'Well, I'm certainly glad to hear it,' said Annika. 'It's about time too. I'd been worrying that you were going to end up gathering dust on the shelf. So… when are we going to hear the pitter- patter of little feet?'
'Oh, give me a break,' said Martin. 'I remember the way you badgered Patrik when he met Erica, and now look how things have turned out for him. That poor guy felt so much pressure to propagate with his woman, and now he sits here looking ten years older.' He winked at Patrik to show that he was joking.
'Well, let me know if you need any tips on how to do it,' Patrik offered cheerfully.
Martin was just about to come back with a witty rejoinder when Ernst and Gosta simultaneously tried to wedge through the doorway with their chairs. Grumbling, Gosta slipped past Ernst, who nonchalantly took a place in the middle of the room.
'It's going to be tight with the whole crowd in here,' said Gosta, glowering at Martin and Annika, who scooted their chairs over.
'There's always room for one more, as my mother used to say,' Annika commented a bit sarcastically.
Mellberg came sauntering in last of all; he was content to lean against the door jamb.
Patrik spread out his papers on his desk and took a deep breath. The full force of what it meant to head a homicide investigation suddenly struck him. This wasn't the first time, but still he was nervous. He didn't like being the centre of attention, and the gravity of the task caused his shoulders to slump. But the only other option was for Mellberg to take charge, and Patrik wanted to avoid that at all costs. So it was just a matter of getting started.
'As you know, we've now received confirmation that Sara Klinga's death was not an accident, but a murder. She did drown, but the water in her lungs was fresh, not saltwater, which indicates that she was drowned somewhere else and then dumped in the sea. I know this is nothing new, but all the details are in the report from Pedersen, the M.E. Annika has made copies for you.' He passed a stack of stapled reports around the table, and they each took one.
'Can anything be deduced based on the water in her lungs? For example, it says here that there were remnants of soap in the water. Could we find out what sort of soap it was?' asked Martin, pointing at an item in the autopsy report.
'Yes, hopefully we can,' replied Patrik. 'A water sample was sent off to the National Forensic Laboratory for analysis, and in a few days we'll know more about what they've been able to find.'
'What about the clothes?' Martin went on. 'Can we say whether she was dressed or not when she was drowned in the bathtub? Because we can almost certainly assume it was a bathtub she was drowned in, can't we?'
'I'm afraid the answer is the same. Her clothes were also sent off, and until we get the results back I don't know any more than the rest of you.'
Ernst rolled his eyes and Patrik gave him a sharp look. He knew precisely what was going on inside the man's head. He was jealous because it was Martin and not him who had thought of some intelligent questions to ask. Patrik wondered whether Ernst would ever understand that they worked together in a team in order to solve a task, and that it wasn't a matter of a contest between individuals.
'Are we dealing with a sex crime here?' Gosta asked, prompting Ernst to look more annoyed, if possible. Even his partner in lethargy had managed to come up with a relevant question.
'Impossible to say,' replied Patrik. 'But I'd like Martin to start checking whether there's anyone on our list who's been convicted of sex crimes against children.'
Martin nodded and made a note.
Then we also have to look more closely at the family,' Patrik said. 'Ernst and I had a preliminary talk with them when we informed them that Sara had been murdered. We've also spoken with the individual that Sara's mother pointed out as a possible suspect.'
'Let me guess,' said Annika acidly. 'Could it possibly have been a certain Kaj Wiberg?'
'That's right,' said Gosta. 'I gave Patrik all the documents I have about their contacts with us over the years.'
'A waste of time and resources,' said Ernst. 'It's completely absurd to believe that Kaj had anything to do with the girl's death.'
'Oh, right, you two know each other,' said Gosta and gave Patrik a questioning look to see whether he was aware of this. Patrik confirmed with a nod that he knew.
'At any rate,' Patrik interrupted when Ernst again tried to say something, 'we'll continue to investigate Kaj to decide as soon as possible whether he was involved. And we need to keep all options open at this stage. First we have to find out more about the girl and her family. I thought Ernst and I would begin by talking to the girl's teachers to see whether they know of any problem concerning the family. Since we know so little, we might need to get some help from the local press as well. Would you be able to help with that, Bertil?'
He got no answer and repeated a bit louder: 'Bertil?' Still no answer. Mellberg looked to be far away in his own thoughts as he stood leaning on the door jamb. After raising his voice another notch Patrik finally got a reaction.
'Oh, sorry. What did you say?' asked Mellberg. Patrik once again had a hard time believing that he was the one playing the part of chief in this building.
'I just wondered whether you might consider talking to the local press. Tell them it was a murder and that anyone's information is of interest. I have a feeling we're going to need the public's help on this case.'
'Oh, uh, of course,' said Mellberg, who still had a dazed look on his face. 'Okay, I'll talk to the press.'
'All right. That's about all we can do for now,' said Patrik, slapping his hands on his desk. 'Any more questions?'
No one said a word, and after a few seconds of silence everyone began gathering up their things as if on command.
'Ernst?' Patrik stopped his colleague just as he was heading out the door. 'Will you be ready to go in half an hour?'
'Go where?' said Ernst with his usual grumpiness.
Patrik took a deep breath. Sometimes he wondered whether he just thought he was talking while really it was only his lips moving. 'To Sara's school. To talk to her teachers,' he said, carefully enunciating each word.
'Oh right, that. Sure, I can be ready in half an hour,' said Ernst, turning his back to Patrik.
Patrik gave him a dirty look. He would give this unwelcome partner of his a couple more days before he dared to defy Mellberg and discreetly take Molin along instead.
STROMSTAD 1924
The pleasure of novelty had truly begun to wear off. The whole winter had been filled with trysts, and at first Agnes had enjoyed every moment. But now that winter was in retreat and spring was quietly approaching, she felt indolence beginning to creep in. To be honest, she no longer saw what it was about him that she had found so attractive. Of course he was good-looking, she couldn't deny that, but his speech was crude and uneducated and there was a constant odour of sweat about him. It had also become harder and harder
