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Gothia: Sweden. Autumn of 1987
A notorious wilderness with a macabre past. A reconstructed Viking church by a lake. And a painting, a lost masterpiece framed in runic inscriptions without an owner.
Fea...
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Conrad was the man who got me involved.
Justin looked at the two photographs Almquist had clasped in his hands. He looked into that blind eye of a camera, feeling naked and exposed and shifted his weight on the seat, trying to find a more comfortable position. Such a simple question.
'I believe, Conrad Baron was given the job. He found this place through contacts with the Swedish embassy, in Copenhagen.'
It didn't make any sense. He felt sick.
'Can you prove that?'
'Prove?' Justin looked away for a moment.
How the hell could he prove anything? Thomas was dead. 'Look, that's all I know. He told me we had a place to stay. Ask Conrad,' he repeated more loudly, eyes darting to the canvas wondering what the hell it was Thomas had been up to.
Almquist rested his notebook on top of the frames, removing his pen and scribbled a note before looking up, then flicked through his notes, taking his time. 'I need to know why you brought the painting here, to Gotfridsgaarden.' He waited.
Justin breathed deeply, looking down at his hands held together in his lap, moving his thumb around the end of the other. He looked up feeling unsure of himself as Almquist kept his look on target, pupils contracted, so pale blue... 'He set up the rental agreement.'
'It was Conrad who was responsible for setting this up?'
'Ask Conrad.'
Almquist let some of his composure break. 'So, how did that happen then? Why are you here?'
Justin took a deep breath, composing himself. 'Conrad was the organizer; he found the place, organized the trip, dates, everything. He even found Ash and Daniel to decipher the runes.' He insisted they came along...
'The runes on the painting?'
'He wanted to know more about it.'
He was obsessed about the runes, as if they were some secret code. That was why they came here, to break the code the painting, see where it lead...
'To find out more about the painting, what it was?' Almquist continued.
He nodded. Exactly.
Almquist leaned forward, voice threatening. 'You just said you came here to find Anna Kron.'
He froze.
'Now you tell me it was the painting.' The middle-aged detective got up and walked over to him, placing his mouth close to his ear. 'Which one is it?'
Justin felt his heart beating feeling nervous. 'Both.'
'Both?' He removed his hand, standing behind him out of sight. He waited.
