Dark Angel (Anders Knutas 6)

could have been attempted murder,’ said Johan. ‘Which means that the person who killed Algård is now after Veronika Hammar.’
    ‘Very smart, Sherlock. Now you get it.’
    Pia turned to her computer to upload the pictures.

VERONIKA HAMMAR HAD A private room at the far end of the corridor. The ward nurse had warned Knutas that the patient was exhausted and would probably be kept in hospital another day for observation. He gently knocked on the door before entering the room. He gave a start when he caught sight of the woman lying in the bed. Veronika looked as if she had aged ten years since he last saw her. She wore no make-up, her hair was uncombed, and she had on a white hospital gown that was partly visible above the yellow blanket. She seemed to have shrunk even smaller, looking like an injured little bird with no strength left. Her throat was wrinkled, her lips chapped. She lay there motionless with her eyes closed as he came in.
    ‘Hello,’ he said quietly.
    No reaction. He patted her hand. She gave a start and opened her eyes.
    ‘I’m sorry to disturb you. My name is Anders Knutas, and I’m head of the crime division here. We’ve met once before.’
    ‘I know who you are. I may be suffering from smoke inhalation, but I haven’t lost my memory.’ Her voice was sharp and dry.
    Knutas pulled over a chair and sat down.
    ‘Could you tell me what happened?’
    The frail woman sighed and pushed herself up into a sitting position, motioning impatiently for him to help her put two pillows behind her back. Then she rang for the nurse and asked for a glass of water.
    ‘The fire woke me up. It was horrible, just horrible. The room was very hot, and I saw thick smoke seeping in around the door. I broke the window and climbed out. After that, all I could do was sit and watch the whole house burn to the ground. With everything inside. All of my things, all of my memories …’
    She didn’t look at him as she talked. She kept her gaze fixed on the ceiling.
    Tears began running down her cheeks. Knutas waited before asking any more questions. The nurse came in with the glass of water and then left again. He shifted nervously on the chair. This was an uncomfortable situation, but since Veronika showed no sign that she would stop crying, he continued with the interview.
    ‘Did you see or hear anything suspicious? Did you notice any strangers in the area?’
    ‘I went out to the cabin the day before yesterday. I was worn out after everything that had happened – with Viktor dying and then the police interview and all the neighbours staring at me and whispering. It was too much. I went out there to escape, and I didn’t tell a soul where I was going. I don’t usually set foot out in the country until Whitsun because I hate being alone, so I’m sure nobody thought that’s where I’d go. But right from the start I had the feeling that someone was out there. Both when I took a walk and later when I went back to the cabin. Last night, before the fire started, I was convinced that there was a prowler on the property.’
    ‘Did you see anything?’
    ‘No, but it seemed that a shadow passed by outside the window. It made me nervous, and I know that I can always trust my intuition. Someone was out there. I’m sure of it.’
    ‘What’s your interpretation of what happened?’
    ‘Some madman is out to get me. There’s no doubt in my mind.’
    ‘How can you be so sure about that?’
    Finally the woman lying in bed turned to look at him. Her expression was incredulous.
    ‘Surely it has to be obvious, even to the police,’ she said caustically. ‘Someone set the cabin on fire while I was inside. That means the arson was intended to kill me. I was supposed to die in the blaze. My first thought was that it had to be Viktor’s wife, Elisabeth, who did it. First she killed her husband and then she tried to kill me.’
    ‘That leads me to my next question,’ said Knutas. ‘During the party at the conference centre you were given a drink from an unknown admirer. Do you remember that?’
    Veronika Hammar looked confused.
    ‘Yes, I think so,’ she said uncertainly.
    ‘It was a strawberry daiquiri, non-alcoholic.’
    ‘So?’
    ‘Did you taste the drink?’
    Silence filled the room as Knutas tensely studied the woman. She bit her lip and turned to look up at the ceiling again.
    ‘I don’t really remember … Did I? I had the drink in my hand, but then I had to go to the loo, so I gave it to Viktor. I