‘Probably Smeed,’ she says with a glance at her watch.

It must be the late evening in Thailand, so he’s unlikely to be sober, Karen realises with a sigh. She adjusts her earbud, pushes the button on the cord and answers in a formal tone.

But instead of her boss’s drawling inflection, she hears a voice so tense she barely recognises it.

‘Hi, Karen, it’s Leo. I think you need to come back. Right now.’

Chapter 50

50

Without knowing how, Karen manages to keep the car on the road. All her instincts are screaming at her to rip out the earbud. She doesn’t want to hear it. Whatever it is, she doesn’t want to know.

‘What’s wrong?’ she says and wonders if her voice can be heard over the loud buzzing in her ears. ‘Is it Sigrid?’ she breathes and knows the worst must have happened. Leo wouldn’t call otherwise.

Her words draw an instant reaction from Karl Björken.

‘Pull over there,’ he says, pointing to a pole with the bus company’s logo on it. ‘Do it, Karen.’

His authoritative voice compels her to obey. She slams on the brakes and turns into the bus stop.

‘Hello?’ Leo’s voice says in her ear. ‘Are you still there? You’re breaking up.’

‘What’s wrong?’

‘She’s been beat up pretty bad. And she’s scared. She’s here in the kitchen now, but she’s in a bad way.’

‘Who hit her? If it’s that bloody Sam, I’m going to—’

Memories of Sigrid’s ex-boyfriend flash before her eyes. It’s been three months since they broke up, but she knows Sam still calls to badger Sigrid about getting back together. She pictures the gangly young man: even more tattoos on his arms than Sigrid, even more piercings and the same long black hair. Samuel Nesbö may look dangerous, but Karen never thought he’d be violent.

While her mind races, she absently notes that Karl is taking the keys out of the ignition and opening the door on his side. Then Leo’s voice is back.

‘Sam? What the fuck are you talking about? It’s her husband, obviously. Bo, or whatever the fuck his name is.’

Everything stops. Then fear morphs into unadulterated rage.

‘Aylin,’ she says quietly. ‘Bo beat her?’

‘To within an inch of her life. She has the kids with her and says it’s only a matter of time before the bastard turns up here.’

‘I’m on my way,’ Karen says. ‘But it’s going to take me a few hours to get there. Call the police right now and—’

‘She won’t,’ Leo cuts in. ‘Says she’ll leave if we contact the police. Sigrid and I have both tried to convince her.’

‘Does she need a doctor?’

‘That’s off the table, too. She claims nothing’s broken.’

‘Have you talked to Marike?’

‘No, I called you first.’