The Crow Girl Read Online Free PDF Page B

found we’ve secured tracks from a pushchair, as well as others from a small vehicle. The tyre tracks belong to a lorry, and we’ve already spoken to the refuse collector driving it, so we can write that off.’
    ‘So someone could have used a pushchair or shopping trolley to get the body there?’
    ‘Yes, definitely.’
    ‘Could the boy have been carried there?’ Åhlund asked.
    ‘If you’re strong enough it wouldn’t be a problem. The boy didn’t weigh more than forty-five kilos.’
    The room fell silent, and Jeanette presumed that like her the others were imagining someone walking around carrying a dead boy wrapped in a black garbage bag.
    Åhlund broke the silence. ‘When I saw how badly abused the boy was, I immediately thought of Harri Mäkelä, and if it weren’t for the fact that I know he’s locked up in Kumla, well –’
    ‘Well, what?’ Schwarz interrupted with a grin.
    ‘Well, I’d have said he was the man we are looking for.’
    ‘You reckon? And you don’t think that thought’s already occurred to the rest of us?’
    ‘Stop squabbling!’ Jeanette leafed through her papers. ‘Forget Mäkelä. I’ve got information from Lars Mikkelsen at National Crime about a Jimmie Furugård.’
    ‘So who’s this Furugård?’ Hurtig asked.
    ‘A former UN soldier. First two years in Kosovo, then one in Afghanistan. He last served with the UN three years ago, and left with decidedly mixed references.’
    ‘What makes him of interest to us?’ Hurtig opened his notebook and leafed through to a fresh page.
    ‘Jimmie Furugård has several convictions for rape and violent assault. Most of the people he assaulted were either immigrants or homosexual men, but it looks as if Furugård also has a habit of beating up his girlfriends. Three rape charges. Found guilty twice, cleared once.’
    Hurtig, Schwarz and Åhlund looked at one another, nodding slowly.
    They’re interested, Jeanette thought, but not really convinced.
    ‘OK, so why did our little hothead stop working for the UN?’ Åhlund asked. Schwarz glared at him.
    ‘From what I can see, it came shortly after he was reprimanded for using prostitutes in Kabul on several occasions. No other details.’
    ‘And he’s not locked up at the moment?’ Schwarz asked.
    ‘No, he was released from Hall Prison at the end of September last year.’
    ‘But are we really looking for a rapist?’ Hurtig said. ‘Anyway, how come Mikkelsen mentioned him? I mean, he works with crimes against children, doesn’t he?’
    ‘Calm down,’ Jeanette said. ‘Any sort of sexual violence could be of interest to our investigation. This Jimmie Furugård seems to be a pretty unpleasant character who’s not above attacking children. On at least one occasion he was suspected of assaulting and attempting to rape a young boy.’
    Hurtig turned to look at Jeanette. ‘Where is he now?’
    ‘According to Mikkelsen he’s disappeared without a trace, so I’ve emailed von Kwist about issuing an arrest warrant, but he hasn’t replied yet. I imagine he wants more to go on.’
    ‘Unfortunately, we don’t have much to go on from Thorildsplan, and von Kwist isn’t the smartest prosecutor we’ve got –’ Hurtig sighed.
    ‘Well,’ Jeanette interrupted, ‘for the time being we go through the usual routine while forensics do their thing. We work methodically, and without any preconceptions. Any questions?’
    They all shook their heads.
    ‘Good. OK, everyone back to work.’
    She thought for a moment, tapping her pen on the desk.
    Jimmie Furugård, she thought. Evidently something of a split personality. Doesn’t seem to regard himself as gay, and struggles with his desires. Full of self-loathing and guilt.
    There was something that didn’t make sense.
    She opened one of the two evening papers she’d bought on the way to work but hadn’t had time to read. She’d already noticed that they had pretty much the same front page, apart from the headlines.
    She closed her eyes