Page 20 of Hidden in Memories
He doesn’t want to be unpleasant, but would have appreciated it if the man had knocked before bursting in. What if there had been a sensitive interview going on?
“My apologies.” The stranger takes a deep breath. “I’m so shaken up. My name is Henry Sylvester—I’m Charlotte’s business partner.”
Daniel remembers that the victim’s associate was on his way to Åre from Stockholm. Good—that means they can start looking into her business affairs.
“Please take a seat.”
“I flew up to attend the press conference this afternoon.” Henry puts down his briefcase. “I got a newsflash on the way from the airport, and then I heard what had happened.” He falls silent, takes a deep breath. “It’s terrible.”
At that moment Hanna returns. She looks at Henry, who is still standing. Clearly agitated, he introduces himself to her.
“It’s good that you’re here,” she says immediately. “Can we ask you some questions right away?”
“Of course—ask whatever you like.”
Daniel studies Henry as he sits down on the opposite side of the table. His face is pale, and he runs a hand over his hair once again, as if he needs to keep his hands occupied.
“Can I see Charlotte?” His voice is unsteady.
Daniel would like to explain that this would be a bad idea. Seeing Charlotte’s body was difficult even for experienced police officers like him and Hanna. He would prefer to spare Henry that ordeal.
“Not at the moment, I’m afraid. The technicians are still working on the scene.”
Hanna pours Henry a glass of water. “How close were you and Charlotte?”
“We’ve known each other all our lives. Our fathers were good friends, and our families spent time together. For example we all celebrated Christmas in Storlien together for many years.”
Storlien,Daniel thinks. That word keeps on coming up.
“Could you tell us about your project? We’ve heard that a great deal of money is going to be plowed into the new mountain hotel. Have you been on board from the start?”
“To be honest, I don’t usually get involved in that kind of property project, but Charlotte was very keen and managed to convince me in the end. She’s wanted to do this for years, but had problems securing the finance. In the end she persuaded my company to provide capital.”
Daniel notices the expensive watch Henry is wearing. A Patek Philippe—of course a man like him will have a wristwatch worth a small fortune.
It is tempting to judge, but he wants to be careful. After all these years, he has learned that people are not one dimensional, they are neither black nor white. In fact most exist in a gray zone, with layer upon layer of character attributes that are not always obvious at first glance.
Even a brutal abuser of women can be nice to small children. A cold-blooded gang member can go and visit his mom on Mother’s Day.
“It wasn’t easy to say no to Charlotte,” Henry continues. “Not when she’d decided on something. If you’d met her, you’d understand.” He falls silent and looks away, as if the agonizing reality of the situation is sinking in. “Oh God, I can’t believe she’s been stabbed.”
Daniel notes that Henry knows how the murder was committed. Then again, it’s hard to keep something like that under wraps. No doubt the poor maintenance guy who found the body told other people as well as the hotel manager, and the news would have spread like wildfire.
Hanna leans forward. “So why was the hotel in Storlien so important to your partner? What was so special about it?”
Henry doesn’t answer immediately. He presses his fingertips together, forming an inverted V shape with his hands.
“Well, it might not look like much today, but years ago it was different. It was like celebrating Christmas in the Snow Queen’s palace. When I was little it was a magical place that I dreamed of for the rest of the year. A winter’s tale full of snow, sparkling garlands, and the aromas of saffron, cloves, and cinnamon.”
Henry’s eyes are filled with nostalgia. He seems to be overcome by his childhood memories. For a moment his face softens, and Daniel can almost see the little boy happily racing toward the Christmas tree with all the beautifully wrapped presents underneath.
“I don’t think I’ve ever loved Christmas as much as during those years when we went to Storlien,” he goes on. “Charlotte was an important part of that experience.”
His voice is thick with tears.
“I understand,” Hanna says gently. “But where did the idea of building a completely new hotel on the site come from? I believe it’s been empty for a long time, and it’s decades since it was a famous ski resort.”
“I think Charlotte wanted to fulfill a dream. Or maybe it was her father’s dream.”
