The Stonecutter (27 page)

She saw the impatience in Patrik’s eyes and hurried to give him her report. ‘I got a number of calls today, because of the media coverage.’

‘Anything of interest?’ said Patrik without much enthusiasm. It was so seldom they got anything useful from the public that he didn’t have very high hopes.

‘Yes and no,’ said Annika. ‘Most of them are from the usual gossips who call and pass on hot tips about their sworn enemies and all sorts of people, and in this case the homophobia has really been rampant. Apparently any man who works with flowers or cuts hair is not only automatically homosexual but is capable of doing horrid things to children.’

Patrik was shifting from one foot to the other, so Annika rushed on. She took the top note from the pile and handed it to him.

‘But this one seems like it might be something. A woman rang, refused to give a name, but said we ought to take a look at the medical records of Sara’s little brother. That’s all she would say, but something told me there might be something to it. Could be worth following up on, anyway.’

Patrik didn’t look nearly as interested as she had hoped. On the other hand, he hadn’t heard the urgency in the voice of the woman who rang. Her tone differed markedly from the poorly disguised malice of those who loved to spread gossip.

‘Yes, it could be worth checking out, but don’t get your hopes up. Anonymous tips usually don’t pan out.’

Annika started to say something, but Patrik held up his hands.

‘Yeah, yeah, I know. Something told you that this one is different. And I promise to follow up on it. But it’ll have to wait a while. We have more pressing things to deal with right now. There’s a meeting in the lunchroom in five minutes, then I’ll tell you more.’ His fingers beat a quick tattoo on the door frame, and Patrik walked off with her note in his hand.

Annika wondered what new information had come up. She hoped it would help the case. The mood at the station had been way too gloomy lately.

Niclas could find no peace and quiet to work. The image of Sara’s face wouldn’t leave him alone, and the visit from the police this morning had brought all his anxiety to the surface. Maybe it was true that he’d gone back to work too soon. But for him it had been a means of survival. It helped him to put aside the things he didn’t want to think about and instead focus his attention on ulcers, corns, three-day fever, and ear infections. Nothing mattered as long as he didn’t have to think about Sara. Or Charlotte. But now reality had mercilessly intruded, and he felt himself rushing toward the abyss. It didn’t help that his anxiety was self-inflicted. Too often, he couldn’t really understand why he did the things he did. Something inside seemed to keep driving him forward in a hunt for something that lay just out of reach. Despite the fact that he already had so much. Or at least he used to have so much. Now his life was in pieces, and nothing he said or did could change it.

Niclas leafed listlessly through the records in front of him. He always hated paperwork, and today he was having serious trouble concentrating. During his first appointment after lunch he had caught himself being brusque and impolite to the patient. Normally he was charming with everyone, no matter who came in. But today he hadn’t had the energy to pamper yet another old lady who came to see him about her imaginary pains. The patient in question had been something of a steady customer at the clinic, but now it was doubtful she would be back. His candid opinion on the state of her health had not been to her taste. Oh, well, such things no longer seemed important.

With a sigh he began to gather up all the medical records. He was suddenly overwhelmed by the feelings he’d been trying to suppress for so long, and with a single motion he swept everything off his desk. The papers fluttered lazily to the floor and landed in one big heap. Niclas suddenly couldn’t get his doctor’s coat off fast enough. He flung it to the floor, pulled on his jacket and ran out of his office as if pursued by the Devil himself. Which he was, in a sense. He stopped briefly to tell his nurse with forced composure to cancel all his appointments for the afternoon. Then he rushed out into the rain. A tear found its way into his mouth, and the salt called up an image of his daughter, floating in a gray sea while whitecaps danced on the surface around her head. His tears merged with the rain as he ran. Most of all he was fleeing from himself.

The coffee-maker chugged and wheezed but produced the same black tar as usual. Patrik chose to stand next to the drainboard, while the others took their cups and sat down. Everyone was present except Martin, and Patrik was just about to ask if anyone had seen him when he came dashing in, out of breath.

‘Sorry I’m late. Annika called and said there was a meeting. I was on my way and—’

Patrik held up his hand. ‘We’ll deal with that later. Right now I have some things I want to discuss.’

Martin nodded and sat down at the foot of the table, giving Patrik a curious look.

