”Hello”, Linn answered with a thin and mushy voice.
”Linn, it’s me, Nikki.”
It went quiet on the phone and Nikki could hear Linn breathing.
”Is Patrik there or is it true that he’s disappeared?” She went straight to the point to save time instead of trying to find out in a more gentle way.
”He’s gone”, Linn was sobbing. ”He didn’t come back last Saturday. We had been fighting.”
Nikki who knew very well where she was still had to ask the mandatory question. ”Where are you?”
Nikki heard Linn blowing her nose while fighting not to cry.
”In a bloody hotel somewhere in Cyprus.”
”Listen to me very carefully. Pack all your things, both yours and Patrik’s and check out of the hotel. Write a note to your husband in case he shows up and leave it in the reception. Then take a taxi to the police station in Coral Bay.”
”What, why should I go there?”
”I’m here waiting for you. Please, Linn, do as I tell you.”
”I don’t get it, everything is upside down. What are you saying? Are you in Cyprus, Nikki?”
”Yes, sweetheart, I’m in Cyprus.”
”But what if Patrik comes back.”
”Then he’ll find out in the reception, right? Pack your stuff now and get into a taxi. I’ll keep my mobile on in case you need me, OK?”
Monday June 10th
”It’s Monday June 10th and the time is 10.15. The interview with Olof Stenvall is being conducted by Daphne Fernàndez Rossi and Sam Dendias.” Daphne switched off the tape recorder and looked enquiringly at Olof Stenvall who by now had calmed down.
”How good is your English?”
He looked surprised and shrugged. ”I’ve lived in the US for over 20 years so yes, you can do the interview in English.”
Daphne sighed silently and looked at the man before asking the first question. He was a little over 1 metre 70, his belly a little round, dressed in shorts and a thin polo t-shirt. ”I’ll go straight to the point, how do you explain the letter you sent to Sten Arvidsson on May 29th?” Daphne pushed the letter over to Olof who stared at it with great surprise.
”What the he...How did you get this?”
”Answer.”
Olof hesitated for a moment before beginning to speak:
”I haven’t done anything illegal, but just expelled that idiot from the golf course, that’s no crime.”He was nervously rubbing his hands against each-other and couldn’t stop staring at the hand written letter. Daphne looked at the white-haired man, who had an evil look in his eyes, for quite some time. The burrows in his forehead were deep and his silver coloured glasses were almost too big for his wrinkly face.
”How come Sten was expelled?”
Olof spat out the words. ”He broke the rules of the club.
”Explain.”
”He didn’t dress according to the rules; he never fixed the fairway after hitting. He…”
Daphne started laughing and looked with surprise at Olof.
”Come on, I want to know the real reason.”
”As mentioned, he broke my rules.”
”Your rules?”
”I’m the chairman of Mountain Hills and you do as I say. If you don’t like that you can choose another golf club. Simple or what?”
Daphne looked at Olof without showing any emotion. She couldn’t stand his kind who thought they were above everybody else. She crossed her legs and tried looking disinterested. ”When did you see him last, that is Sten?”
Olof thought for a long time before answering. ”About a week ago when we had our membership evening.”
Daphne clasped her hands on top of the desk and leaned forward a bit.
”What happened then?”
His eyes changed colour and Olof’s cheeks were red. ” The bastard attacked my wife and other women as well for that matter.”
”Explain attacking.” Her voice was calm and low contrary to that of Olof.
”He bloody touched her, coming up with shameful suggestions. He bloody shouldn’t have done that.” His white moustache vibrated and now Daphne noticed that he had a cleft-palate as well.
”And your wife, what did she say about it?”
”Margareta was really upset and wanted to go home immediately. But of course we couldn’t do that since the chairman is expected to be the last one to leave the place.”
”Tell me, what happened that night?”
Unexpectedly Olof clasped his hands and then for ten minutes told in detail what had taken place.
”You should probably be grateful that Sten didn’t press charges after that dinner. Do you often take to your fists?”
”Are you insinuating that I’m a fighter even though I was just defending my poor wife?”
”I just asked you a simple question”, Daphne said and drank some water.
”How well did you know Sten? Did you associate in private?”
”Never. He was just a member of the golf club”, Olof muttered sinking back on the chair and looked down at the table.
”How did he react to the letter?”
”I haven’t heard a word from him since then.”
