The Double Silence (Andas Knutas 7)

forgotten his insulin provided a possible explanation for his disappearance. He might have simply passed out somewhere.
    But the police were puzzled to hear that a windsurfer had gone missing at the same time.
    The boat pulled into dock, and Wittberg and Jacobsson were immediately greeted by a guide who was going to direct the coastguard vessel to the beach below the bird mountain where Dahlberg’s backpack had been found. Everyone feared the worst: that he had fallen from the cliff and landed on the rocks below. The chances of surviving that sort of fall were infinitesimal.
    Jacobsson asked the coastguard crew to wait for her. Then she and Wittberg disembarked and headed for the building that housed an information desk and restaurant. A group of people had gathered there to listen to instructions from the island’s chief ranger. When he was finished,everyone moved off in different directions, and he motioned to the two police officers.
    ‘Hi. I’m glad you’re here. Things are a bit chaotic.’
    They shook hands.
    ‘Is Andrea Dahlberg around?’ asked Jacobsson. ‘Could we talk to her?’
    ‘Of course. I think she’s in the restaurant. Come with me.’
    They followed the chief ranger, who headed for the entrance, taking long strides as if he didn’t want to be stopped by anyone. The restaurant was empty except for two people sitting at a table in the far corner of the room. The woman had her face buried in her hands. The tall man was patting her arm, trying to console her.
    ‘I’m sorry to disturb you,’ said Jacobsson. She introduced herself and her colleague Wittberg. ‘Could we talk to you for a moment?’
    The man excused himself and left. Andrea Dahlberg was trembling. She hugged her torso, rocking gently back and forth.
    ‘I’m terribly worried.’
    ‘I understand,’ said Jacobsson sympathetically. ‘But please try to answer our questions. It’s important. We want to find Sam as quickly as possible.’
    ‘Of course,’ whispered his wife. ‘I’ll try,’ she added and cleared her throat.
    ‘When did you last see your husband?’
    ‘Yesterday when we went to bed.’
    ‘What did you do in the evening?’
    ‘We had been out catching baby birds with a group of friends, and after that we were all so wired that nobody wanted to go to bed. We sat outdoors in front of one of the cabins where we’re staying and drank wine while we looked at the sea.’
    ‘Did you and your husband go to bed at the same time?’
    Andrea nodded.
    ‘When was that?’
    ‘Around three in the morning, I think.’
    ‘Did you both fall asleep at once?’
    ‘Yes, I think so. At least I did.’
    ‘Is it possible that Sam got up after you were asleep?’
    Andrea looked bewildered.
    ‘Sure, yes. I suppose so.’
    ‘Would you have noticed?’
    ‘No, I don’t think so. I’m a very sound sleeper.’
    ‘So it’s possible that he might have disappeared sometime in the middle of the night?’
    ‘Well, maybe, but why would he …?’ Confused, she shifted her glance from one officer to the other.
    ‘I don’t know,’ said Jacobsson. ‘But maybe he couldn’t sleep and went out to get some fresh air. And then decided to take a walk. Or maybe he met someone.’
    ‘But why would he take along his backpack with all his paintbrushes? And leave in the middle of the night?’
    ‘What happened when you woke up?’
    ‘I noticed at once that he wasn’t in the room. I got dressed and then went out to have a look around. I thought he might be sitting on the dock or on a deckchair somewhere outside. Or he might be taking a morning dip. But I didn’t find him anywhere.’
    ‘What time was this?’
    ‘I don’t know … Nine thirty. Maybe ten. I didn’t look at my watch.’
    ‘Did you check his belongings? To see what he might have taken with him?’
    ‘Yes, I saw that his painting gear was gone. That’s why I wasn’t really worried. But then the weather got bad and the rain came pouring down. When he still hadn’t come back by late afternoon, I really started to wonder what could have happened to him. Sam is diabetic, and it’s very important for him to eat at regular intervals.’
    ‘What did you do next?’
    ‘Beata and I went out to look for him. The island isn’t very big, and we were sure that we’d find him. I was afraid that his blood sugar might have dropped drastically, and that can be life-threatening if he doesn’t get help.’
    ‘And had anyone you talked to seen him?’
    ‘No, not a single