Snow Angels

“Are you up to talking about the case?”

“Yeah.”

“Tell me what you know and where you think the case is headed.”

“The last time we talked, I told you that when we found the third man, the one who shed the tears on Sufia’s face, he would lead to someone else and we’d solve the murder. The boy, Heikki, committed suicide, and a DNA test proved the tears were his. He co

“Let’s hear them.”

“At first, I thought it most likely that Heli and Heikki did it together. She stood to lose a lot if Seppo left her for Sufia, and she also had a revenge motive. Heikki was young, malleable, impressionable. She could have used sex and his religious beliefs to coerce him. But then I thought Heikki and Seppo acting together was a more elegant solution with fewer working parts. I asked Heli if Seppo is bisexual. She didn’t deny it. A homosexual relationship would give Heikki a simple jealousy motive.”

“Since Heli is dead now,” he says, “that pretty much just leaves Seppo.”

“Wait. That doesn’t explain the Elizabeth Short copycat aspect of the murder and how Heikki knew about Sufia’s genital mutilation.” I explain the common features of the two murders. “If Heikki was involved with Sufia and Seppo in a sex triangle, Heikki would have been aware of it. In this instance, Heikki might have acted alone out of jealousy, or he and Seppo might have killed her together, most likely because Sufia tried to blackmail Seppo, since she was known to have attempted it in the past under similar circumstances. Maybe that’s what happened. Heli found out about it and forced Seppo to marry her by threatening to tell me the truth about Sufia’s murder. That would provide Seppo with a motive for killing Heli.”

“But the way he did it, with the tire from his own car, would be an act of complete idiocy. If he killed his wife, he’s made himself the main suspect.”

“He’s not the brightest bulb, but yeah, the stupidity involved makes me question his guilt.”

“You said four theories. That’s three.”

“Sufia’s relationship with Peter Eklund is the piece of the puzzle still unaccounted for. She performed oral sex on both Seppo and Peter earlier in the day of her murder, had traces of semen from both of them in her mouth. Peter and Seppo knew each other in Helsinki, maybe they both like young boys. If they both had sex with Sufia, maybe they also shared Heikki. It’s ugly, but it’s a possibility.”

The chief mulls it over. “What do you think now that Heli is dead?”

“I haven’t had a chance to think about it.”

“Think about it.”

“Honestly, my gut feeling was that Heli and Heikki did it, but now I just don’t know anymore.”

He barks it out, surprises me. “Don’t recuse yourself.”

“Jyri, that’s ridiculous. I may have been the last one to see her alive. It makes me a possible suspect.”

“Did you kill her?”

“Of course not.”

“Then you weren’t the last one to see her alive. Have you seen the papers or watched TV today?”

I’ve been avoiding them. “Not for a couple days. I haven’t had time.”

“You’re all over the news, national and international. They’re flashing pictures of Sufia Elmi, talking about how the handling of the Fi

Now I see why Jyri is the national chief of police. He understands politics. I knew the media might make me look bad, maybe incompetent, but I didn’t expect them to crucify me. “What should I do?”

“Finish the case and solve it.”

“My friend’s son and my ex-wife are dead. I’m too emotionally involved and I feel like I’ve lost my judgment and perspective. I’ve done my best, but I’ve had about all I can take. You were right in the begi

“But you did take it. In for a dime, in for a dollar, they say.”

“Let someone who’s better equipped take over.”

“If you give up the case after already being demonized in the press for malfeasance, you might end up getting prosecuted for your ex-wife’s murder. My willingness to let you continue the investigation will demonstrate official belief in you. If you solve the case, you save yourself.”

“I didn’t do it, so they can’t prove it. They can write what they want.”

“You can’t be that naive.”

“I guess I am.”

He yells into the phone, hurts my ear. “Fuck you! Do you have any idea how much fucking flack I’m taking over this goddamned murder? I’m trying to help you and you won’t let me. When you took this case, against my better judgment, I told you it was on your head. Now I want you to pull yourself together and do your goddamned job.”

I don’t know what to do. I try to think.

He lowers his voice. “It’s three days before Christmas. It would be hard as hell for me to get a homicide team up there, and even if I could, it would take a couple days for you to get them up to speed. You know the statistics. Every minute that goes by lessens our chance of solving this murder. The case will lose momentum, it might even slip through our fingers and go unsolved. Are you willing to let that happen?”

He’s pushing my buttons, trying to manipulate me, but what he said is true and I’m not willing to let it happen. “No.”

“I realize this is hard for you, but when you told me you wanted this case, you mentioned your career. You solve the murders, both of Sufia Elmi and your ex-wife, and I’ll show my gratitude. You can have the job of your choice.”

I think about how unhappy Kate is in Kittilä. “Tell me how you think I should continue.”

“It’s obvious. Everybody else in this case is dead. Seppo Niemi is in custody. Arrest the Eklund boy too. Charge them both with conspiracy to murder. Neither one of them is tough enough to face double-homicide charges. One of them will talk.”

“What about Eklund’s father?”

“He and I play golf together. I’ll deal with him, and I’ll get the arrest warrant for you and smooth things over.”

He’s right about everything. “Jyri, I want to thank you for your faith in me and the support you’ve given me.”

“Thank me by solving the case.” He hangs up.

Kate listened to my end of the conversation and understood enough to get the idea. She shakes her head like I’m a child she can’t reason with. “It’s almost Christmas,” she says. “Stay here with me where it’s warm and safe.”

I shake my head no.

“You’re making a mistake.”

“It’s what I’ve got to do.”

“I didn’t tell you because you were already so upset. I saw a report on BBC World about the murder. They’re making you out to be a corrupt policeman abusing his authority. They raised the question of whether you’re really a hero decorated for bravery, or a cop that got away with murder once before. You’re risking everything.”

“He offered me any job I want if I do this. You wanted to get away from Kittilä, I’m doing it for you too.”

“Don’t do it for me, I don’t want you to.”

“I have to.”

Kate turns her back on me. Her voice radiates anger and disappointment. “This will end badly,” she says.