“My thoughts exactly,” said Kerstin. “It seems like too much of a coincidence that Peter Norling was murdered so soon after the hit-and-run that he witnessed. The only question is how Hallin was able to find out that Norling was there when the accident happened.”

“For the same reason that I did,” Sandra said slowly. “He passed the scene not long before the accident and noticed the car.”

Kerstin said nothing for a while, probably hoping that Sandra would finish what she had begun.

“Can you expand on that?” she eventually said.

Sandra thought the time might be right. That she and Kerstin had so much in common in this matter that they might as well tackle it together. For better or worse.

“I was in Hallin’s car when he passed the ravine the first time,” Sandra admitted resignedly. “I didn’t know him, had never met him before. But he offered me a lift home and I accepted. He was driving like a car thief, and seemed to be under the influence. And when he dropped me off, he drank more booze. And . . .”

“And . . .?” Kerstin said encouragingly.

“He raped me. Left me on the floor like a wet rag and left.”

“I’m . . . I’m truly sorry,” Kerstin said.

“It was only when you and I began talking that it dawned on me . . . what else he might have done that afternoon. Before you said that, I didn’t know who he was.”

“That was why you were so convinced he was the one who was responsible,” Kerstin said with a note of understanding. “You knew he was drunk and what he was capable of.”

“I knew that he left my house a few hundred metres from the scene of the accident at half past three with no passengers. So there’s the answer to your question. Finally.”

“I’m so sorry,” Kerstin repeated.

“You’re the only person other than Hallin who knows this, so I’d be grateful if this could remain between us.”

“Of course, don’t worry about it.”

“There’s a lot more to tell about this,” Sandra concluded. “But let’s do that another time. If you want. We’re not supposed to talk about me, after all.”

“Of course I’m interested,” Kerstin said enthusiastically. “We’re in this together now. He’d just raped a woman, was driving drunk, and caused the death of a person. It’s not all that surprising that a guy like that didn’t call an ambulance. Because that would have meant the police turning up too. He dodged a lot of years in prison that afternoon.”

“If he’s responsible for the murder of Peter Norling, then there will be a fair few more on top of that,” Sandra said, by way of reminder. She was struggling to let go of the thought.

“Somehow, we need to make sure that bastard gets put away,” Kerstin said with emphasis.