The Exception: A Novel Part 9

And its even more infuriating when it comes from someone weve all struggled to keep happy.

The door to the corridor opens. Anne-Lise announces that she is going home. She has a headache. Malene is so annoyed with her that she cant even make herself look up. No one speaks.

Then Malene decides to say something. Get better soon.

From the landing they hear the faint whining noise as the elevator goes down. Iben begins to pick her words slowly.

Now we know why she always comes across as devious. And why all of us have found it difficult to get along with her. Its because, in her warped view, were nothing but a band of bullies who want to bring her down.

Its unbelievable. How long do you think she has hated us beneath all those smiles, always pretending everythings fine?

Camilla looks up at the others. How did she keep it up lying to us every single day? I cant imagine being that insincere month in and month out.

Suddenly Iben sounds more collected and serious. But maybe thats exactly what she didnt do.

What do you mean?

Maybe she couldnt stand lying to us forever. Maybe she has been burning up inside and felt she had to find an outlet.

The other two are silent.

An outlet, for instance, of sending us e-mails? Iben suggests.

The others see her point at once.

If Anne-Lise sent the e-mails last night, she might have felt guilty today. To deal with that, one obvious strategy would be to prove to herself that were all nasty worse than her. Which could explain why she lost control just now at lunch.

Camilla adds a thought. She didnt seem the slightest bit nervous this morning when she heard about the e-mails for the first time.

The idea makes sense to Malene too. Its obvious that she hates Iben and me the most. It would also explain why Paul hasnt had one.

Of course, its only hypothetical. Still, it doesnt have to be Mirko Zigic or some other ma.s.s murderer who sent the e-mails.

Malene realizes that she isnt furious with Anne-Lise, although she ought to be. The others feel the same way she can see it in their faces. More than anything, they are relieved. Iben doesnt have to crash at Griths apartment again tonight. Malene wont find it as difficult to fall asleep as she did the night before. A confrontation with trained killers now that would be a life-or-death matter. But an office conflict, that can be sorted out.

The front door opens. The doorway frames a man with a muscular neck, wearing a safari jacket. The women freeze. But then they realize hes not threatening them.

Malene smiles. h.e.l.lo! How did you get past the police downstairs?

Police? What police?

Didnt two guards stop you in the downstairs lobby?

No one stopped me. I came here because your Web site shows that youve got Ben Kiernans book about Cambodia, The Pol Pot Regime. Id like to borrow it, if possible. And Id be grateful if you could recommend more reading about the Cambodian genocide.

They look at each other.

He explains: I need it for senior-year teaching.

Another moment of silence.

So, if you have any introductory teaching material, Id like to have a look at that as well.

The Centers users mustnt be worried by internal problems. Malene walks toward the visitor.

Please come in. Lets see what we can find. We have a great deal on your subject. You know about the book by Marcher and Frederiksen, dont you?

Yes. Do you have it?

Of course. And we have quite a few files of unpublished teaching material. Ive read it all and its very good. Lets go to the library and have a look around.

Malene is ready to lead the way.

Iben gets up. I think Id better go downstairs and find out whats happened.

The teacher is curious and well read. Malene speaks about Cambodia, trying to sound relaxed. She tells him about the lectures that DCIG staff offer free of charge. She could come to his school.

While they talk, her mind strays. She tries to understand Anne-Lise, but cant recall ever having been hard on her. On the contrary, she has always been friendly and professional. Right? They have always told Anne-Lise when they are taking a break, even though she can be such a wet blanket. Everyone has tried to be pleasant to her, but, after all, other people should have a good time too. And theres work to be done.

She goes on to speak about a recent DCIG seminar on Cambodia with Chandra Lor as the lead speaker. Lor, a genocide survivor, was the first head of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh. His story is miraculous. In the 1970s, government troops and guerrilla forces killed almost 3.3 million of the countrys 7.1 million population. The Pol Pot regime exterminated practically everybody who had either a family relations.h.i.+p with the previous government or simply an education. Chandra Lor was the son of a deposed senator and a university student. The video of the seminar shows Lor speaking about his daily fight to escape death. The teacher could show it to his pupils.

