Grete Haaland: Elle’s adoptive mother Grete is a fleshy, religious woman in her seventies. She has little in common with Elle; it’s easy to see that she is not her biological mother. Still, Grete is the perfect mother. She loves Elle and is afraid that her biological parents will take her back. Anna Larsen: Elle’s shadow Anna is Elle’s secretary at the police’s fake development fund, but refuses to serve her coffee. In the real world, Anna has ten years’ more experience as a detective than Elle. She is a bossy ruler who is terrified to give up control over the operation to a “tourist” like Elle. Anna has a colourful language and doesn’t hesitate to demonstrate her moral superiority to Elle. Her primary task is to keep Elle alive. Anna is well connected to the settlers in the local community who are oppos- ing the native clans. Anna is married to an accountant but spends most of her time at work. Her beautiful daughters are aged fifteen and seventeen. In her worst nightmares, Anna finds her darlings playing with the native boys.
Frode Busch: Elle’s boss at the state police in the capital
Frode is the most trusted desk warrior in the bureaucratic jungle of the state. He never wants to retire and he’s convinced Elle will take his sword and fight his enemies after he’s gone. A mentor and a spiritual leader for Elle, he is a respected father figure whose limits Elle likes to test. However, he would never question Elle’s loyalty. Since Frode recruited Elle, he has swept up after her disasters and disarmed the mines that others have laid in her path. Frode belongs to the same parish as Elle’s mother. Trust and solidarity are the cornerstones of parish social life between the believers of the south. Haakon Bjarland: The king of the Avzi local police Haakon is the middleman in the police hierarchy. As chief of the local Avzi police with only seven constables, his time is split between his superiors in the capital and his regional police board. Haakon understands that his future is dependent on his ability to prove that he has not sabotaged the cooperation with the state police. At the same time, Haakon must distance his men from Elle to avoid being targeted as the scape- goat for their self-inflicted, humiliating defeats. Haakon is unique as a cop since he has a master’s degree in anthropology. His methods are inspired by cops in French North-African territories. The natives who worked for the French were called “hakris”. No one can deny that Haakon runs his men with precision and with excellent results. However, his ene- mies accuse him of being corrupt and of running the local police as a gang. Haakon’s most loyal followers are the Reindeer police officers.
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