Daphne scratched her hair before continuing. ”What about Karl
Hofvenskold and his wife Barbro. How well do you know them?”
”Why do you ask?” He licked his lips and sighed heavily. ”They are really decent members. But I would lie if I said I know them.”
”You were making an awful noise at the golf course today. Shouting and screaming. Refused to obey orders and didn’t listen at all to the police.”
”Do you want to know why?” Olof got started. ”I’ll tell you why- all those bloody vehicles driving up on the greens and fairway, they showed no consideration. And all the bloody curious people who…” He gasped for air and dried the sweat off his forehead. ”Do you understand how many years of careful maintenance are behind a pristine and organised golf course?”
The two police looked at him for a short while in silence before Daphne continued, now with a sharpness meant to frighten.
”Sten Arvidsson and Karl Hofvenskold are both dead.” She let the meaning sink down into Olof’s consciousness before continuing. ”Do you know anybody who would want to hurt them?”
”Dead…?” he stuttered and nervously twisted his moustache.
”Yes, dead.”
”But you don’t think that...I have killed them?”
”We don’t think anything until the contrary has been proven. That’s why I want you to tell us what you were doing on Saturday June 1st and Saturday June 8th.
”If you’ll excuse me I’ll have to check my agenda, my memory is failing me”, Olof said and took out a diary from his back pocket. He opened it to June 1st and read quietly to himself before answering. ”The other Saturday I was at work until five and then I went home to my wife. We had dinner with some friends. Margareta can back it up.”
Daphne wrote down the information and looked for quite some time at Olof to see if his honesty was real. ”And last Saturday?”
”Last Saturday my wife and I were at home the whole day, I remember that. ” Daphne looked through her papers and then asked the final question. ”Isn’t it true that you own a four wheel drive vehicle?”
”Yes, why?”
”What make?”
”Can-Am, an Outlander Max.”
Nikki was fuming inside but knew that she had to control herself to be able to think clearly. Patrik’s disappearance dominated her thoughts and she knew that she should share the tragic news with her colleagues. She impatiently checked the time and wondered how long the interrogation of Olof Stenvall would take. Her body was shaking with worry and she had a problem controlling herself. She really felt like going into the interrogation room and interrupting the interview - to shout out that her former lover was missing. Swallowed up by the earth. But she had to keep herself in check.
What if it was all a big mistake and he’d soon turn up again? Because he couldn’t be staying away on purpose, could he? Nikki barely felt like thinking this way. Who would want to hurt him here in Cyprus? Her thoughts went to the unsolved murders but she shook her head and told herself that her imagination was getting the better of her. Patrik knew neither Karl Hofvenskold nor Sten Arvidsson, at least not as far as she knew. Nikki took three deep breaths and went out and sat on the steps in the sunshine. The sun was hot and she stood so that she could look out over the peaceful sea. The Panther came meowing from the shadows. For a moment she was distracted, put the cat on her lap and pressed her head against the soft fur. She didn’t know how long she’d been sitting like that but was interrupted by a familiar voice.
”I brought a cup of green lemon-tea and a raw-food bar.”
Nikki raised her eyebrows in surprise and turned around. ”Thanks, that’s really sweet of you.”
”I’ve had a copy of the notification of Patrik Kroona missing sent over by fax. I thought you might want to have a look at it.” Katerina gave Nikki some papers and opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something else but abruptly closed it again.
”Was there something else?”
Katerina looked out over the sea and tried smiling. ”I...well...I just wanted to say that I’m really sorry about what’s happened and that I know how it is to...” She stopped and her eyes filled up with tears.
”My brother disappeared five years ago and my family is still living without knowing anything.”
Nikki looked at her with compassion. ”You mean he is still missing?”
Katerina nodded and tried hard not to cry.
”You poor thing, come here.” Nikki held her for a long time and felt how her large body was shivering. They looked at each-other with understanding before Katerina opened the old squeaking door and went inside to her work again. Nikki could really feel Katerina’s pain and now she understood why she was overindulging with food. To eat for comfort was not an unusual form of destructive behaviour in emotional situations. Of course she wasn’t feeling well. She of all people needed help, somebody to talk to. Nikki didn’t have time to think more about it since her mobile played a melody from Coldplay.
”This is Kerstin. How are you doing down there?”
