"You can still get the things from the grocery store, right?"Frode looked around the three men.Or couldn't they?Maybe they needed evidence to investigate.
Medlin sighed."Yes, go talk to them.See how much you can get without a warrant."
"I'll do the talking."Elmore grinned, and Frode figured it was most likely for the best.Nikolai rubbed people the wrong way.It was a gift.Frode ate another raisin.Medlin looked between the red box in his hand and his eyes.
"A word in my office, Frode."
Oops.Medlin was okay, not like Lieutenant Givens, but it didn't mean he wanted to be in his office any more than he needed to.
Medlin looked at Nikolai and Elmore."Let me know if there are any problems accessing the video feed."
Nikolai looked like he was about to protest when Medlin motioned for Frode to walk with him, but Frode hurried forward before he could.
When they were in Medlin's office, he closed the door behind them and motioned for Frode to sit.Did it mean it would be a long conversation?Fuck.
He sat and looked expectantly at Medlin.
"Do you believe you're in danger?"
"What?No."He couldn't be, right?
Medlin studied him."We don't know what he knows.Up until now, he might not be aware we're onto him, but after today, he'll most likely be."
"How?"
"We don't have any evidence but given Nesterova and Elmore can get his name and address, they'll be able to go talk to him.It's best to await the forensic report to see if we're lucky enough to be able to pin anything on him, but if it's clean, they can ask him about the rug."
Frode nodded.
"The thing is, we have nothing.We have four bodies but no prints, no DNA.He doesn't rape them, and he appears to know what he's doing when it comes to cleaning up a crime scene."
Frode didn't know where this was going, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know."Look, all I do is touch things.I'm not part of any investigations, I don't know anything.Most often I don't know what the crime is."
"Except this time, you do, and this time you're in the middle of it."
"No, I'm not."
Medlin shook his head."I only meant, since it's Nesterova's case, you have a personal link to it."
"No, I don't.Nikolai is Hjalmar's friend, not mine."
Medlin raised an eyebrow at him, and Frode made a note of how fucking annoying it was.
He should do it more often.
"You know Nesterova, your neighbor was one of the victims.You're the one who sat for the composite drawing that has given us the only lead we have so far, and you're the one who spotted him in the grocery store.You're our only link to him."
"There is no link.I have no idea who this guy is."Frode's heart was speeding up.
"I didn't mean link as in you knowing anything, but without you, we'd have nothing."
Frode shook his head, not knowing what to say.
"Do you feel safe?"Medlin gave him a hard look.
"Yes."Maybe.
"Good.Go home and should you at any point not feel safe or suspect something is wrong, let us know.You can call Nesterova if you're more comfortable reaching out to him than me."
