Hakan Nesser [Inspector Van Veeteren 01] Mind's Eye (pdf)

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A good friend of mine. We d planned a fishing trip for that
Sunday. He rang about some detail or other.
What, precisely?
I can t really remember. What time we should leave, I
think.
No other telephone calls?
No.
Or visits?
No.
As far as you can remember?
Ferrati smiled.
Yes. As far as I can remember.
Okay, so you sat out on the balcony until about . . . half
past five, is that right?
Roughly.
How much did you drink?
I don t know. A bottle, perhaps.
Each?
No, between us.
Not more?
Well, possibly.
And then? Please go on.
We went indoors and finished preparing the casserole.
Then we had a shower.
Separately, or . . . ?
No, together.
Go on!
7 3
We watched television for a while.
What program?
The news, and then a film.
What was the film?
I don t remember. French, from the sixties, I think. We
switched it off.
And then?
We went to the kitchen and started eating.
What time was it by now?
I don t know. Presumably about half past eight . . . nine
o clock . . . something like that.
Why are you guessing that time?
The police showed me the TV program for that evening.
A French film started at eight o clock.
But you don t remember yourself ?
No.
Thank you. Let s assume that it s correct even so. You and
your wife are sitting in the kitchen, eating, round about nine
o clock. What happens next?
I don t know.
You don t know?
No. I have no memory of what happens after that.
You remember nothing more from the whole evening?
No.
But you have told the police that you had sexual inter-
course with your wife as well . . .
Yes.
Is that correct?
Yes, but it was the same time.
What do you mean?
It was at the same time as we were eating dinner.
You had intercourse while you were eating dinner?
Somebody sighed in the gallery. Ferrati turned his head.
m i n d s e y e
Yes. More or less the same time.
More muttering, and Havel picked up his gavel. But this
time he didn t even need to raise it. It was clear that he had the
situation under control.
What else do you remember from that evening? Ferrati
asked.
Nothing, as I ve already said.
Nothing?
No.
You don t remember getting undressed and going to bed?
Or that your wife took a bath?
No. Would you kindly refrain from asking the same ques-
tion over and over again!
Now, let s get this straight, Mr. Mitter: you are accused of
murder. I think it s in your best interests for us to be a bit more
precise. Just one more thing, before we move on to the next
morning. How much did you drink during the course of the
evening?
I don t know. Six or seven bottles, perhaps. Between us,
that is.
Wine?
Yes.
But surely you hadn t managed to get through six bottles
of wine when you were having your, er, intercourse dinner?
Somebody giggled, and R�ger protested.
Overruled! Havel roared. Answer the question!
No. . . . I don t think so.
So I can draw the conclusion that you didn t go to bed at
about nine o clock?
Yes, I suppose so.
In any case, you must have been pretty drunk or what
do you think, Mr. Mitter?
Yes.
7 5
I can t hear you! Havel bellowed.
Yes, I was drunk.
Were you also drunk when you slapped your former wife
a couple of times?
Why are you asking that?
Surely you must understand why? said Ferrati with a
smile.
Objection! shouted R�ger, but it was in vain.
Yes, I was drunk then as well, admitted Mitter. Being
drunk is not a crime, I hope.
Certainly not, said Ferrati amiably. And your wife, Eva
Ringmar that is, was she also drunk?
Yes.
Was it usual for you to drink such amounts, Mr. Mitter?
Your wife had a blood alcohol count of over three hundred.
It happened.
Is it true to say that your wife had a drinking problem?
Objection! shouted R�ger once more.
Rephrase the question, please! said Havel.
Has your wife received clinical treatment for an alcohol
problem? asked Ferrati.
Yes. That was six years ago. She received treatment at her
own request. It was in connection with some very tragic inci-
dents. . . . I think . . .
Thank you, that will do. We know the details. What is
your next memory?
Excuse me?
What s the next thing you remember after the casserole
and the sexual intercourse?
Waking up.
What time?
Twenty minutes past eight. The next morning.
Tell me what you did!
m i n d s e y e
I got up . . . and found Eva in the bathroom.
What about the state of the door the bathroom door,
that is?
It was locked. I opened it with a screwdriver.
Was it difficult to open?
No, not at all.
So you opened the locked door from the outside, no prob-
lem. Would you have been able to lock it from the outside
as well?
Objection! My learned friend is forcing my cli
Overruled! Answer the question!
I . . . I suppose so.
You could have drowned your wife in the bathtub and
then locked the door from the outside, is that right?
R�ger started to stand up, but Havel raised a warning
finger.
Will the accused please answer the attorney s question!
Mitter moistened his lips. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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