The Double Silence (Andas Knutas 7)

taken her to Gotland. Sten, who had his own business, had followed, even though they’d only been together a short time. They found a house to rent in Terra Nova, and their plans for the future had included both children and a dog. But their relationship had begun to deteriorate, and the situationgot worse after the parties started. Sten talked about nothing else. Several times she’d caught him spying on Andrea, and after the last party, their relationship was over. Monica had not only moved away from Gotland, she’d also split up with Sten. She wanted nothing more to do with him.
    It had been more difficult for the police to locate Sten Boberg. His business no longer seemed to be functioning, nobody answered the phone, and the email address wasn’t working. He’d apparently moved around to various addresses, but Wittberg finally tracked him down to a block of flats due to be demolished in Upplands Bro municipality, about 30 kilometres north of Stockholm. Wittberg had asked the Stockholm police for help in bringing Boberg in for questioning.
    Now they were just waiting for their colleagues in the capital to report back.

AFTER COUNTLESS ATTEMPTED phone calls, Jacobsson finally reached Andrea’s mother, Marianne, late Tuesday afternoon.
    ‘We’re looking for your daughter. As I understand it, she’s been on a sailing trip with you. Is she there now?’
    ‘No, I’m afraid not,’ said the woman on the phone.
    Her voice was so faint that Jacobsson had to strain to hear what she said.
    ‘Maybe I misunderstood, but her cousin told us that she and the children were staying with you.’
    ‘The children are here with me and my husband, but Andrea decided to stay at home.’
    ‘Do you know why?’
    ‘She changed her mind.’
    ‘When was this?’
    ‘Just before we were supposed to leave,’ said her mother with a sigh. ‘Everything was all set, and we were standing on the dock …’
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘Well, she just decided not to come with us.’
    ‘Do you know why?’
    ‘She got a phone call.’
    ‘A phone call?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Then what happened?’
    ‘She took the call and afterwards she told us that she needed to go and see somebody.’
    ‘Do you know why?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Do you know who she was talking to?’
    ‘No.’
    Jacobsson felt a growing annoyance. She practically had to drag every word out of this woman.
    ‘But you’d made plans to go sailing for a whole week with her and the children. What explanation did she give for not going with you?’
    ‘None. She just said that she’d meet us later.’
    ‘When?’
    ‘The next day. At least that’s what she said.’
    ‘And did she?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Have you talked to her since then?’
    ‘No, actually, I haven’t. I’ve tried to phone her, but it’s hard to get through from out here in the archipelago.’
    ‘Do you have any idea where she might be?’
    ‘No, I don’t. I have no idea.’

ONE DAY WHEN my sister came home from school she stopped talking. I asked her a question – I can’t remember what it was about – but she refused to answer. She wouldn’t say a word. I was completely bewildered. I could tell from her expression that she had made up her mind. She wasn’t going to talk any more. Mamma was at the hospital, and Pappa was out in the fields. Ploughing, or whatever it was that he was doing. I got upset, asked her what was wrong, what had happened. She just gave me a solemn look, shook her head, and then went to her room. Later Mamma came home and began cooking dinner. I told her that Emilia was refusing to talk. She thought I was joking. ‘Oh, what kind of foolishness is that?’ She dried her hands on her apron and went upstairs. She called to Emilia on the way up, but received no answer. I followed at her heels, worried about what would happen. Both Emilia and I had great respect for our parents. Would Emilia dare to defy Mamma?
    ‘Hello, dear. Why didn’t you answer when I called you?’ said Mamma reproachfully as she pushed open the door to Emilia’s room.
    Emilia was sitting on the bed with her diary on her lap. Pale and sombre, she looked at Mamma without saying a word.
    ‘What’s wrong with you? What’s this all about?’
    At first Mamma just sound irritated, but when Emilia persisted in keeping silent, Mamma grew desperate. She scolded and cursed, but nothing helped. Emilia refused to speak. Mamma grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. My sister just sat there, seemingly unaffected. As if it