The Stonecutter

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Authors: Camilla Läckberg
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thrown in. It was an attempt to make it look like an accident.’
    The image that Hedström’s account conjured up in Mellberg’s mind made the chief shiver, and for a moment he forgot all about his own chances of promotion. He assumed he’d seen just about everything during his years on the force. He was proud of being able to maintain a sense of objectivity, but there was something about the murder of children that made it impossible to remain unmoved. It crossed the boundaries of all decency to attack a little girl. The indignation was unfamiliar but, he actually had to admit, quite pleasant.
    ‘No obvious perpetrator?’ he asked.
    Hedström shook his head. ‘No, we don’t know of any problems in the family, and there have been no other reported attacks on children in Fjällbacka. Nothing like this. So we should probably start by interviewing the family, don’t you agree?’ asked Patrik helpfully.
    Mellberg understood at once what he was getting at. He had no objections. It had worked fine in the past to let Hedström do the legwork, and then he could step into the spotlight when the case was resolved. Not that it was anything to be ashamed of. After all, knowing how to delegate responsibilities was the key to successful leadership.
    ‘It sounds as though you’d like to head up this investigation.’
    ‘Yes, I’m actually already on the case because Martin and I responded to the call when it came in, and we’ve met with the girl’s family.’
    ‘Well, that sounds like a good idea, then,’ Mellberg said, nodding in agreement. ‘Just see that you keep me informed.’
    ‘All right,’ said Hedström with a nod, ‘then Martin and I will get going on it.’
    ‘Martin?’ snapped Mellberg ominously. He was still irritated at the lack of respect in Patrik’s voice and now saw a chance to put him in his place. Sometimes Hedström acted as if he was the chief of this station. He needed to remind him who made the decisions around here.
    ‘No, I don’t think I can spare Martin at the moment. I assigned him to investigate a series of car thefts yesterday, possibly a Baltic gang operating in the area, so he’s got plenty to do. But …’ he paused for dramatic effect, enjoying the distressed look on Hedström’s face, ‘Ernst doesn’t have that much work right now, so it would probably be good if you two worked on this case together.’ Now Patrik had started squirming as if in agony, and Mellberg knew that he’d hit him in a vulnerable spot. But even though Ernst Lundgren was a more pleasant colleague to deal with, Mellberg was smart enough to realize that the guy had certain limitations. It would be stupid to shoot himself in the foot … He decided to assuage Hedström’s agony a bit. ‘But I’m putting you in charge of the investigation, so Lundgren will report directly to you.’
    As soon as the door closed behind Hedström, Mellberg took out the letter again and read it for at least the tenth time.
    Morgan did a few stretching exercises with his fingers and shoulders before he sat down in front of the computer. He knew that sometimes he could disappear so deeply into the world before him that he might not move for hours. He checked carefully that he had everything he needed, so that he wouldn’t have to get up unless it was absolutely necessary. A big bottle of Coke, a big Heath bar, and a big Snickers. That would keep him going for a while.
    The binder from Fredrik was lying heavily in his lap. It contained everything he needed to know. The whole fantasy world he himself was unable to create was gathered there inside the binder’s stiff covers and would soon be converted into ones and zeros. That was something he had mastered, while emotions, imagination, dreams, and fairy tales had by a caprice of nature never found space in his brain. Instead he was a wizard at the logical, the elegantly predictable in ones and zeros, the tiny electrical impulses in the computer that were converted into

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