Åke Edwardson - Sun and Shadow

“Swedish author. Unknown in Ouagadougou.”

“No, I don’t remember him from school,” she said.

“‘Ello, ’ello, ‘ello! I spy a police constable,” Halders said. “In civvies, but you can tell by the way he walks.”

“It’s Morelius.”

“Do you know him?”

“Not really, but don’t you know everybody in the force?”

“I’m afraid I probably do.”

Halders pulled up at the taxi rank outside the Park Hotel, as they had business to see to there. Morelius was on his own, staring down at the ground. He was wearing earphones. Halders got out just as Morelius came level with the car.

“Do you patrol here in your free time too?” said Halders. Morelius saw him, but couldn’t hear him. He removed the earphones and they could both hear the music.

“God that’s loud. Sounds terrible, whatever it is.”

Morelius took his Walkman from his pocket and switched off.

“Hello, Halders.”

“Don’t you get enough of the Avenue when you’re on duty?”

“I’m on an errand, unfortunately.”

“Same here.”

Djanali waved from the car window.

“I’m quitting,” Morelius said out of the blue.

“Eh?”

“I’m leaving the force.”

Angela could feel the weariness now. When she described the fate of her latest patient for the cassette recorder, exhaustion hit her like a lump of stone, a large block.

I’m quitting after today, she thought. It was fun as long as it lasted. Now my head can’t keep up anymore.

She stood up, went to the sink and splashed some water on her forehead. There was a knock at the door and Hildur peeped around it. The nurse looked worried.

“Another broken bone,” she said. “It seems-”

“I’m coming,” Angela said.

The new multistory car park was not pretty, but it served its purpose. She took the elevator up to the third floor and studied her pale features in the mirror. But now it was over.

Everybody was full of understanding. I wondered how long you would last, Hildur had said. Until now, she’d replied.

Tomorrow she could attend the parent group meeting as a full-time mom. In her thoughts everything was ready, prepared.

She used the remote control to unlock the car and noticed the uniform. A police officer was walking up the exit ramp, hesitantly, perhaps slightly embarrassed. Okay, she thought. I’ll be staying at home in future, without a guard. You can take time off, Constable.

The police officer had almost reached her. She waited, with the ignition key in her hand. A car from the level above was approaching and the officer stood on the other side as it drove past and then disappeared from view down the ramp.

He came up to her, still looking embarrassed. Only doing his duty. Surely she recognized him? He was somebody Erik knew.

“Mrs. Winter?”

She nodded, as it was the easy way out. She wasn’t Mrs., not yet at least.

“I’m supposed to make sure you get home safely.”

“I’m already on my way,” she said, gesturing toward the car. “This was my last day at work. But thanks anyway.”

“Let me drive,” he said. He wasn’t looking her in the eye. Another car drove past. There was an unpleasant smell. She didn’t want to stand inhaling these poisonous fumes any longer than necessary. She had responsibilities. “Let me drive you home, Mrs. Winter,” he said again, holding out his hand for the keys. She noticed his belt, the gleam from his breast pocket, his cap. Everything was gleaming. It was somehow reassuring. His face was familiar.

“It’s really not necessary,” she said.

“I know the way,” he said. “It’s my job to help you.”

She was dog-tired. She could feel it now, even more thanks to the foul, fume-filled air. She felt a movement in her stomach. Squeeze her way in behind the wheel? Squeeze their way in? No, thank you.

“All right,” she said, handing him the keys.

Winter was reading the transcripts of the interviews with the film extras. They all had different motives for their exhibitionism. None seemed more interesting than any other. He was short a few.

Five of the addresses were in Mölndal. Three were within reasonable walking distance of Krokens Livs, which was a starting point for a line of thought.

He phoned Möllerström.

“Have you spoken to Bertil about the addresses in Mölndal?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t track him down at the moment. Do you know if anybody’s been there?”

“Hasn’t he mentioned it to you?”

“Mentioned what?”

“Two didn’t answer.”

“The first attempt?”

“Twice at one of the addresses.”

“I have them here,” Winter said, scanning them from the bottom up. “We’ll call around later tonight.”

“Perhaps they’ll be filming until late,” Möllerström said.

“I don’t know.”

“I suppose you know they’ll be finished next week, if they stick to the schedule?”

“So I heard.”

He concluded the call, glanced at his watch, then phoned home. No reply. He looked again at his watch.

Ringmar called just after he’d put the phone down.

“The boy seems to be a bit better.”

“Who’s that?”

“Patrik. The boy in the hospital.”

“Ah, yes.” His father had been released and was drifting around Skanstorget. That case was crawling along at a snail’s pace. Winter had driven past the apartment, thought about going in. “I’m pleased to hear it. I must have a word with him, if possible.”

“They rang a few minutes ago. Said you were on the phone.”

“What did they want?”

“He wanted to speak to you.”

Winter arranged a car to take him to the Sahlgren Hospital. He was spending more and more time there. He phoned home again on his mobile, but there was no reply and he left a brief message on the answering machine.

Patrik’s face was the same color as his surroundings. A chameleon. His eyes were black, sunken.

“I dreamed that I recognized him,” Patrik said.

“Recognized him? The man who went down in the elevator?”

“There was something about his face when he turned round.” Patrik looked up at Winter, then at something to the side of him. “If I saw him again, I’d recognize him.” Patrik closed his eyes and mumbled something.

“What did you say?” Winter asked.

The boy mumbled again.

“Patrik?” Winter bent down even closer, but couldn’t distinguish any words.

Winter phoned home again from outside the ward, but there was still no answer. He made his way to where Angela worked, but they said she’d left hours ago.

He requested a car to take him home.

The apartment was empty and silent. It was clear that she’d not been home. There were always things lying around if she’d come in before going off to do some shopping, or to take a walk. He took the elevator down to the basement garage, but the car wasn’t there.

He went out into the street and looked around. The Mercedes was on the other side of the street, one of three in a row. He walked quickly over to it and saw the parking ticket fixed to the windshield. He opened the envelope. Two hours ago. The ticket had been issued two hours ago. He checked his watch again. It was ages since she’d left work. Why had she driven here so late and left the car in the street instead of in the garage? Was she scared of going down there?

Bergenhem had stopped being her bodyguard without Angela ever having noticed him. He was now involved in the investigation again. Winter and Angela had looked at each other and laughed, perhaps shrugged at the thought of worrying about it. Over the top. So much was going on now.