“Hard to understand that someone could do something like that to a child, isn’t it?” he said, studying me.
“Yes. People are capable of anything these days. The most important thing is that we find him now.”
“That’s just what I wanted to talk with you about. There’s something about this that doesn’t add up.”
Was he joking? Of course it didn’t add up. Otherwise the robberies would have been solved by now and I would be in prison. I put my ID into the computer, entered the code, and waited to be logged on to the system.
“You and Nina, you know each other really well, huh?” he said.
I didn’t understand whether he knew something or was simply fishing for information.
“Yes, we’ve done a few investigations together. Or together in the sense that I’ve done them and she’s made the decisions. That’s how it works.”
He nodded.
“Why these questions?” I said.
I was starting to get irritated. Couldn’t he just spit out what all this snooping was about?
“You’re working according to the theory that it’s a man who is behind the robberies, is that true?”
“Hmm, exactly.”
I opened the computerized procedure for preliminary investigation and handling of coercive measures that was still being used for investigations until a new one was introduced.
“I think it’s a woman.”
I looked at him with raised eyebrows. He looked right at me with a steady gaze.
“Or more correctly stated, I’m convinced that it is a woman.”
I shook my head.
“The possibility that it would be a female perpetrator is basically nonexistent. I don’t know how familiar you are with the statistics on bank robberies in Sweden, or the whole world for that matter. They are dominated by men, as with the vast majority of serious crimes.”
Without answering he got up and started for the door.
“How have you even come to that conclusion?” I said.
In the doorway he turned around and looked at me briefly before he continued out into the corridor.
He could think what he wanted. I just needed to keep him at a distance a little longer, until it was all over.
SEVENTY-SEVEN
“That sure took a long time.”
Ronni opened the door and let me into the apartment on Sandhamnsgatan at Gärdet. He had called me that morning and rattled off a lot of odd things on the phone. He’d sounded strangely upset. There had been poor reception, as well, so I’d only been able to make out something about the girl and illness. I brought the little pediatric medical kit that I always carried with me in my bag, ever since Benjamin had become ill. There were two days left until the next robbery. Nothing could go wrong now.
“It’s Monday morning, Ronni. I have a job to do.”
“I don’t know what I should do with her. She’s completely gone. Had chills all night and raved a lot.”
He went ahead into the apartment and opened the bedroom door. The girl was lying on the mattress on the floor under two blankets and a down jacket. I went over, crouched down. The girl appeared to be struggling to keep her eyes open. Her pale skin was, if possible, even paler. Her hair was clinging in wisps to her damp face. I placed my hand on her warm, clammy forehead and could tell that she had a fever. I stroked her on the cheek.
“Does it hurt anywhere?” I said.
“I’m cold.”
I had to lean down to hear what she said. I took the medical kit out of my bag.
“Damn, just when she was starting to get better,” said Ronni, wandering around the room.
“What do you mean, better?” I said.
Without answering he continued pacing back and forth. I handed him a tablet.
“Put this in half a glass of water. It’s only a pain reliever and fever reducer. We have to get the fever down. Open wide, Olivia, hold this under your tongue.”
I put a thermometer in her mouth. She looked up at me with tired eyes.
“That’s a good girl,” I said.
I thought the girl smiled a little. Yes, she did. I took the thermometer out. Ronni came in with the tablet in a glass of water.
“It’s 39.2. I see why you’re cold. But don’t worry. Drink this. All of it. You’re going to feel better soon. I’m just going to talk with your daddy in the kitchen. Sleep a little if you can.”
We left the room.
“Damn it, Leona, what if she can’t do it?” said Ronni.
“She’ll manage on fever-reducing tablets. The fever will go down now.”
The girl was sick, but I had seen my own son in much worse condition and I knew that she would be okay.
“Why haven’t you given her anything?” I said.
“I don’t have a damned pharmacy here. I meant to go out and get some painkillers but she became completely hysterical when I was going to leave her. And I can’t take her out, of course.”
Ronni continued pacing around the kitchen.
“Maybe she can’t do it anymore.”
“Oh, get a grip, damn it, Ronni. Are you going to start getting soft now just because the girl has a little fever? It’s nothing to worry about. All children get sick sometimes.”
“If the fever doesn’t go down I’m calling off the whole fucking thing and going back to Finland with her.”
“In that case you’re going without cash.”
I didn’t intend to give him a cent if he pulled out. He’d hardly seemed to care about the girl until now. It was pathetic that he’d suddenly become protective. With fever-reducing medicine and sleep she would be better by tomorrow.
“Give her two tablets every four hours,” I said. “I have to go. And listen, don’t forget to make sure that she finds the drain, because it’s farther away this time. She will have less time, too.”
I closed the door to the apartment even though Ronni was still shouting something from inside. I wasn’t worried. The girl would perk up with the pills. Ronni was much too eager for money to pull out. I left the apartment feeling calm. Got into the car and turned on the radio.
P3 News.
