The Man Who Smiled Part 29

"This is impressive." Nyberg had not said a word until now. "Maybe we should find out if that plastics factory in Genoa makes other things besides speedboats."

"Such as cool boxes for transplant organs?" Wallander said.

"For instance."

"If this turns out to be true," Wallander said, "it means that Harderberg is in some degree involved in the manufacturing and importing of these plastic containers. He might even have control, even if at first glance it looks to be a maze of different but interconnected companies. Can it really be possible that a Brazilian coffee producer has links with a tiny firm in Sodertalje?"

"That would be no more odd than the fact that American car manufacturers also make wheelchairs," Hoglund said. "Cars cause car accidents, which in turn creates a demand for wheelchairs."

Wallander clapped his hands and stood up. "Right, let's turn up the pressure on this investigation," he said. "Ann-Britt, can you get the financial experts to draw up some kind of large-scale wall map showing what Harderberg's holdings really look like? I want everything on it - speedboats in Genoa, cobs at Farnholm Castle, everything we've found out so far. And Nyberg, can you devote yourself to this plastic container? Where it comes from, how it got into Gustaf Torstensson's car.

"That would mean that we blow the plan we've been working to so far," Hoglund objected. "Harderberg's bound to find out that we're digging into his companies."

"Not at all," Wallander said. "It's all a matter of routine questions. Nothing dramatic. Besides, I'll talk to Bjork and keson and suggest it's high time we had a press conference. It will be the first time in my life I've ever taken that that initiative, but I think it would be a good thing if we could give the autumn a helping hand to spread about a bit more mist and fog." initiative, but I think it would be a good thing if we could give the autumn a helping hand to spread about a bit more mist and fog."

"I heard that keson is still in bed with flu," Hoglund said.

"I'll call him," Wallander said. "We're turning up the pressure, so he'll have to come whether he's got a cold or not. Tell Martinsson and Svedberg we're meeting at 2.00 today."

Wallander had decided to wait until everybody was there before he said anything about what had happened the previous night.

"Right, let's get going," he said.

Nyberg went out, but Wallander asked Hoglund to stay behind. He told her that he and Widen had managed to place a stablegirl at Farnholm Castle.

"Your idea was an excellent one," he said. "We'll see if it produces the goods."

"Let's hope she comes to no harm."

"She'll just be looking after' some horses," Wallander said. "And keeping her eyes open. Let's not get hysterical. Harderberg can't suspect everybody on his staff to be police officers in disguise."

"I hope you're right," she said.

"How's it going with the flight log?"

"I'm working at it," she said, "but Avanca took all my time yesterday." "You've done well," Wallander said.

She was pleased to be told that, he noticed. We're far too reluctant to praise our colleagues, Wallander thought. Especially when there's no end to the amount of criticism and t.i.ttle-tattle we bandy about.

"That's all," he said.

She left, and Wallander went to stand at the window and ask himself what Rydberg would have done in this situation. But for once he felt that he had no time to wait for his old friend's answer. He just had to believe that the way he was running the investigation was right.

He used up a huge amount of energy over the rest of the morning. He convinced Bjork of the importance of holding a press conference the next day, and he promised him that he would himself take care of the journalists once he had agreed with keson what they were going to say.

"It's not like you to call in the ma.s.s media off your own bat," Bjork said.

"Maybe I'm becoming a better person," Wallander said. "They say it's never too late."

After meeting with Bjork he phoned keson at home. It was his wife who answered, and she was reluctant to let Wallander talk to her husband, who was in bed.

"Has he got a temperature?" Wallander asked.

"When you're ill, you're ill. Full stop," Mrs keson said.

"I'm sorry," Wallander insisted, "but I've got to speak to him."

After a considerable pause keson came to the phone. He sounded worn out. "I'm ill," he said. "Influenza. I've been on the loo all night."

"I wouldn't disturb you if it weren't important," Wallander said. "I'm afraid I need you for a few minutes this afternoon. We can send a car to collect you."

"I'll be there," keson said. "But I can take a taxi."

"Do you want me to explain why it's important?"

"Do you know who killed them?"

"No."

"Do you want me to approve a warrant for the arrest of Alfred Harderberg?"

