Chapter 94
“I’ll take a look outside, see if there are any cameras,” Hanna says.
She is still in the hallway with Daniel, waiting for William and Amir to show up. To be fair, it is only a few minutes since Emil went downstairs; if they were asleep, it could be a while before they are up and dressed.
Daniel gives a brief nod. “I’ll stay here until the boys are ready.”
Hanna inspects the facade carefully. It’s hard to see properly in the gray light; she has to screw up her eyes to make out the details. The lights are mounted at regular intervals along the entire front of the building, modern LEDs with beams pointing both upward and downward to create atmosphere.
And then she spots small black cameras, cleverly concealed.
She walks slowly around the house to see how many there are.
With each step she sinks deeper into the snow; she has to lift her feet high up to get anywhere at all.
She discovers that there are cameras at every access point—above the front door, the ski entrance, and the patio door on the lower level.
She stops outside the sauna, craning her neck to try to work out the camera angle. It’s doubtful if it covers the place where Filippa was found, but it’s not impossible.
If the footage still exists, this would mean a real breakthrough in the investigation. It would help them to identify the person Karin Carlsson saw.
The next question is whether whoever started the fire was caught on camera.
Hanna heads toward the blackened cabin. The snow all around has been churned up by countless feet and fire hoses, and the entire west-facing side of the building is damaged.
It’s doubtful if the place is salvageable.
The charred smell still lingers in the air, making her nostrils prickle.
She has a feeling that it might be dangerous to inhale the combination of wood and other material that burned.
It could have been the smell of death, if Olivia hadn’t woken in time.
A chilling thought.
Hanna looks up at the gable end. That was probably where the fire started, according to the forensic examination. Someone poured lighter fluid at the western corner, then lit it with a match.
She goes over to the ski entrance to try to work out whether the closest camera might reach the cabin. It depends on what direction it is pointing in. The black lens shines down at her as she stands on tiptoe to check the angle.
Yes! The camera should have picked up anyone moving around the building.
She has prayed to higher powers for a little luck.
And it seems as if her prayer has been answered.