The Guilty 2018

Asger Holm’s day begins with a sense of monotony as he starts his afternoon shift at the police station, temporarily relegated to the humdrum world of telephone duty. This stint is just a temporary detour from his usual patrol duties, which he can’t wait to get back to. The first calls start pouring in, and Asger’s initial excitement is short-lived as he quickly becomes immersed in the routine of answering distressed voices on the other end of the line.

His calm demeanor helps soothe a frantic individual who had clearly succumbed to the effects of drugs, and Asger takes pride in his ability to de-escalate the situation. Next, a man reports being robbed in the red light district, leaving Asger no choice but to call for backup from the nearest police station. His boss, Bo (who happens to be handling phone duty at that very moment), answers, and the two engage in a lighthearted exchange about the victim’s naivety, having clearly been taken advantage of by a prostitute. Bo assures Asger that he’ll dispatch a patrol car to assist with the situation.

As Asger continues to answer calls, his mobile phone rings with an unexpected call from a journalist seeking information about an upcoming hearing. Asger is caught off guard and promptly cuts her off, stating flatly that he has no comment on the matter. His chef, who had been monitoring the situation, chides him for answering personal calls in the call center area, but Asger protests that he thought it was related to work. The interruption serves as a gentle reminder of the blurred lines between his professional and personal life.

As Asger’s phone rings, he’s visibly rattled by the previous call, almost missing the next one altogether. But when Iben’s voice crackles through the line, it’s clear that something’s amiss. Her tone is deceivingly casual, but beneath the surface, a palpable sense of desperation simmers. With a series of deftly crafted closed-ended questions, Asger begins to unravel the tangled threads of her situation, gradually piecing together the disturbing reality: Iben’s being forcibly held captive by an unknown individual, possibly wielding a knife, as they speed away on the northern freeway in a white van. Asger swiftly dispatches a call to his team, requesting a police unit to be sent to scour the highways for the suspect vehicle. Though he’s unable to provide the license plate number, he’s able to pass on crucial intel to Iben, instructing her to prepare for a signal from the authorities.

Just as it seems Asger has successfully orchestrated a rescue mission, the line suddenly goes dark. Undeterred, Asger reconnects with dispatch and is patched through to the very unit racing across the freeway in search of the van. The officers on the other end are hampered by the torrential rain, but Asger’s persistence pays off as they eventually manage to corral a white van. However, the tension dissipates when it becomes apparent that there’s no sign of Iben inside – just an empty vehicle. Disheartened but not defeated, Asger redoubles his efforts, tracking down Iben’s phone record and locating her address and home number.

With a deep breath, he dials the numbers and is met with the anxious voice of Mathilde, a 6-year-old girl who’s frantically trying to calm herself amidst the chaos. As she confides in Asger about her fears for her mother’s safety and her baby brother Oliver’s well-being, it becomes clear that Iben was taken by Michael, her father – an individual whose earlier visit had left both children shaken. Asger swiftly reassures Mathilde that the authorities are actively searching for her parents and will ensure their safe return, instructing her to stay with her sibling and remain vigilant. With a promise to keep tabs on the situation and dispatch a police unit to her doorstep, Asger gently coaxes Mathilde into a sense of security before hanging up, his determination to find Iben and bring her home strengthened by every passing moment.

As Asger delves deeper into the mystery of Iben’s disappearance, a chilling discovery awaits him. Through painstaking research, he uncovers Michael’s troubled past, replete with a history of violent outbursts and a stint in jail for domestic abuse. Furthermore, he obtains Michael’s address and learns that he’s behind the wheel of a distinctive white van. With this newfound information, Asger seizes control of his situation, swiftly contacting dispatch to provide the license plate number and requesting immediate assistance. He implores the officer on the other end to send a unit to Iben’s children, who are currently alone and vulnerable, as well as to pay Michael’s residence a visit, taking care to break in if necessary.