"No."

"Then you can explain when I get in this afternoon."

Wallander next phoned Farnholm Castle. He did not recognise the voice of the woman who answered. Wallander introduced himself and asked if he could speak to Kurt Strom.

"He doesn't come on duty until this evening," the woman said. "No doubt you'll get him at home."

"I don't suppose you're prepared to give me his phone number," Wallander said.

"Why ever not?"

"I thought it might be against your rules, security and so on." "No, not at all," she said, and gave him the number. "Please pa.s.s on my greetings to Dr Harderberg, and thank him for his hospitality the other evening," Wallander said. "He's in New York."

"Well, please tell him when he comes back. Will he be away for long?"

"We expect him back the day after tomorrow."

Something had changed. He wondered if Harderberg had issued instructions to respond positively to queries from the Ystad police.

Wallander dialled Strom's home number. He let it ring for some considerable time, but got no reply. He called reception and asked Ebba to find out where Strom lived. While he was waiting he went to fetch a cup of coffee. He remembered that he still had not been in touch with Linda, as he had promised himself he would be. But he decided to wait until evening.

Wallander left the station at around 9.30 and set off towards Osterlen. Strom apparently lived in a little farmhouse not far from Glimmingehus. Ebba knew the area better than most, so she had drawn him a rough map. Strom had not answered the phone, but Wallander had a hunch he would find him there. As he drove through Sandskogen he tried to remember what Svedberg had told him about the circ.u.mstances in which Strom had been kicked out of the police force. He tried to antic.i.p.ate what his reception would be. Wallander had occasionally come across police officers who had been involved in a crime, and he recalled such occasions with distaste. But he could not avoid the conversation in store for him.

He had no difficulty following Ebba's map, and he drove straight to a small white-painted house typical of the area, to the east of Glimmingehus. It was set in a garden that was no doubt very pretty in the spring and summer. When he got out of the car two Alsatians in a steel cage started barking. There was a car in the garage, and Wallander a.s.sumed he had guessed right: Strom was at home. He did not need to wait long. Strom appeared from behind the house, wearing overalls and with a trowel in his hand. He stopped dead on seeing who his visitor was.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you," Wallander said. "I did ring, but I got no answer."

"I'm busy filling in some cracks in the foundations," Strom said. "What do you want?"

Wallander could see Strom was on his guard.

"I've got something to ask you about," he said. "Maybe you can shut the dogs up."

Strom shouted at the dogs and at once they fell silent. "Let's go inside," he said.

"No need," Wallander said. "We can stay here. It'll only take a minute." He looked around the little garden. "A nice place you've got here. A bit different from a flat in the middle of Malmo."

"It was OK there as well, but this is closer to work."

"It looks as though you live on your own here. I thought you were married?"

Strom glared at him with eyes of steel. "What's my private life got to do with you?"

Wallander opened wide his arms in apology. "Nothing," he said. "But you know how it is with former colleagues. You ask after the family." "I'm not your colleague," Strom said. "But you used to be, didn't you?"

Wallander had changed his tone. He was looking for a confrontation. He knew that toughness was the only thing Strom had any respect for.

"I don't suppose you've come here to discuss my family." Wallander smiled at him. "Quite right" he said. "I haven't. I only reminded you that we used to be colleagues out of politeness."

Strom had turned ashen. For a brief moment Wallander thought he had gone too far, and that Strom would take a swing at him.

"Let's forget it," Wallander said. "Let's talk about something else. October 11. A Monday evening. Six weeks ago. You know the evening I mean?"

Strom nodded, but said nothing.

"I really only have one question," Wallander said. "But let's get an important thing out of the way first. I'm not going to let you get away with not answering on the grounds that you'd be breaking the security rules of Farnholm Castle. If you try that, I'll make life so h.e.l.lish for you, you'll wonder what hit you."

"You can't do anything to me," Strom said.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Wallander said. "I could arrest you and take you to Ystad with me, or I could phone the castle ten times a day and ask to speak to Kurt Strom. They would soon get the feeling that the police were far too interested in their head of security. I wonder if they know about your past? That could be embarra.s.sing for them. I doubt if Dr Harderberg would be pleased if the peace and quiet of Farnholm Castle were to be disturbed."

