Iben hadnt given this a moments thought before, but now things suddenly fell into place. So much would make perfect sense if Anne-Lise were hitting the bottle because of problems at home.

Lea must have pa.s.sed the story on, because there were other vague inquiries from contacts at the university. Iben and Malene both realized that to hint at their misgivings about Anne-Lises possible alcohol problem was the wisest way to make people realize what a difficult and unstable person she was to work with. Throughout this whole unpleasant business, Iben has urged that they should not aim to harm Anne-Lise more than they absolutely have to. It is important to her that she behaves as a good person would, given the circ.u.mstances. So Iben has tried to stick to this approach in spite of Anne-Lises ingratiating herself with Lea, Brigitte, and others in the network, and despite the way Anne-Lise seems unaffected by the unpleasant atmosphere in the office that weighs so heavily on Iben and Malene. Anne-Lise seems prepared to fight on forever, as if shes in her element on the field of battle.

When Iben returns to the rheumatology clinic, Malene is still waiting to see the doctor. Her eyes are fixed on the wall in front of her, and her breathing is shallow and troubled. She keeps her arms tight to her body.

The needle that the doctor will soon use is a ma.s.sive affair, a small tube with a sharply pointed tip, designed to allow viscous fluid to flow in. Iben knows that she should go into the examination room with Malene and hold her hand during the procedure.

She begins to tell Malene about the phone calls but soon gives up: Malene is too distracted to respond. They sit there for almost another hour before the doctor calls Malene. Hes new, but comes across as trustworthy. His neatly trimmed white beard and relaxed movements remind Iben of Ole, only hes younger and some twenty pounds lighter.

Iben and the doctor help Malene onto the couch. He palpates her knee to a.s.sess the extent of the swelling. The pressure inside the joint is so great that a bulge, distended with fluid, has pushed its way between two tendons at the back of her knee. He seems puzzled.

And you tell me everything was fine last night?

Yes.

He slides his hand along her leg below the knee. I see. Well, its most unusual for the swelling to reach this state so quickly.

I know. Its never been like this before.

What did you do yesterday? Any sudden or odd movements?

Iben watches the many little twitches of pain that come and go on Malenes face. She wishes she could do something to help her.

Malene tries to sound pleasant, but her voice is dry and squeaky. Well, I did.

The doctor focuses his entire attention on her knee.

Malene tries to explain. I ran around. Moved faster than I normally do. But I felt fine at the time.

At last he looks up, gazing at her calmly. You certainly managed to damage your knee.

Even though he is addressing Malene, he looks across to Iben, almost as if he thinks she is her friends partner.

What you must always keep in mind is that your joints are no longer what they once were. The bone surfaces are both softer and rougher, and thats why its easier to injure them. Also, because the bone is more exposed, its more p.r.o.ne to cracking. Fragments can come off inside the joint. Your pain may well be due to one of these small local fractures. Which means that Ill have to send you off to X-ray before I aspirate the joint.

But how long will that take?

Ill phone them right away and find out when they can see you. Schedules are tight here, but lets hope theyll be able to fit you in.

He has already lifted the receiver when Malene bursts into tears. Cant you drain my knee now? Just a little?

Im afraid not. It could cause damage.

Please, cant you do something? Take some out. Just a little.

From where she lies on the couch her head is turned toward the doctor. He leans forward across the desk. When I tell you I cant, its not because I want to make you miserable, but because Im doing whats best for you for your knee.

He arranges with the X-ray receptionist that, if all goes well, Malene will be seen in about an hours time.

Ill phone the porters. Theyll send someone to take you across.

Tears are streaming down Malenes face, but she makes no sound.

Ibens voice is shrill. Cant you give her something for the pain? You cant leave her in this state!

Of course. Tell me, Malene, what have you taken so far?

When he hears the quant.i.ties of painkillers that Malene has swallowed this morning, he says it is essential that she wait before taking any more. He promises that by the time shes allowed any more medication, he will already have drained her knee joint.

