‘Karl-Johan and I used to sit here on summer evenings. Simon too, when he was a little older. This was our place.’ Elisabet waves a hand in the direction of the valley. ‘My father started a quarry here at the end of the ’40s. There was a need for gravel and tarmac for construction after the war. When I was little, it looked terrible – nothing but brown, black and grey. Dust, fumes and noise from crushing the stone. Not as bad as what Glarea has done on Kotorp’s land, but close. My father didn’t like it either. As soon as he’d made enough money to buy more land, he shut down the quarry, filled in the worst of the craters and sowed grass everywhere. People thought he was crazy, walking away from a profitable business, but he loved the ridge and couldn’t bear the thought of destroying it.’

Elisabet pauses to catch her breath. She is shivering in spite of the thick jacket.

‘Karl-Johan loved the ridge as much as my father did. I’ve promised him that he and I will rest up here together when our time comes – that all three of us will be together again. But before that I have to decide what is going to happen to Änglaberga.’

She falls silent, as if talking to Anna has drained all her energy.

‘And you can’t do that until you know the truth.’

Elisabet doesn’t answer right away. She remains silent for a moment before continuing.

‘The doctors say that Karl-Johan’s illness began even before Simon’s death, but that’s nonsense. I know it was triggered by grief. He knew he would go blind, and yet he spent almost every waking hour on that painting. I assume you’ve seen what it’s hiding?’

Anna nods.

‘It’s the best thing he’s ever done. He redid it hundreds of times, worked day and night and used the last of his strength to make it perfect. All to do our son justice.’ Elisabet looks Anna in the eye, her voice soft and filled with sorrow now. ‘So, tell me, Anna – how could I settle for doing anything less?’

Chapter 38

38

Autumn 2017

Twilight is falling as they slowly make their way back to the house. Just as before Anna tucks her arm beneath Elisabet’s, but something has changed. Her grip is both firmer and softer, the distance between them has diminished. Anna tells her about the fight at the homecoming party and Rylander’s death, but doesn’t mention the threatening email. However, Elisabet comes to the same conclusion as her.

‘You think he was murdered.’

‘We still don’t know how he died—’ she begins, but the older woman waves away her reservations.

‘You think this Rylander knew something about Simon’s death, and he tried to blackmail whoever was to blame. And that was why they killed him.’