Sand hung up the ‘phone. The rain battered off the hotel room window. Pedersen had given him permission to stay on for a couple more days in Bergen. Nothing had happened in Oslo. Dag Moen had still gone to ground somewhere. Either he was gone for good or he was biding his time. There was no reason for Sand to go back to Oslo. He could dig round further in Bergen. It would be difficult to find any surviving evidence to link Jules Eckberg, alias Verne Schloss, to the Karlstad murder. In some ways it didn’t matter. Eckberg was dead and he had spent his life in jail for murder. The fact it was a different murder in Oslo made little difference. Sand lay down on the bed and closed his eyes.
***
Egil Lund admonished his young partner. ‘You may have been a detective for a couple of years now, but you still have a lot to learn.’
Sand shook his head at the elder detective. They sat in the car, where they had been for the whole evening. The crumpled takeaway wrappers were tossed onto the back seat, the radio news played in the background. The death of Princess Diana in Paris still dominated the headlines.
‘I’m just saying,’ Sand continued, ‘we won’t catch this guy sitting around waiting for him. We need to try and draw him out. Taunt him. Rattle his cage.’
‘How exactly do you suggest we do that?’ Lund said. ‘Patience, Anders. If there’s one thing you need to be a good detective, it’s patience.’ Sand mouthed along the last two words as Lund said them. He had heard the lesson before.
‘Sure, I know, but…’
Lund interrupted him, grabbing his arm and pointing across the road.
‘One day you will learn that I am always right,’ Lund said. Sand followed his look. Across the street a tall man had entered the building they had been watching for the last week. ‘Even murderers are creatures of habit.’
They had been staking out Jules Eckberg’s favourite drinking hole, and there he was, casually strolling in the door.
Sand opened his door. Lund tried to hold his arm. ‘We call back up,’ Lund said.
‘Come on. He doesn’t know we’re here. We can arrest him ourselves.’ Sand got out and closed the car door.
‘Shit,’ Lund swore under his breath. He called in the sighting and requested a tactical team. Then he hurried across the road after his eager partner.
Sand walked into the dingy bar. Weak sunlight created shafts through dirty windows. The barman was sitting on a barstool reading a newspaper. A woman sat in a corner booth. A dog slept next to her.
Sand took out his badge and showed it to the barman. ‘The man that just came in here. Where is he?’
The barman took in the smartly-dressed young man in his pressed suit and tie. He didn’t like young upstarts. He liked police officers even less. ‘What man?’
Sand impetuously stepped forward. He didn’t notice the narrow entrance that led to the toilet. Too late he saw the movement out of the corner of his eye. The glass smashed into the side of his head and sent him sprawling to the floor. The man was on top of him before he could recover. He felt his tie being yanked hard, it closed round his neck. With his other hand, Eckberg punched Sand hard. Sand gasped for breath. The more he struggled the tighter his tie gripped his neck. Sand was sure he was about to blackout.
Then there was a crash as Eckberg was tackled by a charging Lund. Sand struggled to loosen the noose around his neck. He crouched on all fours, sucking in oxygen. He heard the click and Lund’s voice. ‘Jules Eckberg, you are under arrest on suspiscion of murdering Bjarne Johansen.’
Sand struggled to his feet. Lund marched Eckberg passed him. Sand looked into Eckberg’s eyes. He expected them to be wild, the eyes of a deranged madman. They were only cold and filled with hate. The tactical unit burst through the door.
‘One day you’ll listen,’ Lund chastised Sand. ‘How many times do I have to tell you not to wear a tie? Ties are for bankers, lawyers and politicians.’
Sand took the crumpled tie off. The barman still sat on the bar stool. He hadn’t moved.
‘Whiskey.’ Sand said. ‘Make it a double.’ He threw the tie down on the bar.
***
Sand opened his eyes as his ‘phone rang. He reached over and swiped the screen to answer the call.
‘So you made it to Bergen,’ Dag Moen said.
This is part twenty 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.