As Iben helps Malene out of the room, the doctor a.s.sures them that h.e.l.l contact the X-ray department again and try to get Malene in earlier. A porter has come along with a wheelchair and pushes her along the dilapidated corridors. Iben accompanies them, carrying their coats.

Then they wait. Again. The X-ray waiting area is a long, narrow pa.s.sage where patients, attached to their drips, sleep in their beds. Its hard to think of anything to chat about. Iben feels its not right to rattle on about any old thing, but theres not much else to say. It hurts and thats it.

After half an hour Malene finally speaks. Rasmus will be landing soon.

Of course. Its annoying that youre not allowed to keep your cell phone on.

There are drops of sweat on Malenes rigid upper lip. She says nothing, so Iben carries on talking.

He would have phoned. No question about that.

Iben hears Malenes deliberate breathing. In. Pause. Out. Pause. In. Pause. Its maddening not to be able to do something.

Malene, would you like me to pop outside with your cell phone to see if theres a message from Rasmus?

A stranger slowly turns her face toward Iben and nods. Ibens smile feels artificial.

Good. Ill do that.

She takes Malenes cell phone from her coat pocket, still smiling, and heads outside.

Theres a message from Rasmus. Against the background noise of the airport, his low voice is like a caress.

h.e.l.lo, Squidgy b.u.m. I have to board soon. Two seconds. Peter is okay again, just like you thought. Lets make that a dozen USB connections. Thats it, not another word. Youre so smart! Ill be home before you know it and then Ill suck and lick you until you drive the people downstairs crazy and they start banging on the ceiling and the windows crack. But well carry on anyway, without windowpanes, and then the next-door neighbors will give us grief too. But we wont give a f.u.c.k, will we? Sweet Malene. Kiss.

Iben presses the key to save the message for Malene. Then she stands still, the cold piercing her. No one has ever spoken to her like that. No one has ever used that kind of voice, a sweet, s.e.xy voice.

So what?

She thinks of Gunnar. Malene keeps him on hold just in case. Gunnar. Right now, hes presumably sitting in his editors chair in his office at Development. Lord alone knows what he thinks. How much he envies Rasmus, perhaps. Rasmus, who is allowed to leave such messages for Malene.

When Malene met Rasmus three years ago, she thought hed be nothing more than a fling. For weeks she told stories about him, giving away the most intimate details, the weird or selfish things he did, his lopsided c.o.c.k everything. Then, all of a sudden, Malene stopped handing out these tidbits. Iben has a pretty good idea that it is now Rasmus who is learning amazingly personal things about her. Theres no telling what kind of image he has of his beloveds best friend.

When Rasmus is not away on sales trips, Malene often complains that they dont see enough of each other. Most evenings he isnt back from work much before bedtime. She sometimes seems happier when hes away on business because then she can look forward to seeing him again and is able to forget how late he works when hes back home.

Once Malene told her delightedly that she and Rasmus had been talking about having a baby. For a while afterward Iben asked about their plans, but now its been at least a year since Malene mentioned it.

The days when she is most down, Iben thinks about her friends situation and suspects that Rasmus will be off the moment he finds the right woman. Even when she isnt feeling pessimistic, Iben still believes that Malene and Rasmuss relationship has lasted only because of Rasmuss constant travels. Yet Iben hardly dares to think of how bitter Malene would be if Rasmus were to leave her.

Iben punches in Gunnars work number on her cell phone but then deletes each number, one by one. Next, she phones Tatianas secretary in the RTC office and asks for some pictures from their archive for the next DCIG newsletter.

Iben knows the secretary well and casually slips in mention of their problems at work. Im not positive that she drinks too much. Or else, it could be that some of her problems are caused by trying to stop. I have seen her shaking like a leaf once Yes, in the office.

Iben returns to the long pa.s.sage crowded with semiconscious patients waiting to be X-rayed.

Malene, Rasmus left a message for you. Its a great message.

Malene doesnt respond.

He says hes crazy about you and youre going to have a fantastic time when he gets back.

