Read Online Missing in Malmö: The third Inspector Anita Sundström mystery (Inspector Anita Sundström mysteries) by Torquil MacLeod - Free Book Online
Authors: Torquil MacLeod
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weren’t you the policewoman who was involved in arresting Ewan Strachan?’
Anita didn’t answer either question. ‘I’m here unofficially. On behalf of a friend of Greta’s.’
‘She’s OK, isn’t she?’
‘Hopefully. I only want to establish the circumstances around her leaving.’
Fraser ran a hand over his head. ‘Bit abrupt.’
‘So I understand.’
‘She gave no indication that she was about to leave on the Friday afternoon. I thought she was enjoying the job. Well, maybe “enjoying” is too strong a word. Surviving, more like,’ he grimaced. ‘She only started this term. I know it’s difficult here, but she seemed to be coping.’
‘The Friday afternoon?’ Anita prompted.
‘Yes. She was quite upbeat. Going to meet a friend from Stockholm, who was down on business. University connection.’
‘Sex?’
‘Pardon? Oh, I see. Female. Can’t remember the name. Might have been Ulla.’
‘So how did you know she wasn’t coming back?’
‘A call came in on the Monday morning. Said she wasn’t returning. Some family thing, apparently. I suppose it wasn’t a total surprise. This place takes its toll. There’s always a big turnover of staff. This is my second year, and I’m the most senior English teacher in this section.
Anita gazed around the classroom. The smell. Memories of her own school days in Simrishamn started seeping back. Not entirely happy recollections.
‘Do you know who rang in?’
‘No. But the secretary who took the call said it was a man. Of course, it left us in the shit and we had get cover quickly. Extra bloody lessons for me, for starters. I thought Greta might have given us some warning.’
‘Would she have a computer?’
‘Yeah,’ Fraser said, pointing to the one he had just been working on. ‘We all get issued with an iPad. Actually, Greta should have handed it back if she was leaving.’ He shrugged. ‘Not that anyone round here will probably notice. Chaos most of the time.’
‘Thank you, Alex.’
‘Any help?’
Anita nodded. ‘Seems to fit. Her father turned up that weekend.’
She made her way back to the doorway.
‘Don’t be a stranger!’ he called after her. She turned. What did he mean? He grinned. ‘The next time you’re in The Pickwick, come and say hello’.
Hakim was beaming when she returned to the office.
‘I sense someone’s been a clever boy,’ said Anita as she threw her bag over the back of her chair.
‘You could say that. I’ve found him!’ he announced triumphantly. He pointed to his screen. ‘He got off the train at Triangeln.’
Anita squeezed round the desk and stared at Hakim’s computer. It was frozen on an image that she now had firmly planted in her mind. Hakim clicked the mouse, and Graeme Todd began to move along the platform. On the screen, the time started spooling from 14.44. He was wheeling a small suitcase along the platform, and slung on his shoulder was a computer bag, presumably containing a laptop.
‘He’s heading out towards the shopping centre side,’ Hakim confirmed.
Anita watched Todd as he got on the escalator.
‘He couldn’t be going to the Hilton, could he? That’s the nearest hotel.’
Hakim’s grin widened.
‘Yes. He booked in that afternoon.’
‘You have been busy.’ Anita was learning to admire her young colleague’s thoroughness.
‘I’ve arranged to go down and see someone at the hotel. Want to come?’
The Hilton abutted the glass facade of the Triangeln shopping centre. Towering over the rest of the complex, it was one of the tallest buildings in the city. Anita and Hakim stood in the massive glass atrium. Outside, the street was packed with shoppers. Inside was hushed calm. An elegant staircase wound its way through the centre of building, while a glass lift, with a blue illuminated undercarriage, glided up from the foyer, ferrying guests silently to the upper floors. To the left of the reception area was a bar and restaurant. Anita had often looked through
Anita didn’t answer either question. ‘I’m here unofficially. On behalf of a friend of Greta’s.’
‘She’s OK, isn’t she?’
‘Hopefully. I only want to establish the circumstances around her leaving.’
Fraser ran a hand over his head. ‘Bit abrupt.’
‘So I understand.’
‘She gave no indication that she was about to leave on the Friday afternoon. I thought she was enjoying the job. Well, maybe “enjoying” is too strong a word. Surviving, more like,’ he grimaced. ‘She only started this term. I know it’s difficult here, but she seemed to be coping.’
‘The Friday afternoon?’ Anita prompted.
‘Yes. She was quite upbeat. Going to meet a friend from Stockholm, who was down on business. University connection.’
‘Sex?’
‘Pardon? Oh, I see. Female. Can’t remember the name. Might have been Ulla.’
‘So how did you know she wasn’t coming back?’
‘A call came in on the Monday morning. Said she wasn’t returning. Some family thing, apparently. I suppose it wasn’t a total surprise. This place takes its toll. There’s always a big turnover of staff. This is my second year, and I’m the most senior English teacher in this section.
Anita gazed around the classroom. The smell. Memories of her own school days in Simrishamn started seeping back. Not entirely happy recollections.
‘Do you know who rang in?’
‘No. But the secretary who took the call said it was a man. Of course, it left us in the shit and we had get cover quickly. Extra bloody lessons for me, for starters. I thought Greta might have given us some warning.’
‘Would she have a computer?’
‘Yeah,’ Fraser said, pointing to the one he had just been working on. ‘We all get issued with an iPad. Actually, Greta should have handed it back if she was leaving.’ He shrugged. ‘Not that anyone round here will probably notice. Chaos most of the time.’
‘Thank you, Alex.’
‘Any help?’
Anita nodded. ‘Seems to fit. Her father turned up that weekend.’
She made her way back to the doorway.
‘Don’t be a stranger!’ he called after her. She turned. What did he mean? He grinned. ‘The next time you’re in The Pickwick, come and say hello’.
Hakim was beaming when she returned to the office.
‘I sense someone’s been a clever boy,’ said Anita as she threw her bag over the back of her chair.
‘You could say that. I’ve found him!’ he announced triumphantly. He pointed to his screen. ‘He got off the train at Triangeln.’
Anita squeezed round the desk and stared at Hakim’s computer. It was frozen on an image that she now had firmly planted in her mind. Hakim clicked the mouse, and Graeme Todd began to move along the platform. On the screen, the time started spooling from 14.44. He was wheeling a small suitcase along the platform, and slung on his shoulder was a computer bag, presumably containing a laptop.
‘He’s heading out towards the shopping centre side,’ Hakim confirmed.
Anita watched Todd as he got on the escalator.
‘He couldn’t be going to the Hilton, could he? That’s the nearest hotel.’
Hakim’s grin widened.
‘Yes. He booked in that afternoon.’
‘You have been busy.’ Anita was learning to admire her young colleague’s thoroughness.
‘I’ve arranged to go down and see someone at the hotel. Want to come?’
The Hilton abutted the glass facade of the Triangeln shopping centre. Towering over the rest of the complex, it was one of the tallest buildings in the city. Anita and Hakim stood in the massive glass atrium. Outside, the street was packed with shoppers. Inside was hushed calm. An elegant staircase wound its way through the centre of building, while a glass lift, with a blue illuminated undercarriage, glided up from the foyer, ferrying guests silently to the upper floors. To the left of the reception area was a bar and restaurant. Anita had often looked through
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