"Dubose."
Frode nodded, not because he knew her name, but he was sure Hjalmar did."And the cute guy from the forensic team."
A flicker of a smile."Saylor."
"His name is Saylor?"It was a name his brain should've stored.
"Jaxon Saylor."
"Are you kidding?"
"No, why?"
"It sounds like a made-up name."
"Like Frode Bakke?"
Frode scowled.Out of the two of them, he believed he'd drawn the winning ticket in the name lottery.Their mother's love for everything Norwegian was insane, and a lot of people had teased him for his name through the years, but he still believed it was better than Hjalmar.
"Way cooler than Frode Bakke."
"You only say that because you think he's cute."
Frode was aware of what he was doing.This teasing was to calm him, to help center him, and he appreciated it, he did, but he also wanted this over with so he could go home and not pick up his phone for a day or two.
"Next is a man I haven't seen before."
Hjalmar nodded."What does he look like?"
Frode closed his eyes."Mid-forties, perhaps.Dark, almost black hair.I want to say Italian, but I'm basing it on his colors.Could be entirely wrong.Handsome."
Hjalmar nudged the folder with the photos closer to him, and he forced himself to focus on them.He looked at one at the time before moving on to the next.
When he turned the page, Hjalmar stiffened.Frode looked up at him."You expected him to be on the first page?"
"Yeah."
Shaking his head, he continued assessing the photos.Hjalmar always placed his top suspects on the first page to make this part as short as possible.Frode crashed after a reading and needed to rest, as Hjalmar knew.
Frode appreciated everything he did.He did, despite snarling at him for it at times.
It was different when he worked with other agents and detectives.They were not as accommodating.
On the last row on the fourth page, he found him.It was a photo taken of the man from afar as he exited a building, but recognition sang in Frode's bones.
He tapped a gloved finger at it."There he is."
Hjalmar spun the folder around so fast, Frode hardly managed to get his hand away in time.
"Are you kidding me?"
Stupid questions don't deserve any answers, so Frode kept quiet.
"That's--" Hjalmar pressed his lips together."He's up top, not at the absolute top, but he sure as hell hangs out with them on a regular basis.I didn't think he did any dirty work anymore."
Frode still didn't speak.He didn't want to know.He touched things and pointed at photos.It was as deep into police work as he was willing to get."I hope it helps."
Hjalmar stared at him."Yeah...Yeah, only have to prove it, you know."