I’ve stopped reading these now, I’m too impatient lol I need this challenge to be over so I can read the whole lot because it’s really rather good 🙂
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A week today it will all be done and you can read it all! Very kind, thank you 🙂
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Yay!! That is good news indeed 🙂
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A week today it will be all be over and you can read it all! Very kind, thank you 🙂
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Haha tell me about it ! I am going to re read the whole thing once the challenge is over 😀
Asmita
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Oh I couldn’t wait that long, not having started. I’ve managed a couple of days, but no more.
*And* I get awfully curious as to how you’re going to use the prompt!
Bunny and the Bloke
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Ha, thanks Debs. Hope you enjoy the final week 🙂
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Lund’s comment on the tie made me smile 😊 Can’t wait to read more!!
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Thanks Annie, a little flashback before we get into the final showdown!
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Okay, so Moen knows Sand is in Bergen. Is that good or bad?? I know, I know. I have to wait for the next installment.
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Only 6 more to go 🙂
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For you, it’s ‘only’. For us, it’s ‘ we have to wait for six more days!’
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I can’t wait to see what tomorrow’s installment brings (I know, probably lots of rain). This story is so good, it has me impatiently waiting for the next installment every day!
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Thank you Christine! I really hope you enjoy the final week of the story 🙂
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Being able to go back and read the entire thing from the beginning, without having to wait for the next installment, would definitely be a good way to spend the first part of next week. 🙂
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So good, Iain. Waiting impatiently for the finale!
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Thank you, hope you like it!
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I’m sure it will be wonderful!
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A probation officer said he had to wear a tie on duty but it was always a clip on just to avoid what Sand had happen to him.
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Very sensible!
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Getting there nicely Iain. x
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Final week, hope you enjoy it 🙂
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Looking forward
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Nice flashback. Can we assume the lesson he learned back then will shortly come into play?
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I can’t wait what tomorrow’s episode will unearth……
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Not long to wait 🙂
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Now you’re really “tying” it all together. Nice work!
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Ha ha, I see what you did there. Hopefully this week will tie it all up nicely!
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Can’t wait!
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Looking forward to the big showdown!
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Waiting for the finale! 🙂 Tks U
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Thanks for reading, I hope you like it 🙂
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… certainly! 🙂
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This is building up nicely. Not long to go now.
Another day in Amble Bay!
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Thanks Keith, it’s turned into a bit of an epic which I wasn’t planning. Hopefully I can reach an end by Sunday!
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Not long now, I like the flashback but I’m excited to see how it all plays out 🙂
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Helps keep the suspense going and tells a bit more about Sand’s character – don’t worry the big showdown is coming! 🙂
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OH what a way to end! Can’t wait to see what happens!
Really liked the flashback, I think Sands learned the lesson about he tie 🙂
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He hasn’t worn a tie to work since 🙂
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LOL!
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I really like this one. The differences between the young cop and the older experienced cop are so charming, because on a level, I think both men are right and wrong at the same time.
I’m expecting this dream to have an importance in what will follow 😉
@JazzFeathers
The Old Shelter – 1940s Film Noir
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Thanks, all building up his character for the showdown to come 🙂
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*does a happy dance because this is getting beyond exciting*
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Ha, what a lovely comment! 🙂
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Oooh! The tension escalates! How did Dag find Sand?!
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This flashback…so vivid!
Wondering if this is foreshadowing for the story’s finale…
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Yes, in that Sand still rushes in without any back up when he should know better!
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One of the reasons we readers so resonate with the guy!
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Oh, delicious. At first, I wanted you to end the scene at the moment he throws his tie down on the bar. But then! Yessssssssssss. Dag makes his little phone call to heighten the tension and it’s almost like tightening the tie around his neck all over again! Well done, Iain.
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Nice blast from the past. Loved the ending – it was like being jolted from your dream! 🙂
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Exciting. Sand is saved in the nick of time.
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It’s been a while but I’m back and I can’t wait to see how this goes! 🙂
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