Page 42 of Hidden in Memories
“I’m afraid not.” Henry smiles; his teeth are white and even. He leans back on the sofa, and now it’s his turn to give Hanna a challenging look, as if he wants to test her.
This irritates Daniel even more. Time is passing; they can’t sit here all evening playing stupid games.
Hanna also seems to have had enough. Daniel suspects that she is about to change tactics again.
“Then let me ask you this,” she says firmly. “Do you know of any aspect of your joint hotel project that could have led to personal danger for Charlotte? That could be linked to her death?”
Henry stops smiling.
The atmosphere in the room changes.
“This is a murder investigation,” Daniel adds to emphasize the gravity of the situation. “We need all the information we can get, and I hope you realize that.”
“I realize perfectly well that this is not a game.” Henry’s tone is ice cold. “One of my oldest friends has been murdered, and I’m trying to take care of her son. This will also have serious consequences for our mutual business project. Who do you take me for?” He gets to his feet, clearly moved. “I have to get back to work. Thank you for coming.”
Hanna seems confused by the abrupt dismissal. She turns to Daniel as if to say,What happened?
“If you know something, you must cooperate with us,” Daniel stresses.
Henry is already heading for the door to see them out.
“I’m sorry,” he says over his shoulder. “I have an important Teams meeting shortly.”
“We can’t force him to carry on,” Hanna whispers so that only Daniel can hear.
“I know.” Reluctantly he stands up. “But right now I wish we could.” He gives Henry Sylvester a long look before they leave. He can’t shake the feeling that Henry is hiding something from the police.
31
Time to go home,Hanna thinks, yawning. It is past eight o’clock, she is the only one left in the station, and Morris must be wondering where she is.
She has spent the last hour reading incoming emails and typing up the interview with Henry Sylvester. She’d thought she was getting somewhere with him, and hadn’t expected him to bring the conversation to such an abrupt end when she felt they were establishing a kind of understanding.
She can’t get her head around the guy, and it was very clear that Daniel doesn’t like him at all.
After checking her notes one last time, she shuts down the computer and fetches her jacket. When her phone rings she answers automatically, without looking to see who it is.
“Hanna Ahlander.”
“Hi, it’s Filip.”
She stands there holding her jacket. Charlotte’s son sounds very down, and just as heartrendingly young as when they met him earlier. Why is he calling her so late? Has something else happened? Shouldn’t he contact his godfather if he needs to talk?
“Hi—how are you?”
“Not great.”
Hanna really does feel sorry for him. He needs to see a psychologist as soon as possible in order to help him process his mother’s death. A murdered relative causes severe trauma. She wishes there were something she could do to make him feel better, but that’s not her job.
“Have you spoken to your father?” she says tentatively.
“No.”
His tone is weary and dismissive. Hanna makes a mental note to double-check that the Stockholm police have been in touch with Mats Rutberg so that at least he’s aware of Charlotte’s death.
Surely he ought to be there for his son in some way.
Filip remains silent.
