Page 109 of The Sleepwalker
Joona gets up and moves over to the window, gazing northwards over the city. He then calls Noah, who brings his pool cue down on the edge of the table in frustration.
No one knows for sure how the killer came to be known as the Widow in the department, but everyone has warned Joona against using the name – or the term ‘serial killer’ – around the boss.
‘We’ve had a breakthrough .?.?. a DNA match for the hair. A woman in Vallentuna.’
‘Seriously?’
‘Yes, but I had to go via the commercial genealogy route,’ Joona confesses.
‘Don’t tell me that,’ Noah groans. ‘I’ll have to fire you. You know that, don’t you? If I know about this, I have to take immediate action.’
‘You can just report me to the Special Prosecutor’s Office.’
‘Do youwantto be reported?’
‘I know I went against the Authority for Privacy Protection ruling, but that’s because we’ll have a fourth and fifth murder on our hands otherwise.’
‘God, I’m going to have to put Petter in charge now, aren’t I?’ Noah sighs. ‘Not that there’s anything wrong with him, but we’ll lose focus and—’
‘Start by asking the union for advice.’
‘Maybe I should, but the union .?.?. they could take weeks.’
‘That would be a shame,’ Joona replies with a smile.
For a few seconds, neither man speaks. A pool ball thuds softly against the cushion before knocking into another ball with a low crack.
‘OK, what the hell, I hear you,’ the boss says with another sigh. ‘Let’s do this: I’ll ask the union for advice, and you can keep investigating in the meantime.’
‘I need a tactical team and a drone unit within the hour,’ says Joona.
‘To bring in a woman for questioning?’
‘A suspected serial killer.’
‘Let’s not use that label.’
‘Serial killer?’
‘Christ .?.?.’
‘Just give me a tactical unit.’
‘It was your choice to go it alone,’ Noah replies.
‘Are you serious?’
‘You’ll have to do this without me .?.?. Ask the local station in Täby for help. Ask Norrtälje.’
‘Can I take Saga Bauer?’
‘You already know the answer to that.’
Joona ends the call as he makes his way out into the hall, puts on his shoes and leaves his apartment. He locks the door behindhim and runs over to the lifts.
* * *
Joona heads north, passing the university before joining the E18.
