Buried Angels by Lackberg Camilla

Author:Lackberg, Camilla [Lackberg, Camilla]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2014-04-09T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fifteen

Patrik was breathing hard by the time they reached the front door. The house was beautifully situated on a hill near the sea, and he had parked the car on Brandparken so they could walk up the path. It bothered him that he sounded like a bellows after climbing the winding path, while Gösta seemed completely unaffected.

‘Hello?’ said Patrik, poking his head in the open door. It was not unusual to do that in the summertime. Everybody left their doors and windows open, and instead of knocking or ringing the bell, visitors would simply yell a greeting.

A woman appeared wearing a sunhat, sunglasses, and some sort of fluttery, colourful tunic. In spite of the heat she had on thin gloves.

‘Yes?’ Her tone of voice suggested that she would have preferred not to speak to them.

‘We’re from the Tanum police. We’re looking for Leon Kreutz.’

‘That’s my husband. I’m Ia Kreutz.’ She shook hands without taking off her gloves. ‘We’re just having lunch.’

She clearly wasn’t happy about them showing up. Patrik and Gösta exchanged glances. If Leon was as standoffish as his wife, this was going to be hard work. They followed her out to the balcony where a man was sitting in a wheelchair at the table.

‘We have visitors. The police.’

The man nodded. He didn’t seem at all surprised to see them.

‘Have a seat. We’re just having a light salad. My wife likes this kind of food.’ Leon gave them a wry smile.

‘My husband would prefer to skip lunch and smoke a cigarette instead,’ said Ia. She sat down and spread a napkin on her lap. ‘Do you mind if I finish eating?’

Patrik motioned for her to continue with her salad while they talked to Leon.

‘I assume you’re here to talk about Valö?’ Leon had stopped eating and placed his hands in his lap. A wasp landed on a piece of chicken on his plate and was allowed to feast in peace.

‘Yes, that’s right.’

‘What’s going on out there anyway? We’ve been hearing wild rumours.’

‘We’ve made certain discoveries,’ replied Patrik, not wanting to say too much. ‘I understand that you’ve recently returned to Fjällbacka.’

He studied Leon’s face. One side was smooth with no trace of injury, while the other side was scarred and the corner of his mouth was permanently pulled upward, revealing his teeth.

‘Yes. We bought the house a few days ago, and we moved in yesterday,’ said Leon.

‘What made you come back here after so many years?’ asked Gösta.

‘I suppose the yearning to return grows stronger as the years pass.’ Leon turned his head to gaze out over the water. Patrik now saw only the good side of his face, and it was painfully obvious how handsome Leon must have once been.

‘I would have preferred to stay in our house on the Riviera,’ said Ia. She and her husband exchanged an inscrutable glance.

‘Normally she gets what she wants.’ Again Leon gave them that odd smile of his. ‘But in this case, I insisted. I’ve been longing to come back.’

‘Your family had a summer place here, didn’t they?’ said Gösta.

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