Hidden in Snow (The ?re Murders, #1)(30)

The large whiteboard almost blends in with the background.

Daniel is seated at one end of the table, with Anton and Raffe beside him. They have just linked up with ?stersund, where several other officers are participating via Zoom.

Chief Inspector Birgitta Grip, head of the Serious Crimes Unit and Daniel’s boss, appears onscreen to open the meeting. She is due to retire in a couple of years, but her commitment is undiminished. She was responsible for Daniel’s appointment. They had gotten to know each other in Gothenburg when he worked for what was then known as the narcotics squad, led by Grip. Eventually she moved north to ?stersund, where she grew up. Five years later, when Daniel wanted to get away from Gothenburg, she had brought him onto her team.

She listens attentively as Daniel summarizes the situation.

Missing People has not found Amanda, nor anything that might explain her disappearance. There is nothing to indicate violence or a scuffle near the rest stop where her scarf was found, and no evidence of a traffic collision.

Amanda’s boyfriend, Viktor, had little to contribute.

“The scarf in the rest stop is the last clue we have to go on,” he concludes. “Therefore the most likely scenario is that she either got into a car voluntarily, or was dragged into it against her will.”

He mentions the caller who spotted a stationary vehicle on the E14; unfortunately this person couldn’t recall either the make or the registration number, merely that the car was large and dark, possibly a black SUV.

“Why wouldn’t Amanda contact her mom or dad if she’d gone with someone voluntarily?” Raffe asks.

“Maybe she was mad at her parents and wanted to punish them,” Anton replies. “It wouldn’t be the first time.”

The fact that Amanda’s phone hasn’t been used since she went missing is a concern. Research shows that most teenagers access their phone roughly every five minutes.

Maybe she’s lost it? But you can always borrow someone else’s phone.

Every hypothesis leads to fresh, unanswered questions.

Daniel suppresses a yawn; he really needs to go home, get some sleep.

Birgitta Grip clears her throat. Her gray hair is cut in a practical style that underlines her no-nonsense approach.

“Is there anything to suggest abduction?” she says.

“Possibly with a financial motive?”

Daniel shakes his head. There has been no ransom demand, plus that kind of kidnapping is extremely rare in Sweden. The idea that someone is holding Amanda captive in order to extort money from Harald and Lena Halvorssen seems very far-fetched.

“The parents aren’t especially well off,” he replies.

“Admittedly the father is the chair of the local council, but I think his capital is more political than financial. As far as I know, they have no other significant resources, and no one has asked for money.”

“What about political motives?” Grip wonders.

“A lot of people were furious about the council’s handling of the world championship last winter,” Anton concedes. “However, I find it difficult to imagine that someone would exact revenge by abducting Halvorssen’s daughter almost a year later.” He scratches the back of his neck beneath his dark-blue T-shirt, showing off his well-defined muscles. He is short but very toned; fitness is one of his main interests, alongside music.

“Okay, we’ll leave that for the moment.” Grip makes a note on her pad, then continues: “If the girl went voluntarily, then it’s likely that she knew the driver. Let’s focus on that.

Start with her circle of friends and those who were at the party, see if there’s anyone she hangs out with who has a record of violence or any other criminal act. Check out the school, find out if she has a part-time job. Begin with the basics.”

Daniel nods. Time to get down to business. The search for a missing eighteen-year-old girl has turned into a criminal investigation.

“Assuming she was picked up by a car—are there cameras on that road?” Grip asks. If they’d been in England or Switzerland, there would have been cameras everywhere.

In Sweden only speed cameras are used. The chances of a kidnapper driving fast enough to risk being snapped are minimal, but of course they ought to check it out.

“We’ll contact Kiruna,” Daniel assures his boss. The unit that issues fines to speeding drivers is based in Kiruna.

Daniel signals to Anton, who nods and rubs his forehead. He seems hot even though he is wearing a T-shirt, his normal attire whatever the season.

“I’ll check with the gas stations too,” Raffe offers. “Most of them have CCTV. It’s worth finding out if anyone in Amanda’s circle of acquaintances has been caught on camera.”

Grip agrees.

Daniel wonders how they are going to get everything done. There’s no shortage of tasks, but their resources are limited. Even with Anton and Raffe, they are badly understaffed. Right now there are three unfilled posts in the Serious Crimes Unit in ?stersund, and the staffing situation is equally dire in ?re. The fact that they have lost several experienced investigators in recent years because of the heavily criticized reorganization of the police service in 2015

doesn’t exactly help matters.

His gaze falls on the clock on the wall. It is five to two.

Amanda has been missing for approximately thirty-six hours.

Frustration makes him clench his fists under the table.