She swallowed, feeling a lump form in her throat at his continuing anger at her. She felt brow-beaten by it. ‘I’m sorry that you feel I’m in your way, but I’m only trying to do my job,’ she said in a quiet voice, trying not to agitate him further. Clearly this was no time for another of their disagreements. ‘I care for Linus very much and want him to be happy.’ She looked back at him with steady eyes, refusing to let them tear up. ‘. . . So could I have my wrist back, please?’

He looked at her wrist as if in surprise to find it in his grip, dropping it just as Hanna walked back in.

‘How’s the patient?’

Bell nodded, trying to compose herself, unsure of why she felt so upset. Simmering contempt seemed to be their new normal. ‘All good here. He’s just had some water.’ She walked across the room and returned the empty glass to the carafe on the table.

‘Great. It’s important to keep hydrated.’ Hanna pressed her hand to his forehead gently and Bell noticed – sure enough – she wasn’t wearing her aquamarine ring again, the shape of the band picked out by a bright tan line.

‘Hanna, I was thinking . . .’ Hanna sank onto the bed and turned to face her with a smile. ‘If you’re going to be staying here this weekend, should I . . . go back to Strommskar? Give you all some . . . family time alone?’

Emil’s hand reached for Hanna’s. ‘Family time. Just us. That sounds good.’

Hanna smiled back at him, considering for a moment. ‘Well, my mother’s at the cabin this weekend,’ she said obliquely, not saying, or having to say, that she was therefore babysitting the girls. Bell wondered where Max was, or if, in fact, he was there too, livid that his partner had been dragged over here for the weekend on account of another of her ex’s medical emergencies. ‘So listen, if you want to take the weekend off . . .?’

Bell brightened instantly. ‘Really?’

‘Of course! Don’t you agree, Emil? The poor girl needs a break. She’s worked straight through since Midsommar.’

Emil stared back at her with an inscrutable stare. ‘Absolutely. It’s been awful for her being stuck here with us.’

If Hanna picked up on the sardonic tone in his voice, she made no sign of it.

‘Can I take the boat?’

‘Of course. But listen, can we start from the morning? I could really do with the help tonight. Dr Sorensen says we have to wake him every two hours through the night and ask him some questions, and I’m not sure I can do that on my own.’

‘Måns can do it,’ Emil said, sounding terse.

‘We can’t ask him to do that!’ Hanna chided. ‘He’s in his mid-eighties.’

They really did sound like the proverbial married couple, Bell marvelled, seemingly slipping straight back into old patterns, bickering lightly. ‘What sort of questions?’