[VHS player whirring]
[officer on tape] What did you say to Daniel?
Did you lure him with something? Candy?
Soda? Or did you have to use force?
Come on, Staal. Did you know the kids already?
BIRD DIDN'T DIE OF NATURAL CAUSES
Did you know their names?
You could learn so very much from nature.
[whirring]
[officer] Do you spend a lot of time in the marshlands?
-[birdsong] -That's a blackbird.
-[officer] Come on, Staal. -[Staal] It's socially monogamous.
It sings to attract a mate to help raise the baby birds.
-At the same time, it mates with others. -Give me something.
-[knocking] -[Staal] Can't be sure of its own babies.
Hi.
[Hess] Hey. What's up?
Are you okay?
Uh, yeah, I'm working. What do you want?
Um… I just came by to give you my PlayStation.
It saved me when my mom died.
That and workouts five times a week.
-[sighs] -[Staal] That's what I mean.
-[Hess] Did Foldager send you? -No.
[Staal] Why don't you tell me what you think happened?
[officer] It's 4:00 p.m. You notice Daniel at the playground.
-[Sandra] Who's that? -[officer] It's the start of summer.
[Hess] Naia's dad interviewing Thøger Staal.
Do you think I'm stupid?
A 41-year-old truck driver and family man from Skibby.
-Who really likes birds. -[father] I think you're stalling.
-[Sandra] Birds? -[Hess] Yeah.
But he ends up confessing to the sexual abuse and murders of three children.
The last victim, Daniel, was found in the marshlands.
Then he hung himself in his cell.
-What does that have to do with our case? -[father] Okay.
-[Hess] I don't know yet. -But there has to be a connection.
-[father] I'll go and give him a call. -Okay…
But… isn't that an old case? And a different type of crime?
[Hess] Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
[paper rustling]
-[sighs] Do you have any coffee? -Yes.
[Staal] I'm not saying anything else without my lawyer.
[Thulin's father] Okay.
I'll go and give him a call.
[water running]
[Staal] ♪ Counting to one Counting to two ♪
♪ The hen does not wear a sock or a shoe ♪
♪ Counting to three and four is a breeze ♪
[foreboding music playing]
♪ Eggs get all scrambled If you give them a squeeze ♪
HIDE AND SEEK
Hey, Aksel.
Sorry to disturb you, but we, um…
We've got some questions.
Can we come in for a minute?
[Aksel] Yeah.
We're just canceling a lot of subscriptions Naia had.
[door closes]
So what is this about?
It's about the case you… gave to Naia before she died.
Yeah. The one with hide-and-seek.
Do you remember anything about a… a counting rhyme?
-No, it doesn't ring a bell. -[Hess] It doesn't ring any bells?
No, not really, I mean, if it's there, it must be in the case files.
Thøger Staal, he… he knew that counting rhyme,
and he's humming it on a recording we have of him.
Do you know what? It's so many years ago…
It's just because she mentioned hide-and-seek…
There are… there are some similarities
between the case back then and the case we're working on.
There's definitely a connection. I just need to find out what it is.
-[Sandra] We don't know that, Hess. -Yes, we do.
-I just need to figure out… -[knock at door]
-Hi, Hess. -Hi, Le.
-Why are you here? -Uh, it's just work.
Hmm.
How, uh… how is Johnny Margrethe?
He's fine.
[wife] Yeah, we let it fly around the living room.
Oh? Jon will be happy to hear that.
Yeah. Well… I think we're done here.
You can come… see him, if you want.
I'd like that.
-He seems to be thriving here, huh? -Mmm.
It's my mom's old room.
[Le] You're coming tomorrow, right?
To the funeral? Yeah. Yes, of course.
[Le] What will you wear?
Uh… [sighs]
I haven't thought about it yet. Something dark, I guess.
What about you?
Me and Gunna bought a black dress yesterday.
And?
I don't really like wearing it.
Then don't.
