Contents
Chapter 15 - Monday. Vena Amoris.
Overview
Barbara Svendsen is found executed and posed, her ring finger severed and a red star diamond planted—confirming a serial killer. Harry, despite revulsion at Waaler’s conduct, agrees to assist him to leverage his experience. A De Beers expert traces the diamonds to blood-diamond routes likely funneled through Eastern Europe, sharpening the investigation’s focus.
Summary
Harry Hole arrives at a law firm after a report of a body. In the women’s restroom, Detective Tom Waaler oversees the scene: receptionist Barbara Svendsen lies posed, shot in the back of the head with a Czech pistol fitted with a silencer. Harry notices her left ring finger severed and a red star-shaped diamond hidden in a heart-shaped earring.
Waaler taunts Harry with morbid curiosity, even forcing Harry’s hand to touch the corpse, and pointedly invites him into his clandestine “real life.” Harry deflects, but later calls Bjarne Møller and agrees to assist Waaler on the case due to the serial-killer pattern.
Beate Lønn arrives, confirms the mutilation occurred postmortem, and links the earring’s embedded star diamond to the earlier cases. The timeline narrows: Barbara left reception at 4:55 p.m. to fetch water for a first-time visitor and was found at 5:11 p.m. No witnesses report anything suspicious; the killer likely used the restroom’s hidden gun.
Harry struggles with withdrawal, vomits, and fends off the press. Later, a De Beers expert informs Beate that the red star diamonds are likely “blood diamonds” from Sierra Leone, probably laundered through former Eastern Bloc channels (ex-GDR/Czechoslovakia) with forged certificates, and that their mediocre clarity fits such re-cut stones.
As Beate reflects on the “vena amoris” lore, she and Harry note the Czech origin of both gun and earlier diamond routes, hinting at an Eastern European pipeline linked to the murders. A morning task-force meeting is set to mobilize the expanded investigation.
Who Appears
- Harry HoleDetective at the scene; spots mutilation and diamond; battles withdrawal; agrees to assist Waaler.
- Tom WaalerLeads scene; disturbingly touches the corpse; pressures Harry to join his covert operations.
- Beate LønnForensics lead; confirms severed ring finger and planted star diamond; consults De Beers expert.
- Barbara SvendsenVictim; receptionist found shot, posed, ring finger severed; earring holds red star diamond.
- Bjarne MøllerHarry’s boss; authorizes Harry to assist Waaler on the serial-killer investigation.
- De Beers diamond expertIdentifies red star diamonds as blood diamonds, likely laundered via former Eastern Bloc.
- Magnus SkarreDetective present amid the scene’s commotion, coordinating routine logistics.
- Visitor to the solicitors’ firmLast known to see Barbara alive; requested water; unfamiliar with the premises.
- Bjørn HolmForensics colleague who alerts Beate about the De Beers expert’s arrival.
- GjendemReporter outside the scene; recognized by Harry from a previous case.