They said goodbye, and by the time Frode put down the phone again, Hjalmar stood with his feet wide apart, and his arms crossed over his chest."Who was it?"
Since he'd heard the conversation, the question was stupid, but Frode didn't have the energy to tell him so."Yeager.Nesterova had called him and said we had a drawing to do."
Hjalmar's lips thinned.
"I'm fine.Or I'm sure I'll be fine tomorrow.Yeager is cool.I don't mind working with him."
"No, I know.And I think the feeling is mutual.He's only ever had good things to say about you.It's the time frame that annoys me."
Frode could only nod.He wasn't a fan of the time frame either, but hopefully, he'd be fine tomorrow.
The microwave pinged, and he scrunched his nose.He needed to eat.The nausea wouldn't go away until he did, but he wasn't hungry.His eyelids were heavy, and he wanted to give in and allow them to close.
Hjalmar came back carrying a green plate of steaming spicy Brazilian coconut chicken and rice.Frode had white plates no one other than he touched, then he had four sets of green plates meant for guests.He only ever had Hjalmar over, but the green plates were for visitors.
He almost never took his gloves off other than when to sleep and shower, but if he wanted to be rid of them for some time, it was nice knowing the white plates were safe to touch.
Pushing up into a sitting position, Frode accepted the plate.He put some into his mouth and winced at the burn.Too hot.Hjalmar sighed and handed him a glass of water.
"How sure are you of having the image of the murderer?"
Frode scrunched his nose and ate another forkful of rice."I can't know for sure he's the killer, but he touched the rug both before the victim and after, before the forensic team."
Hjalmar nodded.
"Best would be to touch another--"
"No."
Frode didn't want to, so he didn't continue the sentence."The bodies were staged on the rugs, so it makes sense it's him.Unless someone else killed them, and he only did the staging.There was another man before the suspect.I guess I'll have to ask Yeager to sketch them both."His words grew increasingly slurred, and he forced down a few more bites of food, but it was hard to keep his eyes open.
When he realized he only had one eye open, he huffed.Hjalmar took the plate from him."Sleep."
"I should eat more."
"Mmm, but I don't think it's gonna happen.I'll reheat it when you wake again."
Frode closed his eyes."You should go back to work.I'll be fine."
Hjalmar said something, but he wasn't sure what.
* * * *
Chapter 9
Nikolai was in the conference room, looking at the photos and trying to see something he'd missed the first thousand or so times he'd looked at them when the door bounced against the wall.Hjalmar blocked the doorway and he looked like an enraged bull.
"Are you trying to kill him?"
Nikolai was surprised there wasn't smoke coming from his nostrils.
"Who?"He knew who, but he hoped to buy some time.He'd believed Hjalmar would have calmed down by now.
"You called Yeager before we'd made it home."
"Eh...You know how memories can change."
Hjalmar stared at him.Silence stretched, and Nikolai didn't know what they were waiting for.When Hjalmar finally spoke, it was only one word."Memories."