Wear something you feel comfortable in.
-Okay? -Mm.
It's a small funeral.
My mom wouldn't like a crowd.
[poignant music playing]
No. She wouldn't.
And we bought tulips.
Her favorite.
That sounds perfect.
See you tomorrow. Okay?
[door opens]
Will you call the archive and get them to dig out the case files?
[Sandra] Yeah.
Did you know that Naia was the one who got me into the police force?
I helped some girls hack the university server
to change their grades and I got… busted.
The officer interviewing me was Naia.
I remember how she gave me an ultimatum.
If I didn't enter the police hacking contest immediately,
she would just as immediately charge me with IT crimes.
[Hess chuckles softly]
Sounds like her.
I know.
Will you call the archive?
[starts engine]
[ringing tone]
[tense music playing]
Hi, my name is Sandra Lindstrøm Jensen, and I'm calling from NC3.
There's a case file that we and Violent Crimes would like you to find for us.
[Marie] I don't know if it's really sunk in that…
that it's over.
But, uh… I think this will allow me to, um… move on.
And today I'm going to… to paint her room.
[sighs] So…
[leader] That's good to hear, Marie.
So it's actually a good thing that I'm on leave from work,
I guess, so that I've got time and peace to…
Well, also to be there for my kids.
They… they really need that.
[sighs] Yeah, so I'm… I'm looking forward to…
to be a family again.
-[children playing] -[dog barking]
Hey, Louise!
Hi, Marie. Uh… Thor is just picking up his math books.
I promised to help him with his midterms.
-Oh! -[Louise] Yeah.
-That's nice of you. Thanks. -Yeah, well, I'm pretty good with numbers.
-[Thor] The short-haired one texted me. -Hey, sweetie.
-Hi, Mom. -Who texted you?
-Um… It's just… -It's just…
One of all the people Thor's matching with on Tinder.
-[Thor] Shut up! -[Louise chuckles] But it's true.
Oh? I didn't know you were looking for a girlfriend.
[Thor] I'm not.
-Well, should we get going? -[Louise] Yeah. See you.
Uh, will you be home for dinner?
No, I don't think so. We were going to get sushi.
-Okay. -[Thor] Yeah. See you.
-See you. -[Louise] Take care.
-[Sandra] Okay. What are we looking for? -[Hess] I don't know.
Something that links the murders in the '90s to the stalking killings.
The forensic report on Staal's truck.
They found traces of all three children.
The families' phone records.
Check if you recognize any of the names.
Not at first look, no.
Witness statements.
Evidence analysis and reconstructions of the sequence of events.
[door opens]
-[woman] This is the last one. -[Sandra] Yes, thank you. Thanks.
[door closes]
Staal's shed was in the marshlands,
but his wife didn't like it because of the mosquitos.
Right, so that's why he brought the children there.
To be alone with them.
[sighs]
He kept them in birdcages.
[tense music playing]
[paper rustles]
Oh my God.
[Sandra] What is it?
Look at this.
[Sandra] He put the bodies in nests.
[Hess] Just like Zara Solak.
So the new perpetrator…
must be inspired by Thøger Staal.
Okay, but how? That information was never released.
No, so it must be someone who knew Thøger Staal
or had access to the case files.
[Sandra] Jesus.
[music intensifying]
[music fades]
[cheerful music playing on radio]
[Molly] Whoa!
-Yeah. It's nice, right? -Yeah.
Much better than some sort of…
Mausoleum?
[Molly] What's that?
It's like a… a museum.
Okay.
[Marie] How about your room?
Do you need anything to make it cozier, or… something you'd like?
Um… I don't know.
Perhaps some pillows.
-Pillows? -Mm.
Let's sit down and see what we can find online.
I'll make tea. I could use a break.
Uh, yeah.
But, uh… not right now.
Um… Aida's waiting for me.
Oh, okay.
Have fun.
Okay. See you later.
