Camilla Lackberg - Camilla Lackberg Crime Thrillers 1 and 2 - The Ice Princess, The Preacher

Pedersen paused, then went on. ‘The question I then asked myself was: how could a person do that without the victim putting up a struggle? The answer came with the toxicology report. The victim had residue of a strong sedative in her blood.’

‘What does that prove? Couldn’t she simply have taken a sleeping pill?’

‘Certainly, that’s possible. But thankfully modern science has provided forensic medicine with a number of indispensable tools and methods. One of the tools is that today we can calculate extremely precisely the decay rates of various medications and even poisons. We ran the test several times on the victim’s blood and each time reached the same conclusion: it would have been impossible for Alexandra Wijkner to slash her own wrists, since by the time her heart stopped due to loss of blood, she had already been unconscious for a long while. Unfortunately I can’t give you any exact information about times; science hasn’t progressed that far as yet. But there is absolutely no doubt that it was murder. I truly hope that you can handle this. You don’t have many homicides in your area, I shouldn’t think?’

Pedersen’s voice expressed a good deal of doubt, which Mellberg instantly took as criticism directed at him personally.

‘You’re right that it’s not something we have a lot of experience with here in Tanumshede. Fortunately, I’ve been assigned here only temporarily. My real workplace is at police headquarters in Göteborg. My long years of experience on the job mean we’ll have no trouble handling even a murder investigation here. It will be a chance for the local authorities to see how real police work is done. It won’t take long before the case is solved. Mark my words.’

And with this pompous comment Mellberg knew that he had made it crystal clear to Medical Examiner Pedersen that he wasn’t dealing with some greenhorn. Doctors always had to put on airs. Pedersen’s part of the job was done, at any rate, and now it was time for a pro to take over.

‘Oh, I almost forgot.’ The medical examiner was stunned by the conceit displayed by the policeman and had almost forgotten to tell him about two additional discoveries that he considered significant. ‘Alexandra Wijkner was in her third month of pregnancy, and she has also given birth before. I don’t know whether this has any relevance for your investigation, but better too much information than too little, don’t you think?’ said Pedersen.

Mellberg merely snorted in reply, and after a few concluding pleasantries they hung up – Pedersen with a sense of doubt about the skill with which the murderer was going to be tracked, and Mellberg with revived spirits and a new feeling of eagerness. A preliminary examination of the bathroom had been done immediately after the body was found, but now he would have to see to it that Alexandra Wijkner’s house was gone over one millimetre at a time.

2

He warmed a lock of her hair between his hands. Small ice crystals melted and made his palms wet. Carefully, he licked off the water .

He leaned his cheek against the edge of the bathtub and felt the cold bite into his skin. She was so beautiful. Floating there in the crust of ice .

The bond between them still existed. Nothing had changed. Nothing was different. They were two of a kind .

It took some effort to open up her hand so he could place his palm against hers. He laced his fingers with hers. The blood was dry and stiff, and small flakes stuck to his skin .

Time had never had any meaning when he was with her. Years, days or weeks flowed together, becoming an amorphous entity in which the only thing that meant anything was this: her hand against his. That was why the betrayal had been so painful. She had made time meaningful again. That’s why the blood would never flow hot through her veins again .

Before he left, he prised her hand back to its original position .

He did not look back .

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