“Of course. I understand. Naturally, Marcus also stayed with Emil,” he said shortly.
Irene’s pulse rate increased so much that her ears hummed. Did she have a predisposition to high blood pressure, like the superintendent? Her voice was almost shaky when she asked, “Did you live with Emil Bentsen when you were in Copenhagen?”
“Yes. I got his address from an acquaintance here in Göteborg. His rooms were centrally located, cheap and good. I gave the address to Marcus when he asked me about places to live in Copenhagen.”
“You gave him Emil’s address?”
“Yes.”
“But then you knew where Marcus was living in Copenhagen.”
For the first time something that could be interpreted as a smile crossed Pahliss’s face.
“We didn’t know. Marcus went around and asked everyone he knew about places to stay in Copenhagen. He was loaded down with addresses when he left. He was going to stay at a hotel the first few days and then let us know when he had decided on a permanent address.”
Hans Pahliss suddenly seemed to discover his mug on the desk and took a large gulp of the lukewarm coffee.
“But he never did?”
“No.”
They finally had an explanation for how Marcus had ended up at Emil’s. Irene’s thoughts were interrupted when Hannu asked, “Who gave you Emil’s address?”
For the first time, Pahliss looked uncertain. But when he realized that the police officers had noticed his hesitancy, he said with assurance, “Actually one of my exes. Before you ask: yes, Anders knows him and we hang out as friends.”
His tone of voice sharpened.
“Who?” Hannu repeated.
“Pontus Zander.”
“How did he know Emil Bentsen?”
“No idea.”
“How can we reach Pontus Zander?”
“The emergency room at Sahlgren Hospital. He’s a nurse. Otherwise he lives on Kungshöjd.”
Pahliss gave them Zander’s address and telephone number.
Irene quickly asked the next question. “You were in Copenhagen in February and March of 1997. Did you return there at the end of May that year?”
Pahliss shook his head with emphasis. “No. I didn’t return until just before Christmas 1997.”
“Did you live with Emil Bentsen then?”
“No. It was just for four days. Anders was with me. We stayed at a hotel.”
“Did you keep in touch with Emil after you had moved?”
Pahliss looked uncertain again. “No. I sent a Christmas card that year but there was nothing else.”
“Did you spend time with Emil while you were living there?”
Now Pahliss became irritated. “I didn’t live with him. I rented an apartment from him. We hardly saw each other. During the two months I stayed there I was rarely home before ten. Then I stumbled into bed and slept. Research is not a nine-to-five job.”
“What did you think about Emil?”
“Nothing. As I said, we didn’t spend any time together.”
He stopped and looked sharply at Hannu. “Why are you asking about Emil Bentsen?”
Irene was the one who revealed Emil’s murder. Hans Pahliss didn’t interrupt her. When she was finished, he sat in silence. Finally he whispered, “What is happening? First Marcus and now Emil. .”
Irene tried to choose her words. “There have been two other murders that bear the signature of this murderer. But those victims were women. It is the dismemberment and. . a few other things that indicate it’s the same killer. Our medical examiners say that the killer’s method points to a strong familiarity with autopsy procedures,” she said.
Irene paused dramatically in order to see Pahliss’s reaction. There was none. She continued, “We think that both Marcus and Emil knew the killer. There is a possibility that you and Anders also know him. You happen to be a doctor and may also know others who could-”
“No! None of the doctors I know could do such a thing! Doctors don’t do that sort of thing!”
“You aren’t aware of any rumors about a colleague who has particular tendencies?” Irene asked calmly.
Pahliss was still upset. His temper was hidden beneath a calm surface but his voice was filled with rage when he answered.
“No! Absolutely not!”
He squeezed his interlaced hands so tightly that the knuckles turned white.
Hannu said in an expressionless voice, “We’re searching for a terrifying killer. He’s going to kill again. And he’s probably in your vicinity.”
The effect on Hans Pahliss was like that of a bucket of ice-cold water. First he sat frozen, then he slowly loosened up. He crumpled up in his chair and put his hands over his face. Neither Irene nor Hannu said anything. After some time he took his hands away and looked at both officers. He was teary eyed. He said, “It’s possible that he is close to me. I just don’t know who he is. Marcus was drawn to men with, as you say, particular tendencies. He had other men as well. I guess you could say that they were more normal. But it never lasted. He was driven by his search for the. . exotic. If he stayed with someone a longer time it was always one of these special types.”
“Did you notice any signs that might point to Marcus’s being drawn to necrophilia?”
Pahliss gave a start. His terror wasn’t for show. “No! Never.”
“Would you like to tell us more precisely what preferences he had?”
“Odd men. A lot of sadomasochism. But he never discussed his sexual adventures with me and Anders. We knew him only as a very good friend.”
Anders Gunnarsson had known him as more than a friend. But according to Gunnarsson that relationship had ended after only one week. That’s what Gunnarsson had said. Irene decided to speak with the dentist one more time.
“Do you know if Marcus was ever together with a doctor?” she asked.
The virologist thought for a moment. Then he shook his head. “Not that I know of.”
As he spoke he stiffened and gazed up at a point above Irene’s head. In a strained voice, he added, “Last summer. . we were picnicking at Marstrand. We were a group of about ten people drinking wine and eating good food. I remember that Marcus got pretty drunk and started talking about a new guy he had just met. ‘He’s great. He’s my new personal physician,’ or something along those lines. Then he started laughing as if he had said something very funny.”
“He never mentioned that guy again?”
“No.”
Assurance was growing inside Irene. The doctor existed. And he was here in Göteborg.
HANS PAHLISS had gone and the feeling of the coming weekend began to descend over the offices on their floor. People had started going home; soon only the people on call would be left. A few hours of relative calm would engulf the station and then the weekend would start. Sirens would start blaring after darkness covered the city. It never got completely dark at the end of May, and the evening was warm. Teenagers who felt the end of the term drawing near would go out partying and let out a whole year’s worth of frustration. The adults, feeling “continental,” would congregate at the city’s restaurants and bars with outdoor seating. Together with the usual weekend quota of robberies and assaults, it pointed to a difficult night for the Göteborg police.
“How did it occur to you to ask Pahliss if he had been in Copenhagen?” Irene asked, curious.
Hannu shrugged his shoulders. “Just a whim. I thought about his conference in Paris. If he had been to Paris, then he could also have been to Copenhagen,” he said.
“We should try and talk with this Pontus Zander as soon as possible,” Irene thought out loud.
Hannu nodded. “I’ll look for him.”
Irene couldn’t keep from saying teasingly, “You’re not in a hurry to get home to the wife?”
Hannu’s bottomless gaze passed quickly over her face before he answered, “She’s staking out the strip club until ten tonight.”