Chapter 20 - Wednesday. Cathedral Builders.

Outside Frogner pool, Harry Hole brings Oleg to meet Rakel, who is furious that Harry exposed Oleg to a crime scene. Harry apologizes but watches them leave, aware he is prioritizing his own pursuit over those around him.

At Police HQ, Harry encounters Tom Waaler in the empty canteen and follows him to the roof terrace. Waaler shares a personal origin story of “cathedral building,” presenting himself as a grand architect of justice who accepts blood and bones as the price. He presses Harry for an answer about joining his covert operation, outlines a mandatory first “loyalty” assignment that likely breaks Norwegian law, and implies leverage. Waaler also passes on forensics news: Camilla Loen was two months pregnant. He then unnerves Harry by indicating he monitors Rakel, grants Harry a two-day deadline, and departs.

Near midnight at Forensics, Beate Lønn receives a call from a domineering superior demanding direct updates. She reports that excrement was found under Lisbeth Barli’s mailed finger, containing blood of group B—rare and matching donor Wilhelm Barli—implying a personal, degrading message from Lisbeth’s husband. The caller veers into sexual harassment, leaving Beate feeling exposed and unsafe.

Unable to sleep, Harry calls taxi-driving friend Øystein for help with the pentagram “code.” Øystein outlines a codebreaking approach blending logic and intuition, advocating a trance-like focus rather than brute-force methods, and leaves Harry sedatives, which Harry rejects. As they part, Harry admits he’s been offered a job he may not be able to refuse, clearly referencing Waaler, while Rakel’s absence weighs on him.