-[Marie] Yeah, see you. -[Molly] Bye.
-[door opens] -I love you!
[door closes]
[key turning in lock]
[phone bleeps]
[Thulin] Hi, sweetie. Is your throat feeling better?
If not, go to Evelyn's office and get a painkiller, okay?
And I told Aksel we have to meet Gunna now,
so they might come over tonight.
So, um, shoot me a text,
let me know what you want for, uh… for dinner.
-Okay, kiss. -[inhales]
[bleep]
Oh, and by the way, sweetie, um, I've read your assignment on Europol.
It's so good!
Okay, love you. Kiss.
[somber, melancholy music playing]
[bleep]
Hey, sweetie, listen, um…
work is a real pain today, and Sandra's sick,
so, uh, could you please buy some milk and avocados
and those, um, round licorices after school?
Then I'll send you the money,
and I promise to take loads of Insta photos of you in the street, okay?
Even if it rains. Thanks. Love you. Kiss.
[bleep]
Hey, sweetie, listen, um…
work is a real pain today, and Sandra's sick,
so, uh, could you please buy some milk and avocados
and those, um, round licorices after school?
Then I'll send you the money,
and I promise to take loads of Insta photos of you in the street, okay?
[fading] Even if it rains. Thanks. Love you…
[phone buzzes]
This is, um… this is Lars Thulin's notebook. Naia's dad.
[Sandra] Yes?
Okay, here's something.
-A list of possible accomplices. -Accomplices?
That's why he was so obsessed with it.
He was sure there was an accomplice who got away back then.
-And who's on that list? -Staal's wife, Angelika.
36 years old and from Poland.
Okay, wait a minute. Angelika…
-You got her? -Uh, yeah, I think so.
Angelika…
Right. It can't be her. She passed away 11 years ago.
Who else?
Something about a… a weird neighbor.
-Madsen? -Yes. Winnie Madsen.
Yeah. They watched birds together.
And then there's Bjarke. Who… who was, uh, Bjarke again?
The teacher. He found the dismembered young cuckoo.
-That's right. -[phone buzzes]
[Sandra] I'm sorry, but I really have to go back now.
-[Hess] Already? -Yeah.
Foldager wants all the reports ASAP so the case can be closed for good.
[phone ringing]
-Hey, Aksel. -Hi.
-Uh, I'm sorry about earlier. -Right.
Yeah, well, it's about the DNA samples.
DNA samples? That wasn't a thing back then, was it?
Well, yes, it was in England. They were ahead of us.
Uh, hold on for a second, Aksel. I'm… I'm putting you on speaker.
-Okay. -[Aksel coughs]
Back then, they were better at handling DNA samples in England.
As far as I remember, we took five or six blood samples from the key players
and sent over there with the new victims' DNA.
Hold on. Wait a minute. I just saw something from England.
And what… what… Do you know if the samples still exist somewhere?
I have no idea.
But I know we collected everything that could be used against Staal in court.
It was put in a folder for the prosecutor.
Here. This is the one.
Okay, okay. Thanks, Aksel. Thanks for calling. That was nice of you.
-No problem. -Yeah, right.
-Bye. -Bye.
[ominous, tense music playing]
All right. These are transcripts of the samples.
We need forensics to compare them to DNA from the new victims ASAP.
Give it to me. I'll try to get them to forensics before they close.
-[Hess] Say it's urgent. -[Sandra] Yeah.
[melancholy music playing]
[tense, foreboding music playing]
[music intensifying]
[door opens]
[phone ringing]
Yeah? Sandra, what's up?
Any answers?
What?
Did you request a DNA analysis behind my back?
[Hess] Yeah, we did.
We have a theory there might be a match, and we…
[Foldager] Why spend time on that old case?
Because there are several similarities to the current case.
[Foldager] As far as I know, the perpetrator confessed,
and the case was solved.
No. They never found out who had been helping Staal gain the children's trust.