A high-level Swedish politician has been arrested today for the murder of the journalist Christer Skoog, who was killed in his home on Wednesday the sixteenth of October. Earlier this year the politician was the object of a preliminary investigation when, along with two other public officials, he was accused of paying for sex. The prosecutor ruled that the evidence against the politician was insufficient for an indictment and the preliminary investigation was closed. The prosecutor has now confirmed that new evidence has emerged in the case, which means that the preliminary investigation regarding the purchase of sex has been reopened. The deceased journalist reportedly had information about the crimes the politician is alleged to have committed. New witness statements also show that the politician was involved in the murder.
SEVENTY-EIGHT
Olivia curled up on the floor of the car. Daddy had put down plastic so it would not get messy. He had sprayed her, too. Her skin was all red and stung a little. But that didn’t matter. Because this was the last time now. Daddy had promised that.
She looked out the windows on the other side of the car, watching the roofs of buildings and light poles rush quickly past. The sky was gray, with round white clouds. The car bobbed up and down so much she had to curl up even more so she didn’t get hurt. Even so, she wanted to stay there. Didn’t want to leave the car.
She had finally got the teddy bear back. She hugged it as hard as she could. Her hands felt strange. Cold and numb, somehow.
This time she had two broad, black belts fastened around her chest. On them Daddy had strapped six canisters with a jumble of thin, gray cords around each other. The cords looked like spaghetti, but shorter. Like when you’ve cut the spaghetti a little so it will be easier to eat. Daddy said that people would be even more afraid when she had the canisters with spaghetti on her. Then everything would be easier.
&n
bsp; “Make sure to do this right, now. Remember that you have to get away quicker this time.”
Daddy was talking from the front seat. Olivia understood what she should do, but she was so tired. About to fall asleep. She had to walk much faster this time. How would she be able to? The blueness on her foot had disappeared and it was no longer as swollen, but it still hurt when she walked. She closed her eyes. Her body was briefly pressed against the front seat as the car slowed down and stopped by the curb.
“When I say so, you get going.”
She tried to get ready.
“Now!”
She reached for the door handle.
“Now, I said. Go!”
She got the door open. Stepped out onto the sidewalk and had to stand still for a moment to get her balance. Closed the door and started walking close to the parked cars, just as Daddy had said. She tried to walk fast but still go gently on the sore foot. Soon she would get to go home to Mommy.
Lots of cars drove past on the street. Regular cars and big thundering trucks. Many people were bicycling. Some were walking on the sidewalk, too. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry. They didn’t even look at her but instead looked right over her head. They held on to their clothing so they wouldn’t blow away. It was lucky that Olivia had the rain cape on. Then it didn’t blow on her as much. She had a new rain cape this time because the old one had fallen apart. This one was bigger. She held the hood down a little in front of her face as Daddy had shown her. Olivia tried to walk just as quickly as a man in a dark-blue coat who had just passed her, but she couldn’t.
Now she was at the corner. There! She could see the entrance.
Inside the door she wriggled off the backpack and the rain cape at the same time and dropped everything on the floor. She dropped the teddy bear, too, but she picked that up again immediately and held it in her arms.
She looked around. Go to the middle of the room, he had said. It was hard to know. The room had a lot of corners, and there were little alcoves in several places. She went straight ahead. Stopped where she thought the middle was. Set down the tape recorder and pressed play. No one there seemed to have seen her as she came in. Now everyone was looking at her. The first time it had been scary to be stared at like that. Now she was too tired to be afraid. She just stood there. Her eyes half closed. Moved back and forth a little from one foot to the other to keep herself awake. She hoped the recording would end soon.
Daddy’s voice blared from the speaker. She shuddered just hearing it, even though she knew it was only a recording. He could sound so horrible. All the others seemed to think so too because they looked terrified. They stood with their eyes wide open and stared. Or else they thought she was disgusting, just like Daddy thought. He had changed the tape. Added something about exploding. Olivia didn’t understand. She couldn’t bear to listen.
It felt like forever before the recording ended. A few old men in suits had gathered everything in bags and set it on the floor. Soon it would be over.
When the recording was done she picked up the tape player and walked back toward the exit. Set the teddy bear down next to the bags. Opened the zipper on the backpack and put in the tape recorder. Then it was time for the bags. They contained money, she knew that. She quickly picked up one bag at a time and put it in the backpack. The rustling was the only sound in the place. Only one bag left now. When she picked it up a few bundles of money fell out on the floor. Quickly she started picking up the money. The same colorful slips of paper like at home in Finland, but this particular kind she had never seen. The bundles where it said 500 on each one were violet and the rest were yellow. Olivia liked yellow and violet. They were so clean and flat, like play money. Her hands were still cold and stiff but she got the last bundle down into the bag. All she could think about was Daddy. Now he would be angry again. Because it was taking such a long time.
In the corner of her eye she saw a lady start moving. Olivia didn’t understand why. Daddy had said that they would be completely still. She hoped the lady didn’t come up to her the way the old man did the last time. She had to hurry. She pushed the bag down in the backpack and closed the zipper. Quickly she slipped the rain cape over her head and picked up the backpack. It had gotten heavy. She staggered but kept herself upright. Tried to get her one arm through the strap of the backpack as she started walking toward the exit. And then the other arm. Now it was on.