‘We got the results of the analysis of Sara’s stomach and lung contents. And they found something odd.’

The mood grew palpably tense around the table. Mellberg was looking attentively at Patrik, and even Ernst and Gösta seemed fully interested. Annika was taking notes as usual so she could send out minutes to everyone after the meeting.

‘Someone forced the girl to eat ashes.’

The room went utterly silent. Mellberg cleared his throat. ‘Ashes? Did you say ashes?’

Patrik nodded. ‘Yes. They were found in her stomach and her lungs. Pedersen’s theory is that someone forced them into her mouth when she was already in the bathtub. Some of the ashes landed in the water, and when she drowned she ended up with ashes in her lungs too.’

‘But why?’ Annika said in amazement, forgetting for once to take notes.

‘Yes, that’s the question. I already called and ordered an examination of the Florin family’s bathroom. Wherever we find ashes, that’s the crime scene we’re looking for.’

‘But do you really think that someone in the family …’ Gösta didn’t finish his sentence.

‘I don’t think anything,’ said Patrik. ‘And if some other potential crime scene turns up, we’ll have to go over it with a fine-toothed comb as well, especially if the search this afternoon doesn’t produce anything. The Florins’ home is still the last place she was seen, so we might as well start there. Or what do you think, Bertil?’

The question was rhetorical. Mellberg hadn’t been involved in the investigation at all, but everyone knew that he liked to encourage the illusion that he was in control.

Mellberg nodded. ‘Sounds like a good idea. But why wasn’t a technical examination of their home already done?’

Patrik had to control himself not to grimace. It was bad enough that Ernst had pointed out the same thing earlier, but to have to hear it from Mellberg just made matters worse. It was easy to be smart in hindsight. If Patrik were to be completely honest, until now they hadn’t any valid reason to do anything but a cursory inspection of the house. He didn’t think he could even have obtained a warrant. But he chose not to point this out. Instead, he replied as vaguely as possible: ‘I think now is the best time, when we have something concrete to look for. In any case, the team from Uddevalla will be there at four o’clock. I intend to participate, and I’d like to take you along too, Martin, if you have time.’

Patrik glanced cautiously at Mellberg when he said this. He hoped that Bertil wouldn’t persist in forcing Ernst on him. He was in luck. Mellberg didn’t say a word. Maybe that whole issue was forgotten by now.

‘Sure, I can come along,’ said Martin.

‘All right, then. The meeting is adjourned.’

Annika had intended to tell everybody about the call she’d received, but they had already stood up so she decided to wait. Patrik had the note, and she was sure he’d deal with it as soon as he could.

But the handwritten note was in Patrik’s back pocket. Forgotten.

Stig heard the footsteps on the stairs and steeled himself. He’d heard Niclas and Lilian’s voices downstairs and knew they were talking about him. He carefully pushed himself up to a half-sitting position. It felt like a thousand knives slicing into his stomach, but by the time Niclas came into the room Stig’s face was without expression. The image of his father in hospital, helpless and small, languishing in a cold, clinical hospital bed, filled his thoughts. He swore once again that it would never happen to him. His condition was only temporary. It had passed before and it would pass again.

‘Lilian says that you’re feeling worse today.’ Niclas sat down on the edge of the bed, and put on his most concerned doctor’s expression. Stig saw that his eyes were rimmed in red. And it was no wonder if the boy had cried. Losing a child. Stig himself missed the little girl so much, it hurt. He realized that Niclas was waiting for an answer.

‘Oh, you know how women are. Blowing everything all out of proportion. I didn’t sleep very well last night, that’s all, but now I feel better.’ The pain forced him to clench his jaws, but he refused to let it show.

Niclas gave him a suspicious look but then took out some paraphernalia from a large doctor’s bag he had brought along.

‘I’m not sure I believe you, but let’s start by taking your blood pressure and checking your vitals. Then we’ll see.’

He fastened the blood-pressure cuff round Stig’s skinny arm and pumped it up until it was tight. He watched the gauge as it fell and then removed the cuff.

‘150 over 80, not too bad. Unbutton your shirt and I’ll have a listen to your chest.’

Stig obeyed and unbuttoned his shirt with fingers that were oddly stiff and unwilling. The cold stethoscope against his chest made him gasp for breath, and Niclas said gruffly, ‘Long, deep breaths.’