They never found out who had been cleaning up after him,
and who had removed Daniel's clothes…
-Daniel? -Yeah, the last victim.
Staal said he left his clothes and shoes in his shed,
but it was never found, so the only logical explanation
is that someone helped him and cleaned up after him,
that there was an accomplice, and that's the person we're looking for.
Listen, Peter Hougård had a totally different psychological profile.
He was a desperate father who had lost his wife and kids
and acted impulsively and stupidly.
The… the real perpetrator,
he… he plays with his victims, he tortures them,
he abuses them before killing them.
It can't be Peter Hougård.
[Sandra] I think Hess is onto something.
Thøger Staal knew the counting rhyme.
And he placed his victims in a nest just like Zara Solak.
It can't be a coincidence.
-Okay, let's say there are similarities. -[Hess] Yeah?
What's the connection? What's the motive? Who's the perpetrator?
Well, I don't know yet, but that's… [sighs]
That's exactly why we need help from forensics.
To… to see if there… if there is a match.
We have to do this properly, damn it!
Time to get going!
Hess, can we talk in my office? Right now.
[Sandra sighs]
[Foldager] Sit down.
What's going on?
-Have you been debriefed? -No, I haven't. Not yet.
-Talked to the psychologist? -No, I haven't done that either.
But I will. I promise.
I know you had a special relationship with Thulin,
but you're not the only one who lost a colleague.
I know, but this… That's not what this is about.
As the only one here, I'm trying to follow this through.
You should take time off.
Do you… do you want us… to leave no stone unturned in this case?
-I want the exact same thing as you. -Okay. You have to let us investigate.
The entire department is working at full speed.
But I don't know where you're at.
I can't trust you.
I'm sorry that I didn't ask for your permission for that analysis.
Sorry. I should have asked. That was a mistake. I apologize.
Okay?
Listen to me.
This is what we're gonna do.
You're off the case.
And… I have to ask you to hand over your weapon.
[suspenseful music playing]
Okay.
-[Foldager] I'll see you at the funeral. -[door slams]
Hello, Sandra? Can you talk?
[Sandra] Yeah, one second.
Okay, what's up?
Foldager took me off the case, but I need you to keep me updated.
For fuck's sake! I can't. I'll be fired.
We can't stop now.
[sighs]
Yeah, okay. But what are you gonna do now?
I'm on my way to Skibby to talk to that teacher.
He was the first witness in the old case.
But you don't have time before the funeral.
[line bleeps]
Hess?
[sighs]
[music fades]
[knock at door]
We've gotta go, Le.
[poignant music playing]
Is that what you're wearing?
Hess said to wear what you want.
[woman on radio] …international studies and experts
on security policy dynamics in the Arctic.
Police forensic investigation into the tragic incident a few days ago
at the Copenhagen Center for Family Law,
when three police officers and two--
[radio turns off]
-[Signe] Wow, it's looking good. -[Marie] Mm-hm.
[Signe] It feels a bit empty.
You could put a wall rack or…
or a bedside table.
I might have to rent it out until the house is sold.
Okay?
-What do you think the kids will say? -I think they'll be fine with it.
They're at Michael and Louise's a lot anyway.
Oh, you have to see what… what Louise gave Michael for his birthday.
I mean… [sighs]
-[Signe] Christ! -[Marie] Mm.
-[Signe] They've been to the photographer. -[Marie] Yeah.
But she's got no children of her own, so…
That doesn't mean she should play house with your kids.
[Marie] Ah, it's okay.
It just seems much easier for Michael to move on.
I should be able to do the same.
They've found him, and the case is closed.
[sighs] I just can't feel it.
[Signe] Don't you think it's gonna take a while before it really sinks in?
Yeah. I just thought it would… feel different,
or I thought it would be a huge relief.
Mm. I understand.
But I think you just have to let it go.
Yeah. I know.
-Should we look at your application? -Yes. Thanks.
