The Double Silence (Andas Knutas 7)

had together – when things were good, and before the others intervened and ruined it all. They sabotaged everything for us; they put ideas into Andrea’s head and made her lose confidence. So I was trying to get her to realize that it’s the two of us now. Sam’s dead. He doesn’t exist any more, so there’s nothing standing in our way.’
    He sank back on to the chair. Jacobsson had listened without changing expression.
    ‘Was that why you killed him? To get him out of the way?’
    Boberg sighed heavily.
    ‘I didn’t do it.’
    ‘Where is Andrea now?’
    ‘I don’t know.’
    ‘So your meeting didn’t turn out the way you’d hoped?’
    ‘You might say that.’
    ‘How did you react when she wanted to leave?’
    Boberg threw out his hands.
    ‘What was I supposed to do? She was suddenly in a big rush. I said that I’d be in touch again soon, and she just nodded. Then she was gone.’
    ‘And you haven’t seen her since?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘And you have no idea where she might be?’
    ‘Not a clue.’
    ‘OK.’
    Jacobsson ended the interview.
    ‘Can I go now?’
    ‘No, you’re staying here.’
    Prosecutor Birger Smittenberg decided during the course of the afternoon to arrest Sten Boberg, on suspicion of murdering Sam Dahlberg, Stina Ek and Valter Olsson. But one question kept reverberating through Jacobsson’s mind.
    Where was Andrea Dahlberg?

I WILL NEVER forget that terrible day. When I told Mamma what I’d heard at the parsonage, she fell into despair. But at least she believed me and immediately rang the pastor. We went over there together; Mamma demanded that I go along. He looked nervous when we came in, as if he knew. We sat in his office, and Mamma confronted him with what I’d said, without any attempt to disguise what she meant. He started shaking, trembling all over and sweating profusely. Almost as if he were the guilty party.
    ‘I’m so terribly sorry,’ he apologized. ‘Lennart told me about it in confidence, and as a pastor I’m obliged to remain silent, no matter how awful that may sound. I have a pact with God, and it’s something that I cannot break.’
    I cast a sidelong glance at Mamma. She looked furious.
    ‘A pact with God? Are you out of your mind?’ she snapped. ‘You knew about this for all these years, but you never said anything? You just pretended nothing was going on? You and your wife have been to our house for dinner, sat there with our whole family, including Emilia. And you’re talking to me about a pact with God?’ she repeated, hardly able to stay seated. Her expression was thunderous, and she was spraying saliva on the pastor’s polished desk. I had never seen Mamma so angry before. Her knuckles were white as she held on to the edge of the desk. ‘How could you possibly not say anything? You knew what Emilia was being subjected to, but you never intervened. You’re just as guilty as he is. May you burn in hell!’
    ‘Please, Margareta. Calm down,’ the pastor pleaded, his voice quavering. ‘There was nothing I could do. My hands were tied; my lips were sealed by our Lord God. Somewhere on this earth there has to be someone who listens to a fellow human being without revealing to anyone else what that person has said. Somewhere in this earthly life there has to be a means for release, a single person who can be trusted, someone you can confide in and at the same time feel completely sure that the confessions will go no further. No matter what the confessions may concern. Do you understand?’ He gave my mother and me an imploring look. ‘And it applies to both murderers and rapists; to anyone at all. There has to be a place of refuge for people on earth. I could not betray my pact with God.’
    ‘But you betrayed Emilia.’ Mamma spat out the words. ‘You betrayed Emilia and now she’s no longer here. Now she’s dead, and she’s never coming back. Do you understand what you’ve done? You’re a murderer. You killed her, just like he did. What does God the Almighty say about that? You killed a child!’
    The pastor’s face was as white as chalk.
    ‘Please, Margareta. Please.’
    All of a sudden Mamma was completely calm. She stood up, and all she said was: ‘Come on, Andrea. We’re leaving.’
    Somehow the knowledge of what Pappa had done to Emilia didn’t destroy Mamma. On the contrary. She was suddenly yanked out of her apathy and took action. She filed a police report, which was followed by official charges and a trial. Pappa