‘Torbjörn went to see her again with the aim of sorting out the legal side of things; he wanted the right to call himself the child’s father. At that point his ex changed her story completely, denied everything. Torbjörn threatened her with a court case and God knows what, but this was almost forty years ago; it wasn’t so easy to investigate such matters back then, and in the end he had to give up. She threatened him with an injunction if he didn’t stay away, and that was that. But he never forgot Maria.’

Fredrika tried to take it all in. So Torbjörn had found out that there was a child who was his, a child who lived in the same city, yet he had no right to see her.

‘Was that why you divorced?’ she asked Mimmi.

‘Yes. He changed completely; there was no reasoning with him. I’m shocked to hear that he’s talked about his daughter. As far as I’m aware, he never mentioned her.’

Fredrika lowered her gaze, then looked up again.

‘It only happened once. He told our boss that his daughter had died.’

Mimmi nodded. ‘So I heard. I meet up with Torbjörn occasionally; the last time was back in the autumn, just after Maria died. He was terribly upset.’

Fredrika stared at a book on the coffee table – an old Sidney Sheldon novel.

‘How did she die?’

‘You should know that if you’re a police officer. She was murdered.’

Fredrika straightened up.

‘Murdered? By whom?’

Mimmi took a deep breath.

‘It’s such a terrible story. Her own husband killed her – and their children too.’

The wheels were beginning to turn in Fredrika’s brain.

‘He murdered the whole family?’

‘Yes, then he took his own life. Apparently he had psychological problems; he’d tried to get help, but it didn’t work out. Torbjörn swore that he’d find whoever was responsible for letting Maria’s husband down, and hold him to account.’

Fredrika didn’t say a word; she was busy processing what she’d just heard.

‘I don’t know if he managed it,’ Mimmi added.

Dan Johansson. Noah’s brother, who had misdiagnosed a patient, and who had been missing since May.

The circle was closed.

‘I think he did,’ she said. She got to her feet and thanked Mimmi for her time.

‘What shall I say if I see Torbjörn?’ Mimmi asked as Fredrika opened the front door. ‘Can I tell him you’ve been here?’

‘No.’

Fredrika ran to her car. Her phone rang just as she was about to start the engine.

‘We need to get over to the Solomon Community,’ Alex said.

Chapter 10