‘By the way,’ Morell says sharply, looking up. ‘To save you time – Alexander was at home Saturday night. I took him home after the party and he slept in late. He didn’t leave the basement during the evening or the night. Both Eva-Britt and I can confirm that.’

‘OK, thank you for the information.’ She stands for a couple of seconds with her hand resting on the door handle, her eyes fixed on Morell, but he behaves as if she is no longer there.

Chapter 44

44

Autumn 2017

Anna knows that she cannot and should not conduct the interviews alone. From a practical point of view it is always better to have another officer present; two pairs of eyes and ears pick up more than one. However, because this case is particularly sensitive in many ways, she also needs a counterbalance. Someone who cannot be suspected of doing Elisabet Vidje’s bidding, which is clearly what Morell thinks. The natural course of action would have been to choose one of the investigators, but for one thing she doesn’t know them very well, and for another she’s far from certain that they won’t go running straight to Morell to tell him everything. After due consideration on Monday evening, she plumps for Jens Friberg. Admittedly he’s not a detective, but he is respected both within the station and in the wider community. Plus, the two of them haven’t always agreed, which strengthens his impartiality. The third and most important reason for choosing Jens is that she’s actually begun to trust him.

Just as she hoped, Jens has no objection when she talks to him on Tuesday morning. He suggests that it might be best if he changes out of his uniform, and ten minutes later he reappears in her office wearing a leather jacket, fleece top, khaki-coloured Fjällräven trousers and brown Meindl boots. Anna doesn’t say a word, she merely waits for Håkan’s amused comment on the fact that a dyed-in-the-wool police officer like Jens wears a kind of uniform even when he’s in plain clothes. However, Håkan is still punishing her with his silence.

*

‘So where do we begin?’ Jens asks as he starts the car.

‘Kotorp. Marie and Bruno are both there – I called and checked.’

Jens drives smoothly and with a hint of aggression, just like most police officers. He knows the route up the ridge well enough to handle the bends with ease. Sunday’s high winds have brought down a lot of leaves, and it is possible to glimpse the shining waters of the river at the bottom of the ravine.

Building is under way once more at Kotorp. Several workers in yellow hard hats and grubby high-vis jackets are moving equipment and materials across the muddy yard at a steady pace.