Julia brings over a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos and the pack of ham. She doesn’t decant into a fine porcelain bowl. She tears the crisp packet open and displays it on the table. She peels back the ham wrapper.

I look around and say, ‘Nice place you have here,’ and then we both burst out laughing and honestly I needed this. There could be a killer in this town, eating takeout crayfish pizza or buying condoms in the pharmacy right now. Not just a killer, but a person capable of beheading another human being. Taking that lifeless head away for God-knows-what purpose. So sitting here with this relaxed redhead receptionist drinking lukewarm whisky and Coke is a relief.

‘I understand you have to get away,’ she says. ‘I know you’re important around here.’

‘Important?’

‘Reporter and all that. Newspaper writer. Everyone in town’s talking about you. My boss is talking about you constantly.’

‘Sven Edlund?’

‘No, his wife, Dr Eva. She runs the place really. Runs him.’

‘Haven’t even met her,’ I say.

‘And yet she knows all about you, Tuva. Watch out for that one.’

I take another sip. It’s delicious.

‘What are they like? The Edlund family.’

‘Rich as fuck,’ she says. ‘Eva’s got one of these on her shoulder.’

Julia holds up a Dorito.

‘A crisp?’

‘A massive chip. It’s because she hasn’t practiced dentistry, you see. All that time getting good grades, all that money spent going to medical school, and she’s never actually practiced.’

‘Why not?’

‘Four kids and a golf club, I guess,’ says Julia. ‘Except it’s more like a country club really. They only had the kids because it’s a status symbol among the Edlunds, that’s what I reckon, anyhow. They’re a different breed to you and me. Money for life, from the moment they’re born. Lots of them have three or four or even five kids. Show them off like diamonds or sports cars.’

‘Did Eva Edlund know the dead plumber?’

She almost spits out her whisky. ‘Dr Eva know Arne? Are you kidding me?’

‘No.’

‘You don’t know?’ she moves in closer. ‘Arne Persson installed all the sprinkler systems and plumbing at the golf club a few years back. Lots of underground piping, I heard. Only it never worked properly. It wasn’t the money that pissed off Dr Eva and Sven, it was all the gossip. Other Edlunds said they’d gone for a cheap option. Started gossiping that the dental surgery wasn’t making money, that they’d employed a shoddy workman.’

‘Bet Eva didn’t like that.’

Julia folds a piece of ham and inserts it into her mouth. She’s pretty in a way. Redhead, freckles, broad easy smile. Her eyes dart around like she’s always looking for fun.