Read Online The Hidden Child by Camilla Läckberg - Free Book Online

After a while they began to sing. But by then Axel was sound asleep.

Chapter 5
     
     

     
    ‘Okay, what do we know so far?’ asked Mellberg, looking around the break room. The coffee was made, there were buns on the table, and everyone was present.
    Paula cleared her throat. ‘I’ve been in contact with the brother – Axel. Apparently he works in Paris and always spends the summer there. But he’s on his way home now. Seemed upset when I told him about his brother’s death.’
    ‘Do we know when he left Sweden?’ Martin turned to Paula. She consulted the notebook lying in front of her.
    ‘The third of June, he says. Of course I’ll be checking that out.’
    Martin nodded.
    ‘Have we received a preliminary report from Torbjörn and his team?’ Mellberg moved his feet cautiously. Ernst had settled the whole weight of his body on top of his feet and he was getting pins and needles, but for some reason Mellberg couldn’t bring himself to push the dog away.
    ‘Not yet,’ said Gösta, reaching for a bun. ‘But I talked to him this morning, and we might have something tomorrow.’
    ‘Good, bright and early, let’s hope,’ said Mellberg, again shifting his feet, but Ernst simply moved too.
    ‘Any suspects? Possible enemies? Threats? Anything?’
    Martin shook his head. ‘No reports on our files, at any rate. But he was a controversial figure. Nazism always rouses strong feelings.’
    ‘We could go out to his house and take a look. See if there are any threatening letters or such like in the drawers.’
    Everyone turned to stare at Gösta in surprise. His colleagues were all of the opinion that Gösta Flygare only came to life on the golf course. It was rare for him to show any initiative on the job.
    ‘Take Martin with you, and go out there after the meeting,’ said Mellberg with a pleased smile. Gösta nodded and quickly resumed his usual lethargic stance.
    ‘Paula, find out when the brother – Axel, was it? – is due to arrive. Since we don’t yet know when Erik died, it’s possible that Axel was the one who bashed his head in and then fled the country. We need to get hold of him as soon as he sets foot on Swedish soil.’
    Paula looked up from her notebook. ‘He’s arriving at Landvetter airport at nine fifteen tomorrow morning.’
    ‘Good. Make sure that he comes here first, before he does anything else.’ Now Mellberg was forced to move his feet, which were starting to go numb. Ernst got up, gave him an offended look, and set off for Mellberg’s office and the comfort of his basket.
    ‘Looks like true love,’ remarked Annika, laughing as she watched the dog exit.
    ‘Hmm, well . . .’ Mellberg cleared his throat. ‘I’ve been meaning to ask you about that. When is somebody going to come and get that mongrel?’
    ‘You know, it’s not that easy,’ said Annika, putting on her most innocent expression. ‘I’ve phoned around, but nobody seems able to take a dog of his size, so if you could just take care of him for a few more days . . .’ She gazed at him with her big blue eyes.
    He grunted. ‘Oh, all right, I should be able to stand the mutt for a few more days. But then he’ll have to go back out on the street if you can’t find a home for him.’
    ‘Thanks, Bertil. That’s nice of you. And I’ll pull out all the stops.’ As Mellberg turned away, Annika winked at the others. Realizing what she was up to, they struggled not to laugh. She had Bertil sussed; no question about it.
    ‘Fine, fine,’ said Mellberg. ‘Now let’s get back to work.’ He lumbered out of the break room.
    ‘Okay, you heard the chief,’ said Martin, getting to his feet. ‘Shall we go, Gösta?’
    Gösta looked as though he was already regretting making a suggestion which would entail more work for himself, but he nodded wearily and followed Martin out the door. It was just a matter of making it through the work week. Come the weekend he’d be out on the golf course by seven in the morning, both