The killer's art

61

There was nothing to do but admit it. The police investigation of Egon Wallin’s murder had come to a standstill. Knutas was becoming increasingly convinced that the guilty party was not a Gotlander, maybe not even Swedish.

The investigation involved so many theories, hints and leads that had taken them in all sorts of different directions, and it seemed impossible to pull them together into a coherent whole. When it came down to it, Knutas wasn’t even sure any more that the murder and the theft at Waldemarsudde were connected. Maybe the sculpture had been left there simply to confuse the police.

Knutas had been in contact with Kurt Fogestam in Stockholm, but even there the police had reached an impasse.

One positive thing was that the media frenzy had gradually died down, and the investigative team was now able to do its work undisturbed. Again and again they had gone over all the information that had come in and all the witness statements, but nothing had moved the case forward. Knutas was disappointed that they’d made no progress with the paintings that were found in Egon Wallin’s home, or with the mysterious renter at Muramaris. They still hadn’t identified or located the man.

The Agricultural Ministry hadn’t commissioned any sort of report on the future of the sugar industry, and no one there knew anyone by the name of Alexander Ek. The analysis of the strands of hair found in the hired van showed that they belonged to Egon Wallin. So it was now crystal clear: the man who had rented the cottage was the perpetrator. But where was he?