The Princess of Burundi - Kjell Eriksson [115]
“Someone has been here and tried to sweep away their tracks,” he said and got up again.
The sound of another explosion made him jump.
“You’d better go back now,” the fireman said. “There’s gas in there.”
Haver shot him a look.
“What can you do about that?”
“Try to cool it down,” the other one said curtly, and now all of his attention was directed at his colleagues’ efforts to contain the violent blaze.
Haver slowly walked back to the street, went over to the construction site, and placed himself behind a tall steel container. This thing can stand up to a lot of punishment, he thought and fished out his cell phone. Ryde answered right away. Haver started to explain where he was but was interrupted and informed by his colleague that he was already on his way.
Before Haver had time to put the phone back again it rang. It was Ann Lindell, and for a moment Haver felt that everything was back to normal. Ann wanted to explain why she had left Berit’s apartment so suddenly. She told him about the ham and her parents.
“Sagander’s workshop is burning,” he interrupted. “It could be arson.”
He heard her catch her breath.
“Has the boy turned up?”
He sensed what she was thinking.
“What do you think?” he asked.
“It could be coincidence,” she said slowly. Haver heard in her voice that she was on edge.
“We have to make sure he’s safe.”
Haver peeked around the corner of the container. A new explosion shook the building, but Haver didn’t think it was from the gas, because then it would have been more violent.
“It’s burning like hell.”
“Where is the workshop? Does it pose a risk to the surrounding area?” Lindell wondered.
“The wind is pretty strong,” Haver said and explained where the workshop was.
“Where do you think Justus is?” Lindell asked. “It’s getting dark now. He’s probably beside himself. I think we should take Berit’s concern seriously.”
“Sure,” Haver said.
He saw Ryde walking in the distance with a firefighter at his heels who was gesticulating and from the looks of it arguing vehemently, but Ryde gave him only a cursory glance and walked on. Haver smiled and told Lindell he had to go.
“One last question,” she said. “Have you checked out Lennart? Justus might have gone to see him.”
“Ryde’s here. See you,” Haver said and hung up.
He waved to Ryde, who looked energized.
“They talk too damned much,” he said, and Haver understood that he meant the firefighters.
“There’s gas in there,” he said.
“Did someone start it?”
Haver told him about the tracks around the fence, and before he was finished, Ryde walked around the side of the container.
“Idiot,” Haver said to himself.
He stuck his head out and saw Ryde kneeling by the hole. He took a camera out of his bag and started to work. Snow started to fall. Ryde worked quickly. Haver sympathized with his eagerness, his energy perhaps bolstered by the fear of a gas explosion.
The phone rang again, but before he managed to answer the signal cut out. He didn’t bother checking to see who had called. At that moment there was an incredible bang and Haver saw how Ryde instinctively threw himself to the ground. One end of the building collapsed completely. Haver watched in fascination as part of the roof hesitated for a moment before it started to sink as if in slow motion, sending off a shower of sparks that transformed the sky into a sparkling show.
“Jesus, Ryde!” Haver shouted as the latter crawled through the hole in the fence and ran hunched over toward the contruction site. Thank God, Haver thought, but was then struck by the thought that several of the firefighters had been close to the explosion. He saw how one of the firefighters’ cranes swung around and a powerful stream of water was directed into the gaping hole. Clouds of steam rose and shrouded the other end of the building completely for a few seconds. Then another fire truck with a sky lift pulled up and Haver saw two men in the cage.
“Amazing,” he mumbled at this display of bravery, and listened to the orders shouted over