I put it there. I sent an email as well.
Yeah.
Okay, first of all, you need to start more formally.
You can't just say, "My name is Signe." Include your last name.
[Signe] Right.
-Mm, and there are some comma issues. -Yes. Here comes the teacher.
-[chuckles] Yeah. Bring out the red pen. -Sounds good.
[children chattering]
[knocking]
-[woman] Bjarke, someone here to see you. -[Bjarke] Okay.
Mark Hess. I'm with the police.
I have some questions regarding an… an old case.
[melancholy music playing]
It's about the murders that were committed down here in the early '90s.
Do you remember them?
Yes. Everybody around here remembers.
And it was even worse when we found out who the murderer was.
His daughter was in my class.
-Thea. -Yeah?
Poor girl.
She and her mother changed their names and moved away.
-Okay. -Which is understandable.
Mm, and her father, Thøger?
Thøger Staal? What do you remember about him?
His friends, his acquaintances, his family?
Some people did say that he was a part of a bigger network,
but… yeah.
There were rumors back then about a pedophile ring.
It's poison for such a small community.
Suddenly, everybody was pointing fingers,
and at the end of the day, it was just an ordinary family.
The wife, Angelika, she… she cleaned for people,
and Thøger was a truck driver,
so it's hard to imagine him as a part of something bigger.
[Hess] The… counting rhyme, the children's counting rhyme.
"Counting to one, counting to two." Does that mean anything to you?
Yeah, everybody around here knows it. At least, those who attended this school.
We still use it in the lower grades.
[tense music playing]
Uh, one more thing.
Uh, the day you found Daniel in the marshlands,
the police also found something else, a cuckoo chick.
Your name is mentioned here in connection with the… with the find.
Oh, right, yeah. Yeah, we found a… a cuckoo chick in the woods.
And do you have any idea how it ended up like this?
Yeah, I don't know anything about that.
-I guess Thøger must have done it. -[school bell rings]
I have to go, I'm afraid. I have a staff meeting.
He, uh… he also had a… a neighbor, a… a bird watcher.
-Madsen? -Yeah.
She was the only one who defended Staal, tooth and nail.
But then he confessed.
Does she still live in the area?
Yeah, yeah. Yeah, but we…
we only ever see her husband these days.
She's the one who knows Staal best, so you should talk to her.
-Hi. -[man] Hi.
[tense, melancholy music playing]
[priest] Welcome.
-Welcome. -[Gunna] Thank you.
-[priest] Welcome. -[Aksel] Thank you.
[priest] Yes. It… it's a tough day,
but if you try to focus on the good memories…
[sighs shakily]
[melancholy music continues]
AHKA MECHANIC PHONE: 43 99 15 33
[dog barking]
[door opens]
[woman] Jytte! Come! Inside!
Winnie? Winnie Madsen? Mark Hess. I'm with the police.
I've got some questions regarding an old case.
-You knew Thøger Staal, right? -I've said everything I have to say.
-You can leave. -There's been a development in the case.
And I need your help.
-[man on TV] Edith, dear, I'm home! -[woman] How was…
Thøger. Thøger Staal. Where did you meet him?
-[Winnie] In the marshlands. -Yeah?
-We were both interested in bird-watching. -[Hess] Yeah?
I can't walk that far anymore, but back then,
we got up early,
a couple of hours before work, had some coffee or a beer, and then…
[Jytte barks]
Well, then we watched birds.
But, I mean, If I had known what he was up to,
then… I would've cut off his dick.
I mean, it's so disgusting!
For many years, people believed he and I did it together.
-They spat at Bam at the store. -[man on TV] My hands are so tired!
[Winnie] Damn it, nobody helped him abuse those poor kids.
I mean, who the hell could it have been?
Either he was out on a long haul,
or he was in the shed, tinkering with his birds.
Okay, and, and his… network?
Who… who did he see? Did he have an old classmate?
