Bengt Andersson gives a speech when coffee has been served. He has a natural gravitas, and even though the guests are well refreshed by this stage, the room falls silent as soon as he steps up to the podium. He talks about how Nedanås has gone from a small industrial community to become what he refers to at least three times as ‘a dynamic meeting place’. Presumably, this is a catchphrase that some PR firm has come up with. Behind him a series of ‘then and now’ slides shows the progress Nedanås has made.

‘Shouldn’t Marie be making the speech?’ Anna whispers to Call-me.

‘Yes, but the community has a lot to thank Bengt Andersson for. It was in the doldrums for many years, but now it’s thriving. The number of residents is going up year on year, as are the property prices. So Marie is happy to let Daddy have his moment in the limelight. A smart move, if you ask me.’

Anna thinks about the conversation at the Morells’.

‘Marie said she’d been in parliament for a while?’

‘Yes, but only for half an electoral term.’ Call-me’s tone suggests that there is more to tell.

‘Why?’

‘She found it too difficult to combine family life, running her own business and spending time in Stockholm. At least that was the official explanation. As I understand it, she was burned out – she was signed off sick for a long time.’

‘That’s sad.’ Anna thinks about Bengt Andersson’s dissatisfied expression when the subject of parliament came up. It is clearly a sore point between father and daughter that has yet to be resolved, but tonight there is no sign of discord.

At the end of his speech Bengt calls Marie up onto the stage, and together they deliver the good news about the trains and the logistics hub.

‘Is Bengt completely out of local politics?’ Anna asks during the warm applause.

‘Officially, yes. But Bengt is the chairman of the board at Glarea, which means he still has a finger in the odd pie.’

‘So, he’s the one who’ll be responsible for winding down the quarry. Putting a stop to the noise and the smell,’ Anna says.

‘Exactly.’ The worried frown has reappeared, and as Marie and Bengt leave the stage, he gets to his feet. ‘Excuse me, I won’t be a minute.’

Anna uses the time to look around for Alex Morell, who is no longer sitting at the top table. After a while she spots him in a corner talking to a plump woman, who is at least five years younger than her. The discussion seems heated, and when one of the girls goes up to them and the woman puts her arm around her, Anna realises this must be Alex’s ex-wife.

One of the waiters gently taps her shoulder.

‘Excuse me – I’m afraid we have to move these tables to make room for the dancing.’