The House That Jack Built Read Online Free PDF Page B

are needle marks on her inner right thigh. This guy knows how it’s done — or rather how it was done.”
    â€œBut why —” Allan tried to get up, but fell heavily back into the chair. “Why preserve her? You said she’d been beaten?”
    Sanne stirred. Ulrik’s gaze rested on her as she opened her mouth.
    â€œShe was beaten by her pimps less than a week before she disappeared. The bruises must originate from that.”
    â€œHighly probable.” Frelsén pulled the electronic magnifier over her right breast. “Bruising on the chest and arms. From several days before she died. Take a look — the black is turning green.”
    â€œAnd when were you thinking of telling us that?” Ulrik had turned toward her.
    â€œI didn’t get a chance — before . . .” She repeated what she had told Lars about the Bukoshi brothers earlier, the words practically spilling out of her.
    When she was finished, Ulrik nodded. He ran his thumb along the sweatband of his cap. “And her last customer?”
    Sanne shook her head. “The last one she was seen with was driving a white Opel Kadett. But one of the girls ran into her an hour later —” She pulled out her notebook, flipped through it. “At approximately 9:45 p.m. on Halmtorvet, heading toward Skelbækgade. She’d scored drugs on —.”
    â€œMaria Kirkeplads.” Ulrik nodded. “Have you been there?”
    â€œI was thinking about going down there today.”
    â€œTake Allan with you. The drug addicts are peaceful enough, but the dealers can get aggressive when the police are in the vicinity. Where was Mira’s usual corner?”
    â€œEither Skelbækgade or Vesterbrogade, between” — Sanne checked her notes again — “Vesterbro Torv and Viktoriagade. I’ll make sure I ask around there too.”
    â€œTry the corner stores.” Ulrik put his cap back on, avoiding looking at Mira’s body. “The owners always know what’s going on. After you’ve been out to Maria Kirkeplads, bring the Bukoshi brothers in for questioning.” He nodded at Frelsén and Bint. “I want the report on my desk as soon as the autopsy’s been completed.” He turned abruptly and walked toward the door.
    Frelsén watched him leave, shaking his head. “I’m not finished.”
    Ulrik turned in the doorway. “Well?”
    â€œThe crushed glass we found beneath her shoulder.”
    Sanne shivered, remembering how Frelsén’s Maglite had shone on something in the shallow water the previous day. Still, when Frelsén lifted the body’s left shoulder from the table, she stepped closer. A dense pattern of major and minor wounds covered Mira’s back.
    â€œThe waves pushed her back and forth, moving the body up and down on top of whatever it was, crushing the glass. We’ll need the technician at the lab to put it back together, but I’d bet my right —” Frelsén stopped. He seemed to be considering something. A joke? His upper lip twitched, then he continued in a neutral tone. “It appears to be the remains of an ocular prosthesis. A glass eye.”

Chapter 8
    C openhagen Police Headquarters. Broad, powerful, impregnable.
    Overhead, soft clouds drifted across the blue abyss. Lars nodded to the gatekeeper and entered the labyrinth of corridors and stairwells. As a young officer in the Emergency Response Squad, it had been his duty to check that the windows and doors in the entire building were shut before he left. He got lost on more than one occasion and had to look at the surrounding streets in order to regain his bearings. But at least now he knew every crevice in the entire building.
    He poked his head into the claustrophobic office that Kim A shared with Frank.
    â€œCan you guys come into my office? Grab Lisa too.” He disappeared before they had a chance to answer. As always, Kim A looked