‘We will look for her. But we’re not going to call the police.’

‘Give me the phone.’

He held his hand out across the table. It was shaking.

‘Listen to me, Håkan. If we call the police, you’re going to end up in prison for I don’t know how many years, and Diana will probably never come back. Do you understand what I’m telling you? If we call the police, Kiruna will be an orphan. You don’t want that, do you?’

He stared at me and at length lowered his hand.

‘Calling the police,’ I said, ‘is a bad idea.’

‘Then what do we do?’

I pondered that for a minute. Leaned back in my chair. And then I saw it. It was sitting on the threshold, looking at us. What had I expected? After all, a mouse can squeeze through cracks light can barely get through.

‘Come on,’ I said and pulled Håkan out of the kitchen.

We climbed into the car and I was quick to shut the doors and lock them. Then I studied him from the side. He looked broken.

‘Did you by any chance notice a mouse up there? That there was a mouse on the bed. This big.’ I showed him with my thumb and forefinger. ‘Tail included.’

Håkan made no reply. He just stared vacantly into thin air.

‘That’s what made you strangle that man.’

‘Gudrun.’

‘Yes?’

‘What have I fucking done.’

‘I know it’s hard to understand, especially for a doctor, but you understanding this right here, right now, is critical if we want to find Diana.’

He looked completely helpless.

‘I want to turn back time.’

‘You can’t.’

‘No.’

‘There’s no chance of that.’

‘What have I done.’

‘This mouse,’ I said, ‘it has some kind of telepathic power. I don’t know how it happens, but they can get in your head and mess you up in there. Why do you think I did nothing to stop you, Håkan! Have you thought about that? I was affected too, don’t you see? Do you understand what I’m telling you?’

He shook his head.

‘Can you at least hear what I’m telling you?’

He nodded.

‘Good. That’s all I ask. For now.’

We sat gazing out at the river and I wondered where the mouse might be. It was probably sitting in the grass just outside the car, pondering how to get inside; the thought made me queasy. The windows were fogging up.

‘You’re probably thinking I’m nuts right now.’

He shrugged.

I sat in silence for a while before pressing on.

‘Do you know what a stallo is?’

‘No,’ he said and put his head in his hands. ‘No, no, no.’ He was once again overwhelmed by the realisation of what he’d done; it was hitting him in waves.

‘Håkan. Do you know what a stallo is?’