‘Absolutely! It would be a shame to postpone things until tomorrow. And who has more expertise than we do to get this case moving forward?’ He smiled broadly.

‘Exactly what I was thinking,’ said Gösta, smiling as well. ‘It’s time to show the young folk what us old guys can do.’

‘Brilliant, my friend.’

Mellberg got up and they headed for the garage. The two veterans were about to take to the field.

Nathalie was bathing him again. She poured the warm, salty water over his body, wet his hair, and tried to avoid getting water in his eyes. Sam didn’t seem to be enjoying it, but he didn’t appear to hate it either. He lay quietly in her arms and allowed her to wash him.

She knew that sooner or later he would wake from his torpor. His brain was trying to process what had happened – an experience that no one should ever have to go through, especially someone so young. A five-year-old child should not be separated from his father, but she’d had no choice. It had been essential to flee; it was the only way out. She and Sam had paid a high price though.

Sam had loved Fredrik. He hadn’t seen the side of him that she had seen, or experienced what she had gone through. For Sam, Fredrik was a hero who could do no wrong. He had idolized his father, and that was the main reason why it had been so hard to make the decision. To the extent that she’d had any choice in the matter.

In spite of everything, it pained her that Sam had lost his father. No matter what Fredrik had done to her, he had always meant a great deal to Sam. Not as much as she did, but nevertheless he was important to the boy. And now Sam was never going to see him again.

Nathalie lifted her son out of the water and placed him on the towel that she had spread out on the dock. Her father had always said that the sun was good for both body and soul, and the warm rays truly did feel as if they were having a restorative effect. Overhead the seagulls circled, and she thought that Sam might enjoy watching them when he was feeling better.

‘My sweet, sweet little boy.’ She stroked his hair. He was still so small, so defenceless. It felt as if it were only yesterday that he was an infant and could fit so easily in her arms. Maybe she ought to take him to a doctor after all, but her maternal instincts told her no. He was safe here. He didn’t need hospitals and medicines; he needed peace and quiet and her loving care. That was what would make him well again.

She shivered. A chill wind had started sweeping over the dock, and she worried that Sam might catch cold. With an effort she stood up, holding him in her arms, and walked towards the house. She pushed the door open with her foot and carried him inside.

‘Are you hungry?’ she asked as she got him dressed.

He didn’t say a word, but she sat down on a chair and began feeding him cornflakes. In good time he’d come back to her. The sea, the sun, and her love would heal his damaged soul.

Erica tried to take a walk every afternoon before collecting Maja from the daycare centre. The babies needed fresh air, and she needed to get some exercise. Manoeuvring the twins’ pram gave her quite a workout, and on the return journey, with Maja standing on the running board, it was a real challenge to push the pram all the way home.

Today, instead of taking the direct route up Galärbacken, she decided to take the long route past Badis and the Lorentz jam factory. At the wharf below Badis she paused and shaded her eyes with her hand so she could look up at the old building. The newly painted facade was a gleaming white in the sunshine. It made her happy to see the place restored. Aside from the church, the spa hotel was the dominant feature of the town’s skyline and the first thing people noticed when they approached the town by boat. For years the building had fallen more and more into disrepair until finally it looked as if it might collapse altogether. Now it was once again the pride of Fjällbacka.

She sighed with pleasure and then chuckled at herself, embarrassed that she could be so moved by the boards and paint of an old building. But it was more than that. She had so many fond memories of Badis. For Erica, as for most people who lived in Fjällbacka, the building held a special place in her heart. Badis was part of their history, and it had now been restored to the present and the future. No wonder she’d come over all sentimental.

Erica began pushing the pram again, steeling herself for the long, steep path up the hill past the sewage-treatment plant and the mini-golf course. Suddenly a car pulled up and stopped next to her. She paused, peering at the driver to see who it was. A woman got out of the car, and Erica recognized her at once, even though she’d never actually met her. The local grapevine had been rife with gossip about this woman since she moved to the area a number of months ago. It had to be Vivianne Berkelin.

‘Hi!’ said the woman cheerfully, coming forward with her hand held out. ‘You must be Erica Falck.’

‘Yes, that’s right,’ said Erica with a smile as they shook hands.

‘I’ve been meaning to say hello to you. I’ve read all your books, and I like them a lot.’

Erica felt herself blushing, which always happened whenever she received praise for her books. She still hadn’t grown used to the fact that so many people had read something she’d written. And after being on maternity leave for several months, it was refreshing to meet someone who viewed her primarily as an author and not as the mother of Noel, Anton, and Maja.

‘I really admire anyone who has the patience to sit down and write a whole book.’

‘All it requires is a tough backside,’ said Erica, laughing.

Vivianne radiated an infectious enthusiasm, and Erica was filled with an emotion that she at first couldn’t quite identify. Then she realized what it was. She wanted Vivianne to like her.

‘It’s looking amazing.’ She turned towards Badis.

‘Yes, we’re incredibly proud of it.’ Vivianne looked in the same direction. ‘Would you like a tour?’

Erica glanced at her watch. She had planned to pick up Maja a bit early, but her daughter loved being at day-care, so there would be no harm in picking her up at the normal time. Besides, she was dying to find out whether the interior of the building was as lovely as the facade.

‘That would be great. But I’m not sure how I’ll manage to get the pram up there,’ she said, looking at the steep stairs.

‘Don’t worry, I’ll give you a hand.’ Vivianne headed for the steps without waiting for a reply.

Five minutes later they had manoeuvred the twin pram up to the entrance, and Erica was able to push it inside. She paused in the doorway, her eyes wide as she glanced around. Gone were all the old, worn furnishings, yet the original character of the place remained. As she surveyed her surroundings, memories of the summer disco when she was a teenager came flooding back, yet everything now looked so new and fresh. She parked the pram next to the wall and lifted Noel out. She was about to lift out Anton’s carrycot when she heard Vivianne say quietly:

‘May I hold him?’

Erica nodded, and Vivianne leaned over and gently picked up Anton in her arms. The twins were used to being held by so many different people that they were never bothered by strangers picking them up. The baby gazed up at her, giving her a smile.

‘What a little charmer you are,’ prattled Vivianne as she carefully removed his jacket and hat.

‘Do you have children?’ asked Erica.

‘No, I’ve never been so lucky,’ replied Vivianne, looking away. ‘Would you like some tea?’ she asked as she carried Anton towards the dining room.

‘I’d prefer coffee, if you have it. I’m not much of a tea drinker.’

‘Normally we don’t recommend poisoning the body with caffeine, but I’ll make an exception and see if I can find some real coffee.’