An Event in Autumn: A Kurt Wallander Mystery

Chapter 24

He recognized her voice, even before she had a chance to give her name. It was the girl called Pia on the telephone.

“I didn’t know where I should ring to reach you,” she said.

“What’s happened?”

“Ivar has disappeared.”

“What exactly do you mean by that?”

“He’s disappeared. He’s run away.”

Wallander sat down at his desk. He noticed that his heart was beating faster.

“Calm down,” he said. “Tell me bit by bit. What’s happened?”

“He didn’t come down for dinner an hour ago. So I went up to his room. It was empty. His jacket was missing. We looked for him in the building and in the garden and down on the beach. He wasn’t anywhere to be found. Then Miriam came and said that her car was missing.”

“Who’s Miriam?”

“She works here, her job is identical to mine. She thought Ivar might have taken her car.”

“Why should Ivar have taken it?”

“She doesn’t usually lock her car. And Ivar often talked about how much he used to like driving.”

“What make of car does she have?”

“A dark blue Fiat.”

Wallander noted that down. Then he thought for a moment.

“Are you certain that Ivar isn’t in the house or the garden?”

“We’ve looked everywhere.”

“Why do you think he’s run away?”

“I thought you would be able to explain that.”

“I know where he might be. I’m not sure, but I might be right. If I find him I’ll be in touch within an hour or so. If I don’t find him I’ll have to make it an official police matter. Then we shall have to work out the best way of starting some kind of organized search.”

Wallander hung up. He sat motionless on his chair. Was he right? Had that uneasiness he had felt earlier been founded on fact?

He stood up. It was 5:35. It was dark outside. The wind came and went in gusts.