“Six hundred and eighty-four thousand? You’re having a laugh.”

“I would say it’s a very generous offer. You won’t have to buy Christmas presents or birthday presents. We can set up an instalment plan if you like—in that case it’ll be three thousand seven hundred and seventeen kronor per month up to and including December 2033, assuming you start payments immediately.”

“So you’re a gold digger trying her hand at extortion are you?” Hallin said in a tone completely devoid of human warmth.

“I consider it a comfortable way out for you, without all the bother of involving the authorities. Police, prosecutors, social services—well, you know. And as for my son and me, we avoid being associated with a slimeball who has to rape to get some.”

“Way out? Ha ha. Call it what you want. But let me tell you that things didn’t work out well for the last person who tried to blackmail me, so don’t count your chickens.”

“I’ll text you my account details,” Sandra said coolly. “Thanks for your time.”

“Crazy bitch,” Hallin said and hung up.

27

Jeanette

THE NEXT TIME Jeanette and Nanna had a heart-to-heart, it was chance that saw them end up together. Nanna was on the periphery of the group on the outermost bench near Östertorg, which was where Jeanette had cast off her rucksack. Now she needed to root through it looking for her rain gear—threatening clouds were looming above the city wall to the northwest. Nanna, who had already layered up, had her hood up and was awaiting the storm. It was blowing in gusts and the wind brought the first few drops of rain.

“She walked by again,” said Nanna. “Perhaps she works down on Adelsgatan somewhere.”

Jeanette sat down next to her to pull on her waterproof trousers over her jeans. She didn’t need to ask—for some reason she already knew who Nanna meant.

“What a shame I didn’t see her,” Jeanette said casually. “Then I could have explained who crumpled the sheets in her bedroom when she was at work.”

Nanna gazed at her inscrutably.

“You blame me,” said Jeanette, sticking out her lower lip.

She did so despite knowing that simple statements like that had no impact on Nanna. Nanna took a swig from a plastic bottle, contents unknown, without dropping her gaze.

“Pfft, I’m full of shit,” said Jeanette. “Obviously, I’ve never been in her house.”

No comment. Jeanette felt ill at ease, and as though she had behaved disrespectfully. As if that woman with the long ponytail had deserved what had happened to her.

“I didn’t get to grieve,” she said anyway. “But it was such a damn pity about that blonde and their cute kids.”

Nanna raised her eyebrow and took another swallow.

“It was a pity,” said Jeanette, her tone gentler. “But, you know . . . You’re only human. I needed comforting too. Her life would still have been smashed to pieces, she just didn’t know. He would have left her for me, if . . .”