Tobias set his mug on a shelf and took a step towards Ebba. He hesitated for a moment but then placed his hands on her shoulders. He felt her body stiffen. Gently he began massaging her muscles, sensing that she was as tense as he was. She didn’t say a word, merely stared straight ahead. Her hands, which had been working on the silver angel, sank to the table, and the only sound was his breathing and hers. He felt hope stirring. He was touching her, feeling her body under his hands. Maybe there was a way forward.
Abruptly Ebba got to her feet. Without saying anything, she left the room, and he stood there with his hands in midair. For a moment he stared at her work table, which was covered with clutter. Then, as if of their own volition, his arms moved in a great arc and sent the whole lot crashing to the floor. In the silence that followed, he realized that there was only one path to take. He was going to have to risk everything.
STOCKHOLM 1925
‘I’m cold, Mamma.’ Laura was whining unhappily, but Dagmar paid no attention. They were going to wait here until Hermann came home. Sooner or later he’d have to return, and he would be so happy to see her. She longed to see his eyes light up, to see the desire and love that would be so much stronger after all these years of waiting.
‘Mamma…’ Laura was shaking so hard that her teeth chattered.
‘Hush!’ snapped Dagmar. The child was always ruining everything. Didn’t she want them to be happy? Dagmar could no longer contain the rage inside of her, and she raised her hand to strike.
‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you.’ A strong hand grabbed her wrist, and Dagmar turned around in fright. Behind her stood an elegant gentleman wearing a dark overcoat, dark trousers, and a hat.
She tossed her head. ‘Sir, you have no right to interfere with how I raise my child.’
‘If you hit her, I will hit you just as hard. Then you’ll see how it feels,’ he said calmly, and his voice indicated that he would not stand for any backchat.
Dagmar considered telling this man what she thought of people who stuck their noses in matters that were none of their business, but she could see it would do her no good.
‘Please forgive me,’ she said. ‘The girl has been impossible all day. It’s not easy to be a mother, and sometimes…’ She shrugged apologetically, gazing down at the ground so that he wouldn’t see the fury in her eyes.
Slowly the man released his hold on her wrist and took a step back.
‘What are you doing here, outside my front door?’
‘We’re waiting for my pappa,’ said Laura, giving the stranger a pleading look. She was not shamed by the fact that someone had dared to defy her mother.
‘And your pappa lives here?’ The man scrutinized Dagmar.
‘We’re waiting for Captain Göring,’ she said, drawing Laura close.
‘Well then, you’re going to have a long wait,’ he said, still studying them with interest.
Dagmar felt her heart start to pound in her chest. Had something happened to Hermann? Why hadn’t that miserable woman upstairs said anything?
‘What do you mean?’ she demanded.
The man crossed his arms. ‘An ambulance came to get him. They took him away in a straitjacket.’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘He’s in Långbro Hospital.’ The man wearing the elegant coat stepped over to the door, apparently in a hurry now to put an end to this conversation with Dagmar. She tried to take his arm, but he pulled away with a grimace.
‘Please, sir, can you tell me how to find that hospital? I must see Hermann!’
His whole face radiated displeasure, and he opened the door and stepped inside without replying. When the heavy door closed behind him, Dagmar sank down to the ground. What was she going to do now?
Head resting on her knees, she sobbed as if her heart were breaking. Laura tugged at her mother, trying to get her back on her feet. Dagmar shook her off. Why couldn’t the child leave her alone and go away? What was she going to do with the girl if she couldn’t find Hermann? Laura was not simply her child. She was theirs.
Chapter Thirteen
Patrik rushed into the station, coming to an abrupt halt in the reception area. Annika was deeply immersed in something and didn’t look up for a moment. When she noticed Patrik standing there, she smiled and then looked down again.
‘Is Martin still sick?’ asked Patrik.
‘Yes,’ said Annika, her eyes fixed on the computer screen.
Patrik gave her a puzzled glance and then turned on his heel. There was only one thing to do.
‘I’ve got an errand to run,’ he said and went back outside. He saw Annika open her mouth, but he didn’t hear what she said.
Patrik glanced at his watch. It was just before nine in the morning. A little too early to appear on somebody’s doorstep, but by now he was so worried that he didn’t care if he woke them.
It took him only a few minutes to drive to the block of flats where Martin lived with his family. Standing in front of their door, Patrik hesitated. Maybe nothing was wrong, maybe Martin really was sick and in bed, and he was going to wake him up for no good reason. He might even be insulted, thinking that Patrik had come over to check up on him. But his gut feeling told him otherwise. Martin should have phoned him by now, regardless how ill he was. Patrik pressed the doorbell.
He waited a long time and considered ringing it again, but he knew that the flat wasn’t very big, so they must have heard the bell. Finally he heard footsteps approaching.
When the door opened, Patrik had a shock. There was no doubt that Martin looked ill. He was unshaven, his hair was dishevelled, and he smelled faintly of sweat, but worst of all was the vacant expression in his eyes. Patrik almost didn’t recognize him.
‘What are you doing here?’ Martin asked.
‘Can I come in?’
Martin shrugged, turned, and shuffled into the flat.
‘Is Pia at work?’ asked Patrik, looking around.
‘No.’ Martin paused near the balcony door in the living room to stare out of the window.
Patrik frowned. ‘Are you sick?’
‘I called the office to say I wasn’t coming in. Didn’t Annika tell you?’ He sounded cross as he turned around. ‘Maybe you want a doctor’s certificate or something? Are you here to make sure that I’m telling the truth and not out sunbathing?’
Normally Martin was the most easy-going and good-natured person. Patrik had never known his colleague to succumb to this sort of outburst before, and he felt even more worried. Something was very wrong.
‘Why don’t we sit down,’ he said, motioning towards the kitchen.
Martin’s anger subsided as swiftly as it had flared up, and the dead look returned to his eyes. He nodded listlessly and followed his colleague. They sat down at the kitchen table, and Patrik studied Martin with real concern.
‘What’s going on here?’
For a moment Martin didn’t speak.
‘Pia is dying,’ he said then, fixing his eyes on the table.
His words made no sense, and Patrik refused to believe what he’d just heard.
‘What do you mean?’
‘She went in for treatment the day before yesterday. She was lucky they could get her in so quickly.’
‘Treatment for what?’ Patrik shook his head. He’d bumped into Pia and Martin over the weekend, and at that time everything seemed fine.