Andersson looked out his overgrown window thoughtfully. The poor lily hanging in its macrame holder had given up the ghost long ago. He sat in silence for a long time. Without looking at Irene, he said pensively, “Besides myself, there’s only you and Jonny here right now. Jonny is talking to Ivan Viktors. They may have already started by now. How are you doing?”
“I thought I’d call Sylvia von Knecht in a while and ask how many hours a week Pirjo works for them. Otherwise, I just talked to the car dealer in Molndal. He gives Charlotte an alibi up to about ten minutes past five.”
“Then she couldn’t have made it downtown and hoisted her father-in-law over the balcony railing. It’s also hard to believe that Charlotte is particularly skilled at bomb making.”
“Something tells me she can’t even cook a meal.”
It was meant as a joke, but she could hear her own cattiness. In her mind Rob’s cheerful voice exclaimed:
Andersson didn’t seem to notice the comment about Charlotte’s deficiencies in the domestic arena. He was busy with his own thoughts and plans. “And then Jonny and Hans have to watch the parking garage. Tommy and Fredrik are checking Berzeliigatan. Birgitta has to talk to the photographer, Bobo Torsson, and help Hannu look for Pirjo Larsson. And I have to talk to Yvonne Stridner. Richard von Knecht is finished being examined, you might say. What else is there? Oh yes, I have to try on some pants.”
At the last sentence a shadow came over his face. He took a deep breath. “No, it’ll have to be you, Irene- you’re going to have to take care of the mother and son in Stockholm.”
“That’s fine. I have Veiko Fors’s phone number. But first I’m going to call Sylvia.”
THE PHONE rang about a dozen times before Sylvia’s slurred voice was heard at the other end of the line.
An incoherent mumble and grumbling was her reply. Irene hastily plunged ahead, “I’m calling on behalf of Superintendent Andersson. We’re searching for Pirjo Larsson. She’s been missing since last Wednesday afternoon. You still haven’t heard from her?”
“No-o-o. Not. . gone. . I think she lives in Angered,” Sylvia mumbled.
“We know that. But she’s been missing from her apartment and left her three children alone since last Wednesday.”
“Oh. . that’s odd.” It sounded as though she was starting to wake up. “So who’s going to clean our apartment then?”
She was awake now. Irene stifled a sigh and continued undeterred, “We were wondering how many hours a week Pirjo works for you.”
There was silence for half an eternity. Finally came a dejected, “Fifteen hours.”
“Divided over three days? Monday, Wednesday, and Friday? Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“How much do you pay Pirjo?”
“I can’t see that that’s any of your business!”
Irene tried to sound as convincing as possible. “Yes it is, actually. We’re investigating Pirjo’s financial situation.” That sounded good. But it didn’t impress Sylvia.
She snapped, “According to her it’s not nearly enough!”
“Does Pirjo want a raise?”
“Yes.”
“What does she get per month?”
Again silence. Finally Sylvia said, resigned, “Eighteen hundred.”
“And she wants?. .”
“Two thousand five hundred! Insane!”
“How much will she get?”
“No raise at all! I was utterly shocked!”
Anger made her sound like she was completely alert now. Irene decided to wrap it up on a more neutral subject. “I heard from Henrik that you’re going up to Marstrand over the weekend.”
“That’s right. Nothing wrong with that, I hope.” Her tone said that even if there was, she planned to ignore them.
“Not at all. I just wanted to mention that if anything should turn up, or if you need to contact us, give us a call. The investigative group is always here.”
“Do you work around the clock?”
“No, not really. We have a duty schedule.”
Guardedly they wished each other a nice weekend and hung up. She needed a quick cup of coffee before she called Mona Soder.
“SWEDISH DATA, good morning. How can I help you?” The voice was professional and friendly.
“I’m looking for Personnel Director Mona Soder.”
“Just a moment, please.”
“Mona Soder.”
“Good morning. My name is Irene Huss. Detective inspector with the Goteborg Police. I’m working on the investigation of the murder of Richard von Knecht.”
Mona Soder took a deep breath. “I don’t want to get involved! Not now. . not the way things stand right now. We don’t want to have anything to do with him. Are we under suspicion for something?”
“As you no doubt are aware, this is a homicide investigation. We’re going over all the facts about the victim. We discovered that you and Richard von Knecht had a son together in July nineteen sixty-five.”
Quiet sobbing was heard on the line. But only briefly, before Mona Soder sniffed loudly and steadied her voice. “Could we meet in person?”
“Meet? You’re in Stockholm!”
“Yes, I know. But this is important for your investigation. You have to come up here!” It sounded like both an appeal and a command.
“Can’t we do it on the phone?”
“Absolutely not! It’s very important that you come here, because you have to see with your own eyes.”
“I’ll have to talk to my supervisor. The Goteborg Police are on an austerity program, like everyone else.”
“Call me as soon as you know. See you later!”
Irene hung up the phone, impressed. It was obvious that Mona Soder was a woman who was used to telling people what to do.
“WHERE DID you get that idea? Going up to Stockholm! What is it the woman can’t say on the phone?”
“She said she had to show me something. According to her it was very important for the investigation.”
“Show you? Very important?” Andersson put his hands behind his back, a habit from his days on the beat, and paced aimlessly back and forth in the room. Suddenly he stopped in front of Irene, who happened to be sitting in the visitor’s chair. Resolutely he said, “You have to go. It’s the first time in this investigation that anyone has said they have something important to contribute. Check on the train times. Write up a travel requisition, and I’ll make sure you won’t have to front the money for too long. Okay?”
“That should work. But I have to take care of a few practical things first. Jenny is sick at home. Nothing serious, just a cold. Krister is working late tonight. Katarina has to practice for a judo match on Sunday. I’ll call my mother. Just hope she has time. Since she retired, she’s almost never home. You know how it is, ‘When you’re a happy retired person. .’” She sang the last part loudly and off-key.
“Thank you, but I’m actually quite musical. Get going on your trip to Stockholm instead of torturing me,” said Andersson.