Nikki pushed her feelings aside and became the Detective again. She didn’t know where to start but described the past 24 hours as well as possible to her boss.
”Another murder? Don’t tell me he was Swedish too?”
”We don’t know anything more than what we saw at the golf course. But…” Nikki kept quiet and looked down at the documents she had in her hand.
”But what?”
Nikki cleared her throat while her heart skipped a beat. She felt tears in her eyes and she tried breathing calmly.
”What’s up Nikki?” Kerstin Hogstrom’s voice sounded worried.
”Ahm, I have a report in my hand and..” Nikki coughed and dried a tear from the corner of her eye. ”My old childhood friend, you know Linn Kroona, has reported her husband missing here in Cyprus…” She let the sentence hang in the air before continuing. ”Well, apparently they had had a fight last Saturday and Patrik left in the rented car. He still hasn’t come back.”
”You mean Linn and Patrik whom you usually go sailing with?”
”Yes”, Nikki mumbled. She stroked the black cat’s belly and let her hand stay in the soft fur.
”That’s really sad to hear Nikki, how are you?”
”Ah, I’ll be fine.”
”But you don’t think that he’s left then, just to get away a bit?”
”I actually have no idea, but let’s hope that’s the case.” She went silent on the phone.
”Because you don’t think Patrik is the victim in the sand pit?”
Nikki hadn’t thought of that and the reaction was quick. She became as stiff as a plank. ”Why would somebody want to kill him?” She answered in a far too harsh tone of voice.
”It’s good you feel like that and you can be sure he’ll soon turn up. Especially since we know he had a fight with his wife.”
Nikki stayed for a few minutes with the Panther on her lap. She finished her tea but couldn’t manage the raw-food bar. She felt sick.
Monday June 10th
When it finally was time to share with her colleagues the news of Patrik’s disappearing Nikki had put on a professional face. They thought he was staying away by his own free will since it was obvious that Patrik had a conflict with his wife. But Nikki didn’t agree and the questions were many. What had actually happened since she’d left the hotel? Why did Patrik stay away, if that’s what he was doing? Where had he slept the past two nights? Her questions were interrupted by Katerina knocking on the door.
”Lunch is here.” She put down the salads on the table and then put cutlery, serviettes and a pitcher with ice-cold mint water next to it.
”What is this bloody rabbit food”, Carlos exclaimed acidly.
”Is this all you’ve bought?”
Katerina nodded silently and clasped her hands behind her back.
”Tell me you’ve bought that rubbish for yourself. Some bloody lettuce leaves, what kind of joke is this? We are bloody humans, not grazing animals. We need food, real food that fills you up.”
”Stop it”, Nikki interrupted. ”I asked her to buy salad for us all…” Carlos stared with surprise at Nikki and then laughed out loud.
”Since when do you give orders in this station?”
Nikki’s face didn’t reveal her feelings but she was boiling within.
”Is everything about power to you? You of all people should eat the salad instead of all of those calorie rich chocolate croissants and fat gyros. Just look at yourself…”
Daphne and Sam looked at Nikki with wide-opened eyes and burst out laughing hysterically.
”Shut up!” Carlos shouted so his spit flew across the room. He was intensely enraged. Without hesitation he fixed his black eyes on Nikki’s and a silent power struggle ensued.
”Should we pick it up where we left off, or what?” Sam looked from one to the other and Daphne agreed with him.
Suddenly Carlos’ face got a strange expression and it took a second for Nikki to understand that it had nothing to do with her. He had noticed something behind her. Not until he had stopped looking at her did Nikki turn around with curiosity. A really thin guy with metal-framed glasses and his cap back to front was standing at the threshold with a questioning look.
”Eh, sorry to interrupt but there was nobody in the reception and then I heard voices in here..a gyros with extra garlic dressing and bread had been ordered.”
Carlos opened his mouth wide and looked around at his colleagues.
”Yes, it’s for you”, Nikki confirmed and smiled in triumph. Then she couldn’t stop it any longer. Her laughter echoed loudly in the small conference room.
Sam applauded her. ”One nil to Nikki.”
Carlos was bright red in his face. Ashamed he got up and took his bag. ”What are you looking at? Eat now, we don’t have all day.”
Nikki winked at Katerina before she closed the door.
Cutlery, glasses and plastic containers were all laid out and finally they started eating. Carlos didn’t say a word during the meal apart from slurping loudly. The others were chatting about this and that until the Chief interrupted them.