She felt a freezing blast of wind against her legs when the doors opened. It had started raining too, but that didn’t matter. She just wanted to get away.
When the doors had closed behind her and she took a few steps, she remembered. The teddy bear! She had left it on the floor in there. She quickly turned around. Ran back to the glass doors. They closed right in front of her. When she put her hands up against the window and her forehead against the gloves she could see the teddy bear lying on the floor a little farther into the bank. She pressed her hands against the glass panes as if trying to push them to the sides. It didn’t work. She heard Daddy’s voice in her head, “Let that fucking teddy bear be.” She kept standing with her hands against the glass and her eyes fixed on the teddy bear on the floor. She felt hot tears running down her cheeks. The lady from inside the bank came rushing toward the exit. She screamed something that Olivia could not hear. Picked up the teddy bear and ran to the sliding doors. When they didn’t open the lady started to hit on the glass from inside. But they didn’t open. The woman started crying. She sank down on the floor on the other side of the doors. Strange that she was crying, thought Olivia, when she had the teddy bear.
“Get out of there, fast,” she heard Daddy calling in her head. She was probably late now. She turned around and started walking as fast as she could in the direction of the drain. There were fewer people on the sidewalk now. A lady with an umbrella was pushing a baby buggy farther away. In front of Olivia a mail carrier was standing with a big cart. Olivia went past the cart. The mail carrier didn’t look at her but instead went into an entry with a lot of mail in his hands. The pack struck against her back with every step. She panted. Couldn’t go on much longer. Her foot hurt. A car drove past and splashed water up on her legs. Cold, dirty rainwater. Only a few steps to the corner now. At the corner she would probably see the drain. She turned around. Then she saw. She stopped abruptly. Stood quietly next to the building wall. Stared at the big thing that stood there. She breathed in. Held her breath. Her heart was pounding. She didn’t understand what she was seeing. What was it? Help!
SEVENTY-NINE
It was as if I knew that something would go wrong this time. That the last robbery would not be like the other two. But Ronni had made contact yesterday and said that the girl was feeling better and assured me that everything was on track. He had not been in touch this morning, which was a good sign.
I looked at the clock. It should be happening now. Something still made me feel uneasy. I moved quickly through the corridors at work. Couldn’t get myself to sit quietly in my office. I repeatedly told myself that this was the last time. The last robbery.
Handelsbanken, on Renstiernas gata in Södermalm.
Wednesday, October 30.
Then it was over.
Finished.
As I passed Claes’s office Sören came running out from what looked like a meeting between him and Claes. I saw Claes through the window to his office. He had a strange expression that I couldn’t interpret.
“Leona, do you have a moment?”
I tried to look even more stressed, to avoid his questions.
“I’ve gone through all the material now. Interviews, memos, surveillance video, everything. I’d like to talk with you about a few things that I think are a little strange.”
My phone rang in my pocket. Thank God, I was rescued.
“Excuse me, Sören.”
I had hoped that he would go away, but he remained standing there, looking at me. Nina’s voice on the phone did not sound normal. She spoke quickly and in a shrill voice.
“
They’re cleaning the storm drains in Södermalm today.”
I didn’t understand what she was saying. Couldn’t make the connection.
“Hello, Leona? Do you hear me? I’m in the car. I’m listening to the traffic report on the local news. They just informed drivers that they’re flushing the storm drains all over Söder today.”
I completely froze. My jaw dropped. I couldn’t produce a sound. I had planned everything down to the slightest detail, but storm drain cleaning? I hadn’t given that a thought.
“They have several trucks out. If they’re cleaning the drain then the girl will never get down into it. And if she’s already down there…Well, you understand the problem.”
“Thanks so much for the information,” I said. “I’ll arrange it.”
I spoke in a formal voice. Tried to sound unperturbed in front of Sören. Now it was urgent.
“You’ll have to excuse me, I have to go. We’ll talk about that later.”
“Is it something that has to do with the case? If so, I’d be happy to come along.”
Claes had heard Sören’s question and looked sharply out at me from his office.
“Uh, okay,” I said. “We’ll take the car.”
I walked quickly toward the stairwell with Sören close behind. I had to get rid of him. But how?
“Who was that who called?” he asked on the way down in the elevator.
“It was the prosecutor, Nina. I have to stop by her office and review the case with her. Oh, I forgot the file with all the documents. Do you think you could go up to the squad and get them from my desk while I get the car out?”
It was a good plan. I could explain afterward why I had been forced to leave without him.
“No problem,” he said, tapping the briefcase he was carrying. “I have everything with me.”
Damn! How would I get rid of him? I jogged to the car and got in. Quickly drove out of the garage and continued out on Fleminggatan.
“Hey, is it that urgent?” said Sören.
I turned on the police radio in the car. As we drove, the radio reported a bank robbery at Handelsbanken at Renstiernas gata 18 in Södermalm, and mentioned that a girl had been seen leaving the crime scene.
Leona Page 31