The Fire Witness

81

Robert had found Elin on her knees next to the smashed china cabinet.

“Elin, what is going on?”

Without looking at him, she’d climbed to her feet and started walking over the shards of glass en route to her office.

“You’re bleeding!”

Elin had glanced impassively at her cut-up left hand, and kept going. He’d offered to call her doctor. “No, I don’t want him to come. I don’t care.”

“Elin,” Robert protested, agitated. “You need help.”

Elin had studied her wrist again, and admitted that it might be wise to have it bandaged. Then she’d walked into her office, drops of blood marking her path, and she’d shut her door.

Now, she was in front of her computer, searching for the phone number of the National Police. She asked the operator to put her through to the person responsible for the investigation into the murders at Birgittagården.

A man with a high voice answered. “The preliminary investigation is being headed by the prosecutor’s office in Sundsvall,” he said.

“Is there a police officer I can speak with?”

“The prosecutor’s office is working with the Västernorrland police department.”

“I was visited by a detective inspector from the National Police. A tall man with gray eyes and-”

“Joona Linna.”

“Yes.”

The man read a number and Elin scribbled it on the glossy cover of a fashion magazine. She thanked him for his help and ended the call. She dialed the number for the detective, but he did not pick up, and she couldn’t figure out a message to leave, so she left none.

Elin was about to call the Sundsvall prosecutor’s office when her doctor arrived. The doctor didn’t ask her any questions. He had known her since childhood and knew quite well when a conversation was over. Elin sat quietly as he cleaned and wrapped her wound. She looked at her cell phone, which was lying on the August issue of British Vogue. Right between Gwyneth Paltrow’s breasts was Joona Linna’s number.

By the time the doctor had finished and Elin returned to the large salon, the cleaning service had removed all the glass and mopped the floor. The china cabinet had been removed and Robert had spoken to the restorer at the Mediterranean Museum about the broken Seder plate.