The Fire Engine That Disappeared

M: He didn’t say.

P: Were you thinking of using the car all the time until he came back?

M: Yes. If I wanted to. Otherwise I was to put it in his parking space. He lives in one of those buildings where a parking space sort of goes with the flat.

P: Has Olofsson come back home yet?

M: Not as far as I know.

P: Do you know where he is?

M: No. Perhaps he’s still in France or wherever it was he was going to.

P: Mr Malm, have you a car of your own? M:No.

P: But you have had one, haven’t you?

M: Yes, but a long time ago.

P: Did you often borrow Olofsson’s car on other occasions?

M: No, only this once.

P: How long have you known Olofsson?

M: About a year.

P: Did you often meet?

M: Not often. Sometimes.

P: What do you mean by sometimes? Once a month? Once a week? Or how often?

M: Well, perhaps about once a month. Or twice.

P: So you knew each other quite well, then?

M: Well, fairly.

P: But you must have known each other quite well if he loaned you his car just like that.

M: Yes, of course.

P: What was Olofsson’s profession?

M: What?

P: What did Olofsson do for a living?

M: I don’t know.

P: Don’t you know after having known him for at least a year?

M: No. We never talked about it.

P: What do you yourself do for a living?

M: Nothing special now…not just at the moment, that is.

P: What do you usually do?

M: Different things. Depends on what I can get.

P: What did you do last?

M: I was a car sprayer in a garage in Blackeberg.

P: How long ago was that?

M: Well, last summer. Then the garage shut down in July and I had to leave.

P: And then? Have you looked for other work?

M: Yes, but there wasn’t any.

P: How have you managed financially without work for, let’s see, nearly eight months?

M: Well, it hasn’t been too good.

P: But you must have got money from somewhere, mustn’t you, Mr Malm? You have your rent to pay and a man must eat.

M: Well, I had a bit saved up and I’ve borrowed a bit here and there and so on.

P: What were you going to do in Malmö, anyway?

M: Look up a mate of mine.

P: Before Olofsson offered to lend you the car, you were to go by train, you said. It’s quite expensive to go by train to Malmö, as you said yourself. Could you afford that?

M: We-ell…

P: How long had Olofsson had that car? The Chevrolet?

M: I don’t know.

P: But you must have noticed what car he had when you first met?

M: I didn’t think about it.