The Gauntlet (Maunu Kurkvaaran kujanjuoksu)

I

KILLED

THAT

GIRL

GIRL, 16, KILLED ON HER WAY HOME

THE GAUNTLET

Was she dead on arrival?

No. She died here in the hospital.

Is the cause of death stabbing?

Most likely. There are several wounds and some are quite deep.

- Hello. - Hello.

- Hi. - Hi.

Any eyewitnesses?

- There's one. - Yes, I...

I was indeed here, or...

Well...

I came that way from Liminka Road.

Then I heard a woman scream...

And then I saw a person who

hit the other one from the side.

Then the other dropped to the ground and

then I started running that way.

Oh, and then I saw this guy run to the woman who's lying there...

I know her!

Got to call an ambulance!

Then I saw this older man in the distance.

Hey, wait!

What?

Did you see anyone running that way?

- No... - Not anyone?

He hadn't seen the killer?

Don't think so. He had...

He'd thought he'd seen a drunkard and just left.

Drive around this area and look for anything suspicious.

What kind of clothes was the killer wearing?

Did you see?

Guess he had one of those three-quarter jackets.

I guess it was grey...

and he had a fur hat of some kind.

Any other eye-witnesses?

I heard the girl scream too.

Write down her name and information.

- Your name is? - Pirjo Syvänen.

Were you and Heikki here first?

Yes, the ambulance was just leaving when we arrived.

The girl laid here.

There's still blood.

The culprit probably fled there.

Guess so.

Restrict the area. We don't want any extra footprints.

Then look for the murder weapon, carefully.

Seems it was a knife of some sort.

The girl's blouse was full of holes.

Have we found anything?

There's too many prints to make any sense out of.

We must try anyway.

- We better continue tomorrow. - Drive through there.

Copy that.

Is the murder weapon still not found?

No. Too much snow.

We better get a minesweeper from the army.

What about tracks?

The snow is grainy and too many people have been about.

Inspector, a call.

Take it.

Kurki.

Yes. Start the interrogation immediately. I'll come over.

- Are we going right away? - Just a moment.

I've got to head to the interrogation. You continue from here on.

Last traces will be nothing but mess soon.

So, you were going to work?

Yes. I'm a nightwatchman, and...

it was around nine o'clock.

And you were in Jyränkö Road?

Yes.

I thought it was just a drunk.

Everything okay?

And that everything was okay, him waving the hand and all...

So I kept on going.

Then some young man ran to me and...

Did you see anyone running that way?

- No... - Not anyone?

No I didn't.

There was also a car that he tried to stop but couldn't.

Then the boy told me someone had killed a girl.

- And that is all? -Yes.

Did you see what kind of clothes that man

who ran to the woods was wearing?

My eyesight is not that good.

But you were quite close.

Did he have a shirt, a jacket?

I'd say it was like 20 metres, or...

Well can you describe a little?

Well, I can't remember anything like that, but

surely someone ran up that hill.

His eyesight is so bad that he's not much help to us.

Is that so?

He was approximately 20 metres away.

I'll go visit Ranta.

- Hello. - Well hello. What's new?

Eyewitness is in the next room.

Well, that was fast...

Sadly his sight's so bad that he can't give a good description.

So, how far away was he?

20 metres.

God damn it.

I've sent inspectors to check every house.

My husband and I were on our evening walk

and we went through Jyränkö Road.

Do you remember what time it was?

If I remember correctly we left the house at 9 pm.

And we went through Gustav Vasa's Road.

And, the clock was around twenty past nine

when that man came to the road.

He had a snow covered jacket.

Could be that he'd drank some, but you couldn't tell well.

Excuse me, but... where am I?

This is Jyränkö Road and there is Gustav Vasa's Road.

Okay. Thank you, thank you.

So he was wearing a jacket. Do you remember what colour?

It was black. And his hat had a wide brim.

Well then, thank you.

We have your number, but it seems we have to bother you and your husband

to come over to the station.

No bother. We'll gladly come.

- Thank you, goodbye. - Goodbye.

- Thank you. - Goodbye.

Good day. We're from the Criminal Police.

Is that so? Get the hell away from here.

Come outside for a moment.

What's this?

God-damn, what right do they have barging into people's homes.

Alright then...

They always find their right.

I guess so.

Let's just get on with the drinking.

- Where did they take Salli? - I don't know.

- Who knows. - Well do you?

They've got something on their mind.

They always do.

You too, come along.

- Me? - Yes, you.

- What's the matter? - We'll talk about that later.

Get dressed.

Be sure to come back together. Take the same ride.

Where's my hat?

It's in the shitter. I'll go get it.

I'll get it. Wait a bit.

Did you have a brawl of some sort nearby here yesterday?

Three young rascals started harassing.

We were coming back when they attacked.

They would've raped me if Ossi weren't there.

Let's get to the car.

- They'll take you too if you... - God damn...

They'd better get shot, everyone.

How many sentences has he served?

At least five.

- So it seems. Bring him in. - Yes.

Virtanen. Come in.

- Alright, hello. - Hello.

Sit down.

What have you been up to lately?

I've been working in a barrel factory and...

I've been selling potatoes.

What about yesterday?

Been drinking the past few days.

So it seems.

But I guess that's not all. You've been fighting also.

We we're going to visit my mum with my fiancée.

While coming back...

the three...

or were there four...

They started harassing and pushing my fiancée.

We were going to visit my friend Järvinen.

But before we got there...

Can't you just leave us alone and just go?

Why start pushing peaceful people about?

You're not fucking forcing...

Let me fucking go!

- Help! - Hell he's got a knife!

Let go!

Try us without the knife!

What kind of knife was it?

Just a basic sheath knife, I think.

Where's the knife now?

I don't know.

When the boys had left

I remember standing there for a while.

Then I started walking

and guess I just threw it away.

Can you remember where it was?

No.

How much alcohol had you had?

I don't know.

Guess it was the fourth day in a row.

Do you black out often when you drink?

Yes.

Especially when I'm on a binge.

Perhaps this is enough.

Please read this, and then sign.