EQMM, February 2011 by Dell Magazine Authors

Author:Dell Magazine Authors
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dell Magazines

Passport to Crime: SIGNED ‘MUTUAL TRUST' by Richard Macker

In the spring of 2010, a new short story collection by Reider Thomassen, a.k.a. Richard Macker, entitled Djevelpakten, was published by the Norwegian publisher Kolofon. It included some new stories, and some published in magazines as far back as the 1970s. This month's Passport to Crime selection from Richard Macker won first prize in the Scandinavian crime short story competition sponsored by Aftenposten, one of the largest newspapers in Norway, in 1975. This is the first time the story has been translated and published in English.

Translated from the Norwegian by Runar Fergus

She stood on the busy street corner close to the Tellus cinema. The buttonhole of her pale blue suit held a yellow Ladies'-delight, as they had agreed upon. She was blond and far too plump, her nose was disproportionately large, and her round face was characterized by naive expectation. She is punctual, he thought. And she has expensive jewelry, elegant clothes. He watched for a while, in seclusion, with a satisfied grin. Then he pulled himself to-gether, cleared his throat, and stepped forward.

"Johanne, here I am."

She jumped, then smiled to-wards him. Her teeth were too large as well.

"Kristian?"

"Yes"

They shook hands. Then he pulled her towards him and kissed her on the cheek. “You look wonderful, Johanne. Just as I had expected."

He heard how she drew her breath, relieved and contented, noted how her heavy frame still shook with excitement.

"You . . .” she spoke softly, eyes shining with emotion, “you're so tall, so handsome. I can't really believe that . . . that . . ."

My God, he thought. She resembles a deranged, engorged cow. Obviously,

he didn't mind being told that he looked great. But somehow the praise had lost its value, he had heard it so often before, at least from naive, lovesick women.

"Oh no,” he said, flicking her lightly on her large nose “. . . don't exaggerate, now. As I mentioned in one of the letters, I have always been ashamed of my receding hairline. I hope you don't think . . ."

Her calf's eyes blinked at him, blanker than ever. He knew exactly what she was about to say.

"But Kristian, you have beautiful, shiny hair. A bit thin at the edges perhaps. It suits you, makes you look intellectual."

He stroked her cheek while thinking to himself: Intellectual, where did you learn that word, you flat-footed goose?

* * * *

He took her arm and guided her down the street. The first act is over, he thought, now for the second act.

"Come on, dear, I know of a nice little place where we can chat without being disturbed."

The places he chose were always in different parts of the city. He didn't want to be recognized at the same place with new women all the time. He was very meticulous with details. Without intelligent planning he would have been out of the game a long time ago—he would have lost his livelihood.

He took aim for a small restaurant just outside the center of town and they were soon seated in a peaceful corner of the cavern-like premises.

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