‘Looking for possible entry points and exit points, with a view to a robbery or home invasion.’

‘Good job their neighbourhood watch is so watchful, isn’t it.’

The Chief looks down his nose at me.

I clear my throat. ‘All I’m saying is please don’t discount Ragnar Falk from your investigation just because he looks harmless and he’s got a limp and a Santa beard.’

‘That everything?’

‘No. I got sent this.’

I take the creepy Halloween poem from my coat and place it on the desk.

The Chief reads it.

‘Looks like you got yourself an admirer.’

The detective checks his phone, then writes a note on his pad and shows it to Chief Björn.

‘Okay, Moodyson. We’ll take all you said about Falk’s daughter into account. I got to go now, I’m sure you’ll understand.’ He points to the door and I leave.

Outside, there’s a guy walking around in double denim. He’s pushing a sheepskin-fur-lined buggy and his toddler’s wearing a full skeleton-sleepsuit. Black with white bones.

‘Happy Halloween,’ he says as I pass him.

His kid bursts into tears.

The bell tinkles above the door to Gavrik Posten.

Sebastian looks like a new penny. Fresh haircut, fresh complexion, freshly-ironed shirt. I haven’t pressed a shirt since Mum’s funeral.

‘Luka Kodro,’ says Cheekbones. ‘The Bosnian pizza maker. He doesn’t have any kind of gun officially registered, but I have it on good authority that he uses an old military gun in the woods for target shooting. Not hunting, just paper targets.’

‘Good,’ I say. ‘What else?’

‘What else?’

‘Statements from neighbours? Anything from the police? Is it the same kind of weapon used in the Arne Persson killing? Who is the registered owner, if anyone? Rifle or shotgun or handgun? Ammunition he uses? What gauge is the barrel?’

‘Right,’ he says. ‘Shit. Right, I’m on it.’

He runs back to his desk and starts typing something.

‘You need help in Visberg tonight?’ he says. ‘Need back-up?’

Part of me wants to say yes, wants to say, just be there to watch my back. See what I don’t see. But if I’m going to be living and working here for a while, and I will be by the look of my new contract, then I need Visberg locals to trust me. They have to see me as their go-to person. For their middle-of-the-paper slow-news-day features on their Buick restoration and their longest-ponytail-in-central-Sweden story, but also so they can fill me in on gossip and secrets when a major event takes place. I need to be their primary contact.

‘I’m fine. You need to be here covering Gavrik Halloween. Has Lars talked you through how to use the DLSR camera in low light?’

Sebastian nods and looks disappointed.

I text Noora. About what you said. Can we talk later tonight when I’m done?