Ruben,’ said Börje with a frown. He cast a glance at the door to the cold-storage room.
Martin shrugged. ‘To be honest, I really have no idea. But I agree that it does seem likely that the same person committed both murders.’
‘Have you found the weapon?’ asked Börje, studying Martin closely.
‘No. There was no gun in Matte’s room. And I searched it thoroughly.’
‘Is he in there?’ asked Kerstin, a tremor in her voice as she nodded towards the cold-storage room.
‘Yes, he is. We put him next to Ruben. But we need to get both of them to the mainland soon. And we need to have the crime scene techs out here so they can start doing their job before the evidence disappears.’ Martin could hear how frustrated he sounded.
Börje repeated what he’d said to Miranda. ‘We’ve just come back from the dock. It’s a hell of a job getting down there because of the snow. Some of the drifts reach up to my waist. But it can be done, and if the weather lets up a little so that the icebreaker can make it through, we can get to the mainland.’
‘What about getting the phone line fixed?’ Martin didn’t hold out much hope, but he still asked the question.
Börje shook his head regretfully. ‘We checked the line. It was blown down, and we won’t be able to do anything about it until the repair guys come.’
‘Okay, then I suppose we’ll just have to put all our hopes on the icebreaker,’ said Martin. ‘How will we know when it gets here?’
‘Trust me, we’ll hear it,’ said Kerstin, who had started making sandwiches. ‘It makes an incredible racket when it goes out, and the sound carries up here. So we don’t have to worry about missing it.’
‘And you’re sure that they’ll break the ice all the way over here?’
Börje nodded. ‘They know that we have guests at the hotel. I talked to them last week. As soon as they can go out, they’ll break a path right to the dock.’
‘Good,’ said Martin, reaching for a ham-and-cheese sandwich. ‘Until then, we’ll have to manage the best we can. But I hope the storm lets up soon, for everyone’s sake.’
All three turned to look at the closed door to the cold-storage room.
After exchanging a knowing look, Gustav and Bernard discreetly left the library, which was where they had gone after helping Martin move Matte’s body. Feeling at a loss, both of them had stood in a corner of the room, whispering to each other and uncertain how to behave towards Matte’s family. Vivi and Miranda had already gone upstairs to their room, but Bernard and Gustav put on their jackets and went out in the cold. After the claustrophobic atmosphere inside the house, it felt liberating to breathe in fresh air, no matter how cold it was.
‘Cigar?’ Gustav held out a case of hand-rolled cigars.
‘Sure. I suppose they’re just as appropriate now as at a festive occasion,’ said Bernard, taking a cigar. With a practised hand he cut the end and then lit it, inhaling with pleasure. The cigar tasted heavenly. And it probably wasn’t cheap, knowing his father. At home Gustav had a small fortune in cigars stored in a humidor.
Gustav also enjoyed the first puff, closing his eyes as he slowly blew out the smoke.
‘So what do you think?’ Gustav stared into the darkness, pulling his jacket tighter.
‘Hmm … What the hell are we supposed to think?’ said Bernard, puffing on his cigar. ‘The whole thing is like a bad farce.’
‘I’m not sure “farce” is the proper word,’ said Gustav, giving Bernard a sharp look.
‘That’s not how I meant it. I just think the whole situation is a bit … absurd. Maybe that’s a better word.’
‘I agree.’ Gustav puffed on his cigar. ‘Absurd about sums it up. A damned hard blow for Britten and Harald.’
‘You’re right about that. Tragic.’ Bernard tapped some ash from his cigar.
‘But what do you reckon? Who killed Ruben and Matte? I have to admit, I wouldn’t have thought anyone in this family had the
Martin shrugged. ‘To be honest, I really have no idea. But I agree that it does seem likely that the same person committed both murders.’
‘Have you found the weapon?’ asked Börje, studying Martin closely.
‘No. There was no gun in Matte’s room. And I searched it thoroughly.’
‘Is he in there?’ asked Kerstin, a tremor in her voice as she nodded towards the cold-storage room.
‘Yes, he is. We put him next to Ruben. But we need to get both of them to the mainland soon. And we need to have the crime scene techs out here so they can start doing their job before the evidence disappears.’ Martin could hear how frustrated he sounded.
Börje repeated what he’d said to Miranda. ‘We’ve just come back from the dock. It’s a hell of a job getting down there because of the snow. Some of the drifts reach up to my waist. But it can be done, and if the weather lets up a little so that the icebreaker can make it through, we can get to the mainland.’
‘What about getting the phone line fixed?’ Martin didn’t hold out much hope, but he still asked the question.
Börje shook his head regretfully. ‘We checked the line. It was blown down, and we won’t be able to do anything about it until the repair guys come.’
‘Okay, then I suppose we’ll just have to put all our hopes on the icebreaker,’ said Martin. ‘How will we know when it gets here?’
‘Trust me, we’ll hear it,’ said Kerstin, who had started making sandwiches. ‘It makes an incredible racket when it goes out, and the sound carries up here. So we don’t have to worry about missing it.’
‘And you’re sure that they’ll break the ice all the way over here?’
Börje nodded. ‘They know that we have guests at the hotel. I talked to them last week. As soon as they can go out, they’ll break a path right to the dock.’
‘Good,’ said Martin, reaching for a ham-and-cheese sandwich. ‘Until then, we’ll have to manage the best we can. But I hope the storm lets up soon, for everyone’s sake.’
All three turned to look at the closed door to the cold-storage room.
After exchanging a knowing look, Gustav and Bernard discreetly left the library, which was where they had gone after helping Martin move Matte’s body. Feeling at a loss, both of them had stood in a corner of the room, whispering to each other and uncertain how to behave towards Matte’s family. Vivi and Miranda had already gone upstairs to their room, but Bernard and Gustav put on their jackets and went out in the cold. After the claustrophobic atmosphere inside the house, it felt liberating to breathe in fresh air, no matter how cold it was.
‘Cigar?’ Gustav held out a case of hand-rolled cigars.
‘Sure. I suppose they’re just as appropriate now as at a festive occasion,’ said Bernard, taking a cigar. With a practised hand he cut the end and then lit it, inhaling with pleasure. The cigar tasted heavenly. And it probably wasn’t cheap, knowing his father. At home Gustav had a small fortune in cigars stored in a humidor.
Gustav also enjoyed the first puff, closing his eyes as he slowly blew out the smoke.
‘So what do you think?’ Gustav stared into the darkness, pulling his jacket tighter.
‘Hmm … What the hell are we supposed to think?’ said Bernard, puffing on his cigar. ‘The whole thing is like a bad farce.’
‘I’m not sure “farce” is the proper word,’ said Gustav, giving Bernard a sharp look.
‘That’s not how I meant it. I just think the whole situation is a bit … absurd. Maybe that’s a better word.’
‘I agree.’ Gustav puffed on his cigar. ‘Absurd about sums it up. A damned hard blow for Britten and Harald.’
‘You’re right about that. Tragic.’ Bernard tapped some ash from his cigar.
‘But what do you reckon? Who killed Ruben and Matte? I have to admit, I wouldn’t have thought anyone in this family had the
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