Chapter 83
If there were a way of absorbing coffee intravenously, Hanna would have willingly paid a fortune to sign up.
Exhaustion is clawing at her body when she gets back to the police station at seven thirty in the morning.
Just over three hours have passed since she was woken by Daniel’s phone call.
All patrols are looking for Pontus Englund, and the local cab companies have been informed in case they should come across him.
Trains departing from ?re will be monitored, as will buses going to the airport on the island of Froson.
The team are about to have a meeting via video link with ?stersund to report on the latest developments, and to decide on their next moves. Hanna spoke briefly to Birgitta Grip in the car on the way back to let her know about the fire.
Daniel and Raffe are in the conference room when Anton and Hanna arrive. No doubt they only need to glance at her to realize how worn out she is. Anton doesn’t look great either—the result of being on the go long before dawn.
Raffe is the only one who seems to have had plenty of sleep. His coal-black ponytail is gleaming with hair oil, and he is bright and alert.
Hanna would like to borrow some of his energy.
“You’ve had a tough start to the day,” Daniel says, his voice betraying a guilty conscience. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come out when we got the call.”
“No problem,” Hanna lies. “Is Alice okay?”
Daniel looks even more guilty.
“She’s fine. I’ve just dropped her at preschool, so she’s in good hands.”
Changing the subject, he pulls the keyboard closer and begins to set up the link with ?stersund.
“Try these,” Raffe says, pushing over a plate of chocolate cookies. No doubt they are from his girlfriend, Nilla, who loves baking and regularly supplies the station with delicious treats. Hanna reaches out and takes two. Maybe the sugar will help.
“By the way, I’ve double-checked the information about Emil Sandstrom being gay,” Raffe continues as Hanna chews. “He referred me to his parents, and I’ve spoken to his mom, who confirmed what Olivia told you. There’s also an ex-boyfriend if we want to speak to him.”
“Did she say anything else?” Hanna mumbles with her mouth full.
“She was worried, of course. Emil hadn’t told his parents about Filippa, so they had no idea what had gone on over the last few days. His mother asked if they should come up, but I advised them against it and said Emil would be able to leave very soon.”
“Good morning,” Grip says from the screen on the wall. “This case seems to be getting more and more complicated.”
You could say that, Hanna thinks as she munches her way through yet another cookie.
Today Grip is in uniform. That usually means she will be holding a press conference later in the day. Otherwise she prefers practical clothing like jeans and a sweater, occasionally a black jacket.
She turns her attention to Hanna.
“Can we start with a summary from you? I believe it’s been a dramatic night.”
Hanna washes down the last few crumbs with a swig of her coffee. She begins by describing the fire, and the chief officer’s suspicions that it was started deliberately. Then she reports on Pontus’s involvement in the confrontation the previous evening. She also mentions that Staffan Berg showed up.
“Arson is a serious matter,” Grip says. “Any theories about how it happened?”
“Not yet, but Carina is going over there this morning to investigate.”
Carina has barely had time to report on the house search carried out yesterday, and now she has a fresh crime scene to examine.
What is going on?
“If the fire really was started deliberately, I’d expect some form of accelerant to have been used,” Daniel points out. “Like T-Gul lighter fluid. It shouldn’t be hard to find out.”
Hanna reflects that T-Gul is sold in every gas station. If traces are found, it would prove only that the fire had been started deliberately—not by whom.
But it’s a start. If it is arson, then they have another serious crime to investigate. They need to start door-to-door inquiries in Sadeln to see if they can track down any eyewitnesses.
Hanna finds it difficult to believe that it was an accident. First Filippa’s tragic death, then a potentially lethal fire two days later.
It was sheer luck that no one was seriously hurt.
Not to mention Pontus’s violent attack on Emil.
There is something unhealthy going on at the house on Nedre Svedjev?gen. Something damaging and ominous that is making her increasingly ill at ease.
She doesn’t believe in all these coincidences.
“How convinced are we that Pontus Englund was responsible for the fire?” Grip asks.
Hanna closes her eyes, tries to think. Before she can speak, Anton takes over.
“The rest of the group told us that he physically attacked Emil Sandstrom during dinner yesterday evening. Both Hanna and I have seen the strangulation marks on Emil’s throat. It doesn’t look good.”
