‘There is a human in Vittangi who scares me so much I can barely talk about her. She wants to do very bad things to me. Which means she wants to do very bad things to you. Because you and I are siblings. You and Lennart are also siblings. He is your brother. And I am your sister. And surely you want to help your sister?’

The figure on the other side of the table sat stock-still.

‘But there’s a problem. A small problem. Because she has a little one helping her.’ She showed with her hand how small the little one was. ‘A squirrel. He is old and knows much, and we can’t quite handle him, and we’re afraid of him. I’ll admit as much. But I’m certain you aren’t. Which is why we’re here. We have travelled far to see you, Rune.’

Lennart studied the girl, who was leaning back against the kitchen counter, rocking the little boy in her arms. The arm with the sock on moved up toward her mouth; she turned her head away as if to escape a fly.

‘He doesn’t understand,’ she said. ‘And he doesn’t like that you talk funny.’

‘Maybe we should do this in Swedish?’

‘He thinks you’re trying to trick him,’ she said.

‘We’re not,’ Grete said. ‘We just want you to come with us to Vittangi. And help us with this squirrel. Before it’s too late. For your own sake. Rune. For your own sake.’

‘Who’s Vittangi?’

‘It’s the place where she lives,’ Lennart said. ‘The girl with the squirrel.’

‘He doesn’t want to go there.’

‘We really do need your help,’ Grete said.

‘He doesn’t want to. He doesn’t like Vittangi and he doesn’t like you and he doesn’t like the bandage on his hand. You’re just trying to trick him. You’re thieves.’

‘Thieves? We’re not thieves.’

Silence fell in the kitchen. The only sounds were the music from the living room and the little grunts coming from the child as it tried to twist out of its mother’s grasp.

‘I think you’d better leave,’ the girl said.

Grete stayed in her seat. But when the young man appeared in the doorway, she nodded, stuck her sunglasses into her hair, grabbed her crutch and got to her feet.

Lennart held the front door for her but she was in no hurry. She had pulled out her phone and was tapping it with her thumb. Then she aimed the glowing screen at the young man.