What do you know about your client?
Nothing. He was just prepared to pay a lot of money to be tied up in bed, Sofia replies.
And did you tie him to the bed?
Why do you all keep asking the same thing? I dont get it. Im not lying. Why would I lie?
Just tell me what really happened, Sofia, Saga says, trying to catch her eye.
He drugged me and tied me to the bed.
What did the bed look like?
It was big. I dont remember much about it. Why does that matter?
What did you talk about?
Nothing.
Forensics have been through her computer, mobile phone and the notebook with the addresses theres nothing that suggests Sofia realised her client was Swedens Foreign Minister.
Saga looks at the young womans drained face. It occurs to her that Sofia could be sticking to her original story a little too well. Its almost as if shes avoiding certain details in order not to be found out telling lies.
Was there a car parked outside the gate when you arrived?
No.
What did he say on the intercom when you rang the bell? Saga asks.
I dont know who he is, Sofia says, her voice close to breaking. I get that hes rich and important, but I dont know anything about him, just that he said his name was Wille. But its normal for men to use fake names.
Saga knows that if Sofia is part of some radicalised group and sympathises with their goals, shes not going to confess anything. But if she has been tricked or forced to participate, theres a chance she might open up.
Sofia, Im listening, if theres anything you want to tell me... You havent murdered anyone, I already know that, and thats why I think I can help you, Saga says. But to be able to do that, I need to know the truth.
Am I being charged with anything? Sofia asks blankly.
You were present when the Swedish Foreign Minister was murdered, you lay tied up in his bed, you threw a chair to break his window, and you stepped in his blood.
I didnt know, Sofia whispers, and her face turns white.
So I need some answers... I understand you might have been tricked or coerced, but Id like you to tell me what your mission was yesterday evening.
I didnt have a mission. I dont know what you mean.
If youre not prepared to cooperate with me then theres nothing I can do for you, Saga says firmly, and gets up from her chair.
If youre not prepared to cooperate with me then theres nothing I can do for you, Saga says firmly, and gets up from her chair.
Please, dont go, the young woman says desperately. Ill try to help you, I promise.
11
Saga lets Sofia beg her not to leave as she walks over to the door.
If anyones threatening you or your family, we can help, Saga says, opening the door. We can organise a safe-house, new identities, youd be all right.
I dont understand, I... Whos threatening us? Why would...? This is crazy.
Saga wonders once again if Sofia really was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. But that still begs the question: why would a professional killer leave a witness behind?
If she really is a witness, she must have seen something that could help the investigation. When she was questioned before, she wasnt able to give a description of the killer. She just kept repeating that his face was hidden, that the whole thing happened so quickly.
Saga needs her to start remembering genuine details. The tiniest thing could open up memories shes blocked out due to shock.
You saw the murderer, Saga says, turning around.
But he was wearing a hood. I already said that.
What colour were his eyes? she asks, closing the door again.
I dont know.
What was his nose like?
Sofia shakes her head, and a crack in her lip starts to bleed.
The Foreign Minister was shot. You turned around and saw the killer standing there with the gun in his hand.
I just wanted to get away. I started to run but I fell, and then I found that alarm, which...
You need to tell me what the perpetrator looked like when you turned around, Saga says.
He was holding the pistol with both hands.
Like this? Saga asks, demonstrating a two-handed grip.
Yes. He was staring straight ahead, past me... He didnt care that I was there. I dont even know if he saw me. Everything happened in a matter of seconds. He was behind me, but he ran past and grabbed hold of...
She stops speaking and frowns, staring ahead of her as if seeing events unfold in her minds eye.
He grabbed him by his hair? Saga asks gently.
Wille fell to his knees after the second shot... The murderer was holding him by his hair, and he pressed the pistol against one of his eyes. It was all so unreal.
He was bleeding a lot, wasnt he?
Yes.
Was he scared? Saga asks.
He seemed terrified, Sofia whispers. He was trying to buy time, saying the whole thing was a mistake. He had blood in his throat and it was hard to hear, but he was trying to say it was a mistake, that he should let him live.
What were his exact words?
He said... You think you know everything, but you dont... and then the murderer said... really calmly, that... that Ratjen opened the door. No, hold on, he said: Ratjen opened the door... and hell will devour you all, thats what he said.
Ratjen?
Yes.
Could it have been any other name?
