ELLEN

6.30 P.M.

When the police searched Liv’s apartment, they found no traces of Carola. There was nothing there that connected them. In Carola’s apartment, on the other hand, they’d found all the more. Among other things the panties and the ring.

After the interview, Ove stopped by, and he and Ellen had a coffee in the cafeteria at the police station. He seemed sincerely affected by what had happened.

‘God, my head is just spinning. The police are going to have a difficult time.’ He tugged on his moustache and shook his head. Told her in confidence that they’d found email correspondence and messages on Carola’s computer that had been sent to Liv’s old email, and that they’d also gone through Carola’s old phone lists and seen that they’d had daily contact for a long period of time. Apparently, they’d had a violent relationship. A game that got out of control, was Ove’s explanation for it all.

It was far from the first time that Ellen had heard that expression the past few days.

Ove shrugged. They had only managed to uncover minor details. They’d questioned an old friend of Carola’s who had confirmed that Carola told her that the relationship had been violent. She apparently didn’t have many good things to say about Liv, even though she’d never met her. She didn’t even know what she looked like, and so had had nothing to contribute when they’d released a picture of Liv and asked the general public for help.

‘How did it come about that you put me in touch with Carola?’

‘I don’t really know.’ He yawned. ‘She was the one who came to me, and I guess I thought she might be good for you. She could put women in their place.’ He realised quickly that he shouldn’t have said that. ‘Sorry, that wasn’t what I meant.’

Ellen understood exactly what he’d meant.

‘I thought it was a fucking great idea, given the way Börje and the gang had just messed up. I had no idea that …’

‘What do you mean? So she approached you?’ She remembered that Carola had said she’d been lucky.

‘Yes, she wanted to do it, and I thought it sounded like a good idea. She was capable, but she’d also been having a hard time the past year, been on sick leave a lot, and …’ He fell silent. ‘When she herself came forward with an initiative, I thought it was good. I gave her your number and told her that we should be generous with the tips so that you wouldn’t start playing audio files on TV and the sort of shit you’re so aggressive about. That was smart of her. That way she was able to keep a close watch on the investigation and what information came out. My God.’ He shook his head and took a sip of his coffee, which must have gone cold by that point.

‘What if I hadn’t been so aggressive? Maybe you never would have solved the case.’

‘Listen, don’t get delusions of grandeur now. Börje is a good man, I’ve said that all along.’

When Ellen left the police station she felt very confused and shaken. The image of Carola’s brain matter had etched itself permanently in her mind, and even though her eyes weren’t closed, she could see the blood.

From the very beginning, Ellen had believed that the blow that killed Liv couldn’t have been the first one. But that Liv herself might have been violent hadn’t occurred to her, and she was ashamed of how narrowly she’d been thinking. Slowly, she walked over to her car. The footpaths were full of people enjoying the warm summer evening.

She passed a 7-Eleven. The tabloid placards screamed POLYGAMY and she sadly turned her eyes away. She couldn’t help thinking about the children and about Bea. Despite everything the girl had done to Ellen, she could only feel sorry for her. She must have been scared to death that her family situation would be exposed. Bea hadn’t asked for any of this. Children who bully others often just want to be seen and heard. There was a reason that she had behaved the way she had, and it was doubtless not easy growing up under conditions like hers. Ellen felt she could truly understand how betrayed Bea must have felt at the moment her dad introduced a new wife. Hopefully, this whole thing would bring something good with it in the end. Ellen couldn’t bear to think about it any more now. It was too much.

The murmur from the outdoor cafés receded when she turned down towards Pipersgatan, where her car was parked. She felt lost: where should she go? Before she could get in the car, her phone rang. She hesitated when she saw that it was Margareta, but after a few rings, she answered.

‘Come home, Ellen. Something has happened and it’s serious. We have to talk.’