Chapter Twenty-Four #2
‘Anyway – thanks for the recommendation, Sara. It’s been fun!’ Mark said, full of pep. ‘I’d love to stay longer, but you know how it is… people to see and work to do. I’ll catch you guys soon, yeah? All the best.’
He was talking into the wind like a deluded politician.
Filip glared at him and Jonas and Henrik had already turned their backs and were walking along the jetty.
Mark didn’t warrant a Firefly farewell, but he couldn’t care less.
He had no interest in any of them. And he clearly didn’t have a shred of respect for me anymore, either.
He slapped Filip on the back as if they were old friends and grabbed his own bags.
‘Let’s be off my good man, and don’t spare the horses!
’ he said with a laugh as he jumped on board, and Filip revved the engine and sped off.
I waved when no one was looking, physically unable not to, but he didn’t wave back.
Funny how he’d somehow painted me as part-villain in this situation, while taking zero responsibility himself.
I wanted to help the Nilsens but felt like persona non grata as I trotted back to the farmhouse after the boys, going over and over in my mind what to say.
‘Henrik?’ I called, as Jonas disappeared inside.
He turned with a look of irritation, which was quickly replaced by a professional smile. ‘Sara! How can I help?’
‘Don’t be like that,’ I said softly. ‘I’m on your side. At the very least I need to send you these scans.’
‘Fine.’ He held the door open, avoiding my eyes as I passed him.
‘It was nothing with Mark, by the way. Just a misunderstanding. I don’t know why he said that.’
Henrik shrugged. ‘None of my business.’
‘It kind of is. I don’t want you thinking I’m bingo bonking my way around the retreat.’
He nearly smiled at that.
‘It’s been tough having my ex sleeping on the couch uninvited, and I’ve spent the whole time wishing you were there instead. Well, not on the couch. Mark kind of got in the way while I was thinking of you.’
‘I’m not sure how to take that,’ Henrik said. ‘Jonas heard you guys shouting in the hot tub. Saying it was just a kiss.’
‘There was an accidental half-kiss, but it was a silly mistake. I promise it was nothing. Mark is well and truly in the past now. We share dogs and that’s it.’
We walked through to the office where Tore sat rubbing his eyes, his glasses on the table. Jonas was speaking in Norwegian and stopped when he saw me.
‘Back again, Sara! Are you following us?’
I waved my phone. ‘Thought you might want these photos. Shall I airdrop them to you?’
‘Oh, yeah. I suppose,’ he said, despondently. ‘Not sure they’ll help. I doubt we’ll understand what any of it means if it’s in English legalese.’
‘Email is best,’ Henrik said quietly. He wrote the Firefly address down and handed it to me.
‘This is hopeless!’ Tore slammed his hand down on the table. ‘I can’t believe Bjorn would do this to us. He’s never seemed money-motivated before. What is going on with him?’
The mood was sticky, but I had to speak up before I left them to it.
‘Look, guys, I put a call in to my lawyer friend in Bergen and he is happy to help. His name is Oliver Lund and he specialises in property law, so he would at least be able to clarify our – your – position to make sure everything is being done in the right way.’
‘You got us into this mess, we don’t need you fiddling about in it any further,’ Jonas snapped.
‘Hold on,’ Tore said, putting his hand on his youngest son’s shoulder. ‘Sara, it’s truly kind of you to offer. Thank you for making the call. We’d love to accept help from your friend.’
‘Pappa! We need to decide these things together!’ Jonas raked an angry hand through his hair. ‘We don’t know anything about this Oliver guy. It could be another one of her friends looking to take advantage.’
Henrik spun round on his chair. ‘Have you got any better suggestions?’
Jonas huffed. ‘It’s just bollocks. How can it be so easy for someone to take everything off us?’
‘Let’s read through and understand everything before we get upset,’ Tore said. ‘Sara said the proposal still had us in jobs and living in the farmhouse, so let’s not assume it’s all doom and gloom until we know what we are dealing with.’
‘Greta is going to freak when she finds out. The wedding is two months away and based on what that prick was saying, the sale could go through before then.’ Jonas was clearly freaking out as well.
‘If you send everything over to Oliver, he can advise you. These sorts of questions should be easy to answer. Do you have a copy of the original covenant? Mark might be acting on the assumption there isn’t one.’
Tore tapped the table with his pen. ‘Let me check Besta’s chest,’ he said, slowly standing. ‘It’s in the cellar somewhere. It hasn’t been opened in years, but all the family papers should be in there.’
‘Pappa’s grandpa,’ Henrik said, translating for me. ‘Our great-grandfather.’
‘OK, well that feels like a good place to start in terms of an action plan,’ I said, putting my legal hat on.
‘Henrik, if you email the documents to Oliver then he can advise on the property law position. I’ll read everything through at the same time and check for any loopholes.
Tore will look for the original agreement between the Nilsens and the Bakkens.
And between you all, try and gather as much ammunition as possible to help Oliver put an argument together.
Should you maybe visit Bjorn and Nina as well, to talk it all through? ’
Jonas snorted. ‘No chance.’
‘Maybe not you then,’ I said. ‘Who has the best relationship with them?’
‘Henrik,’ Tore said, without missing a beat. ‘They are his godparents.’
‘What? Oh wow! The plot thickens.’
‘Doesn’t it. Unbelievable, eh?’ Tore replied. ‘I can’t face them right now – I’m too angry.’
‘Nina hasn’t given her blessing yet, remember. Maybe she can be persuaded,’ I said, looking for the win. Nina might be it for Firefly. ‘I can come with you if you like, as a neutral pair of ears?’
Henrik nodded, a flicker of light back in his eyes. It wasn’t completely hopeless. We had avenues to explore. And we would find a way through. There hadn’t been a case that had beaten me yet.