JW pulled some quick, prepared one-liners. Followed by mutual laughter. Carl checked out JW’s entourage: two hot chicks-he’d made the right move. He explained that they were only getting some air but would be coming back in. Carl nodded. JW fired off a couple more jokes. They connected. Good vibes. Jet Set Carl looked happy.
JW to himself: Nice work, JW.
They stepped out. It was 2:00 a.m. The line was gigantic, hysteric, chaotic. He made a deal with a bouncer that they’d be back soon. Humlegarden Park stretched out in front of them, still dark green even though the sky was beginning to brighten. The sounds from the line could be heard en baisse. The girls were ready to go. They sat down on a park bench. Made some lame jokes. The air was cool; the sweat dried on their bodies. JW jabbered on, showered them with compliments, put in the highest charm gear possible. He played confidant, on their side. “Damn, you two look good tonight. Have you seen any sweet guys? Nippe’s pretty hot, isn’t he? I can set you up, Sophie.” And so on, and so on. Sophie was brutally beautiful. He wanted her.
He knew them, but still not really. The girls belonged to the clique from Lundsberg, an elite boarding school. A school with the motto Knowledge, Tradition, Community. They all had the same first names as their parents and their parents before them. JW was used to most things from hanging with the boyz. Knew the jargon and the etiquette. He ought to have a chance.
Anna giggled. “Didn’t you have something for us to taste?”
JW said, “Absolutely. I almost forgot.” He hadn’t wanted to be too pushy. Waited for them to ask.
He brought out an etui with a mirror, the flip kind. The baggie was ready in his jacket pocket. He poured out a pile and cut it with a razor blade-three thin lines. Presented the girls with a polished-steel snort straw. He glanced around, then handed over the straw.
“Help yourselves.”
Fifteen minutes later, the girls went inside. The bouncer remembered them. Girls like Sophie and Anna would’ve gotten in no matter what-they glided through the line like Moses through the Red Sea.
JW stayed in the park, wanted more nose candy by himself.
Everything was going so damn well. The girls seemed pleased. High, bouncy, and filled with spontaneity. It was a good start. JW’s first step into the C world. C as in cash.
It could only get better.
The sky was pale gray.
The glass-covered ramp connecting two sections of the Royal Library in the park seemed to glisten. JW usually studied there when he wasn’t studying at home. He’d seen Sophie there many times. Had learned to recognize the click of her heels on the floor when she walked between different reading rooms, had checked out her girlfriends, seen which guys she said hi to. And after a time, it turned out that he actually already knew some of the people in her group. The circles were smaller than he’d thought.
He brought out the etui and held the straw in his hand.
That’s when he saw it.
The motor sounded like a nuclear power plant as it blew past down Sturegatan, a tear through the Stockholm night.
A yellow Ferrari.
His first thought: The model looks the same as the one in Camilla’s pictures.
His second thought: There can hardly be more than one car like that in all of Stockholm.
The memory of his sister washed over him.
He had to know.
Who owned that car?
DISTRICT COURT OF STOCKHOLM
SENTENCE
PARTIES
PROSECUTION
District Attorney Markus Sjoberg
Stockholm District Attorney’s Office
PLAINTIFFS
1.
Joakim Berggren, 740816-0939
Vapengatan 5
126 52 HAGERSTEN
2.
Daniel Lappalainen, 801205-2175
Lundagatan 55
117 27 STOCKHOLM
DEFENDANTS
1.
Patrik Sjoquist, 760417-0351
Rosenlundsgatan 28
118 53 STOCKHOLM
2.
Mrado Slovovic, 670203-9115
Katarina Bangata 37
116 39 STOCKHOLM
PUBLIC DEFENDER
Martin Thomasson, Esq.
Box 5467
112 31 STOCKHOLM
CRIMES COMMITTED
Aggravated Assault
PARAGRAPH
Subsection 3, Paragraph 6
SENTENCE
Prison, 3 years.
CHARGE ON APPEAL
Count 2 (Mrado Slovovic, regarding assault)
GROUNDS FOR THE DECISION
COUNT 1 (PATRIK SJOQUIST, THIRD-DEGREE ASSAULT)
Evidence
The prosecutor has as written evidence, referred to a medical report regarding injuries incurred by Joakim Berggren. The report is in reference to, among other things, a fracture in the nasal bone, a crushing of the jawbone in two places, a fracture in the right cheekbone, torn skin in five places, bruises and swelling on cheeks and forehead, bruising around the right eye, swelling and tearing of the lips, four severed teeth in the upper front row, as well as bleeding in the brain, severe swelling of the brain, and brain contusion.
As verbal evidence, the prosecutor has referred to the statement of the witness Joakim Berggren, the statement of the witness Peter Hallen, security guard at restaurant Kvarnen, as well as the statement of the witness Christer Thraff, guest at the previously named restaurant at the time of the incident.
The plaintiff Joakim Berggren has, among other things, said the following: The three men, Patrik Sjoquist, Mrado Slovovic, and Ratko Markewitsch, came to restaurant Kvarnen at around 0120 on August 23 of this year. The security guard who was working the line at the door, Jimmy Andersson, informed Berggren through the internal communication system that the three men had acted in a hostile manner and had demanded to speak with the person in charge of the coat check. Jimmy Andersson chose to let them in. Berggren understood that the three men belonged to the so-called Coat Check Mob, a segment of Stockholm’s organized-crime world that seeks to make money on different restaurants’ and bars’ coat-check business. He therefore informed them that Kvarnen was not interested. Despite this, he welcomed them into the restaurant. The three men acted aggressively. Among other things, Patrik Sjoquist said that they refused to leave the venue if they were not permitted to speak to the person in charge of the coat check. After approximately two minutes, the men entered the venue without having spoken to anyone regarding the coat check. Berggren continued to work the coat check and the door. At around 0300, he went to the rest room to urinate. Patrik Sjoquist entered the rest room. Shortly thereafter, the other two men also came in. Berggren was standing at one of the urinals. Patrik Sjoquist went up to him and headbutted him across the nasal bone. He believes the nose was broken. After that, Patrik Sjoquist grabbed hold of Berggren’s hair and hit his head against the side of the urinal. Thereafter, Patrik Sjoquist pounded Berggren’s head against the edge of the urinal at least three times. He remembers that Patrik Sjoquist yelled, “You fucking fag” and “This is what happens to people like you.” Shortly thereafter, Berggren lost consciousness.
In response to the charges, the defendant Patrik Sjoquist has made the following claims. He was threatened by Joakim Berggren, who said that “he would grind him to a pulp if he ever set foot in Kvarnen again.” The reason for this was that Patrik Sjoquist had refused to check his coat. He believes that is the reason that Joakim Berggren believes that he belongs to some so-called Coat Check Mob. Later, he went to the bathroom to urinate. Inside the bathroom, he was shoved in the chest by Joakim Berggren. He tried to defend himself and there was a scuffle. He is not able to remember exactly what happened, but he knows that he received several punches and, in turn, hit Joakim Berggren. He is claiming self-defense against Joakim Berggren’s assault. However, he admits that he hit Joakim Berggren in the face with at most three blows. The reason for this is that he was protecting himself and acted in self-defense. He does not believe that he pounded Joakim Berggren’s head on the urinal. He would not do something like that. After that, the two other persons ran into the bathroom. Sjoquist did not know that they were security guards. One of them began to fight with Mrado Slovovic. Sjoquist does not know why. He was inebriated at the time.