The Man on the Balcony by Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö

Author:Maj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö [Sjöwall, Maj & Wahlöö, Per]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery, Thriller
ISBN: 000724293X
Goodreads: 163767
Publisher: Vintage
Published: 1967-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

18

A good deal had already happened on this Friday morning, 16 June 1967.

The police sent out a description which had the disadvantage of fitting tens of thousands of more or less blameless citizens.

Rolf Evert Lundgren had slept on the matter and wanted to bargain. If the police would let bygones be bygones he offered to take part in the search and to give ‘supplementary information’, whatever that might be. Having received a flat refusal, he sank into gloomy meditation and at last asked of his own accord to talk to a lawyer.

One of the detectives persisted in pointing out that Lundgren still lacked an alibi for the evening of the murder in Vanadis Park and in questioning his reliability as a witness. This in its turn led to Gunvald Larsson making a woman extremely embarrassed and to another woman making Kollberg, if possible, even more embarrassed.

Gunvald Larsson dialled a telephone number to a flat near Vanadis Park. The following conversation ensued:

‘Jansson speaking.’

‘Good morning. This is the police, homicide squad, Detective Inspector Larsson.’

‘Oh yes.’

‘May I speak to your daughter, please? Majken Jansson.’

‘Certainly. Just a moment. We're having breakfast. Majken!’

‘Hello. This is Majken Jansson speaking.’

The voice was bright and cultured.

‘This is the police. Detective Inspector Larsson.’

‘Oh yes.’

‘You have stated that you took a breath of air in Vanadis Park on the evening of the ninth of June.’

‘Yes.’

‘What were you wearing when you took this breath of air?’

‘What was I … Well, let me see, I had on a black-and-white cocktail dress.’

‘What else?’

‘A pair of sandals.’

‘Aha. What else?’

‘Nothing. Quiet, Daddy, he's only asking what I…’

‘Nothing? You had nothing else on?’

‘N-no.’

‘I mean, didn't you by any chance have anything under your dress?’

‘Yes. Yes of course. Naturally I had underclothes.’

‘Aha. And what kind of underclothes?’

‘What kind of underclothes?’

‘Yes, exactly.’

‘Well, naturally I had what … well, what one usually has. Oh, Daddy, it's the police’

‘And what do you usually have?’

‘Well, a bra naturally and … well, what do you think?’

‘I don't think anything. I have no preconceived opinions. I am merely asking.’

‘Panties of course.’

‘I see. And what kind of panties?’

‘What kind? I don't know what you mean. I had panties of course, knickers.’

‘Panties?’

‘Yes. I'm sorry but…’

‘And what did these panties look like? Were they red or black or blue or maybe patterned?’

‘A pair of…’

‘Yes?’

‘A pair of white lace panties. Yes, Daddy, I'll ask him. Why on earth are you asking me all this?’

‘I am just checking the evidence of a witness.’

‘The evidence of a witness?’

‘Exactly. Good-bye.’

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