Did he have a colleague? Like…
If anyone could have helped him, who… who would that be?
[Winnie] There was no one.
-No… nobody? -[Winnie] No.
Okay.
No.
But, um…
Yeah?
I can save you some time if you really want to know what this is all about.
-[Bam coughs] -Yes.
[suspenseful music playing]
[Winnie] There were a lot of rumors,
and in the end, I had to find out the truth for myself.
And everything points towards
Thøger being part of a worldwide satanic conspiracy.
He was just a small piece in a much larger game.
And do you know… do you know who's in charge of it all?
No.
Hillary Clinton.
[church bell tolling]
[door closes]
[Foldager] Hi, Le.
I worked with your mom.
She was an amazing person.
Foldager.
I'm sure he's on his way.
[church bells continue]
[tense, melancholy music playing]
[door opens]
[door closes]
[Le sniffles and whimpers]
[gasping]
[bells tolling loudly]
[priest] Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
We're gathered here today to say goodbye to Naia Thulin,
who was taken from us so abruptly.
We will do so with gratitude to God for her past,
in sorrow and pain of loss,
and in faith that there will come a day when God will make all things new
and bring unto us his presence and glory…
saved by his grace through our Lord, Jesus Christ.
[poignant music playing]
[muffled, echoing thump]
[echo resonating]
[poignant music intensifying]
[music fades]
STAY GOLD GIRL YOUR ROY
[poignant music playing]
[suspenseful music playing]
2,000 FRIENDS
WE MISS YOU
REST IN PEACE
NO RESULTS FOR: ROY
NO MESSAGES MATCHED YOUR SEARCH
BABYSIT AT ROY'S
BABYSIT AT ROY'S, 32 OLDFUXVEJ THURSDAY, AUGUST 24, 2023
[breathing shakily]
[church bells tolling]
[solemn, suspenseful music playing]
[sniffles]
[breathing shakily]
[music fades]
[children shouting]
[doorbell rings]
[quiet, suspenseful music playing]
[children continue shouting]
[sighs]
[phone rings]
Signe?
Hey, Marie. I was wondering if--
Emma's ex-boyfriend was right. She was seeing a married man.
What?
I found a card he wrote for her, and now I'm at his house.
Who's house? Where… where are you?
I… I think I remember dropping her off here once
because she was, uh… she was babysitting.
Two boys, I think it was.
It looks like there are still children living here.
-Sorry? I mean, what… -There are children's toys in there.
Are you at that man's house? Wh… what if they're home?
Well, there's no one here.
Marie… [sighs]
Listen. You can't just seek out strangers like that.
Go home, and… and then…
-Yeah. Yeah. I know, but I… I… -No. No, seriously.
Go… go home. Then I'll come over.
-And you can tell me all about it. -[sighs]
Yeah, all right. You're right.
When will you be there? Where are you?
[Sandra] Hess.
We have a DNA match.
Apparently, forensics checked Thøger Staal's own DNA,
and his DNA matches the one found under Emma Holst's nails.
That doesn't make any sense. He… he died 30 years ago.
Yes, so that means our perpetrator must be closely related to Thøger Staal.
And the DNA comes from a freaking woman.
[Hess gasps]
But then it has to be his daughter. Thea.
But she was only eight.
-Well done. -Where are you going?
Back to talk to Thea's teacher. He has to know something.
-I'm coming. -No. No, you're not. I'm going alone.
-Get hold of Foldager. -[sighs]
[sighs]
[suspenseful music continues]
[typing]
-[Signe] Cuckoo! -In here!
This must be the guy she was seeing.
He lives in a one-family house in the northwest.
Roy Bohm-Møller, born in 1977. Engineer.
Marie, I told you to let it go.
Two children.
Married to Signe Bohm-Møller…
-[crackling] -[Signe] If only you had listened…
[taser buzzing]
BASED ON THE NOVEL BY SØREN SVEISTRUP