Gabi Henriksen hung up the ‘phone after promising Sand she would do as he asked. It was typical of her older partner. He was a great mentor and friend, but always over-protective of her. He thought he was some kind of father figure to her. While Gabi appreciated how much he had looked after her from day one in the Serious Crime unit, she knew she could stand on her own two feet.
She also wasn’t convinced about the hypotheses that she would be the next target just because she had taken over from Egil Lund as Sand’s partner. She was still in nursery school when the Eckberg case was all over the news. Even a crazy person would have a hard time blaming her for what happened back then.
Still, she had better do what Sand had asked. He would be bound to check up on her when he returned tomorrow evening from Alta.
It was late evening. Pedersen had gone home for the night already. Gabi was surprised when she looked up and saw that she was the only person left in the office. She tried Pedersen’s mobile and got his answering service. She left a message explaining their latest theory and Sand’s request that she be given some protection.
Through the front desk she got the home number for Officer Håkon Berg, the name Sand had given her. He answered her call. She explained the situation to him. When she mentioned Sand’s name, Berg began to pay attention.
‘If Anders thinks there’s a reason to be worried, it usual pays to listen to him,’ Berg warned her. ‘What is your address? I’ll pack a few things and meet you there tonight.’
Gabi gave him the address and hung up. She was surprised to find she felt relieved that Berg had agreed to help. Maybe she was hiding her own worries from herself. Calm down, she thought. Dag Moen has only killed one person, who was unsuspecting and alone. She was a trained officer, armed and experienced, and now she had an equally experienced officer backing her up.
She had one more folder to check through and make notes on from the old case files on Eckberg. She wanted to get that finished tonight. A cup of coffee to keep her alert and then she would work through it before heading home.
She took her mug to the small sink area that served the office. She filled the kettle up and clicked it on. The door opened next to her. Gabi jumped, then chided herself for reacting like that as the cleaner wheeled in his service trolley.
‘Evening,’ she nodded to the young man. He only nodded in reply, under a baseball cap that was pulled down over his face. Gabi spooned two heaps of coffee into her mug. Something in her tired brain alerted her. The cleaner for the office was the old man, Jorn. Probably on a night off. Calm down Henriksen, she told herself.
She felt the arm reach round her shoulder too late. Another hand clamped a wet cloth over her mouth and nose. She breathed in pungent fumes of chloroform before she lost consciousness.
The kettle clicked as the water reached boiling point.
This is part eleven of my A to Z Challenge 2017. More information on the challenge, and other stories and blogs taking part in it, can be found HERE.
Throughout April I hope to publish a section a day, relating to a letter of the alphabet, which in the end will make up a continuous story, all based round the objects found in this children’s jigsaw:
Other entries in the challenge, and a version of the final complete, joined up story can be found here: A TO Z CHALLENGE 2017.
60 responses to “K IS FOR KETTLE”
Hey, I think there’s a typo in the third paragraph. You probably meant “Still, she had better do what Sand had asked.”
Oh noo. I hope Gabi doesn’t end up as a victim in this case! You have a real knack for writing cliffhanger endings. I’ll be anxiously waiting for the next part.
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Thanks, corrected that typo. Glad you enjoyed it 🙂
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I’m really enjoying this series. 😁
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The suspense is now mounting Iain,…….waiting to learn the reason behind the murders!
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Not even half way yet…Still a bit of waiting to go!
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Ooh, a cliffhanger……. I’ll be back tomorrow.
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Thanks Sally, hope you’re still enjoying it.
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well at least he didn’t kill her…yet 😐
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The ending of this chapter gave me the shivers! Great stuff Iain.
Another day in Amble Bay!
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Thanks Keith
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What has he got planned for her though
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I think your murderer is killing his way from A to Z! Really enjoying the series so far!
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Thanks Halee – bit like the writers on the a to z challenge, will they make it all the way to Z!
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Oh dear… *worries for Gabi*
Anna
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Hope you come back tomorrow to find out if she survives. Thanks for reading 🙂
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You left us hanging, wondering 🙂
http://sagecoveredhills.blogspot.com/2017/04/k-is-for-king-cepheus.html
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Tune in tomorrow, not too long to wait.
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Omigod, Gabi!! 😱
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It’s not looking good for her at the moment…
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Kind of saw that one coming. Poor Gabi.
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There might still be a few twists and turns to come before Z.
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Uh, oh. I’m going to guess someone rescues her in time, but maybe that’s just hopeful thinking. There’s got to be a reason she’s only been rendered unconsious, and not killed outright. Hopefully…
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Perhaps hoping to lure his main target 🙂
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Ah-ha!
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Yikes!!! Not Gabi…
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Afraid so 😦
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I guessed something would happen to Gabi. It’s not good, is it? And I have no choice but to wait till tomorrow. Sigh! You have a way with teasing your readers.
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A good cliffhanger I thought, if I do say so myself 🙂
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Oh, it is. It definitely is. Hence the teasing remark. So not fair, Iain. So not fair. The wait for the next post is too long.
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Aw, I don’t want Gabi to die. Please have her survive 🙂
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It’s already written, it can’t be changed now… 🙂
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😦 But maybe she will, right?
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That would be telling 🙂
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🙂
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Such a great pickup line: ‘What is your address? I’ll pack a few things and meet you there tonight.’
Alas, only disappointment will greet him it appears.
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He’s a professional, no alterior motive surely!
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Nooo not Gabi, not yet. Ooh is he going to hide her in a lorry? You’ve got all of us hanging on every word every day.
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A fair chance there’ll be a lorry tomorrow 🙂 thank you.
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And then? And then? What happened??????
@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter – 1940s Film Noir
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Only a few more hours and you will find out – although there are a few more cliffhangers to go, not even halfway yet! 🙂
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Dear Gabi needed to be a bit more suspicious, especially as a member of law enforcement! (Obviously doesn’t watch horror movies either.) Biting nails til next installment! 🙂
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Should’ve seen it coming!
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waiting eagerly for more…….
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Thank you!
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Iain, this is so clever, you have us all hooked.
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Thanks Shehanne. Almost halfway 🙂
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I know and nicely paced too
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OH NO! I was worried about Gabi. Have to say I am kinda glad I missed reading this yesterday, now I don’t have to wait to find out what happened. Going to go read your next part 🙂
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Thanks Joy. Maybe it works leaving a few days and then having a binge catch up!
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Wow, that last line makes for one killer cliffhanger. I’m a couple days behind on my reading, so I’ll find out what happens to Gabi soon enough…but it’ll still be a long wait.
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A chance to catch up over the weekend. Hope you enjoy 🙂
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I too had Kettle for my K post 🙂 Well, I guess the story also reaches a boiling point here. Feel sad for Gabi. Maybe she should have asked Berg to come to the office as opposed to her home. Sigh!
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If only, if only… 🙂
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Oh no!! Oh nonono!! *gaspsinhorror*
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Ah, yes I thought he used chloroform in the first place. I just thought he should have kept more on hand for the next chapter 🙂
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Chloroform alongside the kettle clicking as it hit boiling — great sensory detail as well as symbolism.
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Wow! boiling point .. truly boiling for us the readers as well!
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Thank you for all your kind comments, you’re doing well getting through it all. 🙂
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Gabi allowed her confidence to weaken her and now she is in the killer’s clutches.
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If she’d been reading the story she would have seen it coming!
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