”Listen up now, the chattering is over. I went through the interrogation with Olof Stenvall earlier. We should check him out again to make sure his alibi really holds up. Can his wife confirm what they were doing the nights of the murders?”
”I’ll take care of that”, Sam replied and wrote down the information on his notepad. ”What should we do about Olof’s four-wheeler, by the way? Should we send Forensics to their home?”
”Of course. Ask Maria or Stavros to go out there and tell them to take his DNA as well.” Carlos dried the sweat from his forehead with his newly washed handkerchief and leaned back in the chair.
”Sorry for changing tack but the fact is that Sten had two mobiles, a Swedish and one with a Cypriot subscription. My colleague in Gothenburg is getting the call lists from the Swedish mobile phone provider but one of you has to make sure we get the call lists from his Cypriot number.”
”I’ll take care of that. I have good contacts at Cyta”, Sam blinked and tightened his sleek pony-tail.
”Cyta?”
”Cyta is the largest telephone provider in Cyprus”, Sam informed her.
”Oh, then you could ask Cyta to track Patrik’s mobile as well?” Nikki smiled and looked expectantly at Sam.
”Of course, just give me his number.”
”Great, thanks.” A sense of relief went through Nikki and she knew that they would have greater chances to track down Patrik’s past days through his mobile.
”How did Forensics do at Sten’s place by the way? Did they find anything of interest in the weapons’ room?” Daphne straightened out her back and gently massaged the lower part.
”Ah, yes” Carlos replied and distractedly flicked through his papers. ”I just got the report from Maria via fax. They found loads of fingerprints but unfortunately they were all Sten’s.”
”Damn it.” Sam sighed with disappointment and cracked a few fingers. ”What do you think was the reason for all those weapons and where did Sten get all the money from? I mean, his storage must have cost a fortune.” Sam slowly slid his finger along his strong jaw-line where three days’ of dark stubble had grown.
”Sten had money”, Nikki joined in. ”He did a good deal when he sold his business in Sweden but I have a problem seeing how it would cover the whole cost. Who do you think provided him with the weapons by the way?”
Carlos ignored the question, went up to the whiteboard and wrote all the new information about Sten Arvidsson. ”I wonder how it’s all connected, if it really is? We have three corpses, and Sten had a bloody large weapon-room hidden in his house. Then we have Karl Hofvenskold who also was a wealthy man. We don’t know much about the murder-victim on the golf course, though. But suppose he too was rich. Do you then think the gentlemen were murdered because of their fat bank accounts?”
”If the third victim turns out to come from Sweden, then I bloody think it’s all connected. Or is it fate that these two men, who on top of everything were neighbours too, be murdered within a few days? And why here in Cyprus? And why has the offender removed the victims’ eyes? Have they seen something they shouldn’t have?” Daphne felt like a steam engine, she took a deep, calming breath and leaned her elbows on the desk.
Nikki was just about to open her mouth when Katerina knocked at the door.
”Sorry for disturbing you again, but I put Patrik Kroona’s name and passport number through our records while I went away shopping for food, and I had a hit. Patrik has been caught for speeding on the highway just outside of Pafos Saturday afternoon and he has not left the country. I thought you’d want to know this.”
”Thanks”, Nikki said and breathed heavily.
OK, then I know that Patrik was in Pafos on Saturday. What the hell was he doing there? Did he want to see me?
Nikki’s head was full of questions she didn’t dare ask out loudly but kept them to herself. Then she threw out her hands in a desperate gesture.
”When can we get the identity of this last victim?” Her stomach was knotted and Nikki knew that she wouldn’t have any peace until Patrik could be excluded as the third murder victim.
”Considering how the victim looked it will take some time unfortunately.” Daphne put a comforting hand on Nikki’s shoulder and looked just as distraught.
”I think the identity can be established by a dental record, but I’m not completely sure. All the skin was bloody gone, with only flesh and bone left on the body.” Sam made a face and looked at Nikki with concern.
Nikki bit her lower lip and her legs were shaking slightly under the table. She hoped nobody noticed. She didn’t want to appear weak in front of the others. At least not in front of that stupid Chief of Police. Oh God, let it not be Patrik who is dead, she thought several times. Then the mobile rang interrupting her thoughts.