He turns back to Agnes.

‘I sell the skins, but this one is a fine boar, so I’ll probably fix it up instead.’

‘Fix it up?’ Agnes sounds genuinely interested.

‘Stuff it. I’ve got a good collection at home. Call in and have a look. You can take some pictures if you want.’

‘Thank you – I’d like that.’

Anna glances at her watch. ‘We’d better head home. It will be dark soon.’

Agnes rolls her eyes but doesn’t complain, for once.

‘By the way, do you know if there’s a quarry around here?’ Her tone is friendly and cheerful, but Mats’s face darkens.

‘Not here,’ he mumbles. ‘In the forest on the other side of Änglaberga. But you shouldn’t go there.’

‘Why not?’

He shakes his head. ‘It’s a terrible place. Dangerous.’ He falls silent. He has no more to say on the subject.

‘OK, thanks for the warning!’

They say their goodbyes and Anna, Agnes and Milo set off along the path. Mats stays where he is, feet planted on either side of the badger as he watches them go. When Agnes looks back, he raises a hand and waves.

Chapter 4

4

28 August 1990

All five of them were lying on their towels in the last patch of afternoon sunlight. Bruno had stayed out of things when Alex reluctantly allowed Marie to change the music for a mix tape of chart hits: Alannah Myles, Madonna, Cher.

‘Fucking shite,’ Alex muttered to Bruno, but this time he didn’t get the usual agreement. Bruno always avoided ending up in the crossfire between Alex and Marie. Alex closed his eyes. He was snoring quietly within a couple of minutes.

The girls had taken off their T-shirts and were sunbathing in their bikini tops and shorts. Carina had smothered herself in something that smelled of coconuts and made her tanned skin glisten. Marie was less curvaceous and considerably paler than Carina. She also had several birthmarks; Bruno knew she was slightly embarrassed by them, but they didn’t bother him at all. In fact, he thought they gave her more character. After a while Carina turned over to let the sun get at her back. She undid her top to avoid strap marks. The curve of her breasts was clearly visible from the side, particularly when she raised her head to say something. Bruno tried to avoid looking in her direction, which wasn’t easy. Carina was attractive; there wasn’t a guy in the area who didn’t know who she was, but she was Alex’s girlfriend. They’d been together ever since they started high school – maybe even longer.

Simon, on the other hand, was nowhere near as subtle. Bruno could see him glancing repeatedly at Carina’s body; he didn’t seem to care if anyone noticed. For some reason this annoyed Bruno.