Chapter 71
The core team has gathered in the conference room: Daniel, Hanna, Raffe, and Anton. Daniel only just managed to grab a coffee this morning, but for the first time in an eternity he didn’t have any bad dreams.
Thanks to Jovanka, no doubt.
The first topic of the day is Paul Lehto. Hanna has just passed on the information about when he used the staff entrance on Sunday.
“Okay, so let’s start with checking his alibi,” Daniel says. “Then dig into his background to give us a clearer picture. I’ve nothing against questioning him again—he can bring the lawyer he insisted on.”
Hanna nods. “We also need to speak to his wife. I tried to call her both yesterday and this morning, but she didn’t pick up.”
“Have we heard anything about the autopsy on Aada Kuus?” Raffe asks.
“It’s Good Friday,” Anton points out.
“I don’t think they’ll get around to it until next week at the earliest—the Easter break is slowing everything down,” Daniel agrees.
Hanna is clearly frustrated. “I don’t get why everybody else can have time off while we’re sitting here working.”
Daniel sighs. “You know how it is.”
He shares her view, but it is what it is.
Most of their colleagues, those who are not part of the investigating team or are on call, work office hours or a strictly laid-out roster.
It’s difficult to demand overtime from other units, even when it feels as if the four of them are working round the clock.
Anton raps his knuckles on the desk. “Moving on . . . I’ve gone through the interviews with the employees who have rooms in the staff-accommodation block.”
“Anything interesting?”
“There’s a girl from Ljungbyhed who works as a waitress at the hotel. She says she heard the sound of a snow scooter outside the block shortly after midnight on Wednesday.”
“A snow scooter,” Daniel repeats, rubbing a hand over his beard.
He remembers the tracks they found on Wednesday when they were searching with Molly the dog for the weapon that killed Charlotte Wretlind.
The clear impressions in the snow, indicating that a scooter had been parked on the edge of the forest.
Now it seems as if the same type of vehicle was also involved in the second killing.
“Aada Kuus should have been on her way home after her late shift at that time,” Raffe says.
“That’s right,” Anton confirms. “And we have evidence to suggest that Charlotte’s murderer made his escape by scooter on Sunday. It could be a coincidence . . .”
“Or not,” Daniel says dryly.
Paul Lehto could easily have driven home in his car on Wednesday, exactly as he said, then come back on his scooter to strangle an eyewitness who constituted a threat to him.
Hanna’s phone buzzes.
“Look what Nadim has found,” she says, holding up the screen. “Guess whose IP address is the source of the aggressive comments on Facebook?”
She pauses for effect.
“Bengt Hedin’s work computer.”
“Why am I not surprised?” Anton says. “There was something very unpleasant about that guy—online hate posts are just about his level.”
“A search warrant would be useful so we can access his computer,” Raffe suggests.
“It’s too soon,” Anton objects.
Hanna begins to gather up her papers. “Can you guys take care of that? Daniel—we need to leave now if we’re going to get to Storlien on time.”
Daniel realizes she is right. They’ve arranged to visit the mountain hotel, and are meeting the site supervisor. In view of Charlotte’s commitment to the project and the hate-filled outpourings on the Facebook page, they want to see the place for themselves.
Hanna has never been there, and Daniel isn’t particularly familiar with the location.
“Look out for the evil spirits,” Raffe says, half joking and half serious. “They say the old hotel is haunted.”
Daniel is taken aback. “What do you mean by that?”
“Surely you know about all the old stories?”
Daniel shakes his head. He doesn’t have time for this kind of nonsense.
But Anton, who grew up in ?re, has a wary expression on his face. “It’s true. That place gives me the creeps.”