Malene hears Iben return and excuses herself for a moment.

Iben confirms that there are no policemen at the door. She intends to call the number the two officers gave them and ask whats going on.

Malene goes back to the teacher. They start chatting about Western European communism. In the 1950s, Pol Pot and some of the top men in his government were students in Paris, and their views were strongly influenced by the French Communist Party. Should the French Communists accept a share of the guilt for the Cambodian tragedy? She pulls out a book of photographs from the Tuol Sleng Museum collection. The building was once a notorious prison. The photos show the primitive instruments of torture and the prison cells. Many of the cells were windowless and so small that the prisoners could neither lie down nor stand.

Iben interrupts them, apologizing to the teacher. Ive spoken to the woman whos in charge of the investigation, and her att.i.tude is totally different. She said that the evidence pointing to Zigic is absurdly vague and, as it is, the police have spent far too much time over two e-mails. She is in charge of the case now, but she wont allocate any more time to it.

What did you say?

Well, of course I tried to argue that our safety should be paramount and because of our work were a special case, but I got nowhere. She wouldnt even listen.

Maybe Iben wasnt all that persuasive. How can you convince someone that you are in mortal danger if you actually feel enormously relieved because youre pretty certain that a timid librarian sent the e-mails?

The idea that the e-mails might be harmless is not disputed by the phone calls they receive from helpful colleagues abroad during the afternoon. The war criminals they suggest only add to their already unmanageably long list.

After the tense, anxious morning, not even a call from Lotta in Sweden about Zigic seems important. There are rumors that Zigic has gone underground somewhere inside the Scandinavian Customs Union, possibly in Sweden.

chapter 11.

if Anne-Lise sent the e-mails she obviously must be emotionally disturbed, perhaps even borderline psychotic. If so, she has so far been able to hide her state of mind from her colleagues.

That is why Iben thought Malene should come along with her to see her friend Grith, the clinical psychologist. Malene is mildly skeptical, but she has only met Grith a few times and hasnt a clue what insight she might provide. Besides, Malene does agree that its sensible to get a professional evaluation of Anne-Lises behavior.

Grith is a tall, thin woman with large, slightly droopy b.r.e.a.s.t.s. She has the kind of body thats supposed to drive men wild. Watching her, Malene thinks that Griths erotic pull must be limited to when she sits down or stands still. When her long limbs are moving she looks like an awkward fourteen-year-old. The suspicion that she is likely to fall over any minute makes Malene, for one, feel rather nervous.

Grith practices her clinical skills at the Copenhagen National Hospital. They sit on the large square cus.h.i.+ons of Griths gray sofa.

The first thing to do is to make the clients experience your starting point. The idea is always to support whatever the client believes. It is his or her reality, after all, regardless of how the rest of the world sees it. Clients often feel insecure, so we dont move on until weve understood how they perceive what has happened.

She leans forward from her seat on the sofa. It strikes Malene that theres something unfeminine about her, despite her large dark eyes.

Grith turns to Malene. Anyway, why dont you tell me about your problem?

I dont have one! Were here because one of our colleagues has a problem.

Okay. How do you see her problem?

But, look, even before we sat down we told you Malene stops and starts again, trying to adopt the slightly learned tone that Grith and Iben seem to a.s.sume when theyre together.

Anne-Lise gives me the impression of being terribly angry. She might have sent us threatening e-mails.

Malene pauses to pick a piece of dried mango from a bowl of tropical mix. Iben, youve got to help me with this.

Grith, I told you.

Sure, but I need to get a sense of the situation. Try to describe why this woman is feeling so angry.

Malene wont say anything. Instead she catches Griths eye and then Ibens.

It doesnt take long before Iben speaks up. Anne-Lise believes that being colleagues means being friends. And because we dont treat her as a close friend, she has jumped to the conclusion that we are all bad people and that were bullying her.

