“You sound like a journalist. Are you writing an article or what?”

Anders let go of the doorknob, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I just wanted to know what you’re thinking.”

“We’re having a meeting in an hour.”

“Good. Make sure you do.”

“I just said we’re going to.”

“And I just encouraged you to.”

“I don’t care about your encouragement.”

Anders sneered again, placing his hand on the doorknob and closing the door before opening it again.

“Hey, Gunnar,” he said. “Try a different scent next time. Gingerbread doesn’t suit you.”

* * *

Pim looked up at the ceiling, feeling a chill pushing into her skin from the IV fastened in the crook of her arm. At the same time, she felt the warm tears running down her cheeks and into her ears. The nurse held out a tissue, but Pim was too weak to take it. Henrik exchanged glances with Jana and Mia.

“Can you describe the girl?” he asked carefully.

Pim listened as the interpreter asked her the question.

“Can you describe her for us?”

“She screamed when I left her. I didn’t want to leave her, but I had to get out of there before he came back... I had to leave her.”

Pim closed her eyes, remembering how the girl had looked up from the steps to the upper level. She sat still and quiet, only her eyes moving, silently telling of the shock, panic, fear she must have felt. Pim had seen her face; they’d looked right at each other.

“Can you tell us any more about her? Did you speak to each other?”

The only thing she heard was the hissing and ticking from the machines. Pim couldn’t bear to keep her eyes open. She blinked but only saw darkness.

She heard the policeman breathing, quickly, nervously, but his voice was calm when he repeated the question.

“Can you tell us any more about the girl?”

Pim opened her eyes, shaking her head.

“She was so scared,” she said, her lips trembling. “She cried all the time...”

Pim’s voice cracked. She was thinking about how she had run through the deep snow. She didn’t want to experience that frozen feeling again. She just wanted to go home to the warmth, to the sun and to Mai. The police shouldn’t keep her any longer. She didn’t have anything in her anymore. The last two capsules lay in the forest somewhere.

“Do you remember her name?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Pim whispered.

“Was it Ida?”

Henrik received a questioning glance from Mia. Pim didn’t answer.

“Now we should let Pim rest for a while,” the nurse said, drying the tears that ran down Pim’s cheeks.