Read Online Detective Inspector Huss: A Huss Investigation set in Sweden, Vol. 1 by Helen Tursten - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Helen Tursten
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your father, right?”
For the first time in their whole conversation, the hint of a smile tugged at the corners of Henrik’s mouth.
“Peder and Pappa sold one of the biggest construction and real estate companies in Sweden when the market was at its hottest. With more than a hundred million kronor in hand, Peder decided it was time to take life a little easier. He has three daughters, and none of them had the least interest in going into real estate.”
“You didn’t either,” Charlotte interrupted.
Henrik pressed his lips together but continued as if he hadn’t heard his wife’s comment. “The apartment below Mamma and Pappa’s is empty. Tore Eiderstam, the attorney, used to live there.”
Tore . . . Tore, the attorney . . . Irene had a fleeting recollection of Yvonne Stridner’s ex-husband. She said casually, “Wasn’t he married to pathology professor Yvonne Stridner?”
“Ha, Tore’s been married several times! But now that you mention it, you’re probably right. I remember a discussion Mamma and Pappa had once. Mamma said something about how disgusting she thought it was that someone in their circle of friends carved up corpses all day. That was the first time I ever heard the word necrophiliac. ”
Irene realized with a dash of sympathy that Yvonne Stridner must have had a rough time in this social circle. Now she noticed that Birgitta Moberg had quietly entered the room. Irene introduced her to Charlotte and Henrik.
Quickly she summed up for Birgitta what Henrik had told her about the occupants of the second and third floors.
“And we were just talking about the fourth floor. The attorney Tore Eiderstam used to live there, an old friend of Richard von Knecht. ‘Used to,’ you said—where did he move to?”
“Eastern Cemetery, the Eiderstam family plot.”
Neither Irene nor Birgitta could think of anything to say. Henrik went on after a short pause. “He dropped dead of a heart attack in September. The final divorce papers from his last wife had just arrived. He had two children from previous marriages, and they were clearly his heirs. It took a long time, but now the apartment is empty. Someone new is moving in on December first.”
“Do you know who?”
“I do. Ivan Viktors, the opera singer. He’s also one of Mamma and Pappa’s old friends.”
“Have you heard how your mother’s doing?”
“She’s starting to recover. I promised to drive her home this afternoon.”
Irene nodded and gave the matter some thought. This afternoon the techs would be pretty much finished with the apartment. The little she’d heard about Sylvia von Knecht told her that the woman would certainly be upset over “trespassing” by the police. Not a very suitable atmosphere for gathering information.
To feel them out she said, “When are you going to pick her up? Which hospital ward is she in?”
“She wants to be picked up at three-thirty, because then she’ll be home in time for her afternoon coffee. She’s in Ward Five.”
“If I were to go over and talk to her around three, would that be all right with you?”
Henrik just shrugged. Irene made a little note on the pad in front of her: “Call PS ward 5. Sylvia v. K. 1500?” Then maybe she’d have time to drop by and see the little dachshund lady Eva Karlsson beforehand. It was right on the way to Sahlgren Hospital. New note: “Call Eva K. 1400?”
She looked up from her notepad and turned to Charlotte. “Did you hear from your father-in-law again on Monday?”
“No.”
“Did you meet him or speak with him on Tuesday?”
“No.”
“Do you know the cleaning woman’s name, Charlotte? The one who was at the apartment when you arrived?”
Both of them shook their heads. That was one thing they agreed on, at least.
“Thank you both for being kind enough to come down here. We’ll be talking to you again during the course of the investigation. If you think of anything, just call me or any of the other inspectors. Or
For the first time in their whole conversation, the hint of a smile tugged at the corners of Henrik’s mouth.
“Peder and Pappa sold one of the biggest construction and real estate companies in Sweden when the market was at its hottest. With more than a hundred million kronor in hand, Peder decided it was time to take life a little easier. He has three daughters, and none of them had the least interest in going into real estate.”
“You didn’t either,” Charlotte interrupted.
Henrik pressed his lips together but continued as if he hadn’t heard his wife’s comment. “The apartment below Mamma and Pappa’s is empty. Tore Eiderstam, the attorney, used to live there.”
Tore . . . Tore, the attorney . . . Irene had a fleeting recollection of Yvonne Stridner’s ex-husband. She said casually, “Wasn’t he married to pathology professor Yvonne Stridner?”
“Ha, Tore’s been married several times! But now that you mention it, you’re probably right. I remember a discussion Mamma and Pappa had once. Mamma said something about how disgusting she thought it was that someone in their circle of friends carved up corpses all day. That was the first time I ever heard the word necrophiliac. ”
Irene realized with a dash of sympathy that Yvonne Stridner must have had a rough time in this social circle. Now she noticed that Birgitta Moberg had quietly entered the room. Irene introduced her to Charlotte and Henrik.
Quickly she summed up for Birgitta what Henrik had told her about the occupants of the second and third floors.
“And we were just talking about the fourth floor. The attorney Tore Eiderstam used to live there, an old friend of Richard von Knecht. ‘Used to,’ you said—where did he move to?”
“Eastern Cemetery, the Eiderstam family plot.”
Neither Irene nor Birgitta could think of anything to say. Henrik went on after a short pause. “He dropped dead of a heart attack in September. The final divorce papers from his last wife had just arrived. He had two children from previous marriages, and they were clearly his heirs. It took a long time, but now the apartment is empty. Someone new is moving in on December first.”
“Do you know who?”
“I do. Ivan Viktors, the opera singer. He’s also one of Mamma and Pappa’s old friends.”
“Have you heard how your mother’s doing?”
“She’s starting to recover. I promised to drive her home this afternoon.”
Irene nodded and gave the matter some thought. This afternoon the techs would be pretty much finished with the apartment. The little she’d heard about Sylvia von Knecht told her that the woman would certainly be upset over “trespassing” by the police. Not a very suitable atmosphere for gathering information.
To feel them out she said, “When are you going to pick her up? Which hospital ward is she in?”
“She wants to be picked up at three-thirty, because then she’ll be home in time for her afternoon coffee. She’s in Ward Five.”
“If I were to go over and talk to her around three, would that be all right with you?”
Henrik just shrugged. Irene made a little note on the pad in front of her: “Call PS ward 5. Sylvia v. K. 1500?” Then maybe she’d have time to drop by and see the little dachshund lady Eva Karlsson beforehand. It was right on the way to Sahlgren Hospital. New note: “Call Eva K. 1400?”
She looked up from her notepad and turned to Charlotte. “Did you hear from your father-in-law again on Monday?”
“No.”
“Did you meet him or speak with him on Tuesday?”
“No.”
“Do you know the cleaning woman’s name, Charlotte? The one who was at the apartment when you arrived?”
Both of them shook their heads. That was one thing they agreed on, at least.
“Thank you both for being kind enough to come down here. We’ll be talking to you again during the course of the investigation. If you think of anything, just call me or any of the other inspectors. Or
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