“I’ve asked Emil to call in at the medical center during the day so we can document his injuries,” Hanna adds.
“So there are witnesses to the attack?” Raffe wonders. He is the only one who hasn’t met the friends yet.
“Four of them,” Anton confirms. “They were all at the dining table when Pontus went for Emil.”
Although the victim did his best to play down the incident, Hanna thinks to herself, just like the other boys. She brushes a few crumbs from her fingers. Could it be because Emil knows what it means to be convicted of assault? He is well aware of the consequences of legal action.
That is probably why he hadn’t told his parents about Filippa; he didn’t want to worry them even more.
“The boys kept stressing the fact that Pontus was very drunk,” Hanna says. “They believe the incident was spontaneous and unplanned, that he didn’t know what he was doing when he attacked Emil.”
She finds it difficult to understand why William kept defending Pontus, but presumably it’s a case of misplaced loyalty.
“Well, he was sober enough to leave the scene of the crime,” Raffe notes with skepticism in his voice.
“Exactly,” Hanna agrees.
“Any other suspects?” Grip asks.
“What about the property manager?” Anton suggests.
Hanna has also been thinking about Staffan Berg and whether he might be involved. She reports briefly on her conversation with him outside the cabin.
“He had a legitimate explanation for his presence, but he does keep showing up.”
“But what motive would he have had for killing Filippa?” Daniel says. “If we think he could be a suspect.”
Exactly. Hanna has asked herself the same question.
“As far as we’re aware they didn’t know each other before she came to ?re,” she says. “But that doesn’t necessarily rule him out.”
Raffe has been twiddling a piece of string between his fingers. He puts it down on the table, and it curls up like a little snake. “A neighbor actually phoned to say that a man was standing outside the door of the cabin late on Sunday evening,” he says. “The description matches Staffan Berg.”
Staffan hadn’t mentioned that when Hanna spoke to him earlier at the property. She tries to remember exactly how the conversation went. Shouldn’t he have said something, if he’s completely innocent?
Grip scratches the back of her neck. “I think we should make finding Pontus our priority. We also need to contact his family.” She looks at Hanna. “Can you deal with that?”
Then she turns to Raffe. “We’re not dismissing Staffan Berg—I’d like you to take a closer look at him.”
“No problem.” Raffe makes a note.
“By the way, how did it go with Peter Carlsson, ?ke’s son?” Hanna asks. “Did you manage to speak to him?”
Raffe nods. “I did. I met up with him briefly yesterday afternoon, before he went back to Gothenburg. He said he was asleep in bed on Saturday night and Sunday morning, and didn’t notice anything unusual.
He woke up when his youngest son came into his room at about two o’clock, but went back to sleep as soon as the little boy had crawled in under the covers. ”
“What did he have to say about the accusations in the police report?” Daniel says.
Inappropriate touching, Hanna wants to say. Sexual harassment. He touched a woman’s body without her permission.
Call it by its proper name.
Raffe flicks through his notebook and opens a page sporting pale-brown coffee stains.
“He claimed it was an isolated incident, and that he was having problems in his marriage at the time. On that particular Friday he’d gone to a bar and had too much to drink.
If I can quote Peter Carlsson, he said it was an evening he has regretted deeply every single day since then. ”
“So now we know,” Grip says. “We’ll set him aside for now; there are more important individuals to focus on at the moment.”
Daniel raises a hand.
“What are the implications of the fire when it comes to Filippa’s death? Do we think Pontus is involved there too?”
Hanna finds the thought depressing. That would mean Pontus is not only an arsonist, but also a murderer.
Anton, who isn’t usually quick to judge people, lets out a snort.
“What are the odds of it being two different perpetrators? Seriously?”
“We can’t tie ourselves down to any conclusions yet,” Grip says firmly. “First I want to hear what Ylva has to say.”
Hanna had almost forgotten that the autopsy on Filippa’s body was scheduled to continue today. The last few hours are catching up with her; she is starting to have difficulty concentrating. She would really like to lie down and close her eyes, if only for half an hour.
“Like I said, the most important thing right now is to locate Pontus Englund,” Grip continues. “Before he can do any more damage.”