He Who Kills the Dragon

47.

On Friday Detective Inspector Alm had hoped to be able to get away from work a bit early. It would be the weekend in a few hours anyway, and there was a fair amount to get done before he could enjoy it in peace and quiet together with his beloved wife and two good friends they had invited over for dinner.

Nothing remarkable about that. Their case seemed to be developing at a surprising pace, and more or less without any input from him. Akofeli’s unexpected demise had admittedly complicated matters, but it would all sort itself out if only he got the chance to have a really good think. Unfortunately all his hopes on that score had been dashed, and he hadn’t even managed to go and get wine like he had promised. Instead he had to call his wife and argue about it before she finally gave in and did all the things he had promised to do.

An hour after lunch, when he had more or less already packed up and prepared his retreat through the most suitable back door the police station could offer, he had received an unexpected visit. By the time he eventually got home his guests were already sitting and waiting in the living room. His wife was standing in the kitchen, clattering crockery and glasses, and the glance she flashed at him was not a kindly one.

‘Hello, darling,’ Alm said, leaning forward to give her a kiss. On the cheek, at least, he thought.

‘If the detective inspector would care to look after our guests, I’ll try to see to it that they get something to drink,’ his wife said, twisting her head away.

‘Of course, darling,’ Alm said. What an unbelievably wretched day, he thought.

‘How can I help you, then, Seppo?’ Alm said, giving Seppo Laurén a friendly nod and taking an involuntary glance at his watch. Maybe it would be best to switch on the tape recorder as well, he thought, as he placed his aide-mémoire on the desk. The lad was far from clearheaded, so you never could tell.

‘So how can I help you, Seppo?’ Alm repeated with a smile.

‘The rent,’ Seppo said. ‘What am I going to do about the rent?’ he said, handing Alm a payment slip.

‘What do you normally do?’ Alm said amiably, looking at the payment slip. Just over five thousand kronor, Alm thought. Pretty high for a two-room flat in that building, he thought.

‘Mom,’ Seppo said. ‘But since she’s been ill I’ve been giving them to Kalle. But now he’s been killed. What do I do now?’

‘Kalle Danielsson used to help you with the rent?’ Alm said. ‘Since your mom got ill?’ he clarified. I’ll have to get someone from Social Services, Alm thought, glancing at his watch again.

‘Yes, and I used to get money for food as well,’ Seppo said. ‘From Kalle, I mean. Since Mom got ill.’

‘It was nice of Kalle to help you,’ Alm said. Surely he should be getting some sort of pension or disability benefit? Alm thought.

‘S’pose so,’ Seppo said, shrugging. ‘He used to argue with Mom.’

‘He argued with your mom?’

‘Yes,’ Seppo said. ‘First he argued with her. Then he pushed her. She fell over and hit her head. On our kitchen table.’

‘He pushed her?’ Alm said. ‘In your home? And she hit her head?’ What’s the lad saying? he thought.

‘Yes,’ Seppo said.

‘Why did he do that?’

‘Then she got ill and fainted at work and had to go to hospital. Ambulance,’ Seppo said, nodding seriously.

‘What did you do? When Kalle argued with your mom?’

‘I hit him,’ Seppo said. ‘Karate. Then I kicked him. Karate kicks. Then he got a nosebleed. I got cross. I hardly ever get cross.’

‘What did Kalle do then? After you hit him?’

‘I helped him into the lift,’ Seppo said. ‘So he could go home.’

‘And this happened the day before your mom got ill and had to go to the hospital?’

‘Yes.’

‘What happened after that? When your mom was in the hospital?’

‘I got a new computer and loads of computer games.’

‘From Kalle?’

‘Yes. He said sorry too. We shook hands and said we wouldn’t fight anymore. He said he’d help me until Mom got better and came home again.’

‘And you haven’t hit him again since then?’

‘Well,’ Seppo said, shaking his head, ‘I did hit him once more.’

‘Why did you do that?’ Alm asked.

‘She never comes home,’ Seppo said. ‘She’s still in the hospital. She doesn’t want to talk to me when I’m there.’

What’s going on? Alm thought. I’ve got to get hold of Annika Carlsson, he thought.