“Actually, I just came from the morning meeting,” said Blix. “The best news is Sergeant Elmander’s positive outlook. He’ll be walking with a limp for a few weeks, but should be back on desk duty soon.”

“Yes, that’s very good news.”

“We’re still trying to verify that the comatose man in Saint Göran is a former Mossad director, but the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has the taken lead on that. All we can do is wait. As for the rest—not much, honestly. Some more grainy surveillance footage, but nothing that will do us any good. The usual lot of dubious eyewitnesses. Forsten is operating on the principle that our man is still in Sweden, Stockholm if you ask her. At least a hundred officers are busy watching trains and bus stations and airports. You know the bit—look for a tall light-haired man who’s sweating and fidgeting.”

“All that behavioral analysis rubbish they’ve been drilling into us?”

“I suppose it has its uses,” Blix said. “But the bottom line hasn’t changed—we have a killer at large, and Dr. Palmer still hasn’t been found. Oh, and headquarters is ready if Deadmarsh calls your old number again. They’ve got a new software package that supposedly will give them a near real-time fix on his position.”

Sanderson thought Anna Forsten was throwing her investigative spears into a very dark jungle. “We rely too much on technology these days,” he said. “There’s a place for it, mind you, but it’s no substitute for thoughtful detective work.”

A constable was manning the entry point, a young lad who looked familiar, although Sanderson couldn’t recall his name.

Blix said, “Good morning, Karl,” as they both walked past.

Yes, Karl, Sanderson thought.

They exchanged pleasantries with a technician who was picking up shards of plastic with tweezers and slipping them into evidence bags. A woman nearby was taking photographs of bits and pieces that were scattered over a ten-meter circle.

“We were able to track down the three phones he was using,” Blix said. “All disposables, purchased Sunday at a little shop in Jakobsberg. We’re pretty sure this is the remnants of one of them. Nothing yet at the other two locations, but we’re looking.”

“It looks as if the damned thing exploded,” Sanderson remarked.

“Run over by a car is my guess,” Blix suggested.

“I can’t say what caused the damage,” the tech replied. “But once we get it under a scope we’ll be able tell you.”

“What about information from the memory?” Blix asked. “Any chance it’s usable?”

“Possible, but that will take some time.”

“And you haven’t found anything other than the phone?” Sanderson asked.