Youre giving me the view from the outside. Cant you?

Iben wont let Grith interrupt her and runs on: Being viewed in this way is incredibly unpleasant for all of us. Her hostility is palpable even if she never sent the e-mails.

Iben, lets stay with her perception of being shut out from a community. Now thats a very unpleasant feeling too.

We cant think how to make her understand that were just following the ordinary rules of the workplace and that no one is persecuting her or anything.

And remember, feeling excluded is awful. Being cast as the outsider would make anyone angry.

Sure, but What if we choose to believe her perception? Some part of her story is probably true. When does she feel angry, do you think? Any particular time, or times?

She mightve been angry last night, when the e-mails were sent. But listen, no one is trying to exclude her.

Griths voice, always calm, grows even slower and deeper. Hold on, lets stay with her for a while. Last night, you said. Did anything special take place in the office yesterday?

We had quite a nice day together. Chatted a great deal. I remember talking about that journalist, the woman who wouldnt stop asking me about how we were fed in Africa. Later in the afternoon we listened to Chris and the Chocolate Factory. She looks at Malene. It was fun, wasnt it?

Yes, it was.

Griths large eyes are fixed on Iben. And as far as you know, no one in the office has been hard on this woman?

People have been irritated with her, but thats normal. We all have our ups and downs, but theres certainly nothing unusual about that?

Not at all. Quite normal.

So, she might misinterpret mood swings that the rest of us think nothing of, if shes another personality type. Its the kind of thing I thought we might talk about.

Grith leans back, stretching one arm out on the back of the sofa. Her flexibility makes her thin, elongated limb seem to flow along the cus.h.i.+on.

Iben, youve never seen anyone have a go at this woman?

I cant think of anything. We try to be helpful and kind. Dont we, Malene?

Yes, we do.

Iben is quiet for a moment. Still, its difficult to know what goes on inside her head because she withdraws into her sh.e.l.l a lot. She can seem quite odd. Thats what we wanted to talk to you about Grith uses both hands to lift the mug of tea to her lips, the way Malene sometimes needs to do. Not that Grith has arthritis, of course. She listens and blows on her drink before interrupting Iben.

You said that the door to her workplace is always closed?

Yes, Camilla likes the library door to be closed, to keep out drafts. Its debatable And we do debate it, Malene points out.

True. But Camilla has worked in that office longer than she has. And that door has always been shut. Its a bit much.

Grith asks more questions, especially about Camilla. Would she hara.s.s Anne-Lise when the others are out of earshot?

Its still Iben who fields the questions. She wouldnt Look, Camilla is okay, isnt she?

Ibens question puts a stop to Malenes discreet finger-exercise session. Its the time in the evening when she usually ma.s.sages her knuckles.

She nods. Yes. Camilla is easy to work with.

Grith pushes a fine strand of hair away from her cheek.

It could be just a little thing, she says. You two might not notice. Youre committed to creating a good working atmosphere for the whole office, and thats great. You talk with this woman and invite her to join your group, even though youre not that keen about her. What do other people do? Someone in your office is giving her a hard time. And if you dont demonstratively take her side, she might well feel that youre all bullies. Thats enough to make anyone unhappy and very angry Iben tries to interrupt, but Grith continues. It explains why shes reserved and insecure in your company. Its quite understandable.

Grith, its not Try to see things her way and the pieces fall into place. Dont ignore her angle.

Iben has been so eager to get in a word that she has to draw a breath. She says quickly, Grith, listen. Apart from the head of the Center and hes almost always out there are no other people. Just Camilla and us!

Is that so?

Malene leans forward to get a little closer to Iben. She looks at Grith.

Grith, only us. You see? No one is hara.s.sing her.

By now Griths measured approach has become even more deliberate. Is that so? I a.s.sumed there were more that there was a large staff.

There isnt. Were it.

Silence. Griths eyes flit around the room, scanning the bookshelf, the bare walls, the small table with the telephone, the dining table made from heavy wooden beams.