Lifetime by Liza Marklund Page A

there?’
    ‘Roger.’
    ‘Mariana von Berlitz and Carl Wennergren?’
    ‘Absolutely.’
    ‘Is Mariana a born-again Christian?’
    ‘When it suits her. How did you know that?’
    ‘She has a “Jesus Lives” bumper sticker. And then there’s a girl from Katrineholm called Hannah Persson.’
    ‘That’s correct.’
    ‘What’s she doing here?’
    Anne Snapphane took a deep breath. When she spoke again her voice contained at least a modicum of life, as if it was invigorating to talk about something humdrum.
    ‘She’s the secretary of the Katrineholm NP, the neo-Nazis. She was on the panel of the final show along with two anarchists, and they really kicked up a fuss. The anarchists attacked Michelle and this girl and left the Nazi with a bloody nose. Me and one of the sound technicians had to break up the fight. My chin got scratched.’
    ‘Why did she stay on after you wrapped?’
    ‘Free booze. No one had the energy to get rid of her. Anyone else?’
    ‘Barbara Hanson?’
    ‘That bitch? Sure, she was here to sneer at Michelle, as usual. She got stinking drunk, of course, and passed out before midnight.’
    ‘What about Karin Bellhorn?’
    ‘I just talked to her. She’s in the room across the hall.’
    ‘Anyone by the name of Sebastian Follin?’
    ‘That would be Michelle’s manager, the guy who takes care of all her contracts, public relations, and appearances and stuff. They had some kind of falling-out last night.’
    ‘Bambi Rosenberg, the babe from the soaps?’
    ‘Bambi the bimbo? Yeah, she’s Michelle’s best friend. She was on the next-to-last show and she stayed for the wrap party. Michelle definitely needed to have a good friend around, that’s for sure . . .’
    ‘What about Stefan Axelsson, the technical director?’
    ‘He took care of the whole shebang from the bus all day long. A very talented technical director, but a real sourpuss; he complained non-stop about everything and everybody. He’s here.’
    ‘And then there’s you and some technical wiz in charge of the bus.’
    ‘That’s right – Gunnar Antonsson. He loves that bus more than his life.’
    ‘Do you think they’ll talk to me?’
    Anne Snapphane managed to laugh.
    ‘That depends on which one you approach,’ she said. ‘Sebastian definitely will. Steffe? No way. Michelle herself would have spat in your face. She detested Kvällspressen after all the garbage you guys wrote about her, claimed she was being persecuted. And you know what? I almost agree with her.’
    ‘Come on,’ Annika countered, ‘she could take it. Being in the public eye like that. So who is the twelfth person?’
    Annika noticed that Anne was referring to Michelle as though the murder victim could still express her views, which gave her pause.
    ‘He’s left already.’
    ‘How could that be possible? The police have roped off the entire island.’
    ‘He left real early, before Michelle’s body was found.’
    ‘Who? Who is this person?’
    Anne inhaled so sharply that she made a whistling sound.
    ‘Well, I guess it can’t stay a secret for ever.’
    ‘What are you talking about?’
    ‘No one was supposed to know until the show was aired. We recorded his stuff in the music room in the Castle, so the other guests never saw him. It’s John Essex.’
    Annika couldn’t help but gasp.
    ‘Are you for real? Is that on the level?’
    ‘It most certainly is. He’s so hot, we were drooling.’
    ‘Are you serious? How did you manage to get him to come to Yxtaholm?’
    ‘Karin gets the credit for that – her ex-husband is the band’s producer. Essex was going to be the highlight of the series.’
    Annika was so excited that she had to stand up.
    ‘This is fantastic,’ she said. ‘John Essex was at Yxtaholm when Michelle Carlsson was murdered and he left before she was found.’
    ‘The band left around nine last night, but John hung around and partied. I saw him right before one o’clock, but I don’t know when he left. He could have