Kannas had seen hundreds of old people’s houses like this, usually in cause-of-death investigations where no crime was involved. In those instances, the investigation was significantly easier. The police showed up and did a superficial examination of the scene. The house was only investigated more thoroughly if the medical examiner decided there was any ambiguity involved.
A couple of younger investigators were combing the floor. Kannas’ knees were in such bad shape that he left the floor work to others. He dusted powder on the door and looked for prints. When he found them, he used tape to transfer the print to paper. Then he documented the precise location where he found each print.
Many death scenes smelled atrocious, with papers, garbage, bottles, and moldy food piled up to the investigators’ ankles in addition to the decomposing body. This was different: very tidy, even if the decor was heavily indicative of the fifties. The family had probably been established and the furniture bought back then. Old people weren’t big on change.
Kannas moved inside after finishing the door, once the techs crawling along the floor had moved onward. The area around the light switch was usually good. This time was no exception. The problem here appeared to be that the majority of prints that he had found so far resembled each other. In all likelihood they were from the deceased. Of course he couldn’t say for sure yet, because even the dead had ten fingers, with a different print on each one.
The techs put the strands of hair and other items they found into zip-lock bags and documented the exact spot where each had been discovered.
This is going to take hours, Kannas thought. But there was no rush. Least of all for the deceased, who was the customer in this case. Kannas liked doing the dead one last service. If someone had taken another person’s life, the living should do everything in their power to figure out who the killer was.
The techs had split up. The one on the left circled around toward the living room while the other one continued on toward the body. They should probably take a break soon. Working on all fours was hard on the knees and the back. If anyone knew that, Kannas did. The tech who was closer to the body had about ten more feet to go.
If there was evidence of the killer in the house, Forensics would find it. That had been clear from the start. Tying their findings to suspects was Takamäki’s team’s job.
CHAPTER 16
WEDNESDAY, 4:57 P.M.
HELSINKI POLICE HEADQUARTERS, PASILA
The meeting had been set for five. Kannas had promised preliminary results by then. Suhonen entered the conference room, where Takamäki, Joutsamo, and Kohonen, the pull-up champ, were already waiting.
“Wow, you’re on time,” Kohonen said.
Suhonen grinned and made some remark about showing up late usually paying off, because meetings normally began with pointless chit-chat. He joined the others around the gray table-top.
“Didn’t find him out in Malmi?” Suhonen asked.
Joutsamo shook her head.
“That Riihimäki thing,” Joutsamo began, giving a Takamäki a glance. “We can probably talk about that for a second before we begin the meeting proper.”
Takamäki was amenable to the suggestion.
Joutsamo gave the background. “So about that case where Repo got life. Something about it just doesn’t click. The entire investigation aimed solely at Repo being the only possible perpetrator. And I think there’s something really wrong there.”
“Brief explanation,” Takamäki said.
Joutsamo raised her thumb. “One. The act was extremely cruel. Repo’s wife’s throat was slit from the front in such a way that the killer saw her face.”
A forefinger rose up next to Joutsamo’s thumb. “Two. None of the neighbors heard any fighting to speak of that night.”
Middle finger. “Three. They weren’t troubled alcoholics, who had gone off the deep end; it was a family with a young child where both of the parents had jobs.”
Ring finger. “I’ve read all of the preliminary investigation reports and court verdicts, but nowhere is there a mention of a possible motive.”
Joutsamo’s pinky rose last of all. “And on top of all that, you take into account that the police were informed of the homicide by some external party while the woman was lying dead in the kitchen and the husband in all likelihood passed out in bed. The call didn’t come from the apartment. In other words, something stinks here. And I’d say pretty bad.” Joutsamo’s gaze circled her colleagues, seeking support, but no one responded immediately. “Well, at a minimum. it wasn’t a clear-cut case like that asinine lieutenant in Riihimäki claimed.”
Kohonen glanced at Takamäki before jumping in. “I agree. There’s something weird about the case. It doesn’t add up.”
Suhonen shrugged. “Of course you’re more familiar with the paperwork, but the truth is that the motive in those domestic violence cases can be incredibly minor. Something the other person said or did two months earlier that’s been eating at the killer. Then when they get enough liquor in them and they’re not thinking so straight, it just happens.”
Joutsamo looked at Suhonen. “But who called the police?”
“What time did it happen?” Suhonen asked, continuing without waiting for an answer: “Where did the wife work? Was she supposed to be somewhere at some time, and someone who knew her called the police?”
Joutsamo laughed. “That’s pretty…”
Suhonen interrupted her. “If you’re fixated on that innocence theory, that’s just as bad as the Riihimäki police being stuck on the guilt theory, but you have to understand that this thing isn’t based solely on the police investigation. Both the district court and the appeals court found the guy guilty of murder.”
Kulta came in. “Sorry, couldn’t get off the phone.”
Takamäki rubbed his face. Discord was the last thing he needed in his team.
“I think Anna’s approach in that old case is something we should definitely follow up on, but only once Repo is back in prison.”
“Okay, I’ll write up a memo,” Joutsamo said, but didn’t bother to add that she had already sent the evidence she had got from the Riihimäki police station in for DNA analysis. The question she had posed to the lab was simple: whose DNA was on it?
“Karppi’s death makes the hunt for Repo top priority,” Takamäki continued. “Karila promised us more resources, as long as we figure out where we need them and can use them. The number one question is, do we have definite proof that Repo has been in Karppi’s home?”
All eyes turned toward Joutsamo. “I don’t know.”
Big, burly Kannas appeared at the door. “Hey,” he said with a smile. “Definite proof of what?”
Takamäki looked at his old patrol partner. “Glad you could make it.”
“What do we need definite proof of?” Kannas repeated.
Before Joutsamo could say anything, Takamäki continued. “A simple question: has Repo been inside Karppi’s home?”
“A simple answer to a simple question: yes.”
“Can you elaborate?”
“But…I only give simple answers to simple questions,” Kannas said.
Takamäki tried to smile, but it was forced. “Could you give us a little more information-explain in a little greater detail?”
“Fingerprints?”
“Yes,” Takamäki said, in a tone of feigned friendliness.
Kannas sighed. “Of course. A fingerprint is a unique identifier made up of patterns formed on the skin of an individual’s finger. They have been utilized in criminal investigations since the 1890s. The first fingerprint…”
“Not now,” Takamäki interrupted with a smile. “Not now. Just give us the information.”
Kannas glanced at the others and realized that it might be best to get down to business.