Unwanted by Kristina Ohlsson Read Free Book Online Page B

Nyström, and Sara’s known him for such a short time that all she could give me was his year of birth and where he lives. He isn’t recorded as living at the address where Sara went to see him, and his mobile number only traces back to an unregistered pay-as-you-go account. He isn’t answering his mobile and the voicemail isn’t working.’
    ‘What the hell is that girl doing hanging around with creeps like that? Guys who hit her and guys she hardly knows,’ sighed Peder, slumping in his seat.
    Fredrika fixed Peder with a stare but said nothing.
    Alex indicated she should go on.
    ‘When Sara rang him from the platform, they arranged for him to come round this evening, after Lilian was in bed, about nine-thirty. I’ve come up with three possible Anders Nyströms born the same year as Sara’s friend, none of them with criminal records. When I see him at Sara’s tonight, I shall be able to get more details.’
    ‘You’re seeing him tonight . . . ?’ began Alex uncertainly.
    He got no further before Fredrika raised a discreet hand from her place at the table.
    Alex suppressed a sigh.
    ‘Yes?’ he said patiently.
    ‘The woman with the dog,’ replied Fredrika with equal patience.
    ‘Yes?’ Alex said again.
    Fredrika took a deep breath.
    ‘How does the woman with the dog fit into the scenario if we assume the father took the girl?’
    Alex gave a rather tight-lipped smile.
    ‘If Lilian’s father took her, then can’t the woman with the dog just be a coincidence?’
    He gave Fredrika a searching look and said firmly:
    ‘We haven’t forgotten the woman in Flemingsberg, Fredrika. But for now we’re prioritizing other information. With good reason.’
    Alex surveyed the group again and cleared his throat.
    ‘I’d like to come round to Sara’s with you,’ he said, nodding in Fredrika’s direction.
    Her eyebrows shot up. Peder reacted, too, straightening his back.
    ‘It’s not that I’m questioning your competence,’ Alex said hurriedly, ‘but wouldn’t it be a good idea for you to share the responsibility for these interviews with someone else? Sara’s new boyfriend could turn out to be a nasty piece of work and I’d feel happier if there were two of us.’
    Peder beamed at Alex. Alex thought for a minute he was going to slap him on the back. This investigation would be hard going if the team couldn’t work together.
    From Fredrika there was not a word. Nor were any needed – her fixed expression betrayed what she was thinking very plainly.
    Ellen interrupted proceedings with a loud knock at the door.
    ‘Just wanted to say that the switchboard is getting calls from the public already,’ was all she said.
    ‘Great,’ said Alex, ‘that’s great.’
    Soon, if the child did not reappear, he would have to consider calling in assistance from the National Crime Squad to go through all the tip-offs. He brought the meeting to a close.
    ‘In spite of the shocking nature of the event,’ he said on his way out of the room, ‘I have to say I’ve got quite a good feeling about this case. It’s bound to be only a matter of time until the girl’s found.’

O nce the parcel was ready, the Man put it in an ordinary paper carrier bag and left Jelena alone in the flat.
    ‘I’ll be back later,’ he said.
    Jelena smiled to herself. She wandered restlessly between the kitchen and the living room. She avoided going anywhere near the bathroom.
    The television was on. The news that a child had gone missing from a train was covered in a couple of quick sentences. Jelena found that rather annoying.
    Just wait, she thought. You’ll all soon realize this isn’t just some ordinary little bit of news.
    She ran her hands nervously through her hair. The man would not have liked her doing that; he would have taken it as a sign that she did not have complete trust in his ability to plan and carry through his project. But still. There was so much at stake, so much that had to go right.
    Jelena went out into the