Call Me Princess by Sara Blædel Read Free Book Online Page A

said.
    “Should I swing by Tivoli after we pick up Susanne?” Lars asked once they were seated in the car. “While the two of you go look at some photos?”
    She thought about it.
    “I think we should bring her to Tivoli with us, if Jakobsen doesn’t have any objections. There’s a chance that some part of what she’s repressing will make its way to the surface when she finds herself back in the place where they had a good time together.”
    But when Louise checked in with Jakobsen’s secretary to pick up Susanne, Jakobsen came out to let her know that it was probably going to take another hour or two before he was ready to let her go. He looked serious.
    “Detective Rick,” he began, “the guy who raped her was kind enough to make it clear that he was just giving her what she had asked for,” he said.
    Louise sighed. Oh God, poor Susanne, it’s so unfair. Previous experience told her that repressed memories could have two outcomes, and in some cases one of these was quite striking: the victim would simply push the traumatic event out of her mind. But it could also have the opposite effect, as in this case, where she had obviously repressed the details of what was going on when she said he was “just” giving her what she had asked for. As far as Louise understood the psychologist’s explanation, Susanne had somehow gotten it into her head that she had actually asked to be raped.
    “This is obviously very harmful to her mental state,” Jakobsen continued, “and I have to smash that notion before I’ll allow her to leave.”
    Louise could only nod and accept that there was nothing she could do about it. Jakobsen always got his way. It was obviously also more important for Susanne to be able to continue living with herself than for them to get a good description of the suspect right this very moment. More important from a human perspective! she thought, repressing her inner cop.
    “Tell her to call me when she gets home, and we’ll make a new appointment.”

6
    T HEY PARKED ON O TTO M ØNSTEDSGADE, ENTERED POLICE headquarters through the side door next to the municipal courtroom where they hold preliminary hearings, and continued on up to the second floor to Unit A.
    “So we’re essentially in a holding pattern,” Lars said, flopping down into his chair. “It’s irritating that there isn’t a crowd of witnesses to help us identify this perp. On the other hand it’s just fucking weird not to have to go through a ton of witness statements.”
    “So why don’t you go down to Tivoli and ask if anyone saw anything?” Louise suggested absent-mindedly, as she checked to see if they’d gotten any messages while they were out. “Although I don’t know what picture you would take to show people.” She glanced over at him. “We only have pictures of Susanne in her battered state. There’s not a soul alive who could recognize her face that way. And in terms of the perp, it’s not like we have much of a description to go by. I would assume there were quite a few dark-haired men among the couples dining there Monday night if you were to ask at the various restaurants. So if going down there would make you feel more productive, give it a try. But first, drive back to her apartment and find a picture that actually looks like her.”
    Just then there was a knock on the door, and Heilmann walked in.
    “We traced his e-mails,” she announced.
    Sergeant Henny Heilmann was fifty-seven and had been the head of Group 2 for the four years Louise had been working in the homicide division. When Heilmann’s husband had fallen seriously ill last year, she had taken some time off to stay home and take care of him toward the end. It took less than a week, and he was dead, but it took three months before she came back to work. Since then, she’d told Louise that she’d spent the first month slowly trying to adjust to the idea that she was alone. And that twenty-six years of marriage were over. After that, she’d