but needs his skills.
Accepting the risk, Møller resolves to put Harry and Waaler on the same case alongside Beate Lønn. As he makes the call, the signal connects toward the flat in Sofies gate, where potential chaos awaits.
Who Appears
- Bjarne MøllerCrime Squad Chief Inspector; coordinates response to the leak, assigns Lønn, Waaler, and recalls Harry despite risks.
- Tom WaalerTop detective; dependable, cleared in two shootings; assigned to lead the new case.
- Harry HoleBrilliant but alcoholic detective; missing for weeks; reluctantly added, despite prior accusations against Waaler.
- Beate LønnForensic specialist; summoned from the lab to process the Sofies gate scene.
- Karl WeberRetired forensics head; Lønn’s mentor, noted for shared forensic focus and rigor.