No... well... I mean, thats what it sounded like.
Did it seem like the Foreign Minister knew who Ratjen was?
No, Sofia replies, closing her eyes.
Come on, what else did he say? Saga asks.
Nothing. I didnt hear anything else.
What did he mean about Ratjen opening the door?
I dont know.
Is Ratjen the one doing this? Is he responsible for unleashing hell? Saga asks loudly.
Please...
What do you think? Saga asks.
I dont know, Sofia replies, and wipes tears from her cheeks.
Saga walks quickly towards the door. She hears Sofia calling after her.
12
The drivers face is immobile as he glances in the rear-view mirror to check that the vehicle behind him is still following closely.
The sound of the engine runs through the Prime Ministers custom-made Volvo like a comforting purr.
A year ago the Security Police decided that the Swedish Prime Minister needed an armoured, reinforced vehicle. It has twelve cylinders and 453 horsepower, and can do one hundred kilometres an hour in reverse. Its windows are designed to stop bullets from high-velocity weapons.
The Prime Minister is sitting on the spacious leather seat in the back of the car with the finger and thumb of his left hand gently massaging his closed eyelids. His dark-blue suit is unbuttoned, and his red tie hangs crookedly across the front of his shirt.
Saga sits beside him, still in her leather bodysuit. She hasnt had time to change, and shes hot. She feels like unzipping the bodysuit down to her waist, but doesnt because shes still naked underneath.
The head of the Security Police, Verner Sandén, sits in the front seat. His hand is curved over the back of the seat, and his long frame is twisted so that he can look at the Prime Minister while he briefs him on the situation.
He runs through the chronology in his deep voice, from the time the Code Platinum was declared, to the accelerated examination of the crime scene and the ongoing reports from the forensics team.
The house is back to its original state. Theres nothing to indicate what happened there last night, Verner concludes.
My thoughts are with the family, the Prime Minister says in a low voice, turning to look out of the window.
Were keeping them out of this. Naturally, were maintaining the highest level of secrecy.
You say the situation is dire? the Prime Minister asks as he replies to a text.
Yes, there are specific circumstances that led us to request an urgent meeting with you, Verner replies.
Well, as you know Im travelling to Brussels this evening. I really dont have time for this, the Prime Minister explains.
Saga can feel her butt cheeks sticking to her leather bodysuit.
Were dealing with a professional or semi-professional killer who sticks within the framework of his brief, she says, trying to raise her butt a little.
The Security Police are always prone to grand conspiracy theories, the Prime Minister says, looking down at his phone again.
The killer used a semiautomatic pistol with a silencer that cools the percussive gas, she says. He killed the Foreign Minister with one shot through his right eye. Then he picked up the empty shell, leaned over the dead body, put the pistol to the left eye, fired again, picked up the shell, then turned
What the hell? the Prime Minister says, looking up at her.
The killer didnt trigger any of the alarms himself, Saga goes on. But even though the alarms were blaring loudly enough to wake the entire neighbourhood, and even though the police were on their way, he stayed to dig the bullets out of the wall and wooden floor before leaving the villa. He knew where all the security cameras were, so theres no footage of him anywhere... And I can tell you now that forensics arent going to find anything that could lead us any closer to him.
She stops speaking and looks at the Prime Minister, who takes a swig of water, puts the heavy glass back down and wipes his mouth.
The car glides towards north Djurgården. To their left is the great grass expanse of Gärdet. In the seventeenth century the area was used for military exercises, but today the only people around are a few joggers and dog-walkers.
So it was an execution? he asks in a hoarse voice.
Yes. We dont know why yet, but it could be blackmail. The killer could have been trying to get classified information, Verner explains. The Foreign Minister could have been forced to make some sort of statement on film.
That doesnt sound good, the Prime Minister whispers.
No. Were convinced this is an act of political terrorism, even though no one has claimed responsibility overnight, Verner replies.
Terrorism?
There was a prostitute in the Foreign Ministers home, Saga says.
He has his problems, the Prime Minister says, wrinkling his long nose slightly.
Yes, but
Drop it, he interrupts.
Saga glances at the Prime Minister. Theres a distant look in his eyes, and hes clenching his jaw. She wonders if hes trying to come to terms with whats happened. His governments Foreign Minister has been murdered. Maybe hes thinking back to the last time that happened.