Each breath hurt, but he managed through sheer willpower to do as Niclas asked. After listening for a moment, Niclas removed the stethoscope from his ears. He looked Stig straight in the eye.

‘Well, there’s nothing definite to go on, but if you’re feeling worse then it’s important that you let me know. Shouldn’t we do a proper check-up on you? If I send down you to Uddevalla, they can do some tests and see whether there’s anything wrong that I’m missing.’

With a shake of his head, Stig showed his aversion to the suggestion. ‘No, I’m feeling pretty good now. It’s not necessary to waste time and money on me. I’ve probably just picked up some bug, but I’ll get better soon. It’s happened before, right?’ A tone of entreaty slipped into his voice.

Niclas shook his head and sighed. ‘Well, just don’t say I didn’t warn you. One can’t be too careful when the body starts signaling that something’s wrong. But I’m not going to force you. It’s your health, so it’s up to you. Although I’m not looking forward to going downstairs and confronting Lilian, I must say. She was practically ready to call for the ambulance when I came home.’

‘Yes, she’s a real hothead, my Lilian,’ Stig chuckled, but fell silent quickly when the knives again stuck him in the stomach.

Niclas looked suspicious again as he closed up his bag. ‘Do you promise to tell me if there’s something wrong?’

Stig nodded. ‘Absolutely.’

As soon as he heard Niclas’s footsteps going down the stairs he slid painfully back into a recumbent position. The pain would soon pass. Just so he stayed out of the hospital. He had to avoid that at all costs.

Lilian’s face showed a broad range of emotions when she opened the door. Patrik and Martin stood in front, with a three-man team of technicians, or rather two men and one woman, behind them.

‘What’s this crowd for?’

‘We have a warrant to examine your bathroom.’

Patrik had a hard time meeting her gaze. It was strange how often his profession made him feel like an insensitive shithead.

Lilian gave them a look as hard as granite. But after a moment she stepped aside and let them in.

‘Don’t make a mess in there. I just cleaned,’ she snapped.

The comment made Patrik once again regret that he hadn’t ordered this done sooner. Judging from what he’d seen of the Florins’ home earlier in the week, she cleaned house almost constantly. If there had been any viable evidence in the room, it was surely gone by now.

‘We have a bathroom down here, with a shower, and one upstairs with a tub.’ Lilian pointed up the stairs. ‘Take off your shoes,’ she commanded, and everyone obeyed. ‘And don’t bother Stig. He’s resting.’ With undisguised fury she went into the kitchen and began noisily clattering as she washed the dishes.

Patrik and Martin exchanged a look and led the techs upstairs. Careful to stay out of the way, they let the team get started on the bathroom and waited outside in the hall. The door to Stig’s room was closed, and they spoke softly.

‘Do you really think this is necessary?’ said Martin. ‘I mean, there’s nothing to indicate that the perp wasn’t a stranger, and … well, the family is going through a difficult enough time as it is.’

‘You’re quite right, of course,’ replied Patrik, almost whispering. ‘But we can’t rule anyone out simply because it makes us uncomfortable. Even if the family doesn’t understand, we’re doing this with their best interests in mind. If we can eliminate them from the list of suspects, we can devote more energy to other lines of inquiry. Don’t you agree?’

Martin nodded. He knew Patrik was right, but it was all just so damned unpleasant. Footsteps on the stairs made them turn round, where they met Charlotte’s pained expression.

‘What’s going on here? Mother said that you showed up with a whole army to look at our bathroom. Why?’ Her voice rose a bit and she made an attempt to go past them. Patrik stopped her.

‘Could we sit down for a moment and talk, please?’

Charlotte cast one last glance at the techs behind them and turned to go back downstairs. ‘We’ll sit in the kitchen,’ she said, with her head turned away from Martin and Patrik. ‘I want Mother to hear what you have to say too.’

Lilian was still angrily clattering the dishes when they entered the kitchen. Albin was sitting on a blanket on the floor, watching his grandmother’s activities with big, serious eyes. He gave a start like a scared rabbit each time she raised her voice.

‘If you’re going to be taking things apart, I presume you’ll put everything back the way it was.’ Lilian’s voice was like frost.