Free Missing in Malmö: The third Inspector Anita Sundström mystery (Inspector Anita Sundström mysteries) by Torquil MacLeod Page A

fascination, despite its incongruity. The sheer glass walls captured each beam of light and threw it triumphantly over the central staircase. It was a bright and welcoming space, conducive to all activities, from both light browsing to intensive research. At the reception, she asked if she could speak to the librarian who had phoned the police about the missing person mentioned on the local news last night. The young man on the desk knew immediately who Anita was referring to. No doubt it had been a topic of conversation over the water cooler that morning.
    ‘That’ll be Paula. Paula Wennås. You’ll find her up the stairs there,’ he said, pointing up to the glass box. ‘Reddy brown hair, shaved on one side,’ he added for identification.
    Anita thanked him and made her way up the flight of stairs. At the top were rows of book shelves. Beyond was a structure which reminded her of man-sized pigeonholes on three levels. Each carrel must have housed a thousand books and had an individual work area. Because of the transparency of the wall beyond, it seemed as though those studying were suspended in mid-air. Anita spotted Wennås pushing a trolley past one of the bookcases on the main floor. The librarian stopped and put a couple of books back onto a shelf.
    ‘Paula Wennås?’
    The young woman turned. She had a pretty, round face and a lovely smile. ‘Yes.’
    ‘Anita Sundström. I’m here about the call you made to the police this morning.’
    Wennås automatically picked up a book off the trolley and held it aloft, halfway to the shelf. ‘The man you were looking for. I recognized him from the television. I remembered him because we don’t get many British visitors.’ She slotted the book into its place. ‘It was a good excuse to speak some English.’
    ‘When did Graeme Todd come in?’
    Wennås trundled the trolley along to the next bookcase. Anita followed her.
    ‘It was last Tuesday. Yes... a week ago today.’
    ‘Time?’
    Wennås smiled. ‘A bit before half eleven. I remember because it was just before I went for a coffee break.’
    ‘As you talked to him, I assume that he was after something specific.’
    ‘Maps.’
    ‘Maps?’
    She fished another book off her trolley. ‘Local maps.’
    ‘Anywhere in particular?’
    ‘Well, Skåne.’
    ‘Do you know where in Skåne? It could be really important.’ Anita was feeling that at last this could give her a clue as to where Todd had intended going.
    Wennås adopted an apologetic expression. ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t find any maps for him. All I did was point him in the direction of the section where he could find them.’
    Anita inwardly groaned.
    ‘Nothing.’
    ‘Snap,’ said Anita in reply to Hakim.
    ‘The man at the Malmöhus shop said he bought a couple of postcards. He thought it was about four o’clock, so we have no idea how long he was in there. I could look at the CCTV footage if you want.’
    ‘Not at the moment. He was probably doing some sightseeing while he was here. Filling in time.’
    ‘What about the library?’ Hakim asked.
    ‘He was after maps of Skåne. Trouble is, we don’t know any locations as the librarian only sent him off to the relevant section.’
    ‘At least it shows that he was probably leaving Malmö on the Wednesday.’ Hakim fiddled with his computer keyboard thoughtfully. ‘He must have been looking for detailed maps. Ordinary maps he could pick up at the tourist information or a bookshop. It sounds as though he might have been looking for a specific building or house.’
    ‘Why not use Google Earth then?’
    ‘Maybe he hadn’t got a name to work with. I don’t know. But he’s out there somewhere.’
    ‘But where?’ Anita went to the window. The drizzle had now morphed into heavy rain. The leaves on the trees over on Kungsgatan were changing colour. Winter was on its way.
    Then she turned decisively. ‘Back to the train and bus stations.’ Hakim gave a mock groan. ‘We know he left the hotel after