Camilla Lackberg Crime Thrillers 4-6: The Stranger, The Hidden Child, The Drowning. Camilla Lackberg
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‘The second fatality took place ten years ago. This time in Nyköping. A woman in her seventies. It was labelled a murder, but the case was never solved.’
‘So we have two more murders,’ said Patrik, feeling the enormity of the responsibility now resting on his shoulders. ‘Making a total of four murders that seem to be linked.’
‘That’s what it looks like,’ said Annika, removing her glasses and twirling them in her fingers.
‘Four murders,’ said Patrik wearily. Fatigue had cast a grey pallor over his face.
‘Four. Not to mention the murder of Lillemor Persson. I must say I think we’ve reached the limit of our capacity,’ said Annika gravely.
‘What are you saying? You think we should call in the National Criminal Police?’ Patrik gave her a thoughtful look, sensing that she had a point. On the other hand, they were the ones who could see the big picture, which might bring together all the pieces of the puzzle. It would take cooperation among the districts, but he still believed that they were capable of pulling it off.
‘We’ll start on our own, then see whether we need help,’ he said, and Annika nodded. If that was what Patrik wanted, then that was how things would be done.
‘When do you intend to present this information to Mellberg?’ she said, waving her notes.
‘As soon as I’ve spoken with whoever was in charge of the investigations in Lund and Nyköping. Have you got the contact info?’
Annika nodded. ‘I’ll leave my notes with you. Everything you need is there.’
He gave her a grateful look. She stopped as she was going out the door.
‘Serial killer, you think?’ she said, hardly believing that she was saying such a thing.
‘Looks like it,’ said Patrik. Then he picked up the phone and started making calls.
‘What a nice place you have.’ Anna looked around the ground floor of the house.
‘Well, it’s a bit cold. Pernilla took half the furniture, and I … I haven’t managed to buy replacements. And now it looks like it’s not such a great idea. I have to sell the house, and I won’t be able to squeeze much into the new flat.’
Anna gave him a sympathetic look. ‘That is tough,’ she said, and he nodded.
‘Yes, it is. But I mean, compared with what you’ve been through, well …’
Anna smiled. ‘Don’t worry, I don’t expect everyone to compare their troubles with mine. Everyone has their own problems. I understand that.’
‘Thanks,’ said Dan with a big smile. ‘So what you’re saying is that I’m entitled to grumble as much as I like?’
‘Well, maybe not that much,’ said Anna with a laugh. She went to the stairs and pointed up with a questioning look.
‘Sure, go up and take a look. I even made the beds and picked up the laundry from the floor today, so there’s no danger that you’ll be attacked by any boxer shorts.’
Anna grimaced and then laughed again. She’d been laughing a lot lately. It seemed as though she had a couple of months’ worth of laughing to catch up on.
By the time she came back downstairs, Dan had made a few open sandwiches for them.
‘Mmm, looks good,’ she said, sitting down at the table.
‘I thought you looked a bit peckish. Sandwiches are all I can offer. The girls cleaned out the fridge, and I haven’t had time to shop.’
‘Sandwiches are fine,’ said Anna, taking a big bite of the bread and cheese.
‘How’s it going with planning the festivities?’ Dan asked. ‘From what I hear, Patrik’s been working round the clock, and it’s less than four weeks until D-Day!’
‘Yes, you might say that we have to get a move on … But Erica and I are doing our best. So I think we’ll manage. As long as Patrik’s mother stays out of it.’
‘What’s that about?’ Dan asked, and got a lively description of Kristina’s latest visit.
‘You’ve got to be kidding,’ he said, but he still couldn’t help laughing.
‘I swear,’ said Anna. ‘It really was that bad.’
‘Poor Erica,’ said Dan. ‘And here I thought that Pernilla’s mother was an interfering old bat when we got married.’ He shook his head.
‘Do you miss her?’ Anna asked, and Dan pretended to misunderstand.
‘Pernilla’s mother? No, not a bit, actually.’
‘Oh, come on, you know who I mean.’ She gave him a searching look.
Dan paused to think for a moment. ‘No, I can honestly say that I don’t anymore. I did for a while, but I’m not so sure that it was Pernilla I missed. It was more what we had, as a family, if you know what I mean.’
‘Yes and no,’ said Anna, all at once looking extremely sad. ‘What I think you’re saying is that you missed the daily life, the security, the predictability. I never had that with Lucas. Ever. But in the midst of the fear, and then the terror, that was probably what I was longing for most. Daily routines, predictability. Ordinary life.’
Dan placed his hand on hers. ‘You don’t have to talk about it.’
‘That’s okay,’ she said, blinking back the tears. ‘I’ve talked so much these past few weeks that I’m getting tired of hearing my own voice. And you’ve listened and listened to all my miseries. You must be sick of hearing my voice.’ She laughed and wiped away her tears with the paper napkin.
Dan still had his hand on hers. ‘I’m not at all sick of listening to you. As far as I’m concerned, you could keep talking twenty-four seven.’
A comfortable silence followed as they looked at each other. The warmth of Dan’s hand spread through Anna’s body, thawing out parts that she hadn’t even known were frozen. Dan opened his mouth to say something, but just then Anna’s mobile rang. They gave a start and Anna pulled away her hand to fish out her phone. She looked at the display.
‘Erica,’ she said, and got up to take the call.
This time Patrik had chosen to meet with his colleagues in the kitchen. What he intended to present was a bit overwhelming, to say the least, and strong coffee and some buns would probably be welcome. He waited for the others to sit down but remained standing. They all looked at him in suspense as they came in. It was plain that something was going on, but Annika hadn’t said a word, so none of the others knew what it was about. Only that it was something big. A bird flew past the kitchen window, and everyone’s eyes reflexively followed the movement but quickly turned back to Patrik.
‘Get yourselves some coffee and buns, then we’ll get started,’ Patrik said, his voice solemn. They’d all poured themselves a cup and murmured to one another to pass around the basket of buns. Then they fell silent.
‘Annika sent out a nationwide query at my request on Monday. Asking about fatalities which showed similarities with the murders of Rasmus and Marit.’
Hanna raised a hand. ‘What exactly did the query say?’
‘What we sent out was a list of items that were common to both murders: the way the victims died and the objects found near the bodies.’
The latter was news to Gösta and Hanna, and they leaned forward to hear more.
‘What sort of objects?’ said Gösta.
Patrik glanced over at Martin and said, ‘When Martin and I went through the knapsack that Rasmus had with him when he died, we found something that was also found near Marit. In her case it was on the seat next to her in the car. We didn’t