“No,” said Kerstin. “Not yet. But I have a good feeling about this place.”

“There’s something I ought to have told you,” said Sandra. “A long time ago, actually. But it . . . I never did.”

“Okay . . .” Kerstin said encouragingly.

“My son,” said Sandra. “He’s the result of the rape.”

“I know that,” Kerstin replied. “I read the papers just like everyone else.”

Naturally. Kerstin didn’t just read the parts of the text that Sandra had passed to her—she was reading all of it.

“Then you also know that when I found out who the rapist was thanks to your help, I made a less sensible decision,” Sandra continued. “I contacted him and demanded he pay child support. On the quiet—I figured no one needed to know.”

“Yes,” said Kerstin. “But that was before we truly understood what he was capable of.”

“Yes. And by then it was too late. He had already begun to threaten me, and now he’s taken Erik.”

“Erik?” Kerstin said with horror in her voice. “You mean it’s your boy that . . .?”

“Exactly,” said Sandra. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but things have been pretty turbulent. Obviously I should have told you at once.”

“I’m so sorry, Sandra. I don’t know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything—I just wanted you to know. Good luck with the search.”

“We’re just about to . . .” Kerstin said, but she didn’t finish her sentence.

She was silent for a few seconds while collecting her thoughts.

“I was out searching for him over the weekend. Your Erik. Saturday and half of Sunday. I just thought you’d want to know that. Take care.”

“Thanks,” Sandra said, at a loss. But Kerstin was already gone.

The volunteers had a face now. Or a voice at least, Sandra thought to herself as tears formed in her eyes. Kerstin was there for her, even when she didn’t know about it. Together with hundreds of other faceless people.

The world wasn’t entirely ugly.

58. Jan

58

Jan

DURING THE SUMMER holidays, people were free to come and go from work more or less as they pleased without it causing any trouble, and Jan made sure that he took advantage of this on the odd occasion. Today was just such a day, since Sweden’s knockout match against Switzerland was due to kick off at four o’clock. He didn’t want to miss the prematch studio buildup, which was scheduled to start two hours before the game. And given there was barely anything to do at work there was little point in him sitting there twiddling his thumbs between lunch and the match. He stopped for his lunch break at half past eleven and headed home.