‘Not yet. We’re still waiting for some of the tapes, but as soon as we’re done here, it’s next on the list. Hopefully one of them caught the Volvo.’

Tuvesson nodded and reached for one of the coffee thermoses.

‘It’s empty. Try this one.’ Klippan handed her one of the others. ‘By the way, is there any new information about the fire at the refugee reception facility outside Kvidinge?’

Tuvesson shook her head as she filled her cup. ‘Still only three dead. Which, regardless of how absurd it sounds, has to count as good news, considering how bad it could have been. The question is whether it’s safe to assume this is a direct response to the fire at the Sweden Democrats’ offices. Irene, what do you reckon? You were there when it happened.’

‘It has to be retaliation by a right-wing extremist.’

‘Which doesn’t necessarily mean the Sweden Democrats were involved,’ Klippan put in, one finger in the air.

‘That depends on how you define involved. They were definitely the ones who published the addresses of all the refugee reception facilities on their Facebook page. And either way, I’m not sure I’d call the fire at their offices a proper fire. The alarm didn’t even have time to go off.’

‘A fire’s still a fire, no matter who holds the match.’

‘Pardon me, but what the fuck’s that supposed to mean?’

‘Just because you don’t agree with the Sweden Democrats politically and the arsonist potentially belongs to a Muslim minority doesn’t mean you get to pretend like nothing happened.’

‘Of course not, and I don’t.’

‘It’s exactly what you’re doing. You’re trying to make light, making flippant comments about alarms not going off and whatever. But a fire is a fire regardless of your political affiliation.’

‘Of course it is. My point is simply that the attention given to the fire in the media is not even close to being in proportion to its size. That bloke Landertz has been on every front page and commanded a lot more column inches than the fire at the reception facility.’

Klippan shrugged. ‘Whatever that has to do with our investigation.’

‘I’m sorry, I can’t stand for this any longer.’ Lilja got up as though she were too upset to stay seated. ‘You almost sound like you’re a Sweden Democrat yourself, which of course you have every right to be. But if we’re going to work together on this case, I need to know where the hell you stand.’

‘My political views have nothing to do with this. Yours, on the other hand, seem to both hobble you and blind you to how you approach the investigation.’

‘Who’s blind here? Do you seriously still think this has nothing to do with racism?’