"Go to h.e.l.l!" Strom said. "Get to the other side of that gate before I throw you out."

"I only want the answer to one question, about the night of October 11," Wallander said, unconcerned. "And I can a.s.sure you it won't go any further. Is it really worth risking the new life you lead? As I recall, when we met at the castle gates you said you were very happy with it."

Wallander could see that Strom was wavering. His eyes were still full of hatred, but Wallander knew he would get an answer.

"One question," he said. "One answer. But a truthful one. Then I'll be off. You can get on with your repairs and forget I was ever here. And you can carry on guarding the gates of Farnholm Castle till the day you die. Just one question and one answer."

An aeroplane flew past high above their heads. Wallander wondered if it was Alfred Harderberg's Gulfstream on its way back from New York already.

"What do you want to know?"

"That evening of October 11 Wallander said. "Gustaf Torstensson left the castle at 8.14 p.m. according to the printout of the gate checks I've seen. That could be forged, of course, but let's a.s.sume it's correct. We do know he did leave Farnholm Castle, after all. My question to you, Kurt Strom, is very simple. Did a car leave Farnholm Castle after Mr Torstensson arrived but before he left?"

Strom said nothing, but then he nodded slowly.

"That was the first part of the question," Wallander said. "Now comes the second part of the same question. Who was it who left the castle?"

"I don't know."

"But you saw a car?"

"I've already answered more than one question." "Stop this s.h.i.t, Strom. It's the same question. What make of car was it? And who was in it?"

"It was one of the cars that belong to the castle. A BMW." "Who was in it?" "I don't know."

"Your life will turn extremely unpleasant if you don't answer!"

Wallander discovered that he did not need to pretend to be furious. He was already furious.

"I honestly don't know who was in the car."

Wallander could see that Strom was telling the truth. He ought to have realised.

"Because the windows were fitted with dark gla.s.s," Wallander said. "So you can't see who's inside. Is that right?"

Strom nodded. "You've got your answer," he said. "Now get the h.e.l.l out of here."

"Always a pleasure to b.u.mp into former colleagues," Wallander said. "And you're quite right, it is time I was off. Nice to talk to you."

The dogs started barking as soon as he turned his back. As he drove off Strom was still standing in the doorway, watching him go. Wallander could feel the sweat inside his shirt. He remembered that Strom could be violent.

But he had got a plausible answer to a question that had been troubling him. The starting point for what happened that October night when Gustaf Torstensson died, alone in his car. He had a good idea now how it had occurred. While Torstensson sat back in one of the sumptuous leather armchairs chatting to Harderberg and the Italian bankers, a car had left Farnholm Castle to lie in wait for the old man as he drove home. Somehow or other, by a display of force or cunning or convincing friendliness, they had got him to stop his car on that remote, carefully chosen stretch of road. Wallander had no idea if the decision to prevent Torstensson reaching home had been made that same night, or earlier; but at least he could now see the makings of an explanation.

He thought about the men lurking in the shadows in the entrance hall. Then he shuddered as he thought about what had happened the previous night.

Without realising it, he pressed harder on the accelerator. By the time he came to Sandskogen he was going so fast that if he had been stopped he would have had his licence suspended on the spot. He slowed down. When he reached Ystad he called at Fridolf's Cafe and had a cup of coffee. He knew what advice Rydberg would have given him.

Patience, he would have said. When stones start rolling down a slope, it's important not to start running after them right away. Stay where you are and watch them rolling, see where they come to a stop. That's what he would have said.

And he would have been right, Wallander thought. That's how we're going to proceed.

