He returned quickly to his own apartment and called the police. Told them who he was, a colleague, filled them in on what had happened. Then he walked out onto the street and waited for the first responders to arrive.

The police and emergency medical technicians arrived at almost the same time. Wallander nodded at them as they got out of their cars. He knew them all.

'What have you found in there?' one of the patrol officers asked. His name was Sven Svensson; he came from Landskrona and was always referred to as 'The Thorn' because once, while chasing a burglar, he had fallen into a thicket and been pierced in his lower abdomen by a number of thorns.

'My neighbour,' Wallander said. 'He's shot himself.'

'Hemberg is on his way,' the Thorn said. 'The crime squad is going to have to go over everything.'

Wallander nodded. He knew. Every fatal event, however natural it might seem, had to be investigated.

Hemberg was a man with a certain reputation, not entirely positive. He angered easily and could be unpleasant to his co-workers. But at the same time he was such a virtuoso in his profession that no one really dared contradict him. Wallander noticed that he was starting to get nervous. Had he done anything wrong? If so, Hemberg would immediately let him know. And it was for Detective Inspector Hemberg that Wallander was going to be working as soon as his transfer came through.

Wallander stayed out on the street, waiting. A dark Volvo pulled up to the kerb and Hemberg got out. He was alone. It took several seconds before he recognised Wallander.

'What the hell are you doing here?' Hemberg asked.

'I live here,' Wallander answered. 'It's my neighbour who's shot himself. I was the one who made the call.'

Hemberg raised his eyebrows with interest.

'Did you see him?'

'What do you mean, "see"?'

'Did you see him shoot himself?'

'Of course not.'

'Then how do you know it was a suicide?'