Anders had asked if he should bring anything and she had said valuables, but when he lugged the TV over, with its power cord dangling like a tail, she had giggled at him.

‘Valuables, Anders. Cash and jewellery.’

As he moved to carry the TV back, she told him to just throw it on the floor. He hesitated at first. Then he did it. She laughed hoarsely at him and praised him. He was left wondering if he had dropped the TV.

There was a heart-shaped jewellery box on the dresser in the bedroom; he was gazing into it dreamily when she entered. She had a look in the box, pulled out an earring and looked at it like she’d found a dead bug. She muttered something in Finnish and he could sense it was a derogatory remark. Was this all?

He went into William’s room, pulled out his desk drawers and rummaged through his papers and pens and tangled headphones until he found a black plastic box. It said ‘Ceverin Jewellers’ in embossed letters on the lid. Inside it, on a bed of cotton wool, rested a gold chain with a pendant in the shape of an ox. The boy had been given it for his confirmation, but he didn’t know by whom, maybe his grandparents, and he had never seen him wear it. He held the necklace up for Stava to see. He figured it was gold at least, but she didn’t even look at it.

‘How much money do you have in your bank account?’

‘I don’t know,’ he replied and tried to fit the lid back onto the tiny box. ‘A few thousand.’

She asked if he had any weapons and he nodded.

They went down to the basement and he opened the gun safe and stepped aside. As if to make room for a potential buyer. She picked up a box of ammunition and shook it, then she took the .30-06 from the rack and picked up the shoulder bag with the ammunition.

When they stepped out the front door, the wolf was standing there, watching them with its head lowered. Anders stopped in the doorway, fearful. Stava opened the boot and the wolf jumped in like a German Shepherd.

They got in the car and drove off. Out on Bergslagsvägen and down road 68 toward Gävle. He opened his hand and looked at the tiny ox that had been pressed into his skin.

*

She held the wheel casually, with her elbow against her stomach. He could tell she was angry, but he didn’t understand why. He could hardly be blamed for there not being more valuables in his home, now could he?