Though the officer remains steadfast in their refusal to oblige Asger’s demands, citing it’s not their jurisdiction, he manages to secure an assurance that a patrol car will indeed be dispatched to the children’s location. His colleagues begin to notice his growing unease, but Asger offers them reassurances, apologizing for his recent behavior, including the present moment. He then excuses himself to make a personal call in a private phone room, separated from the bustle of the call center.

As he waits for Iben to respond, he decides to take a different tack and places a call to Michael’s listed cell number. Identifying himself as a police officer, Asger reveals that they’ve received reports of Michael’s children being left unattended at home. Given their mother’s unavailability, he urges Michael to head over to their address and ensure the kids are safe. Michael’s response is telling – preoccupied and evasive, he claims he can’t comply at present.

Asger seizes this opportunity to confront Michael, bluntly informing him that they’re onto his game and that it’s time to come clean. He instructs Michael to pull over and await the arrival of a police cruiser, but instead, the suspect abruptly terminates the call. Just as Asger is about to conclude his personal call, a colleague enters, announcing the end of their shift and the arrival of the night team.

However, Asger’s not quite ready to relinquish control yet. He shares the developments with Bo, painting a dire picture of Iben’s possible fate, and implores him to dispatch someone to Michael’s residence, as it may hold vital clues about the kidnapper’s next move. But Bo is resolute in his opposition to Asger’s unorthodox approach, rebuking him for straying from established protocols. He advises Asger to let the authorities handle the search and instead focus on going home to his wife – a suggestion that falls flat, given Asger’s recent marital woes.

As the phone rings, Asger extends an olive branch to Rashid, requesting a favor and verifying the particulars of a specific address. Rashid, though besotted with a few beers at the office party, obliges with alacrity. However, Asger’s demeanor darkens upon learning that his crucial witness is already compromised by intoxication, as they are scheduled to provide testimony in his defense the very next day, and cannot possibly appear before the court with a hangover. Rashid’s nervousness about the narrative they have collectively concocted begins to surface, as he frets about being able to recall the intricacies of their fabricated tale without stumbling. Asger reassures him that honesty is always an option, but this only seems to agitate Rashid further, who insists on adhering to the story they’ve maintained for months.

Meanwhile, one of Asger’s colleagues bursts into the room, announcing that a young girl, Mathilde, is eager to speak with Asger directly. As the call is transferred, he listens intently as she reveals that not one, but two police officers have arrived at her doorstep. With an air of urgency, Asger instructs her to allow them entry and relinquish the phone to one of the officers. The conversation with the officer unfolds like a ticking time bomb, as Asger learns that Mathilde’s clothes and hands are stained with blood. He urges the officer to hasten their search, given the presence of an unattended infant in the vicinity. After what feels like an eternity, the officer returns to the phone, delivering the devastating news that the baby is deceased. Asger’s tone turns stern as he implores the officer not to permit Mathilde entry into the room, but it is already too late; as the call abruptly disconnects, the sound of Mathilde’s anguished scream echoes through the silence.

As Asger grapples with the weighty revelation, he makes another attempt to reach Michael via his cell phone. When Michael finally answers, Asger’s frustration boils over as the suspect dodges his inquiry once more. The ensuing exchange culminates in a fiery outburst from Asger, who lashes out at Michael for being a menace that deserves to be brought to justice. Unfortunately, their conversation is abruptly cut short when the call disconnects yet again.

Undeterred, Asger tries Iben’s cell phone next, only to find himself engaged in another frustrating interaction. Despite her protests about talking to her daughter, Asger manages to uncover some crucial information - specifically that she and Michael are still on the move and neglecting basic safety precautions by not wearing seatbelts. He urges her to fasten her belt forthwith, which sparks a red flag with Michael, prompting Asger to instruct Iben to slam on the hand brake immediately. The call ends abruptly amidst the commotion.

Meanwhile, Asger’s cell phone springs to life once more, this time with Rashid on the line. The detective brings him up to speed on their latest development: they’ve arrived at the address of a suspect in the kidnap case, and it’s imperative that they find some tangible clue as to where the kidnapper might be taking the hostage. Asger directs Rashid to search the sparse, sparsely decorated interior for any hint or lead that might shed light on their investigation.

