‘It’s beyond me. It’s obvious how our perpetrator is choosing his methods, but I don’t understand why this is happening right now.’

‘He’s punishing them,’ Fredrika said.

‘But why only them? If we look at Beata Benke’s circle, for example, you could say that several people deserve to be punished, if you’re thinking along those lines.’

Fredrika couldn’t make any sense of it either.

‘The messages to you,’ she said.

‘I don’t understand those either. I haven’t a fucking clue about what this mess has to do with me.’

Alex was clearly disturbed by the link between such brutal murders and himself.

If you knew who’d written the letter you found in Noah Johansson’s office, you’d realise that I’m scared too.

‘There’s something I haven’t told you,’ Alex went on.

Fredrika stiffened, on her guard.

‘Okay?’

Alex couldn’t meet her gaze. He obviously didn’t know how to start.

‘It’s about Noah. The funeral director.’

Fredrika waited, clutching the armrests of her chair. She wondered if Alex had forgotten he’d talked to her about Noah after Lena’s death. He’d praised him to the skies, described him as an everyday hero disguised as a funeral director. Those words had stayed with Fredrika, which was why she and Spencer had chosen Noah.

‘He called me. About his brother. He thought his brother, sister-in-law and their kids had disappeared, been abducted.’

Fredrika relaxed a fraction. ‘Why did he contact you?’

‘I’m the only police officer he knows. He took care of all the practical stuff when Lena died.’

‘I remember your mentioning him.’

Fredrika was on the verge of tears, overwhelmed by the situation.

Alex sighed.

‘You think it’ll get easier over the years. And it does, in a way. But when he called . . . All those memories came flooding back.’

‘I can understand that.’

Alex remained silent, taking a moment to compose himself.

‘The brother. I’ve checked with our colleagues, looked into Noah’s original report. I don’t have a good feeling about how it was handled.’

Fredrika sensed there was more to come. She was right.

‘Do you know who helped to make the decision that there was no point in proceeding with an investigation?’

‘No idea.’

‘Torbjörn Ross.’

Fredrika stared at him.

‘That’s exactly how I reacted,’ Alex said.

‘Ross. Again.’

‘Again,’ Alex echoed.

Fredrika’s blood pressure rose. Torbjörn Ross. And Spencer?

Impossible.

‘What do you think?’ she asked.

‘What do you think?’

She smiled, but her cheeks felt tight and the smile died away.

If the letter was going to be mentioned, Alex would have to do it.

‘You know more than me,’ she said. ‘Noah’s brother’s disappearance – what’s the connection with the other murders?’

Alex spread his hands wide.

‘I don’t know. We can’t even be sure he’s actually missing.’