They say their goodbyes and Anna walks slowly over to her car. The conversation didn’t exactly go as planned. Does that mean she’s chosen her side? That she believes Elisabet when she claims that the truth was suppressed? She wants to say no, wants to insist that she’s keeping her options open, but she’s not sure that applies any longer.

*

When Anna is leaving the newer part of the estate and driving between the old stables, she sees an old muddy pickup truck parked by the lodge. She catches a glimpse of something white sticking out from beneath a tarpaulin on the back, and a few seconds later she realises what it was. She brakes and slams the car into reverse. She parks behind the pickup, jumps out and lifts the tarp to see Agnes’s white Vespa. Her first thought is that there’s been an accident, Agnes is lying injured somewhere. Her heart is pounding, but then she sees that the Vespa is undamaged. What’s going on?

She looks around, but there isn’t a soul in sight. The bonnet of the pickup is still warm, so it can’t have been here for long. She takes out her phone and calls Agnes, but it goes straight to voicemail. Shit!

She walks around the building to find herself in an apple orchard. Beyond it, at the end of a gravel path, is a low building in the same style as the stables. There is a light in one of the windows, and she breaks into a run, her anxiety increasing with every step.

When she reaches the front door she tries to peer in through the windows, but can’t see anything. She thinks she can hear the sound of hammering, which stops as soon as she knocks. Someone approaches the door, then hesitates. The key rattles in the lock, and Mats Andersson is standing there. He doesn’t say a word, he just glares at her. He is wearing a leather apron over his normal clothes; here and there Anna can see big brownish red stains which are probably blood.

She hears claws pattering along the floor of the dark hallway and something white appears – Milo. He has a rabbit in his mouth, and a cut along the dead animal’s belly is clearly visible.

‘Wh-where is Agnes?’ she snaps, without bothering about her stammer. She takes a step forward, forcing Mats to back away. ‘Where is she?’ A spot of saliva lands on his chest, making him take another step back. In spite of the fact that he is a lot taller and at least fifteen kilos heavier than Anna, he looks scared. He shuffles his feet, fixes his gaze on the floor.

‘S-sorry . . .’

She follows him inside. Her anxiety has given way to anger, blowing away any hint of caution.

‘What have you done with my daughter?’

Mats holds up his hands, fear in his eyes.