45
The housekeeper, Edith Schwartz, has no telephone. She lives forty-six kilometers north of Stockholm just outside of Knivsta. Joona is in the passenger seat next to Saga, whos driving at a reasonable clip down Sveavagen. They leave Stockholms central area at Norrtull and get on the highway near Karolinska Hospital.
Sapo has finished going through the crime scene at Penelope Fernandezs apartment, Saga is telling him. Ive gone through all the material, and based on that, its perfectly clear she has no connection to left-wing groups. On the contrary, shes distanced herself from them and is an avowed pacifist. She actively argues against their methods. Ive also gone through what little information we have on Bjorn Almskog. He works at Debaser, which is a club located at Medborgarplatsen. Hes not politically active but was arrested once at a street party organized by Reclaim the City.
They quickly pass between the flickering black fence posts along North Cemetery and Haga Parks wall of greenery.
Ive also looked through our archives, Saga continues. Everything we have on both the left-wing and right-wing extremists in Stockholm. It took me most of the night. Of course, most of this is classified as top secret, but theres one thing you need to know: Sapo made a mistake here. Neither Penelope nor Bjorn have ever been involved in sabotage or anything remotely resembling sabotage. Theyre almost laughably innocent.
So youre dropping that angle?
Like you, Im convinced that were investigating something in another league entirely, far above either left- or right-wing local extremists a league thats perhaps even beyond Sapo and the National Criminal Investigation Department for that matter. Im talking about Palmcronas death. Connect that with the fire in Bjorns apartment and Violas murder this is something else again entirely.
Saga falls silent. Joona thinks back to the housekeepers strange manner as she looked at him and asked if hed cut Palmcrona down yet.
Hed said to her, What do you mean by that?
Shed said, Excuse me, Im just a housekeeper and I thought
Hed asked her if shed seen anything unusual.
A noose from the ceiling in the small salon, shed answered.
So you saw the noose?
Yes, indeed.
Of course she did, Joona thinks as he watches the highway unroll before them. Yes, indeed, shed said. The housekeepers forceful expression-in words and manner-reverberates in his head. So does the look she gave him when hed told her she would have to go down to the police station to give a statement. Hed thought that would alarm her, but it hadnt at all; shed just nodded.
Theyre now passing Rotebro. Joona was involved in an old case there in which theyd dug up ten-year-old remains in a garden while looking for Erik Maria Barks son, Benjamin. It had been winter then. Now wildflowers and greenery soften the rust-brown railroad tracks and brighten the way around the parking lot and on toward the town houses and larger homes.
Joona decides to call Nathan Pollock at the National Criminal Investigation Department. After a few rings, he hears Nathans nasal voice.
Nathan here.
You and Tommy found circles of footprints beneath Palmcronas body.
That investigation was shut down, Nathan answers as Joona hears him typing on a computer.
Right, but now-
I already know, Nathan said. Ive just talked to Carlos and he told me about the new developments.
So can you take another look?
Im already doing that, Nathan says.
Sounds good. When will you have some results?
Now, Nathan replies. Theyre from Palmcrona and his housekeeper, Edith Schwartz.
Nobody else?
No one.
Saga is keeping a steady speed of 140 kilometers an hour. Theyre heading north on European Route 4.
Earlier that morning, Joona and Saga had gone to the police station to listen to the recorded interrogation of Edith Schwartz while simultaneously following John Bengtssons handwritten notes.
Joona reviews the questions and answers in his memory. After the standard formula statements informing Edith that there was no suspicion of a crime, they requested whether she could shed some light on the reasons behind Carl Palmcronas death. Silence. Then Joona and Saga could hear the sounds from the ventilation system, the creaking of a chair, and the scratching of a pen on a sheet of paper. John Bengtsson had decided that due to Edith Schwartzs apparent disinterest, he would let her speak first.
At least two minutes passed before she spoke. Two minutes is a long time to sit before a police officers desk while a tape is running.
Finally, she asked, Did Director Palmcrona take off his coat?
Why do you ask that? John Bengtsson replies in a friendly manner.
She said nothing. Another half minute went by. Finally, John ended the silence by asking, Was he wearing his coat the last time you saw him?
Yes, he was.
Earlier, you told Detective Linna that youd seen a noose hanging from the ceiling.
Thats correct.
What did you think he was going to use the noose for?
She did not answer.
How long was the noose hanging there?
Since Wednesday, she said calmly.