Pushing the old-fashioned lift door outwards Twinkle walked past reception heading for the entrance. He couldn’t stomach breakfast and was in no mood to mix with other people just yet, especially strangers. A solitary walk around Stockholm’s old town was as sociable as he felt right now.
“Mr Starr, Mr Starr good morning,”
Twinkle turned, searching the lobby for whoever was calling his name. Holding out his hand to shake, Chief Inspector Hillerström was striding across to greet him.
“Good morning Chief Inspector I… You’re early,” Twinkle couldn’t hide his disappointment at seeing the Chief Inspector so early and just as importantly having any time to himself stolen. Apart from sitting in the interview room at the police station he hadn’t been on his own to think since discovering Matts body, he would have liked to have had the time to himself and let the events from the night before sink in.
“I’m sorry to disturb you but I have some questions I need answered.”
“Of course,”
“Shall we have coffee in the bar?” Hillerström asked, holding out his arm in the direction of the bar.
“No.” Twinkle replied firmly. “I was on my way out for a walk; I would still like to go. Can’t we talk while we walk?” Twinkle had had his moment of solitude disturbed but was not ready to give up on all his plans.
“Good idea it’s a beautiful day, still cold but clear blue skies.” The Chief Inspectors outstretched arm moved in direction toward the entrance. “Shall we?”
As they left the hotel Chief Inspector Hillerström turned and looked back up at the front of the hotel.
“The Grand Hotel Stockholm, I love this hotel the views across the water to the Royal Palace and Parliament.”
“I love the place too. I try and stay here whenever I come to Stockholm.” The Chief Inspector appeared genuinely fond of the hotel, as was Twinkle. On his first visit to Stockholm it was where he’d stayed, he had many fond memories, long nights drinking in the bar, mostly with Matts.
“All the Nobel prize winners stay here, heads of state, film stars, Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Hitchcock, all stayed here. Paul Newman made a film here at the Hotel.” The Chief Inspector walking sideways was still looking back at the Grand, apparently absorbed. “The name of the film escapes me for the moment.”
“‘The Prize’ I think it was called, I remember seeing it when I was younger, he played an alcoholic writer here to collect his Nobel prize for literature. From what I remember he ended up getting involved in some Russian plot to kidnap a scientist. My first view of Stockholm, bloody good film too.” Twinkle said, relaxing a little.
They crossed the busy road outside the Hotel and walked slowly past the Opera house heading up the hill to the old town.
“Matts Haggloff was killed by at least one, possibly two professional hit men, certainly two guns.”
It took Twinkle two or three steps to realise what he had just heard. Last night had not gone away.
“Sorry…. What killed him?” He said, turning on his heel to face the Chief Inspector.
“He was shot six times in the chest, and once in the head, using a different gun.” Hillerström said staring impassively at Twinkle as if waiting for a reaction.
“Why?” He took a moment or two before going on. “What is the fucking point in shooting him seven times?” It didn’t make any sense to him, none of it did.
“It is an old-style Mafia killing, a way of letting anyone involved, including the Police, know that it was a professional hit, a sought of warning. Years ago at the height of the Mafia’s reign in New York, if they wanted someone ‘Hit’ they used two guns. The reasoning behind it being that you had to prove which bullet, from which gun, actually killed the victim. Irrelevant today, but sadly still used in some cases.”
“Are you telling me you think this is something to do with the Mafia?” This was becoming more incredible to Twinkle all the time.
“No we suspect it was a Russian gang, they seem to have this affection for the way the Mafia did things. Also, we found a quantity of Roubles in the car, how do you say… like a calling card?” The Chief Inspectors tone remained impassive and unmoving.
Twinkle shrugged his shoulders.
“Oh well, that’s all right then, as long as it’s not the Mafia!” He shrugged his shoulders, “Look I give up. What do you want me to say, I’m an investment banker, I have no idea what is going on, I am having real trouble taking any of this in. The Matts I knew loved his wife and kids, was a bit of lad, but this is not his life, he didn’t need to be involved in any of this. They must have got the wrong man.”
“Mr Starr, if there is anything that you can think of that may put Matts Hagglöff in the same arena as these men, you need to let us know.” He paused before adding “This could be as much for your own safety as anyone else’s.”
