She was here you know. Just a few hours before she died. I had just come back from chemo and felt like shit. She seemed stressed. Went through the moves faster than usual. Normally she was unhurried. One of these annoying people who don’t get on with things.

And she kept glancing through the window now and then. Listened by the front door.

I didn’t know maria all that well but the talk going around about her was something else. They said she only slept with married men. Like all the married men in the village. Can’t think what fun she got out of that. How’d you fancy having it off with allanberg she said and we burst into coarse laughter.

Then she looked at me for a long time and her eyes seemed to scrutinise me.

Maria reminded me of you a bit. Well of your worse sides at least.

What do you mean by that I said thinking about our neverending childhood duels.

Katarina looked directly at me. Because she didn’t even have eyelashes it was harder to avoid her eyes. Surely you remember how rotten you could be. Somehow manipulative. You were always a step ahead and pushed me around.

No I don’t remember any of that I said. That jana doesn’t exist. Today’s jana is really flexible and does as she’s told. 66

Just like you were then katarina said. Always offering to help in order to get as close to your victim as possible. Maria was just the same. But then, she was a looker as well so there you had nothing in common.

This was a typical katarina aside. I had no comeback.

Anyway she went on. Half an hour later maria left and I must have been the last person who saw her alive well apart from john. Apparently he met up with her at the garage. At least that’s what petra said when she came to see me.

It was the end of my working day so I drove to the service office and got there in time. In passing I informed märitljungqvist that mrsjohansson had burned herself on the cooker and shouldn’t have a cooker.

A home without a cooker she said. How would that look.

Bye I said and walked out. It would be nice to go for a walk.

John was outside waiting. He had brought the jeep. I hung back. It irritated me that he stood there even though I had told him I wanted to walk.

He rolled the window down and screwed up his eyes against the low afternoon sun. I changed the battery so it’s up and running again.

Did you I said. That’s good. Bror will be pleased because it’s his car. If you can be bothered why don’t you drive it home for me.