Chapter 35
There are significantly fewer cars in the parking lot today when Hanna pulls up by the entrance.
Hardly surprising, she thinks. No doubt there have been plenty of cancelations in the wake of the murder. People in the area are afraid, and the murder in ?re has made the national news.
She pushes aside the thought, she doesn’t want to lose focus. As a police officer it is easy to feel the pressure to solve the crime right away. That’s their responsibility. But one thing at a time—they can’t simply conjure up a perpetrator.
Only a few guests are sitting on the chocolate-brown velvet sofas in the foyer when Hanna and Daniel walk in. Espen Lund is waiting at reception. He is talking to a female member of staff, but breaks off as soon as he sees them.
Hanna takes the lead. “We have a few questions about your key cards. We need to double-check a couple of things, and we also need to speak to one of your receptionists.”
Espen looks around anxiously. He pushes back his hair from his forehead, and says quietly, “Maybe we could go somewhere more private? I’d appreciate it if you could be discreet.”
He beckons a tall man who is busy piling suitcases onto a luggage trolley.
Hanna recognizes him—he’s the guy who told her about Paul Lehto yesterday.
She tries to catch his eye, but he won’t look at her.
Presumably he is uneasy at having revealed sensitive information about a colleague.
She assumes he doesn’t want to risk being questioned again in front of his boss.
She can respect that.
“Erik, do you know if anyone is using conference room C4?” Espen asks.
“No, it’s supposed to be empty all morning.”
“Thanks—that’s where I’ll be if anyone needs me.”
The manager leads the way up a wide staircase and into an airy room on the western side of the building. There is a podium at the front, with rows of chairs set out.
“This is where Charlotte was supposed to be holding her press conference on Monday,” he explains.
Hanna understands why she chose this particular room. The view from the windows captures the J?mtland mountains perfectly. It’s like a painting in different nuances of white, a composition of snow, ice, and frozen moments.
The early spring sunshine is so bright that it creates a sparkling halo around the ?re valley. The view seems to go on forever.
“Isn’t it odd that Charlotte wanted to meet the press in your hotel?” Hanna asks, leaning against the wall with her arms folded. “Isn’t that”—she pauses briefly—“fraternizing with the enemy?”
She tried to ask Espen about this when they first met, but he avoided answering. Now he frowns, as if he finds the allegation insulting.
“Are you suggesting that Charlotte’s plans constituted some kind of threat to us?”
He lets out a small snort. Hanna chooses to interpret this as supercilious rather than scornful.
“Have you been to Storlien?” he continues.
“Not yet.”
Daniel sits down on a chair with his back to the window. “We haven’t had time.”
“When you get around to it, you’ll understand why Charlotte chose to hold her press conference here.
The state of the place is off-putting to say the least; in her shoes I would have done exactly the same.
Better to bring the media here to show them what a fantastic establishment you can build with quality and care, rather than inviting them to somewhere that looks as if it should be in a horror movie. ”
Espen is clearly proud of his own hotel.
“So you didn’t mind Charlotte using your facilities to spread the message about her plans?” Daniel asks.
For the first time Espen gives a small smile.
“I chose to regard it as pure marketing. Even if the journalists left here with her words ringing in their ears, I thought it was the impression made by our hotel that would last.” He sounds almost calculating as he continues.
“No one can beat us when it comes to offering a world-class mountain experience.”
It’s convincing, but Hanna can’t help wondering if he really is so unconcerned. If Charlotte had realized her plans, then surely it would have involved a considerable risk to Copperhill’s income stream. The manager must have been worried about the increased competition, whatever he says.
Then again, maybe they shouldn’t be putting their energy into him. Espen has a solid alibi, confirmed by their colleagues in ?stersund yesterday. He is not a suspect, even if he sometimes comes across as not particularly likable.
Their focus must be on Paul Lehto right now—the receptionist who had access to all the key cards, and who also seems to have had an altercation with the dead woman.