“Oh no, no, no, no, don’t be saying things like that, now you are scaring me. But all that means is a few minutes ago I was a close friend of the victim who knew nothing about what’s happened here, now I am a terrified friend of the victim who still knows nothing about what has happened here. I still cannot except that this was anything other than a case of mistaken identity, I’m sorry, I wish I could help, I really do. But if you genuinely think I am in danger then I would like to return to London as soon as possible.” He hadn’t really given it much thought about being in danger, he hadn’t really had time to give it much thought, however the Chief Inspector could be right, even if it did just sound like scare tactics to see if Twinkle was hiding something. What if the gunman had been watching him in the street last night; or may have thought he had seen something? Quite simply he had no idea how a professional hit man’s mind worked, but Chief Inspector Hillerstrom had said enough to scare him.
“I would like you to stay at least a few more days, in case we have something further to ask you. I know no more than you do about whether you are in any danger, but I would assume if whoever did this had a problem with you, you would be no safer in London than here. But if you do have any immediate concerns for your safety, you have my card”.
“Oh thanks, very reassuring Chief Inspector,” Twinkle said ridiculing the offer of protection. Ignoring Twinkles comment the chief inspector went on.
“Do you know anything about Mr Haggloffs clients, who they were, or what type of client they would be?”
“Well, in London they would all be like myself, other traders from the market, probably all working for the big investment banks or hedge funds, as for any clients elsewhere, you’d better ask his office.”
“I will, we are in the process now of going through his office, files, computers, and so on. I just wondered if you knew or had met any of his other clients.”
“Actually, I have, a few weeks ago I..,” Twinkle stopped himself, almost tripping over his own words. Vladimir Ershov, a sick feeling rose again in his stomach, until now Twinkle still couldn’t see that Vlad was involved, he just couldn’t take Vlad seriously enough to be involved with Matts murder. Now he wasn’t so sure having heard Hillerströms stories of the Russian gangs and the Roubles. That aside, something to do with this or not, Vlad had offered him a deal to launder money over dinner, and that’s not a conversation or connection he wanted to discuss with a policeman.
“Mr Starr?” The Chief Inspector picked up on Twinkles hesitation.
“Yeah, yeah a couple of weeks ago, I had dinner in London with Matts and a couple of his other clients, it’s normal to get a few of the boys from London together, we’re all mates after all, well most of us anyway.” Twinkle said, managing to gather himself.
“Argh right.” Hillerström did not sound convinced by the answer, but let it go anyway.
“Did he seem ok to you?”
“Yes, Yeah, he seemed fine.” Matts had seemed anything but ok, but Twinkle had not had a chance to delve deeper given the way dinner had ended. Something was telling Twinkle not to open up just yet to the Chief Inspector.
“I spoke to him regularly on the phone since, seemed ok.”
“Right, he was fine then…” The Chief Inspector left his question hanging in the air as if expecting Twinkle to elaborate. All he got was an uncomfortable silence.
“Oh well. Let me leave you in peace to enjoy the rest of your walk, remember if you think of anything else or you have any further concerns for your safety, please call.”
The Chief Inspector turned and without looking around raised his hand as a goodbye, walking back down the hill toward the Opera house, before disappearing.”
Twinkle cut his walk short. At first bravado had led him on, he’d been determined to carry on around the old town, but the Chief Inspectors comments had got him more than a little rattled and in view of what he’d seen the night before he decided to head straight back to what he considered the safety of The Grand Hotel.
Back at the Grand Hotel Twinkle had barely got through the entrance to the Hotel when Jonas, Matts’ Junior trader, already waiting in the lobby was grabbing at Twinkles arm. He looked petrified.
“I’ve been trying to get hold of you, where have you been? Have you heard what’s happened to Matts? He’s dead, he’s been murdered!”
“Jonas just calm down, what are you doing here?” He asked pulling his arm free.
“I was in the office when I found out about Matts this morning. I’ve been trying to call you, but I can’t get through on your mobile.” Jonas couldn’t stand still, his hands were in and out of his pockets, holding his head, or pushing his hair back off his face. In comparison to Jonas Twinkle felt almost at ease. Matts death and the circumstances would come as a big shock to everyone, but Jonas was young and had been close to Matts, he’d obviously taken it very badly.
“I’ve had my phone turned off; I haven’t even spoken to my office yet, haven’t really been in the mood to talk to anyone. I was with the police when they found him last night. Look you need to try and calm down Jonas, we all do. Let’s go and grab a drink at the bar see if that will help.” Twinkle led him through reception and found an empty table at the far end of the room away from the few people already in the bar. He caught the barman’s attention and ordered a couple of brandies and coffee, Jonas was still fidgeting pushing an empty bowl around the table.
“How was he when you found him?” Jonas asked after the drinks arrived.