Still no response. Its clear that Malene has lost touch with her surroundings; there are beads of sweat all over her pale face, and she radiates discomfort.

Iben leans back in her chair, looking around for the usual supply of torn magazines. There are none. She checks her bag but seems to have forgotten to put in the thin volume of lectures by Christopher Browning that she is currently reading. All she can do is sit in silence by Malenes side.

They wait until Malene is called in. Then they wait for Malenes X-rays to be developed. And then they wait for the porter to turn up with the wheelchair.

Back in the rheumatology clinic, the doctor immediately sees how poorly Malene is doing by now and brings them into the consulting room at once.

Malene sits quietly as he examines the X-rays. He phones Medical Imaging to consult with a radiologist. The X-rays show a small, dark line across one of the bones in the knee joint.

When he has finished the call, he is still uncertain. The X-rays dont show anything unusual. I want to examine your knee again more thoroughly, to look for injured tendons and such.

Iben can tell by Malenes face that this is not the time to hold her aching hand.

After more probing, it doesnt take long before five large syringes are lined up on the little table next to the couch, each one filled with turgid yellow fluid.

At last Malene feels better. She sits up, but cautiously.

Ouch! f.u.c.k oh, no! She sighs deeply, many times, and looks around the room as if she hasnt seen it before. Oh, G.o.d. It still hurts so badly. But at least I can feel the rest of me. She blinks and turns her head, first to one side, and then to the other. Thank you. And then, Iben thank you.

Iben feels tearful as she looks at her friend, but doesnt cry. Its over for now. Malene is gradually becoming her old self.

Oh, man! Practically everything still hurts. Especially my feet and hands. That came on overnight as well.

The doctor is bending over one of her hands. Aha. Now, that would explain it!

What explains what?

Look, you didnt take your tablets yesterday. Perhaps not the day before either.

Of course I did.

He looks skeptical. Ive checked your notes. Last time you were here, about six weeks ago, Niels put you on methotrexate, once a week.

Yes.

And until the methotrexate started to work, you were to take cortisone daily.

Yes, I know.

But as long as youre taking these things, you shouldnt be having any unprovoked attacks.

But I have taken my medication.

Then this shouldnt have happened. Inflammation in every joint Obviously the doctor does not believe her; he simply cant be bothered arguing. He mutters something and starts writing up his notes.

Then something occurs to him: Your medication. Have you got it here?

Iben finds Malenes medicine in her handbag. The tablets are kept in an art nouveau silver cigarette case, which Malene had bought secondhand and had lined with velvet.

The doctor leans across the table. He takes one of the tablets and holds it up. There you are. This isnt cortisone.

But I put them in there myself.

The doctors thick finger pushes the small white tablets around on the velvety surface. He leans back in his chair, completely sure of himself.

When he speaks, his lips curl a little. The proper pills are notched in a different way from these. But you must have been taking them until the day before yesterday, at least, or you would have had one of these attacks earlier.

What are you saying? That yesterday someone exchanged my proper medication for ? Malenes voice cracks.

Iben makes a sudden noise, as if someone has. .h.i.t her hard in the solar plexus.

Suddenly they both know that someone has been tampering with Malenes tablets.

Malene keeps her medicine in her bag, which she always puts on the floor next to her desk. Yesterday, only a very few people would have had access to it.

Malene throws her head back and screams. How could she do this? Shes sick!

Then she starts crying: I cant Oh, I couldnt Something flashes across Ibens mind. Anne-Lise couldnt be that evil! Could she?

It must be someone else.

But then her common sense tells her that her instinct must be wrong. Anne-Lise is capable of all kinds of things. And despite her outward calm, they know that, deep down, Anne-Lise is enraged.

anne-lise.

chapter 24.

it must be said that for a long time now weve had a sneaking suspicion that you might decide to leave us and go on to greater things. And of course we realized that you would prefer to work on something meaningful, somewhere that would offer you the opportunity to make the world a better place. This is precisely why were all sad that youre leaving us, and so soon too.