The Nightmare

Carlos shows them into the conference room. Their operational boss, Benny Rubin, is already seated at the round table with a cup of black coffee, waiting for them. Tommy Kofoed takes an apple from the fruit-bowl and starts to eat it noisily. Nathan Pollock looks at him with a smile and shakes his head, and he stops mid-bite and looks back quizzically.

‘Welcome,’ Carlos says. ‘I’m pleased you were all able to come, because we have a number of important issues to discuss on today’s agenda.’

‘Isn’t Joona Linna supposed to be here?’ Tommy Kofoed asks.

‘Yes,’ Carlos replies hesitantly.

‘That guy tends to do as he likes,’ Pollock adds quietly.

‘Joona managed to clear up the Tumba murders a year or so back,’ Tommy Kofoed says. ‘I keep thinking about it, the way he was so certain … he knew in which order the murders had taken place.’

‘Against all obvious logic,’ Elton smiles.

‘There’s not much about forensic science that I don’t know,’ Tommy Kofoed goes on. ‘But Joona just went in and looked at the footprints in the blood, I don’t understand how …’

‘He saw the whole picture,’ Nathan Pollock says. ‘The degree of violence, effort, agitation, and how listless the footprints in the row-house seemed in comparison to the changing room.’

‘I still can’t believe it,’ Tommy Kofoed mumbles.

Carlos clears his throat and looks down at the informal agenda.

‘The marine police have contacted us this morning,’ he says. ‘Apparently a fisherman has found a dead woman.’

‘In his net?’

‘No, he saw a large motor cruiser drifting off Dalarö, rowed out and went on board, and found her sitting on the bed in the front cabin.’

‘That’s hardly anything for the commission,’ Petter Näslund says with a smile.

‘Was she murdered?’ Nathan Pollock asks.

‘Probably suicide,’ Petter replies quickly.

‘Nothing urgent,’ Carlos says, helping himself to a slice of cake. ‘I just thought I’d mention it.’

‘Anything else?’ Tommy Kofoed says cheerfully.

‘We’ve received a request from the police in West Götaland,’ Carlos says. ‘There’s a summary on the table.’

‘I won’t be able to take it,’ Pollock says.

‘I know you’ve all got your hands full,’ Carlos says, slowly brushing some crumbs from the table. ‘Perhaps we should start at the other end and talk about recruitment to the National Homicide Commission.’

Benny Rubin looks around intently, then explains that the high-ups are aware of the heavy workload, and have therefore agreed as a first step to authorise the expansion of the commission by one permanent post.

‘Thoughts, anyone?’ Carlos says.

‘Wouldn’t it be helpful if Joona Linna was here for this discussion?’ Tommy Kofoed asks, leaning across the table and looking through the wrapped sandwiches.

‘It’s not certain he’s going to make it,’ Carlos says.

‘Maybe we could break for coffee first,’ Erik Eriksson says, adjusting his sparkling glasses.

Tommy Kofoed removes the wrapper from a salmon sandwich, pulls out the sprig of dill, squeezes some lemon juice and unwraps the cutlery from the napkin they were rolled up in.

Suddenly the door to the big conference room opens and Joona Linna walks in with his blond hair on end.

‘Syö tilli, pojat,’ he says in Finnish with a grin.

‘Exactly,’ Nathan Pollock chuckles. ‘Eat your dill, boys.’

Nathan and Joona smile as their eyes meet. Tommy Kofoed’s cheeks turn red and he shakes his head with a smile.

‘Tilli,’ Nathan Pollock repeats, and bursts out laughing as Joona walks over and puts the sprig of dill back on Tommy Kofoed’s sandwich.

‘Perhaps we can continue the meeting?’ Petter says.

Joona shakes Nathan Pollock’s hand, then walks over to a spare chair, hangs his dark jacket on the back of it and sits down.

‘Sorry,’ Joona says quietly.

‘Good to have you here,’ Carlos says.

‘Thanks.’

‘We were just about to discuss the issue of recruitment,’ Carlos explains.

He pinches his bottom lip and Petter Näslund begins to squirm on his chair.

‘I think … I think I’ll let Nathan speak first,’ Carlos goes on.

‘By all means,’ Nathan Pollock says. ‘I’m not just speaking for myself, here … Look, we all agree on this, we’re hoping you might want to join us, Joona.’

The room falls silent. Niklas Dent and Erik Eriksson nod. Petter Näslund is sharply silhouetted in the light from the window.

‘We’d like that very much,’ Tommy Kofoed says.

‘I appreciate the offer,’ Joona says, running his fingers through his thick hair. ‘You’re a very smart team, you’ve proved that, and I respect your work …’

They smile.

‘But as for me … I can’t work to a specific framework,’ he explains.

‘We appreciate that,’ Kofoed says quickly. ‘It’s a little rigid, but it can actually be helpful, because of course it’s been proven that …’

He tails off.

‘Well, we just wanted to extend the invitation,’ Nathan Pollock says.