The Fire Witness

79

The head of the National Criminal Investigation Department, Carlos Eliasson, is standing with his back to the door on purpose as Joona walks into his office.

“Sit down,” Carlos says with odd expectation in his voice.

“I’ve just driven here from Sundsvall and-”

“Just a moment,” Carlos interrupts.

Joona looks at his back, wondering what’s up with Carlos, and then sits down in the leather chair. He lets his eyes wander over the polished desktop, where reflections from the aquarium are shining.

Carlos takes a deep breath and turns around. He looks different. He’s unshaven. There’s gray-speckled stubble on his upper lip and jaws.

“So, what do you say?”

“You’re growing a beard.”

“A full beard,” Carlos says contentedly. “Well, I think it will thicken up soon. I’m never going to shave again. I’ve tossed my razor in the trash.”

“Nice.”

“But I gather you’re not here to talk about my beard,” Carlos says. “The diver did not find any bodies in the river.”

“No,” Joona says. He pulls out the print of the security camera picture. “We didn’t find the bodies-”

“Here it comes,” Carlos mumbles to himself.

“-because there were no bodies in the river.”

“And you’re sure about that?”

“Vicky Bennet and Dante Abrahamsson are still alive.”

“Gunnarsson has already called me about the security film from the gas station and I-”

“Put out a new general bulletin.”

“Are you shitting me? You just can’t turn a general bulletin on and off like a light switch!”

“Vicky Bennet and Dante Abrahamsson are clearly the children in this picture,” Joona says. He points at the printout. “This was taken several hours after the car accident. They are alive and we have to send out another general bulletin!”

Carlos sticks out one of his legs. “Put the Spanish boot on me if you have to,” he says, “but there is no way in hell I’m issuing another general bulletin.”

“Look at the picture,” Joona says.

“The Västernorrland police department went to the gas station today, too,” Carlos says. He folds the picture until it is a small, tight square. “They sent a copy of the hard disk to the National Forensic Lab and two of their best people have taken a look and are in agreement. They say it is impossible to definitively identify the people outside the gas station.”

“But you know I’m right.”

“Okay,” Carlos says. “Let’s say you’re right. You turn out to be right in the end, but I am not going to make a fool of myself and put out another general bulletin for people the police believe are dead.”

“I’m not going to give up-”

“Wait a second, just wait a second,” Carlos says. He takes a deep breath. “Joona, the internal investigation against you has gone higher up the chain. The head prosecutor has it on his desk.”

“But it is-”

“I am your boss. I am taking this report against you extremely seriously, and I want to hear from you that you understand that you are not leading the preliminary investigation in Sundsvall.”

“I am not leading the preliminary investigation.”

“And what does an observer do if the head prosecutor in Sundsvall chooses to end the investigation?”

“Nothing.”

“Then we’re agreed.” Carlos smiles.

“Not at all,” Joona says as he gets up and walks out.