down between her thighs. She went off her rocker. Lost it completely. She got the door open and stumbled out. Ran out into the meadow, terrified.'
And Linda, Sejer thought, is approaching on her bike, perhaps she is right around the bend. Any second now she'll see the car.
'I grabbed one of the dumbbells from the back seat and ran after her,' Goran said dully. 'I'm in good shape. Running was easy, it turned me on, but she was fast too, she ran like a bloody rabbit through the grass. I caught up with her at the edge of the wood. It was weird, I saw a light flash in one of Gunwald's windows. But it didn't worry me.'
'Did she scream?' Sejer said.
'No. She was busy running. All I heard was her feet through the grass and my own breathing.'
'So you caught up with her. Then what did you do?'
'I don't remember any more.'
'Of course you do. What were you feeling?'
'I felt incredibly strong. My body was on fire. Besides, she was pathetic.'
'In what way?'
'Everything was pathetic. Her going to Jomann's. The way she looked. Her clothes and jewellery. All that tinsel. She wasn't young either.'
'She was thirty-eight,' Sejer said.
'I know. It said so in the paper.'
'Why did you hit her?'
'Why? I was holding the dumbbell in my hand. She curled up with her hands over her head waiting for the blow.'
'Couldn't you have turned round and left?'
'No.'
'I need to know why.'
'Because I'd reached a boiling point. I could hardly breathe.'
'Did you hit her many times?'
'I don't think so.'
'Could you breathe again once she collapsed?'
'Yes, I could breathe again.'
'Did she get up again, Goran?'
'What?'
'Did you toy with her?'
'No. I just wanted to finish the job.'
'There were traces after you ran all over the meadow. We need to get this right.'
'But I don't remember any more.'
'Let's move on. What did you do when she finally lay still in the grass?'
'I drove to Norevann.'
'What did you do with your clothes?'
'Threw them in the lake.'
'You put on your gym clothes?'
'I must have.'
'And the dumbbells?'
'I put them in the car. One of them was bloody.'
'You had scratches to your face. Did she scratch you?'
'Not that I remember. She hit my chest with her fists.'
'How long were you by the lake, Goran?'
'Don't know.'
'Do you remember what you were thinking as you got back in the car and drove home?'
'It's difficult. I drove to Lillian's.'
'You're getting fact and fiction mixed up again.'
'But I know that's how it was. I would see her in the rear-view mirror. She waved from the window, hidden slightly by the curtain.'
'Why did you return to the crime scene?'
'Did I?'
'Had you lost something? Which you absolutely had to find?'
Goran shook his head.
'No. I panicked. What if she was still alive and able to talk? So I got up and went back to the car. Got in and drove back. Then I spotted her. She was staggering around the meadow like a drunk. It was a nightmare. I couldn't believe that she was still alive.'
'Go on.'
'She was crying for help, but very feebly. She'd almost lost her voice. Then she spotted me. It was strange, but she raised her hand and called for help. She didn't recognise me.'
'You'd changed your clothes,' Sejer said.
'Yes. Of course.'
He lost his concentration for a moment. 'Then she collapsed in the grass. She was in a totally different place to where I'd left her. I grabbed one of the dumbbells and ran out into the meadow. Bent down and stared at her. That's when she recognised me. Her eyes at that moment, they were indescribable. Then she called – it seemed – for help, feebly, in a foreign language. Perhaps she was praying. Then I hit her many times. I remember thinking it was strange that there could be so much life in a person. But in the end she stopped moving.'
'The dumbbell, Goran? What did you do with it?'
'Don't remember. I might have thrown it in the lake.'
'So you went back to Norevann?'
'No. Yes. I'm not sure.'
'And afterwards?'
'I drove around for a bit.'
'So you went home at last. Tell me what happened then.'
'I chatted to my mum a bit and then I took a shower.'
'And your clothes? Gym clothes?'
'I put them in the washing machine. Afterwards I threw them out. I couldn't get them clean.'
'Think about the woman. Do you recall what she was wearing?'
'Something dark.'
'Do you remember her hair?'
'She was Indian. I guess it was black.'
'Was she wearing earrings? Do you recall them?'
'No.'
'Her hands, which she hit you with.'
'Brown,' he said.
'With rings?'
'Don't know. Don't know any more,' he mumbled.
He flopped on to the table.
'Do you confess to murdering this woman, Poona Bai? On August 20th at 9 p.m.?'
'Confess?' Goran said, frightened. It was as if he suddenly woke up. 'I don't know. You asked to see my images and that's what you got.'
Sejer looked at him calmly.
'What shall I write in the report, Goran? That these are your images of Poona's murder?'
'Something like that. If that's all right.'
'It's not very clear,' Sejer said slowly. 'Do you consider this a confession?'
'Confession?'
