‘Ah,’ Gabriella said, shrugging her shoulder a little. ‘You know what? I thought it was kinda fun.’ She glances down at Klara. ‘Maybe I shouldn’t say that out loud? I mean, what happened was terrible. The riots in the suburb. The Russians. Säpo just letting it happen. The whole thing. Sickening. But revealing it all, being there telling the world about it indignantly and fighting for what’s right… I loved it.’

Klara smiles and meets her eyes. ‘I know. I always knew you’d be good at that kind of thing. You love being the centre of attention, you little drama queen.’

Gabriella pushes her gently. ‘Weren’t you the one who was just thanking me? And now you’re gonna give me crap?’

‘You’re always saving me,’ Klara says quietly. ‘You always show up and take care of everything.’

Gabriella throws a quick glance at her before turning back to the fields. There is something in that movement that surprises Klara, something that doesn’t quite match the usual, solid Gabi, who mumbles something that’s almost drowned out by the wind.

‘What did you say?’ Klara says.

Gabriella turns to her again with a quick smile, but only on her mouth, not in her eyes. ‘We should go in,’ she says, looking away. ‘You don’t want to have to sit through the service completely soaking wet.’

But Klara knows that wasn’t what she had said. Slowly fragments of words penetrate Klara’s consciousness: ‘Maybe you’ll have to save me soon.’

Is that what Gabi said? But before she can ask, the first car arrives in the snowy parking lot. Gabriella turns to her with a strained smile on her lips.

‘Come,’ she says. ‘We have a grandfather to bury.’ And immediately she freezes with panic in her eyes. ‘God, that’s terrible, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be so…’

‘Literal?’ Klara says.

She giggles and stands up. Gabriella laughs quietly behind her hand.

‘Such bad taste,’ she whispers. ‘I’m sorry. Seriously, so sorry.’

But Klara takes her by the arm and leans against her shoulder.

‘You’re right,’ she says. ‘We have a grandfather to bury.’

5 August

Beirut

Agneta has other tasks to deal with and no time to babysit a new intern, so she excuses herself and disappears with echoing steps down the stairwell towards the street. It leaves Jacob feeling a mixture of disappointment and relief.

None of this is turning out like his fantasies this summer, but at least his apartment is beyond anything he could have hoped for.

Besides, it feels good to be on his own. He opens the double doors to the noise of Armenia Street and sees Agneta climbing into the Volvo. She turns up to him and waves.