A dreamy expression slipped over Kristian Lund’s face. For a few moments he sat behind his desk lost in his own thoughts. Then he smiled with momentary self-irony.
‘Even if one of us had wanted to, it was by then far too late to stop, both mentally and physically. Only brute force could have held me back, and it would have required handcuffs and a horde of constables. It was wrong, of course, thinking of my wife and baby son. But strangely enough, I have never regretted it either. She is far stronger than she appears, both physically and mentally. It was wilder than anything I had experienced in the bedroom before. To feel my tall, dark dream woman underneath me, minute after minute, until I finally collapsed exhausted with a loud groan, was truly the greatest love and triumph I have ever felt in my life. It felt as though I really was the first to be allowed in, and to scale such dizzy heights. Which is what she told me later, and I do believe it was true.’
I waited for a continuation that never came. Kristian Lund remained in his dream world for a while longer.
‘And then…’
He looked up, distracted, at once accusing and apologetic.
‘Then we lay there shamelessly naked for a few hours more. We smoked and talked about life and love, until I looked at my watch and discovered that I should have picked up my wife in Bygdøy five minutes earlier. Fortunately, Karen accepted my excuse that I had lain down for a while and lost track of time without question. Though in many ways, it was in fact true…’
He gave what I assumed was meant to be a disarming smile, but I would not be sidetracked.
‘But this was not on the day of the murder, was it?’
He immediately understood what I meant and shook his head with a grave expression.
‘No, not at all. It was on 12 November last year. I went to bed with my wife as normal that night, but slept very little. My mind was elsewhere. At first, I thought I could avoid Sara for a few days in the hope that it would pass, leaving nothing but a sweet memory. I tried getting up half an hour earlier than usual the next morning, but there she was again, waiting. I thought I might explain to her that we could not carry on meeting, but instead the opposite happened. In the course of the journey, I realized that she was the great love of my life, in both body and mind. It was the first time that I had not only fallen in love with and been physically attracted to a woman, but also felt that we shared a destiny. The love of my life was right there in front of me, living in the same building. Two days later, I was in her bed again. And since then I have bitterly regretted the fact that I was already married to someone else when I met her. Sara would of course like me to marry her, but understands that it is not easy to leave a wife and child.’