The Double Silence (Andas Knutas 7)

meeting with her daughter would have to wait.
    On Sunday an investigator from the Visby police had flown to Latvia along with Valter Olsson’s sister, Märta, to identify the body. Any doubts had now been erased about whether he was the one who had drifted ashore in a rowing boat. Offshore winds had driven the boat towards the Latvian coast and the town of Ventspils, which was located right across the sea from the east coast of Fårö. Since the winds had later subsided, the boat had probably bobbed about for quite a while before it finally drifted close to land.
    Kihlgård was sitting in Jacobsson’s office, ready to discuss the latest developments. He stuck his hand into a bag of crisps. The crunching sound that he made as he frenetically chewed was really getting on his colleague’s nerves.
    ‘Now we have two murders and one missing woman,’ said Jacobsson. ‘We have to be grateful that the media hasn’t yet found out about Valter Olsson. But I’m sure it’s just a matter of time.’
    Kihlgård chewed pensively before he replied.
    ‘With every day that passes, I’m more and more inclined to think that Stina Ek has also fallen victim to the murderer.’
    ‘So we’re talking about a serial killer?’ Jacobsson sighed. ‘If that’s true, what do these three people have in common? OK, I know that Sam andStina belonged to the same circle of friends. But what about Valter Olsson? What the hell does he have to do with the case?’
    ‘You sure swear a lot,’ complained Kihlgård, giving her a disapproving look. He took out another handful of crisps made from genuine Swedish potatoes.
    ‘Let’s go back to the beginning. It feels as if it all started on Fårö. That’s where Olsson lived, and he was friends with Ingmar Bergman. That’s where Stina was last seen, and she was apparently on her way to Bergman’s house for some reason. It seems Bergman is the common denominator.’
    ‘What did Sam Dahlberg have to do with Bergman?’
    ‘He was a film director, so they shared a profession, which might not be an insignificant factor in the case. Sam was also an ardent fan of Bergman’s work. He’d seen all his films and read most of the books written about him. You’ve read the transcripts of the interviews with Sam’s wife, haven’t you? They even used to watch Bergman movies on Sunday mornings while they were having breakfast.’
    ‘Sure, but what does that really signify? There are plenty of people who like Bergman. Why should it have any connection with the murders?’
    ‘I have no idea.’ Jacobsson shrugged. ‘But maybe that’s the angle we should be taking. Something to do with the actors … Maybe Sam had a score to settle with some crazy celebrity.’
    ‘That seems like a long shot. Maybe we should focus more on the actual setting of Fårö – from a purely physical point of view. That’s where Sam, Stina and Valter were. And they all had some connection to Bergman. I’m starting to wonder whether Stina ever left Fårö.’
    ‘What if …?’ Jacobsson fixed her eyes on her colleague. ‘What if that’s where we should be looking? On Bergman’s property. What if Valter Olsson happened to find Stina out there and tried to get her to leave? What if a third person is involved?’
    Kihlgård stared at her in astonishment.
    ‘A third person who killed both Stina and Valter. He drifted ashore in Latvia. So where in the world is Stina?’ he said.
    Jacobsson didn’t reply.
    She had stood up and was already heading for the door.

IT TOOK A couple of hours to get Chief Prosecutor Smittenberg to issue a search warrant for Ingmar Bergman’s property.
    Three police cars parked outside the gate. Two officers with dogs were also present.
    Kihlgård and Jacobsson went first, accompanied by Valter Olsson’s sister. The gravel crunched under their feet. Erik Sohlman had asked to have the area cordoned off, just to be safe. Even if they didn’t find a body, it was best to take preventive measures. If the theory turned out to be correct, that Stina Ek and Olsson had been murdered in the vicinity, every piece of evidence would be crucial.
    Suddenly they caught sight of the house between the trees. It blended in beautifully with the natural setting – a long, one-storey structure surrounded by a high stone wall that hid the property from view. So this was the world-famous director’s home, which had been kept private from outsiders all these years. Jacobsson couldn’t help feeling a little