After saying that she immediately tried to think of something to say that wasn’t about Susso’s health. To show her she had come as a friend, not a doctor on a home visit.

‘I have a daughter.’

‘I know.’

‘Her name’s Kiruna.’

‘I know.’

Susso fetched the percolator and poured the coffee into two drinking glasses that she put on the table. Then she sat down on the bench.

‘So are you divorced yet?’

‘Me and Håkan? No, it looks like it might be a while yet.’

‘Everyone gets divorced.’

‘Not us.’

‘Give it some time.’

‘Well, it’s never too late to give up.’

‘Besides, you weren’t supposed to get married.’

‘I know.’

‘We weren’t supposed to ever get married.’

‘I know. But,’ she said and raised her index finger, ‘we’re both called Sillfors.’

‘Because he was sick of being called Håkan Hellström.’

‘True, but still.’

‘Traitor.’

Diana giggled.

‘So that’s why you’re living like this?’

‘Like what?’

‘Here, all alone?’

‘How do you know I’m all alone?’

‘I assumed. I used your bathroom. It looked feminine.’

‘Maybe I’m living with a woman.’

Susso’s steady gaze suddenly made her feel awkward and she looked around the kitchen.

‘Are you renting this place?’

‘No.’

‘It’s yours?’

She nodded.

‘Where did you find the money? Well, I guess you owned a flat. Though I thought that was actually your dad’s.’

‘It was. But he gave me the money.’

‘That was nice of him.’

‘He’s nice now. In his old age.’

‘How long have you lived here?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘You don’t know?’

‘A few years.’

Silence fell in the kitchen and it was painfully clear Susso had an easier time enduring it than her, whether due to habit or because they were on her turf.

‘It’s lovely. Lovely location.’

‘Are you still on Villagatan?’

‘Villastigen? No, we’re on Duvvägen. If you know where Stina Taube’s mother used to live.’

Susso shook her head.

‘Well, that’s where we are. The house next door. To the house where she lived.’

They sat in silence.

‘So why did you move out here?’

‘It’s lovely, you said so yourself.’

‘But what do you do?’

‘What I do?’

‘Yes. Are you working as a carer or what?’

‘You might say that.’

From time to time, there was a secretive glint in her eye that Diana didn’t recognise at all. It made her feel unsure of herself. Uneasy.

‘Well, as I said, your mum’s really worried.’

‘You said you were worried too.’

‘Yes.’

‘Why?’

‘I thought you were doing drugs.’

The words just came out and she almost wanted to clap her hand to her mouth afterwards. But Susso didn’t seem offended.

‘Why would you think that?’