Diana stood motionless. Something about the look on his face made her hesitate. There was no trace of that pathological inertia that had held him in its grasp lately. Simply put, she recognised him, standing there in his underwear, with his hair in a tangle, staring at her. At the same time, she recalled what she’d seen through that window. A creepy ensemble of dressed-up Lilliputians, all with murine characteristics. She swallowed hard without taking her eyes off Håkan. Then she turned to the little girl.

She had lain down and her eyes were closed.

‘Kirri.’

She sat down on the edge of the bed.

The little girl’s eyelids fluttered and her hair was a black, tangled weave across her round cheek.

‘I know you’re not asleep.’

She put a hand on the little girl’s arm and shook it gently.

‘Hey.’

That made her bury her face into the pillow. Diana looked at Håkan. He had closed the door and shoved a blanket into the gap along the threshold; now he was scouring the floor.

‘So, was it a mouse?’

‘What?’

‘Was it a mouse?’

‘Yes, it was a mouse.’

‘A regular mouse?’

He shot her a quick glance. Then he resumed his search.

‘I don’t want any fucking mice in here.’

‘So what are you going to do?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Were you planning on catching it with your bare hands?’

He paced around the room, kicking the things scattered on the floor. Teddy bears. Clothes. Books. Jigsaw puzzles. A pink princess laptop. A spherical horse that let out a crazy neigh.

‘You won’t find it.’

‘It’s in here somewhere.’

‘Come with me now.’

‘You don’t understand.’

‘What don’t I understand?’

‘It has to go. Okay? It can’t be in here.’

‘Can’t it wait till morning?’

‘No, it can’t wait till morning.’

She dug her hands in under Kiruna to lift her up, but the little girl wanted none of it. She rolled up and whimpered into the wall. There was no question she was simulating sleep. Diana made a new attempt, this time picking up both the child and the duvet she was clinging to. She carried the little girl into the bedroom and sat her down on the bed. Kiruna was hopping mad; she almost expected her head to start spinning around.

‘I want to sleep in my room, I want to sleep in my room!’

Diana closed the door and lay down next to her. She pulled her close and rocked her like she’d done when she was little. After a while, the girl relaxed and then it wasn’t long before her deep, regular breath warmed Diana’s neck.

*