Postcard killers

Chapter 11

Gabriella answered with her usual unfriendly grunt.

"Hi," Dessie said. "It's me."

She could hear Gabriel a breathing.

"It's not what you think," Dessie said. "I don't want to be a nuisance, and I haven't changed my mind…"

"I've been expecting you to cal," Gabriel a said, sounding strictly professional. "Mats Duval pul ed me onto the investigating team this afternoon. I think you and I can deal with this like grown-ups… Right, Dessie?"

Dessie breathed out. She had lived with police inspector Gabriel a Oscarsson for almost a year. Maybe they had been in love, maybe not. Three months ago Dessie had ended the relationship and Gabriel a had moved out of the apartment. It hadn't been an amicable split. Was it ever?

"Have you heard anything?" Dessie asked, which meant in plain language, Have you found any bodies with their throats cut?

"Nothing. Not yet."

Not yet. So they were expecting something. They believed the postcard was real.

"I was contacted by an American cop here this evening," Dessie said. "A Jacob Kanon. Do you know anything about him?"

"He's been working with the Germans," Gabriel a said. "We've had confirmation that he's with the New York force, and that his daughter was one of the first victims. In Rome. Where did you say you met him?"

Dessie sighed with relief. At least he was who he said he was, even if he smel ed.

"He looked me up," she said.

"Why? Why did he look you up? What did he want with you? He came to 19 the apartment?"

Al the old irritations came crashing back on Dessie like a fist in the stomach. Al these questions, the insinuations, the same accusing tone that had final y driven her to finish it with Gabriel a.

"I real y don't know," Dessie said, trying to sound calm and in control of the situation.

"We're thinking of talking to him to see what he knows," Gabriel a said,

"so you're free to interview him if you like."

"Okay," Dessie said, feeling that it was time to hang up.

"But we're looking after this case, not some freelancing Yank," Gabriel a said. "And be careful, Dessie. These are murderers, not your usual pickpockets and burglars."