‘He’s dead. He died several weeks ago. He’d been living in Manchester for a few years, which I didn’t know. I contacted colleagues up there and found out that he died in an aggravated burglary. It happened in the middle of the night – no witnesses.’

Fredrika’s mouth went dry.

‘What was stolen?’

‘I thought you’d never ask.’ There was a hint of excitement in Linda’s voice. ‘His girlfriend identified the body, and was able to tell the police what she thought was missing – a necklace and a wallet. Guess what the necklace was like?’

‘I’ve no idea.’

‘According to the girlfriend, who’d been with him for over a year, he always wore a fine gold chain with a gold ring on it.’

‘A gold ring . . .’

‘Exactly. A gold ring with a diamond set in it. Way too small to fit on his fingers. He claimed it was his mother’s, and that he’d kept it to remember her by. But I’m assuming that’s not true.’

‘Definitely not.’

When they ended the call, Fredrika hurried back to the meeting room, but there was no sign of Ross or Alex. Then she heard Alex’s voice behind her.

‘The meeting’s over. Ross had a call too.’

‘Anything important? Because I have very interesting news from London.’

However, Alex didn’t appear to register what she’d said.

‘I’ve just spoken to Renata Rashid,’ he said. ‘The tattoo on Lovisa Wahlberg’s wrist – her parents practically screamed when they saw it. They insisted she would never have done something like that of her own free will.’

Fredrika remembered Renata saying it was fairly recent.

How recent?

‘Renata now thinks it was done only hours before she died,’ Alex said in answer to her unspoken question.

‘By the killer.’

‘Exactly. And do you know who else had that same tattoo? Lovisa’s ex, the one who dragged her into all that business with the drugs. Her parents recognised it right away, and insisted their daughter would never have wanted it.’

‘But she got it anyway,’ Fredrika said slowly. ‘Just as Malcolm Benke got his daughter’s wedding ring.’

Alex shook his head. ‘What the hell are we missing?’

‘I don’t think we’re missing anything. What we should be asking is what does the murderer want us to see? What is he or she trying to say?’

At that moment Berlin came storming in.

‘Alex, have you been in touch with a Noah Johansson over the past few days? A funeral director?’

Fredrika saw Alex go pale, then his cheeks flushed red. At the same time she went weak at the knees and her heart contracted. Noah Johansson was supposed to take care of all the practical details when Spencer was gone.

‘Why?’

‘I’m asking the questions – answer me!’ Berlin snapped.

‘Please, you need to tell us – has something happened to him?’ Fredrika asked.