Postcard killers

Chapter 64

The suspects from the museum of Modern Art were identified almost immediately on the security recordings from the Grand Hotel. They appeared on four different film files: two from the lobby and two from the corridor on the fourth floor.

The fair-haired man and the dark-haired woman were caught on camera in the hotel lobby at 2:17 on the afternoon of June 15.

They were with a couple who were quickly identified as Peter Visser and Nienke van Mourik.

The four of them disappeared together into an elevator.

Two minutes later al four reappeared on another recording, in the corridor outside the Dutch couple's room on the fourth floor. They al went into room 418 and the door closed.

Forty-three minutes later, the fair-haired man and the dark-haired woman came out into the corridor again.

After another two minutes, they passed the reception desk and left the hotel.

The detectives who had been out to Mil esgarden came back with results as wel.

A woman who worked as a gardener thought she recognized the fairhaired man. She had noticed him as he walked around with a woman in the sculpture garden. At first glance she thought it was the actor Leonardo DiCaprio.

The recordings from the exhibit rooms at Mil esgarden were requisitioned and were now being checked down in the basement.

Prosecutor Evert Ridderwal had signed an arrest warrant in the pair's absence.

"This is completely incredible," Gabriel a said excitedly. She was walking up and down in Mats Duval 's office, two red spots flushing her cheeks.

Jacob was staring at prints made from the recordings from the Grand Hotel, tearing at his hair.

Something was fundamental y wrong here. Was he the only one who saw it?

Why had the kil ers suddenly dropped al safety precautions?

Why were they showing themselves so openly?

It was too easy.

"We've got them now," Evert Ridderwal said happily. "They'l never get away. I don't see how they can."

Even Mats Duval looked pleased.

"It's just a matter of time before they're arrested," he agreed.

Jacob looked through the pictures again. Both the fair-haired man and the dark-haired woman were clearly visible in al the pictures. There was no doubt that they would be recognized. A national alert had been put out for the couple.

Interpol would be releasing these same pictures international y within half an hour. Every police patrol in the Stockholm region had already received the printouts.

Sara Hoglund came into the room.

"We've released their pictures to the media. They ought to be up on their websites in a few minutes."

Mats Duval turned to his computer and quickly logged into Aftonposten's website.

"Sometimes they're real y quick," he said, turning the screen toward the others.

The headline was in a size usual y reserved for world wars and Swedish victories in the ice hockey world championships. 88 Police Suspects: These Are the POSTCARD KILLERS."

Underneath was a picture of the fair-haired man and the dark-haired woman.