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Chapters (65)
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  65. Acknowledgements

‘That there is a felling axe. You gonna be felling some pine, young woman?’

‘Most probably.’

His almost-smile spreads across his face.

‘1,900 kronor.’

For a stick with a shard of metal at one end?

‘What about your chainsaws?’

‘What about them?

‘You sell any recently?’

He straightens up and frowns.

‘You from the special police force, young woman? That it? You a detective in plain clothes from Stockholm or someplace? Säpo, is that it? You got a badge or a warrant or whatnot?’

I step over to a chainsaw.

‘I’m a reporter. Just started in Visberg and this terrible murder happens. I heard there was a chainsaw involved.’

‘I’d say there was a rifle involved,’ says the man. ‘You hassling Benny Björnmossen in Gavrik gun store with this fancy routine of yours?’

‘You bet. Do you advertise in the Gavrik Posten?’

‘Twenty-two years.’

‘Maybe I can talk to Nils and get you some kind of discount, as you’ve been loyal for so long.’

He smiles and scratches the underside of his bristly old chin.

‘Nils wouldn’t piss on a nun if she was on fire in his kitchen.’

‘I’m his boss.’

The man’s eyes bulge slightly and he smiles some more.

‘I’m all ears, young woman.’

‘Tell me everything you can.’

‘Everything I can?’

‘Have you heard any rumours about the victim?’

‘I heard some.’

I wait.

‘I don’t want to talk disrespectful about the dead.’

‘Any motives, then? Do you have any personal theories?’

‘I don’t know if I’d use a fancy word like theories about what I think. Just got the thoughts in my own head for what they’re worth.’

I gesture for him to keep talking.

‘I don’t know,’ he says. ‘I gotta get started with my stocktake.’

‘Do you think a chainsaw could do a thing like that?’

‘Lop off a man’s head, you mean?’

I nod.

‘Young woman, a chainsaw can slice through a hundred-metre-tall hardwood tree like it’s a stick of butter if the chain’s oiled and kept sharp. A human neck ain’t nothing to it.’

‘You can call me Tuva.’

‘Well, you can call me Lennart Alfredsson.’

‘Alright, Lennart. Theories. Motives. You have any ideas?’

He steps back behind his counter and keeps his eyes on me the whole time.

‘How much of a discount should I be expecting, then?’

‘I’ll do what I can. I’m Nils’s boss now.’

‘Yeah, you said already.’ He grins and shakes his head. ‘Bet he ain’t too fond of that notion.’

‘He’s getting used to it.’

The man snorts.

‘Edlunds,’ he says.

‘What about them?’