In the days to come Wallander had evidence once more of how he was surrounded by colleagues who did not stint on effort when it was really needed. They had already been working intensively, but n.o.body protested when Wallander announced that they were going to have to work even harder. It had started that Wednesday afternoon when Wallander called the team to the conference room, and keson attended despite his diarrhoea and high temperature. They all agreed that Harderberg's business empire should be unravelled and mapped out with the greatest possible speed. While the meeting was in progress keson attended despite his diarrhoea and high temperature. They all agreed that Harderberg's business empire should be unravelled and mapped out with the greatest possible speed. While the meeting was in progress keson phoned the fraud squads in Malmo and Stockholm. The others present listened in admiration as he described how the need for them to work harder and give the job the highest priority was more or less essential if the country were to survive. When he hung up, the meeting burst into spontaneous applause. phoned the fraud squads in Malmo and Stockholm. The others present listened in admiration as he described how the need for them to work harder and give the job the highest priority was more or less essential if the country were to survive. When he hung up, the meeting burst into spontaneous applause.

On keson's advice they had decided that they themselves would continue to concentrate on Avanca without worrying about running into conflict with the work being carried out by the fraud squads. Wallander also established that Hoglund was the best qualified officer for this task. n.o.body objected, and from that moment on she was no longer a raw recruit but a fully fledged member of the investigative team. Svedberg took over some of the work she had been doing before, including the efforts to obtain the flight plans of Harderberg's aircraft. There was some discussion between Wallander and keson as to whether this was a sufficiently valuable source of information to warrant the effort. Wallander argued that sooner or later they would have to establish Harderberg's movements, not least on the day Sten Torstensson died. keson maintained that if it really did now seem likely that Harderberg was behind what had happened, he would have access to state-of-the-art resources and could be in contact with Farnholm Castle even if he were crossing the Atlantic in his Gulfstream, or in the Australian outback, where the financial experts claimed he had substantial mining interests. Wallander could see keson's point and was just about to cave in when keson threw up his hands and said he had only been putting a personal point of view and did not want any obstacles in the way of work that was ongoing.

When it came to the recruitment of the stablegirl Sofia, Wallander made a presentation that Hoglund went out of her way to congratulate him on in private afterwards. Wallander knew that not only might Bjork and keson protest, but that Martinsson and Svedberg might object to involving a complete outsider in the investigation. Without actually lying, although perhaps he was economical with the truth, Wallander explained that by chance they had acquired a source of information at Farnholm Castle, somebody Wallander happened to know, who was looking after the horses there. He provided this information more or less in pa.s.sing, just as a tray of sandwiches had been delivered and n.o.body was listening with more than half an ear to what he was saying. He exchanged glances with Hoglund, and could tell that she had seen through his tactic.

Afterwards, when they had finished the sandwiches and aired the room, Wallander described how his flat had been watched the previous night. He did not mention, however, that the man in the car had actually been inside his flat. He was afraid that information would lead Bjork to apply the brakes and put restrictions on what they could or could not do for security reasons. Svedberg was able to supply the astonishing news that the car was registered to a person who lived in ostersund and was the manager of a holiday camp in the Jamtland mountains. Wallander insisted that the man be investigated, the holiday camp as well. If Harderberg had interests in Australian mines there was no reason why he should not also be involved in a winter sports establishment in the north of Sweden. The meeting ended with Wallander telling them about his meeting with Strom. On hearing his account the room fell silent.

"That was the detail we needed," Wallander said afterwards to Hoglund. "Police officers are practical people. The little fact that a car left Farnholm Castle before old man Torstensson began his final journey means that all the vague and obscure aspects of the sequence of events now have a little detail to rest on at last. If that is what happened, and it could very well have been, we've also got confirmation of the fact that Torstensson was murdered in a cold-blooded and well-planned operation. That means we know we're looking for a solution to something where nothing is coincidental. We can forget accidents and dramatic pa.s.sions. We know now where we don't need to look."

The meeting had ended in a mood Wallander interpreted as resolute determination. That was what he had been hoping for. Before keson went home to bed he had joined in a discussion with Bjork and Wallander. They talked about the press conference the following day. Wallander had urged that, without actually telling lies, they could maintain that they had a lead to follow, but that they could not yet give any details for reasons a.s.sociated with the investigation.

"But," keson wondered, "how are you going to describe the lead without Harderberg realising that it points to Farnholm Castle?" "A tragedy arising from somebody's private life," Wallander said. "That doesn't sound particularly credible," keson objected. "It's also a suspiciously thin basis on which to call a press conference. Make sure you're fully prepared. You need to have detailed and definite answers to every likely question."