The killer's art

66

The call came in to Visby police headquarters at one fifteen in the afternoon. Twenty minutes later Knutas and Jacobsson climbed out of the first car to arrive at the site, followed closely by Sohlman and Wittberg. More police vehicles were on the way. Knutas took long strides as he headed towards the grave.

‘Damn it,’ he said. ‘There’s only one person it could be.’

Sohlman caught up with them and was the first to approach the body. He leaned down and studied the parts sticking up from the snow.

‘He’s covered with wounds. Burn marks from cigarettes and other signs of abuse. The poor devil seems to have been tortured before he was killed.’ He shook his head.

‘Is it Hugo Malmberg?’ Knutas let his gaze slide over the lacerated body.

‘Let’s have a look.’ Sohlman carefully turned over the corpse. ‘Yes, it’s him all right.’

Jacobsson gasped.

Everyone bent down to look at the noose. There was no doubt that it was the work of the same person.

Knutas straightened up and surveyed the deserted cemetery.

‘The body is still warm,’ said Sohlman. ‘He can’t have been dead very long.’

‘We need to search the area with police dogs. Immediately,’ said Knutas. He began issuing orders. ‘The killer may not have got far. He must have a vehicle. When the hell does the next ferry leave for the mainland? We have to stop it and search every single car. All the passengers have to be checked. This time he’s not going to get away.’