Unspoken

we might as well get this over with so that you can start looking for her.”
    “Have you talked to anyone at her school about why she’s been cutting classes?”
    “Yes, a teacher called me. That was just a few days ago. He said that she hadn’t been to his class for several weeks. We talked about the problem, but he seemed to think that she was just tired of school. I told Fanny that she had to go to school, and she promised to do better.”
    “Has Fanny mentioned anything new in her life? Someone new that she met?”
    “No,” replied Majvor, after giving it some thought. “I don’t think so.”
    “Is there anyone in particular that she spends a lot of time with?”
    “No, we don’t have a big circle of friends, as they say.”
    “What about relatives?”
    “My old mother lives at the Eken retirement home, but she’s so out of it that it’s almost impossible to talk to her. And I have a sister who lives in Vibble.”
    “Does your sister live alone?”
    “No, she’s married and has two children. Well, the son is her husband’s, from a previous marriage.”
    “So they’re the only cousins that Fanny has? How old are they?”
    “Lena lives in Stockholm. I think she’s thirty-two, and Stefan is forty. He lives here on Gotland, in Gerum. I was hoping that Fanny might have gone to stay with my sister.”
    Majvor started sobbing again. Knutas patted her arm.
    “Now, now,” he comforted her. “We’re going to do everything we can to find her. I’m sure she’ll turn up soon. Just you wait and see.”
    The message on his answering machine was a long one. Emma reported in a cracked, monotone voice that Olle now knew about everything. For the time being she was staying with her friend Viveka. She asked him not to try to contact her, and she promised to call when she could. Johan immediately tracked down Viveka’s phone number, only to be told by Emma’s friend that he needed to respect her wish to be left alone.
    It was a form of psychological terror, and he had a hard time coping with it. He played a game of floorball but couldn’t stop thinking about Emma. He went to a movie but left the theater without knowing what the film was about.
    On Tuesday evening she called.
    “Why won’t you talk to me?” he asked.
    “My whole life has fallen apart. Isn’t that a good enough reason?” she said angrily.
    “But I want to help you. I realize that this must be terribly hard for you. And I get so worried if we don’t have any contact.”
    “Right now I can’t be responsible for whether you’re worried or not. I have enough to think about.”
    “How did he find out?”
    “Your text message. You sent it while I was in the shower, and he checked my cell phone.”
    “I’m sorry, Emma. I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have texted you on a Sunday. That was stupid.”
    “The worst thing is that I still haven’t had a chance to talk to the children. He won’t answer the phone, and he’s turned off the answering machine. I’ve gone over there, but nobody was home. And he took my keys, so I can’t even get into the house.” Her voice broke.
    “Take it easy,” he consoled her. “I assume he just has to let off some steam. He’s had a shock. Isn’t there anyone who could talk to him? What about your parents?”
    “My parents! Not a chance. Do you know what he did? He called all of our friends and family and told them that I’d found someone else. He even called my grandmother in Lycksele! My parents are really upset with me. I’ve tried to talk to them, but they’re siding with Olle. They can’t understand how I could treat him so badly. And what about the children—why didn’t I think about Sara and Filip? Everybody is against me. I don’t know how I’m going to deal with this.”
    “Can’t you come here? So you can get away from things?”
    “No, I can’t.”
    “Should I come over there?” he asked. “I could take some time off.”
    “What good would that do? Right now the most important thing is for me to have contact with my children. Do you have any idea what it’s like not to be able to talk to your own children? I told you that I needed two months to think things through, but you refused to respect my wishes. You just couldn’t let me have some time in peace and quiet. You kept calling and pressuring me, even though I told you not to. And now look what’s happened! And it’s all thanks to you, for God’s sake!”
    “So this is all my fault? What about you?