Conspiracies

16. Free.

We got home almost at nightfall. Lasse had already told me about his campaign plan and the events he had scheduled for tomorrow. I pretended to listen to him. In reality, the concern I had about the interview, about what I was going to do occupied my mind. I looked out the cold car window, observing the people who were in the dark streets of Copenhagen. Would they be happy? Are they comfortable with their lives? Do you have concerns? I began to confuse my mind with questions, doubts, concerns, and thoughts that kept me up at night.

The house was cleaned thanks to a team hired by Lasse so that when we returned, everything would be just as we left it. The clothes were washed, ironed, and placed in each closet. The shiny floors, the fridge full of fresh food, the gleaming crockery. I couldn't complain. It was perfect. We had dinner and went up to the room, where we put on our pajamas and each one got into his world. 

While Lasse read some reports, I brushed my teeth in the bathroom. When I finished, my cell phone rang, and I quickly picked it up. 

"Hello?" 

"Good evening, Mrs. Madson. Forgive me for calling you at this hour. Let me introduce myself. I'm Laura Blumenthal, from the TV show "Good Morning Denmark". I wanted to confirm your assistance with our show tomorrow at 7:30 am one last time."

"Of course, I'll be there. Thank you very much for inviting me. I am looking forward to it."

"Our team is also delighted to have you here. Thank you very much, and good night."She hung up immediately, and I smiled. 

Lasse's gaze never left whatever he was reading.

"So, Good morning Denmark. Wow."

"It was actually a surprise to you. I wanted to give the campaign a boost to start off as good as we can." 

"Thank you very much." He said with a big smile on his face. 

"Rest now, tomorrow will be a very hard day." I said in the most tender tone I could manage.

"Same to you, honey."

He put the papers on his nightstand and leaned back carefully. I still had homework to do. I walked around the house to give Lasse time to fall completely asleep. I walked past Jens' room and saw how he and Agnes were fast asleep. They had hit it off so well. I smiled as I leaned against the door frame. 

When I had completed my third tour of the house, I went back upstairs to the bedroom. Lasse was already asleep. I went to the bedside table and removed the first drawer with great patience and stealth. Bingo. Under the drawer was the mysterious envelope. I went down to the living room and sat on the floor. I opened the envelope that was full of documents. There were several separated, each with a clip.

The first dealt with the accounts of the party and the salaries of its employees. Brita had given me a separate document in which she explained it in detail. Apparently, there was a large diversion of money to an as yet unidentified tax haven. There were also irregularities in the accounts, such as "advertising expenses for the campaign" dated last year when there was no election. 

Some employees one month received fourteen thousand crowns and the next ten thousand. There was also another embezzlement of money. This was going all the way to Switzerland, in a secret account in the name of a shell company. It seemed very strange to me that the first detour was not known. 

Next was a travel log. Brita had pointed out several dates on which an unnamed employee of Lasse went several times in December last year to Lulea, the city where Camilla's sister lived. After a few months, the employee came back the day before Naomi's death. The last one was my script for tomorrow.