'Does anyone know what kind of music he liked?' she asked.
'Strangely enough, Ylva Brink says she has no idea.'
Wallander realised to his surprise that he had no idea either. Holgersson left again, after he had given her an update on the investigation.
'I wish we could know what exactly happened and why when we attend his funeral,' Martinsson said.
'I doubt we will,' Wallander said. 'But that's what we'd all like.'
It was 5 p.m. They were about to leave when the phone rang. It was Ebba.
'Please, no reporters,' Wallander said.
'It's Nyberg. It sounds important.'
Wallander felt a twinge of excitement. There was a hiss of static, then Nyberg's voice came on.
'I think we were right.'
'Have you found the spot?'
'That's what we think. We're taking pictures now, and we're trying to see if we can get a footprint.'
'Were we right about the location?'
'This is about 80 metres from where they were found. It's a very well selected spot. It's surrounded by thick shrubbery and no one would choose to walk through it.'
'When are you going to start digging?'
'I was going to see if you wanted to come and take a look at it first.'
'I'm on my way.'
Wallander hung up. 'They think they've found the place where the bodies were buried,' he said.
They quickly decided that Wallander would go out there alone. The others had a number of tasks to take care of as soon as possible.
When he got to the nature reserve, he drove his car past the roadblocks all the way up to the crime scene. A forensic technician was waiting for him, and escorted him to a spot where Nyberg had cordoned off an area of about 30 square metres. Wallander saw at once that the spot was well chosen, just as he had said. He crouched down beside Nyberg, who started to point things out to him.
'The ground over here has been dug up,' he said. 'Clumps of grass have been taken out and replanted. If you look over there under the leaves you'll see dirt that's been swept aside. If you dig a hole and fill it with something else, there'll be earth left over.'
Wallander brushed his hand along the ground. 'It's been carefully done.'
Nyberg nodded. 'It's very precise,' he said. 'He didn't take any shortcuts. We would never have noticed this place without having set out to look for it.'
Wallander got up. 'Let's dig it up,' he said. 'We've got no time to lose.'
The work went slowly. Nyberg directed the others. It was beginning to get dark by the time the first layer of earth had been removed. Spotlights were set up around the site. The earth underneath the sod was porous and came out easily. As they removed it, a rectangular hole became visible. By this time it was after 9 p.m. Holgersson had come out with Hoglund and they watched in silence. By the time Nyberg was satisfied, Wallander knew what he was looking at. The rectangular hole in front of him was a grave.
They gathered in a semicircle around the edge.
'It's big enough,' Nyberg said.
'Yes,' Wallander said. 'It's big enough. Even for four bodies.'
He shivered. For the first time they were following closely in the killer's tracks. They had been right. Nyberg kneeled next to the hole.
'There's nothing here,' he said. 'It's possible that the bodies were sealed in airtight body bags. If there was also a tarpaulin tucked in around them under the sod, I doubt that even Edmundsson's dog would pick up anything. But of course we'll go over it, down to the last tiny speck of dirt.'
Wallander walked back up to the main path with Holgersson and Hoglund.
'What is this killer doing?' Holgersson asked, distaste and fear in her voice.
'I don't know,' Wallander said. 'But at least we have a survivor.'
'Isa Edengren?'
Wallander didn't answer. He didn't need to. They all knew what he meant. The grave had been intended for her as well.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
At 5 a.m. on Tuesday, 13 August, Wallander left Ystad, deciding to drive along the coast, through Kalmar. He was already at Solvesborg when he realised he had forgotten his promise to visit Dr Goransson at the clinic that morning. He pulled over by the side of the road and called Martinsson. It was just past 7 a.m. Wallander told him about the doctor's appointment and asked Martinsson to call and give an excuse.
'Tell him an urgent matter called me out of town,' Wallander said.
'Are you sick?' Martinsson asked.
'It's a routine check-up,' Wallander told him. 'That's all.'
Afterwards, when he had pulled back out onto the road, it occurred to him that Martinsson must have wondered why he didn't call Dr Goransson himself. Wallander asked himself the same question. Why couldn't he tell people that he had in all likelihood developed diabetes? He was having trouble making sense of his own actions.
He was thirsty, and his body ached. When he passed a roadside cafe he stopped and had breakfast. On the way out he bought two bottles of mineral water. He made it to Kalmar by 9 a.m. The phone rang. It was Hoglund, who was going to help him with directions once he reached Ostergotland.
'I talked to a colleague in Valdemarsvik,' she said. 'I thought it would be best to make it sound like a personal favour.'
'Good idea,' Wallander said. 'Police officers don't tend to like it when you trespass on their territory.'
'Especially not you,' she said with a laugh. She was right. He didn't like having police officers from other districts in Ystad.
'How do I get out to the island?' he asked.
'That depends on where you are right now. Are you far away?
'I've just passed Kalmar. Vastervik is 100 kilometres away, and then it's about another hundred after that.'
'Then it'll be tight.'
'What do you mean?'
'My contact in Valdemarsvik suggested that you take the post boat, but it leaves Fyrudden between 11 a.m. and 11.30.'
'Is there no other way?'
'Oh, I'm sure there is. But you'll have to organise that once you get to the dock.'
'I may be able to do that. Can't someone call the post office and tell them I'm on my way? Where does the post get sorted? In Norrkoping?'
'I'm looking at a map right now,' she said. 'I think it would have to be in Gryt, if there's even a post office there.'
'Where's that?'
'Between Valdemarsvik and Fyrudden harbour. Don't you even have a map with you?'
'Unfortunately I left it on my desk.'
'Let me call you back,' she said. 'But I really think the best thing would be for you to go out with the post boat. If my colleague is right, it's the easiest way for people to get out to the islands. Those that don't have their own boats, of course, or anyone who's willing to come and get them.'
Wallander understood what she meant.
'Good thinking,' he said. 'You mean that Isa Edengren may have taken the post boat herself?'
'It was just an idea.'
Wallander thought for a moment. 'But do you really think she made it up there by 11 a.m. if she left the hospital at 6 a.m.?'
