‘Did I do that?’

‘How do you think it feels when someone who’s hurt you denies it even happened?’

‘I’m not denying it, I’m just asking.’

‘It was the first night you left the house. Since then, I haven’t stopped you. I’m sure you can understand why.’

He didn’t respond. Her tone had hardened and he noticed it was getting his dander up, but he didn’t want that to show.

‘You don’t remember this?’

He heaved a sigh.

‘That’s frightening. That you don’t remember. And it can’t go on like this.’

He pulled his glasses back down.

‘You think it’s frightening. How do you think it makes me feel?’

‘It doesn’t really matter how you feel. Because by tomorrow, you’ll have forgotten. And then we’ll be here again. I should start bloody recording it.’

‘But I do have memories, Johanna. Faint memories. I can’t sleep. I have nightmares and then I can’t go back to sleep. So I go outside for some fresh air. What’s so weird about that?’

She snorted derisively.

‘It’s nice in the woods. Relaxing.’

‘Relaxing? Yeah, I know what relaxes you.’

She shook her head at his perplexed look.

‘Don’t play dumb.’

He was silent for a moment, pondering what to say.

‘Let me explain what it’s like. When I’m out there, it’s kind of like a dream. Like being half naked. Half waking. It’s hard to explain. I suppose it’s the shock that hasn’t worn off. These things take time, Johanna. But we can’t let it get to us. It will pass.’

‘You’re sure of that?’

‘Anyway, isn’t it dangerous to stop a sleepwalker? Aren’t you supposed to get out of their way? Because things like that can happen.’

She studied him through narrowed eyes.

‘I think I’ve heard that,’ he said. ‘That you should get out of their way.’

‘So you’re sleepwalking, that’s your explanation?’

He shrugged.

‘Just now you said you couldn’t sleep.’

‘I obviously meant I must have been sleepwalking that time you tried to stop me. Since I reacted like I did and grabbed you. But normally I go for walks. Long walks. I’m aware of that.’

She looked at him with eyes sizzling with suppressed rage.

‘I know who she is.’

‘Who?’

‘I’ve followed you, Anders. I’ve seen her.’

‘Seen whom?’

‘You go to that construction trailer.’

‘Oh, come off it, will you?’

‘It’s that woman, that Finnish woman who came here. The wolf woman.’

‘Wolf woman?’

‘She was from some organisation. Some predator organisation or whatever. And she asked lots of questions about the wolf you were going to move. Maybe a month ago. You don’t remember that?’