Read Online The Disappeared by Kristina Ohlsson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kristina Ohlsson
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was.’
Alex ran a hand through his hair, choosing his words with care.
‘As I said yesterday, we spoke to her supervisor. He told us about the topic, but to be honest we didn’t think it was relevant. I think she was writing about a children’s author: Thea Aldrin, if you remember her.’
He shrugged.
‘The topic itself didn’t suggest any exciting theories, so we left it at that.’
‘Do you mind if I take another look?’ Fredrika asked. ‘Thea Aldrin was a controversial figure, to say the least.’
Alex suppressed a sigh. How many times had he had a similar conversation with Fredrika?
‘If you have time,’ he said. ‘I want you to talk to the ex-girlfriend first; you can look at the other stuff tomorrow.’
Fredrika went back to her office; Peder stayed with Alex.
‘I’ll start with Håkan’s DNA sample, then I’ll look into the sex rumours.’
‘Good,’ said Alex. ‘I hope we hear from the pathologist pretty bloody quickly; I want an ID for the second victim as soon as possible.’
Håkan Nilsson was very annoyed when Peder rang his doorbell, accompanied by a colleague. Peder introduced his fellow officer and explained why they were there.
‘Why do you want my DNA?’ Håkan asked.
‘Rebecca was pregnant when she died, and we want to establish who the father was.’
The colour drained from Håkan’s face.
‘Pregnant? You didn’t mention that yesterday.’
His voice was weak, his eyes open wide.
‘Didn’t you know?’
Peder’s tone was harsher than it had been the previous day.
‘No.’
It was difficult to know whether he was telling the truth.
‘Do you think I did it?’
Håkan was trying to look tough, but the uncertainty shone on his face like newly polished shoes.
‘We don’t think anything,’ Peder replied. ‘And we want to keep it that way as far as you’re concerned. That’s why we want to run a DNA check, so that we can eliminate you from our inquiries.’
‘I’ve got to go to work – can I come in later?’
‘No, we’d like you to come now. Make a phone call and tell them you’ll be late for work.’
He tilted his head to one side and added in a gentler tone of voice: ‘Tell them you’re helping the police with their inquiries. That usually impresses an employer.’
Håkan gave him a long look, then went to fetch his keys and wallet.
‘It doesn’t matter whether I’m the child’s father or not,’ he said. ‘You’ve already checked my alibi, and you know I couldn’t have done it.’
‘If I remember rightly, you were at a big party the night Rebecca disappeared. Would anyone have noticed if you’d slipped away for a couple of hours?’
When Håkan didn’t reply, Peder looked more closely at him. He looked upset. Hurt.
‘It wasn’t a party,’ he said. ‘It was more of a dinner for the mentoring network. It was an all day event. Rebecca was supposed to be there too, but she didn’t turn up.’
Peder frowned.
‘Had you fallen out? Was that why she didn’t come?’
‘I answered those questions yesterday.’
Håkan grabbed his jacket.
‘You think this is all about me,’ he snapped. ‘You’ll be embarrassed when you find out how wrong you are.’
‘I’m sure we will,’ said Peder.
Fredrika was accompanied by a new colleague when she went to see Rebecca’s ex-girlfriend – DC Cecilia Torsson was driving, with Fredrika in the passenger seat.
‘You’ve just come back to work, haven’t you?’ Cecilia asked.
‘Yesterday,’ Fredrika replied.
They were covering the short distance between HQ and Tegnérlunden, where Rebecca’s ex-girlfriend rented an apartment. The city looked beautiful beneath a clear blue sky; Stockholm at its very best.
‘Are you the one who’s had a baby by a married man?’
Fredrika stiffened. What kind of a question was that, for God’s sake?
‘No,’ she replied. ‘And if you have any more questions about my private life, I suggest you keep them to yourself.’
‘Oh, God, I’m so
Alex ran a hand through his hair, choosing his words with care.
‘As I said yesterday, we spoke to her supervisor. He told us about the topic, but to be honest we didn’t think it was relevant. I think she was writing about a children’s author: Thea Aldrin, if you remember her.’
He shrugged.
‘The topic itself didn’t suggest any exciting theories, so we left it at that.’
‘Do you mind if I take another look?’ Fredrika asked. ‘Thea Aldrin was a controversial figure, to say the least.’
Alex suppressed a sigh. How many times had he had a similar conversation with Fredrika?
‘If you have time,’ he said. ‘I want you to talk to the ex-girlfriend first; you can look at the other stuff tomorrow.’
Fredrika went back to her office; Peder stayed with Alex.
‘I’ll start with Håkan’s DNA sample, then I’ll look into the sex rumours.’
‘Good,’ said Alex. ‘I hope we hear from the pathologist pretty bloody quickly; I want an ID for the second victim as soon as possible.’
Håkan Nilsson was very annoyed when Peder rang his doorbell, accompanied by a colleague. Peder introduced his fellow officer and explained why they were there.
‘Why do you want my DNA?’ Håkan asked.
‘Rebecca was pregnant when she died, and we want to establish who the father was.’
The colour drained from Håkan’s face.
‘Pregnant? You didn’t mention that yesterday.’
His voice was weak, his eyes open wide.
‘Didn’t you know?’
Peder’s tone was harsher than it had been the previous day.
‘No.’
It was difficult to know whether he was telling the truth.
‘Do you think I did it?’
Håkan was trying to look tough, but the uncertainty shone on his face like newly polished shoes.
‘We don’t think anything,’ Peder replied. ‘And we want to keep it that way as far as you’re concerned. That’s why we want to run a DNA check, so that we can eliminate you from our inquiries.’
‘I’ve got to go to work – can I come in later?’
‘No, we’d like you to come now. Make a phone call and tell them you’ll be late for work.’
He tilted his head to one side and added in a gentler tone of voice: ‘Tell them you’re helping the police with their inquiries. That usually impresses an employer.’
Håkan gave him a long look, then went to fetch his keys and wallet.
‘It doesn’t matter whether I’m the child’s father or not,’ he said. ‘You’ve already checked my alibi, and you know I couldn’t have done it.’
‘If I remember rightly, you were at a big party the night Rebecca disappeared. Would anyone have noticed if you’d slipped away for a couple of hours?’
When Håkan didn’t reply, Peder looked more closely at him. He looked upset. Hurt.
‘It wasn’t a party,’ he said. ‘It was more of a dinner for the mentoring network. It was an all day event. Rebecca was supposed to be there too, but she didn’t turn up.’
Peder frowned.
‘Had you fallen out? Was that why she didn’t come?’
‘I answered those questions yesterday.’
Håkan grabbed his jacket.
‘You think this is all about me,’ he snapped. ‘You’ll be embarrassed when you find out how wrong you are.’
‘I’m sure we will,’ said Peder.
Fredrika was accompanied by a new colleague when she went to see Rebecca’s ex-girlfriend – DC Cecilia Torsson was driving, with Fredrika in the passenger seat.
‘You’ve just come back to work, haven’t you?’ Cecilia asked.
‘Yesterday,’ Fredrika replied.
They were covering the short distance between HQ and Tegnérlunden, where Rebecca’s ex-girlfriend rented an apartment. The city looked beautiful beneath a clear blue sky; Stockholm at its very best.
‘Are you the one who’s had a baby by a married man?’
Fredrika stiffened. What kind of a question was that, for God’s sake?
‘No,’ she replied. ‘And if you have any more questions about my private life, I suggest you keep them to yourself.’
‘Oh, God, I’m so
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