“Which line?” Sandra asked, and this time she was met with an almost scared look.

“That I supposedly murdered Peter Norling. And buried his body. That I sent funeral flowers and sabotaged the brakes on your car. That I kidnapped a child. Was he meant to die? Without knowing any of the details, I would guess so. Would I attempt the murder of a three-year-old? My own son? I can tell you in all certainty, Sandra, that’s out of the question.”

“Who else could it be?” said Sandra with an attempt at a sneer.

“Sorry, I didn’t catch what you said,” Hallin said.

“Who?” Sandra said unambiguously.

“Who did if I didn’t?” Hallin interpreted suspiciously. “You should have had the decency to find that out before you wrote your fucking serial.”

Darkness was descending before Sandra’s eyes—she was unsure whether it was the poison or the horror of what this man intended to do to her.

“Who’s guilty?” Sandra persevered. She could no longer see who she was talking to.

“What are you saying? What’s wrong with your speech?”

Her balance was failing. She collapsed back on the bed, no longer able to keep playing along.

“What’s wrong with you, Sandra?” Hallin cried out. He stood up and grabbed her shoulders. “What the hell is going on?”

Sandra was no longer capable of communicating, but that didn’t matter either. She wasn’t in a state to protect either her son or herself from external dangers, and she would never see the computer again. If she ever woke up, which didn’t seem all that likely.

She closed her eyes and glided into the darkness.

73. Kerstin

73

Kerstin

JEANETTE WAS LYING in bed looking strangely peaceful, almost happy. Perhaps convinced that she was going to succeed this time, that she had scared off Kerstin well enough that the night was hers to die in. Jeanette had been wrong, but Kerstin had allowed herself to be affected by Jeanette’s harsh words, and the bitter aftertaste had lingered for a long time. That was why she was now standing here contemplating the earthly remains of her best friend, her worst enemy, with tears streaming down her cheeks.