What do we really have here? asks Kofoed. Hes still smiling. Someone high up, with a job deciding who can export military equipment, who decides now to take his own life.
Not our department, sighs Pollock.
Tommy Kofoed rolls off his gloves and gestures at the hanging man.
Joona? Whats the deal with the knots and the music? he asks.
Its a double sheet bend, Joona says and points to the knots around the lamp hook. I connect it to Palmcronas long naval career.
And the music?
Joona stops and looks at him meditatively.
What do you think? he asks.
Well, I know its a sonata for violin. Early nineteenth century or-
He is interrupted by the doorbell. The four of them glance at one another. Joona starts to walk back to the hallway and the rest follow but stop before they can be seen from the landing.
At the front door, Joona considers a quick view through the peephole but decides against it. He can feel air stream through the keyhole as he presses down the door handle. The heavy door swings open. The landing is dark. Joonas hand goes for his pistol as he checks behind the open door. A tall woman is caught in a faint gap of light by the handrail. She has huge hands. Shes probably about sixty-five years old. Shes completely still. Her gray hair is cut in a short, girlish pageboy style, and theres a large, skin-colored bandage on her chin. She looks Joona right in the eye without a hint of a smile.
So have you cut him down yet? she asks.
7
Joona had thought hed have time to make the National Criminal Investigation Department meeting at one oclock.
But hed wanted to have lunch with Disa first. They were to meet at Rosendals Garden on Djurgarden. Joona arrived early and had to wait for a while in the sunshine. He idly watched the mist hovering over the small vineyard. Then he saw Disa coming, her cloth purse slung over her shoulder. Her narrow, intelligent face was closely sprinkled with late-spring freckles and her hair flowed free over her shoulders, loosed from its customary tight braids. Shed prettied up in a dress patterned in small flowers; on her feet were sandals with wedge heels.
Carefully they hugged each other.
Hi, Joona said. You look great.
You, too, said Disa.
Together they went to the buffet to choose their food and then sat down at an outdoor table. Joona noticed that her nails wore a new coat of polish. Usually they were short and ragged, embedded with the dirt Disa picked up in her work as an archaeologist. Joonas gaze wandered away from her hands and out over the orchard.
Queen Kristina received a leopard as a present from the Count of Kurland. She kept it here at Djurgarden.
I didnt know that, Joona said absentmindedly.
I read in the palace accounts that the Royal Treasury paid forty daler in silver coins, the cost of a serving girls funeral. She was ripped apart by that leopard.
Disa leaned back in her chair and picked up her glass.
Stop talking so much, Joona Linna, she said.
Sorry, Joona said. I just
He fell silent again, suddenly exhausted.
Whats up? She was suddenly concerned.
Please, just tell me more about the leopard.
You look so sad.
I was thinking about my mother Its been one year today since she passed away. I went to lay a wreath at her grave.
I miss Ritva very much, Disa said.
She put her fork down and sat quietly for a while.
Finally she said, Do you know what she said the last time I saw her? She took my hand and told me that I should seduce you and make sure I got knocked up.
Joona laughed. I can believe that!
The sun sparkled in Disas quiet, dark eyes. I told her that I didnt believe that would happen. Then she told me I should leave you and never look back.
He nodded but was at a loss for words.
And then youd be all alone, Disa continued. A large, lonely Finn.
He stroked her fingers.
I dont want that, he said.
Dont want what?
Dont want to be a large, lonely Finn.
And I now want to use my teeth on you. Bite you hard. Can you explain that? My teeth always start to itch when I look at you, Disa said with a smile.
Joona reached out to touch her face. He knew he was already late to the meeting with Carlos Eliasson and the CID, but he kept sitting there across from Disa, making small talk and thinking at the same time that he should go down to the Nordic Museum to look at the Sami bridal crown.
While he was waiting for Joona Linna, Carlos Eliasson had told the National Criminal Investigation Department about the young woman whod been found dead on a motorboat in the Stockholm archipelago, and Benny Rubin noted for the record that there was no rush to begin an investigation and that they should wait for the Coast Guards findings.
Joona had come in a little later but had hardly taken part in the meeting when a call came from John Bengtsson of Routine Patrol.
Joona and John had a history together over the years. Theyd played floorball more than a decade before. John Bengtsson was popular, but when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, a lot of his friends had fallen away. Although he was now fully recovered, like other people whod had a brush with death, he had a slight air of fragility, of a depth of understanding, about him.