cooperation with Anders,” Gunnar said with a sigh.
“Yes, in cooperation with Anders,” Carin replied.
* * *
Mia Bolander came into the police station cafeteria, took a pear from the fruit bowl and stuffed two more into her pockets. It was really too many, but she knew she couldn’t put them back once she turned around and caught sight of Henrik Levin and Ola Söderström. She rubbed the pear on her knit cardigan and sat down across from them.
Henrik removed the blue lid from his glass container, the steam from the red curry stew warming his face.
“That’s a small lunch,” Mia said.
“There wasn’t much left after dinner last night.”
“What, did Emma eat everything?”
“She’s pregnant, you know.”
“When’s she due?”
“December 31.”
“She’ll have to keep her legs crossed tight for the baby’s sake. It’s no fun to have your birthday on the last day of the year, because then you’re the last to get your driver’s license or get into bars.”
“No, it’s...”
“And you have to ask your buddies to buy drinks for you.”
“Right, of course.” Henrik sighed. “But the main thing is that the baby is healthy.”
“Everyone says that. The main thing is that the baby is healthy and has ten fingers and ten toes and develops a little faster than all the other kids. Just imagine how it is for people who have ugly babies. I mean, really ugly, not just the normal ugly.”
“What do you mean, people? You mean, what if I have an ugly baby?”
“I wasn’t talking about you.”
“But I’m the one who’s going to have a baby.”
“Take it however you want.”
Mia examined her pear.
“If we’re being honest, though?”
“But aren’t all babies cute?” Henrik asked.
“Parents say so, yes. But have you ever heard someone say, ‘Oh, what an ugly baby’?”
“No, because there’s no such thing as an ugly baby.”
“No, it’s because no one would dare to say so. But everyone has thought it at one time or another.”
“But not everyone thinks that babies are ugly!” Henrik protested.
“Haven’t you ever thought it?” Mia asked.
“No. Never.”
“See, it’s because you’re a father. If you weren’t, you would have. You agree with me, don’t you, Ola?”
Ola held his hand up. “No comment.” He wasn’t going to join in Mia’s fun.
“Wimp. You agree with me,” Mia said.
“I don’t even know what you’re talking about,” Ola said.
They all fell quiet. Ola broke the silence. “Going back to our previous conversation, Henrik, did that train attendant actually have anything to say?”
Henrik didn’t have a chance to answer before Gunnar Öhrn came into the cafeteria and interrupted them.
“Mia!” he barked.
“Yes?” she said, turning around.
“I want to talk to you.”
“Is that an order?”
“Yes. It’s important. In my office in five minutes.”
Mia sighed and took a bite of the pear.
* * *
Gunnar sat in his office and knew that as soon as he had given Mia the assignment, he should let Anders Wester know that a new witness had turned up at the train station. But it was hard.
He fiddled with his phone and pulled out Anders’s number. It still felt unnatural having the National Crime Squad looking over his shoulder, as if their department had suddenly become a class of special needs kids with Anders Wester as their “normal” peer mentor.
He knew that if she could hear his thoughts, Anneli would say, Knock it off! You’re being childish!
He began to type in Anders’s phone number, but when he came to the last digit, he changed his mind and deleted it. He had absolutely no desire to talk to Anders, or to have anything at all to do with him, really.
Just then, someone knocked on his door. Mia stuck her head in. “You wanted something?”
Gunnar rubbed his hands over his face several times.
“Sit down,” he said, pointing at the chair in front of him.
“What is it?” she said, sitting down.
“I just want you to interview a witness who was in the parking lot yesterday when the train with the dead woman rolled into the station. He says he saw a man. Find out what he saw. His name is Stefan Ohlin.”
“Sure, sure, sure.”
Gunnar took a deep breath.
“And one more thing.”
“What is it?”
“Your attitude is a little, well, how should I say this. It’s too much.”
“Are you going to fire me or what?” Mia crossed her arms over her chest.
“No, I’m not going to fire you. But...you’re sucking energy out of the group with your attitude, and I want you to get it together.”
“Okay. I should shut up, you mean?”
“That’s exactly the attitude I’m talking about.”
“What do you mean? I’m just saying what I think.”
“Well, stop doing that, then. Keep your opinions to yourself and focus on doing a good job instead!”
Mia didn’t answer, just pursed her lips.
“This is how it’s going to be,” Gunnar said. “We have the National Crime Squad looking over our shoulders, and I want you to help me live up to their expectations. We can’t give them any reason to question our work.”
“Sure,” Mia said, nodding slowly.
“Good.