Upon entering the property, Rashid finds the door ajar, suggesting Michael had made a hasty exit. The interior is stark and utilitarian, featuring little more than a mattress on the floor and a heap of paperwork on a table. Asger’s directive to scour the documents for any relevant information falls on deaf ears with Rashid, who voices his concerns about the time-consuming nature of their task, given they have no other leads to pursue.

As Asger persisted in his attempts to reach Iben, she finally picked up, her voice trembling with a mix of shock and confusion. Still trapped inside the dark van, Asger sensed that Michael had indeed secured her in the back compartment, leaving her helpless and frightened. Her words tumbled forth in a panicked jumble as she implored him not to let Michael lock her away again. Asger’s calm demeanor served as a steadying force, reassuring Iben that she might need to defend herself when Michael finally brought the van to a stop. With his knowledge of Michael’s mason background, Asger deduced that the back of the van likely housed various tools; he instructed Iben to scour the area for anything that could serve as a means of defense.

As she searched, her hands closed around a brick, which Asger urged her to wield with all her might when Michael opened the door. However, instead of striking out in fear, Iben’s thoughts turned to happier times and calmer moments. She spoke wistfully of taking her children on visits to the big city aquarium, where the majestic fish gliding through their tanks brought her peace – especially for her son Oliver, whose frequent tears had been a source of worry for her. Today, she’d finally found solace in ridding him of the snakes writhing beneath his skin; it was a peculiar phrase that left Asger intrigued and prompting further inquiry.

Just as he was about to delve deeper into the mysteries surrounding Iben’s cryptic words, the van jolted to a stop, and Michael swung open the door. His warning to Iben not to harm him fell on deaf ears as the sounds of struggle and violence filled the air, followed by the disconnection of their call.

Asger’s world was turned upside down by a subsequent call from Rashid, who had managed to uncover evidence of custody battles and a history of mental hospital commitments for Iben. A map examination revealed that the institution lay along Michael’s route, casting an unsettling new light on Iben’s fears of being “locked up”.

As the tension builds, Asger’s pent-up frustration boils over, causing him to recklessly shatter several objects on his desk. He redoubles his efforts to contact Michael (still reeling from a blow) and implores him to stay put until help arrives. The gravity of the situation is underscored by the admission that Iben has inadvertently committed a heinous act, one that Asger wishes he had anticipated earlier. Michael’s anger is palpable as he reveals his own desperation, having tried every avenue for assistance but been met with deafening silence.

Just as the two men are struggling to come to terms with the chaos unfolding around them, a colleague bursts into the room, bearing news of an urgent phone call from Iben herself. Asger’s eyes dart towards Michael before he takes the call, his voice laced with empathy and concern as he attempts to reassure her that help is on the way. The reality of her situation slowly dawns on her, however, and she becomes increasingly distraught, her words laced with a sense of despair.

As Asger’s tone turns introspective, he begins to open up about his own dark past, confessing to having taken someone’s life in a moment of self-defense. The weight of this revelation hangs heavy in the air as Iben’s anguish reaches new heights. It seems as though she is poised on the precipice of giving up, but Asger’s words of solidarity and understanding manage to stall her descent into darkness.

The sound of sirens piercing the phone line serves only to heighten the sense of urgency, yet Iben remains resolute in her determination to say goodbye. In a final, desperate attempt to reach her, Asger pours all his emotions into the call, but it’s too late – the connection is lost, and with it, any hope of reaching her before she takes that fateful leap.

In the aftermath, the sounds of police sirens fill the air as dispatch confirms the successful apprehension of Iben. As Asger walks out of the building, his colleagues’ confused glances follow him like a shadow, their faces a testament to the trauma that has unfolded within these walls. With one final phone call still ringing in his mind, Asger steps out into the world, ready to face whatever lies ahead.