Firewall - By Henning Mankell & Ebba Segerberg Page 0,144

these past couple of nights. I don't know what he's been up to, but I know it has to do with those damned computers of his. Today when I woke around 6 a.m. he was still at it. He can't have slept at all. I knocked on his door and asked if he wanted a cup of coffee. He said yes. He came down after about half an hour, but didn't say anything. He seemed completely bound up in his thoughts."

"Was that typical of him?"

"Yes, it didn't surprise me. I could see in his face that he hadn't slept."

"Did he say anything about what he was doing?"

"No, he didn't. It wouldn't have done any good. I'm an old man and I don't understand the first things about computers."

"And then what happened?"

"He drank the coffee, had a glass of water and went back upstairs."

"I didn't think he drank coffee," Martinsson said. "I thought he was very particular about his diet."

"Coffee is the big exception. But you're right. He's vegan, he says."

Wallander wasn't sure what the parameters for a vegan were. Linda had tried to explain it all to him once and had mentioned things such as environmental consciousness, buckwheat and bean sprouts. But it was beside the point now. He pressed on.

"So Robert goes back to his bedroom. What time was that?"

"About 6.45 a.m."

"Were there any telephone calls this morning?"

"He has a mobile. I can't hear it."

"So what happened then?"

"At 8 a.m. I went upstairs with breakfast for my wife. When I walked past his door I didn't hear anything. I actually stopped and tried to hear if he might have gone to bed."

"Do you think he had?"

"It was quiet and I think he was lying in bed. But I don't think he was sleeping. It seemed to me that he was thinking."

Wallander wrinkled his nose. "How could you know that?"

"I can't, of course. But I don't think it's so hard to tell if a person behind a closed door is thinking with great concentration. Don't you think you can sense it?"

Martinsson nodded in an understanding manner that irritated Wallander. The hell you would be able to tell if I had the door closed and was thinking hard, he thought to himself.

"Let's move on. You gave your wife breakfast in bed."

"Not in bed, actually. She has a little table in the bedroom. She's often unsettled in the morning and needs a bit of time to herself."

"And then?"

"I went back to the kitchen to wash the dishes and feed the cats. And the chickens out back. We have a couple of ducks as well. Then I went to the letter box and got the paper. I had some more coffee and read the paper."

"And all this time you didn't hear anything from upstairs?"

"No. It was after this that it happened."

Axel Modin got up and walked over to the door. He pushed it closer, then came back to the table.

"I heard Robert's door open with a bang. He came down the stairs at an incredible speed. I only had time to stand up before he reached the kitchen. He looked completely in shock, as if I was a ghost. Before I had time to say anything he ran into the hall and locked the front door. Then he came back and asked me if I had seen anyone. He screamed it at me."

"That was what he said? 'Have you seen anyone?'"

"Right. He was beside himself. I asked him what was the matter, of course. But he didn't listen. He was looking out of the window, here in the kitchen and then in the living room. My wife started shouting from upstairs. She was frightened by the noise. It was pretty hectic in here for a few minutes, I can tell you."

"What happened next?"

"When he came back to the kitchen he had my shotgun and he ordered me to get the cartridges for it. That scared me and I asked him again what had happened, but he wouldn't say. He just wanted the cartridges. But I didn't give him any."

"Then what happened?"

"He threw the shotgun on the sofa in there and grabbed the car keys. I tried to stop him, but he pushed me aside and ran out."

"What time was it?"

"I don't know. My wife was at the head of the stairs screaming and I had to take care of her. But it would have been about 8.45 a.m."

Wallander looked at the time. He had sent his e-mail asking for help and then he