He shakes his head. ‘Not yet, I’m afraid. Not much in the way of CCTV or traffic cameras way out past the hill town. Ain’t got so much as a speed camera, despite all the fatal RTAs and maimings they had up there over the years. We’ve got help doing door-to-door enquiries and we’ve got experts making what they can from your photos. I’m obliged to you for that. They can zoom in and work out all sorts, even from a grainy image. Improve the quality on their computers using specialist software. Sometimes I feel like those boys and girls with the gadgets solve all the crimes these days, and I’m just paid to sit here and hand out goddam certificates to any kid who can make it down Storgatan without falling off his BMX.’

Thord smiles to himself but he looks tired.

‘Ragnar Falk?’ I ask.

‘We’ve been talking to him and some others. Trying to piece together exactly what the hell is going on over at Visberg. Chief reckons we might have some boundary changes after all this is said and done. He reckons that’d be a good thing.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean he’s not too keen on policing that town no more is what I mean.’

‘Do you think Arne Persson was the hit-and-run driver that killed Ragnar Falk’s daughter all those years ago?’

‘Don’t matter so much what I think, Tuvs. Matters what Ragnar Falk actually did. Chief doesn’t seem to like the idea much, but then Ragnar ain’t got no clear alibi for the night of the murder, or for this Pan Night just gone either.’ He turns to check the clock on the wall, then turns back to me. ‘Who did you see around last night in Visberg town square?’

‘It was difficult to tell, I––’

‘Stupid masks and grown men dressed up like babies and skeletons, I know what you mean. But did you see anyone who could not have been involved, is what I’m asking you? Anyone I can discount from my enquiries for the abduction at least?’

‘I saw the Sheriff and Noora.’

He gets out his pen and then looks up at me. ‘Well, I don’t reckon we need to get alibis from the Pope or the Queen of England, but go on.’

‘I think the gamer twins were in their café hosting a new game launch. One of them, at least.’

‘You think or you know?’

‘Think.’

He grumbles something.

‘I was standing with Julia Beck, the receptionist when it all happened.’

‘Dental receptionist?’

I nod.

‘Go on.’

‘I saw Hans Wimmer the clockmaker, but that was a while before the abduction.’

‘Still useful – now I know he was in the area.’

‘Margareta Eriksson got sent home by Sheriff Hansson for having a chainsaw as part of her Halloween costume.’

‘For having a what?’

‘A chain––’

‘I heard what you said.’