Free Buzz: A Thriller by Anders de La Motte Page A

was that all about?” She glowered at Runeberg as her boss fiddled absentmindedly with the coffeemaker.
    “Nothing special . . .”
    “Oh, come on! You were about to start fighting in there, you and Westergren . . . So you know each other?”
    Runeberg nodded reluctantly.
    “Per and I were beat cops at the same time, a long time ago, and he was a difficult bastard even then—not very collegial, if you get what I mean?”
    She shrugged in reply.
    “So?”
    Runeberg sighed.
    “He applied to join the Security Police a few years ago and when I was asked about it I advised against his appointment. Somehow he found out and ever since then he’s been waiting for a chance to get back at me. I had a feeling he’d jump on this case. I mean, how often does a bodyguard end up in Police Complaints?”
    “So that was why you suggested coming along? To play at being my guardian?”
    He muttered something in reply.
    “I appreciate the thought, but it would have been better if you’d told me this at the start . . .”
    He nodded.
    “You’re quite right—I should have. But everyone makes mistakes, don’t they?”
    He gave her a long look that she was still trying to interpret when they were called back into the interview room.
    “We’ve outlined the case to the prosecutor . . .” Walthers began. “The usual procedure in cases like this is that we inform your boss in writing of any decisions, and then he or she would take the necessary action until the investigation is concluded.”
    Westergren butted in.
    “But now we’re in the fortunate position of having your boss here with you as a witness to the proceedings, so we can tell you both that as of now, Normén, you are officially under suspicion of misuse of office, and possibly gross misuse.”
    He grinned and nodded to Runeberg.
    “Superintendent Runeberg will inform you about what is going to happen now, but in cases where an officer is suspected of misconduct during the course of their duties, there isn’t really much choice. The new rules are crystal clear. Maybe you’d like to take it from here, Ludvig  . . . ?”
    Runeberg’s face had gone completely white. He opened his mouth as if to protest, but shut it again almost at once. Instead he took a deep breath and turned to Rebecca.
    “You’re relieved of duty as of now, Rebecca. You’ll be on full salary, but for the duration of the investigation I’m afraid I shall have to ask you to hand over your keys and pass card.”
    ♦  ♦  ♦
    They walked back to Police Headquarters together. The air was dry and cold and a few feeble snowflakes occasionallydrifted down, only to disintegrate on the black tarmac. Neither of them said much.
    Runeberg grunted a few short sentences about routine procedure in internal investigations, then some clichés about being sure everything would sort itself out. She could hardly be bothered to reply.
    When they reached the department she had to hand over her pass card and her key to the weapons store.
    She was allowed to keep her police ID.
    In other words she was still a police officer—for a bit longer.
    Small mercy.
    Runeberg looked as if there was something else troubling him, but she didn’t feel like listening. On the way out she bumped into Karolina Modin, but the other woman merely said hello quickly and avoided looking Rebecca in the eye.
    The moment the gate closed behind her, the strange, dreamlike sensation returned.
    As if nothing that was happening was . . .
    ♦  ♦  ♦
    . . . actually real.
    He’d been locked up before, admittedly back home in Sweden, but the routines ought to be roughly the same. To start with, they should have interviewed him at least a couple of times by now.
    They should have told him exactly what crimes he was suspected of, and possibly also allowed him access to some sort of legal representation. You didn’t waste precious hours letting your suspect shiver in a cell; you only had to watch a bit of CSI to know