“Pretty grim, not something I want to see again. He’d been shot seven times, seven fucking times, can you believe that?” It still angered Twinkle, not just Matts death, he was no expert on the best way to kill someone, but to shoot him seven times just seemed so unnecessary, if that was possible when murdering somebody.
“I just can’t believe it, what was he messed up in to get killed like that, it doesn’t make any sense. It must have been some pretty big shit.” Jonas said shaking his head now looking much calmer. This surprised Twinkle. Jonas had already appeared to assume that something was going on, no chance of mistaken identity, bungled robbery, or anything like benefit of the doubt then.
“Were you aware of anything he was up to or could have been involved in? After all you too were like peas in a pod.” Twinkle asked trying to dig a little deeper.
“No idea, just up to the normal stuff. Whatever he was up to he didn’t let on.” Jonas looked away anxiously. “Do you think I need to be worried, am I in danger too?”
“If you weren’t involved with whatever you think he was up to I wouldn’t have thought so. Have you discussed any of this with the police?”
“No, they were going through his things in the office when I left, but they hadn’t started interviewing anyone yet.” Jonas eased back in his seat now looking much calmer, probably the brandy Twinkle thought, but now he seemed a different person from the Jonas who had just jumped all over him in reception.
“Can I ask you Jonas; and I haven’t had this conversation with the police, but could Vladimir Ershov have anything to do with this?” That seemed to hit a chord, Jonas sat up a little and shifting in his seat.
“No chance he’s just another client, albeit a very big one.” Jonas dismissed this almost immediately.
“Jonas, I think you were passed out in the limo by this time, but at dinner in London he offered me a deal to launder money, not something most normal clients do, not even big ones, especially when they haven’t even met you before.” Jonas looked a little embarrassed at this obvious dig, but tried to ignore it.
“That’s nothing, that’s just petty cash. None of us took it very seriously. Matts came up with that idea just to try and impress Vlad, that’s what the Russians like to see, make him think Matts was a real player, hopefully get some serious business, legitimate business. Just a bit of a game really, nobody took a lot of money out of it. Look I know Vlad is above board.”
It was what Twinkle wanted to hear but he still felt a little uneasy and Jonas suddenly seemed to be on top form, almost forgetting the reason for needing a large brandy at eleven o’clock in the morning. Here’s to absent friends Twinkle thought as he finished off his drink. Without asking Jonas ordered another couple of brandies.
“Did the police have any idea who could be involved, or who they were looking for when they questioned you?” Twinkle was taken back a little by Jonas’s question, it seemed a little odd, when Jonas grabbed him in reception he’d apparently been unaware Twinkle even knew about the Murder, let alone that he’d discovered the body. Twinkle certainly hadn’t mentioned being questioned by the police.
“How did you know I’d been questioned by the police?” Twinkle asked trying unsuccessfully to hide his surprise, it could be he put two and two together but Twinkle sensed there was something more. Jonas looked startled, again moving uncomfortably in his seat he turned to look out the window before turning back to answer.
“I saw you with Chief Inspector Hillerström, outside Café Opera, I was on my way here to tell you what had happened when I saw you both talking, I recognised him from when they were going through Matts things in the office, he introduced himself to us.” The alarm bells were ringing loud and clear for Twinkle now. If Jonas had just said he put two and two together ‘you discovered the body and the chances are the police would have questioned you’, then Twinkle would have thought nothing more, but if Jonas saw him talking to the Chief Inspector, why all the big song and dance in reception about whether he’d heard about Matts, it would have been obvious why Twinkle and the Chief Inspector were talking together. Twinkle decided not to pick him up on it he’d keep that in his back pocket until later when hopefully things became clearer. It could just be Jonas was still in a bit of a state and not thinking properly, but Twinkle wasn’t so sure.
“I should be getting back to the office in case the police want to talk to me, I don’t want them thinking I’ve gone into hiding,” Jonas joked. “Thanks for the drink and the chat, it’s been a great help I needed someone to calm me down. Are you around later? Maybe we can have dinner or a drink?”
“I’m not sure what my plans are, if I can I’d like to get back to London, but that depends on what plans the police have for me. I’ll call you if I’m around.”
“Ok sure. Thanks again.” Jonas shook Twinkles hand firmly with both his hands and left.
Twinkle sat back down and looked out of the window across the promenade watching as Jonas crossed the road toward Café Opera. There was something about Jonas’s demeanour when he left he looked quite pleased with himself, reassured almost. Could it be he just wanted to check some background before he spoke to the police, or was Twinkle reading too much into it all? Who knows, Twinkle gave himself a wry smile, yesterday he was an investment banker, today he’s a detective.
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