‘Hi, Laura,’ Christian says. ‘We heard what happened last night and we just wanted to check that everything is OK out here.’
‘Everything’s fine, thank you.’
She stays where she is, making it clear that she’s not inviting the brothers in. The crows are still making an enormous racket, flapping their wings and hurling themselves out of the trees on short forays.
‘So Tomas Rask really was back in the area,’ Christian goes on.
‘Yes.’
‘The fucker got what he deserved at last,’ Fredrik says with a scornful smile. ‘It’s high time he paid for what he did to Iben.’
‘You mean as opposed to what your father did to her?’
Laura regrets the comment immediately, but it’s too late. Fredrik leaps up the steps and grabs her.
‘What the fuck are you talking about, you little bitch?’
His strong fingers dig into her upper arm.
‘Fredrik,’ Christian says warningly, but he does nothing to stop his brother. Fredrik pushes his face close to hers. The crows crank up the volume.
‘Say that again,’ he hisses, emitting a fine spray of saliva. ‘Say that again if you dare!’
Laura tries to remain calm, but it’s impossible not to be afraid. Fredrik is built like a bull, a vein is throbbing at his temple and his teeth are bared as if he’s about to bite her.
‘We’ve brought some papers with us – and a big bag of cash that will be yours as soon as you sign on the dotted line, like a good girl.’
‘And if I refuse?’ She makes a huge effort to sound confident.
Fredrik grins, exchanges a glance with his brother.
‘What Fredrik is trying to explain is that we’d very much like you to sign,’ Christian says, joining his brother on the porch. ‘I’ve already told you what a difficult position we’re in, and to be perfectly honest, it’s the least you can do. Fredrik recognised your voice. It was you who phoned Källegården that night, you who set the wheels in motion. If it hadn’t been for you, Iben might still be alive today.’
Laura has thought the same thing a thousand times, but still his words hit her like a punch to the stomach.
‘I . . .’ she begins, but she can’t look either of them in the eye.
Christian produces a rolled-up document from his inside pocket.
‘So how about we go inside and get this sorted once and for all, little Laura? In a nice, friendly way. After all, Hedda promised to sell to us back in the autumn, before that bitch from the castle turned up and put ideas in her head.’
He moves behind her, opens the door wide with a welcoming gesture.
‘By the way,’ he adds, ‘didn’t you used to have a cat? Fredrik said he’d seen you making a fuss of it. You seemed very fond of the poor little thing.’
Out of the corner of her eye she sees Fredrik grinning broadly.
Suddenly, she is incandescent with rage, and that rage gives her courage.
‘You know what, Christian? You can take your fucking papers and shove them up your arse. Or even better, shove them up your incestuous paedophile of a father’s arse. You and Freddie here must have made a hell of an effort not to see what he was doing to your sister. Or maybe he had a go at you too? Is that why you’re still so scared of him? Slinking along by the walls like terrified—’
The blow comes so fast that she doesn’t have time to defend herself. Christian punches her in the face so hard that her head jerks back; there is a loud, whining sound in her ears, mingled with the warning cries of the crows and the sound of black flapping wings as they take off from the treetops.
‘Fucking bitch,’ Christian hisses, raising his hand again. ‘Hold onto her, Fredrik. It’s time she got what she deserves . . .’
Fredrik locks her arms from behind. Laura tries to break free, but she has no chance. She aims a kick at Christian’s crotch, but there is no strength in it. She closes her eyes, waits for the next blow.
Instead, a car comes racing into the yard, stopping Christian in his tracks. Laura hopes it’s Peter, but instead the vehicle has the Vintersjöholm logo on the side. It screeches to a halt, the door flies open. Steph gets out and runs towards them. She is wearing a cap with earflaps, pulled well down over her forehead, and for some reason she is also wearing sunglasses. Her hands are pushed deep into the pockets of her oversized jacket. Fredrik alters his grip, but keeps hold of one of Laura’s upper arms.
‘Two big boys and one little girl,’ Steph says acidly. ‘Are you sure you can manage?’
‘Stay out of this,’ Fredrik snaps. ‘We’re just having a chat, aren’t we, Laura?’
He squeezes her arm and she winces with the pain.
‘They want me to sign the contract selling Gärdsnäset to the council,’ she groans, still trying to twist free.
‘Do they indeed,’ Steph says, stopping at the bottom of the steps. She still has her hands in her pockets, as if she’s out for a brisk walk in the forest. She turns her head towards Fredrik, then Christian.
‘Didn’t your daddy tell you that men don’t hit girls?’ she says quietly. ‘Oh no, sorry. Your daddy abused them instead. By the way, was it all girls, or just the ones he was related to?’
Christian slowly moves down the steps.
‘Get back in your fucking car and disappear,’ he says.
Steph doesn’t move a muscle.
Christian reaches out to grab her jacket. Steph takes one hand out of her pocket and pushes it into Christian’s chest. There is a loud crack, like a whiplash but followed by an electrical reverberation. Christian drops to the ground as if he’s been felled by a hammer, lies in the slush with his arms and legs twitching uncontrollably.
Steph holds up an object that resembles an electric shaver with two prongs at one end. She presses a button, producing another crack and making a blue flame shoot out between the prongs.
‘Let go of my friend,’ she says quietly.
Fredrik doesn’t react. His mouth is hanging open as if he can’t work out what the hell is going on.
Steph crouches down, pushes the taser into Christian’s crotch and fires again. He rolls up into a trembling ball.
‘Didn’t you hear me? Or would you like me to lobotomise your brother?’
She holds the taser an inch or two from Christian’s temple.
Laura feels the grip on her arm loosen. She takes a couple of steps away from Fredrik, who remains standing there with his hands dangling by his sides, a confused expression on his face.
‘Pick him up and fuck off,’ Steph says. Her voice has a sharpness that Laura has never heard before.
Fredrik does as he’s told. With some difficulty he manages to get his brother on his feet and drags him over to the truck. Christian can barely stand. He whimpers faintly as Fredrik bundles him into the passenger seat.
Fredrik starts the car and spins it around, revving the engine. Gives them the finger as he skids away along the slushy track with a screech of tyres.
Steph puts the taser back in her pocket.
‘There you go,’ she says. ‘Now, how about a cup of coffee? Or preferably something stronger, if your aunt has anything along those lines tucked away.’
63
They are sitting at the kitchen table. Steph has laced their tea with the schnapps she managed to find in one of the kitchen cupboards. Laura shows her the noticeboard, tells her about her fresh discoveries, but once again she leaves out Hedda, Johnny Miller and Jack. She’s still not sure why.
The schnapps makes her feel warm and slightly nauseous at the same time; she is also experiencing a strange sense of elation. It’s good to share her thoughts at long last, to have someone who is one hundred per cent on her side.
‘Where the hell did you get the taser?’
‘I brought it back from the USA. To be honest, I nearly always carry it with me, just in case. If anyone asks I say it’s a vibrator. Works every time.’ She points to the noticeboard. ‘So you think those two gorillas and their disgusting father murdered your aunt because she wouldn’t sign?’