The Fire Witness

145

The food is just a touch too expensive. Daniel is embarrassed as he looks through the wine list. He asks Elin if she wants to choose, but she shakes her head with a smile. He clears his throat weakly and asks the waiter about the house wine, but before he gets an answer, he changes his mind and asks the waiter to recommend a red wine. The young man looks through the wine list and offers three wines in three different price categories. Daniel chooses the cheapest, saying that the South African pinot noir would be perfect.

The waiter thanks him and takes the menus and the wine list. There’s a family eating at another table.

“You didn’t have to invite me for dinner,” says Elin.

“I wanted to,” he says, smiling.

“It was very nice of you,” she says. She sips some water.

A waitress comes and changes their silverware and wineglasses, but Elin continues to speak as if she’s not there.

“Vicky’s lawyer has resigned from the case,” she says in a low voice. “But my family lawyer, Johannes Grünewald, has agreed to take it on.”

“It will all work out,” Daniel says in a calming manner.

“There won’t be any more interrogations because she’s confessed,” Elin says. She clears her throat carefully. “I can also see how Vicky’s background fits. Foster homes, institutions, running away, violence-everything points to her. Still, I don’t believe she’s guilty.”

“I know,” Daniel says.

Elin lowers her face as her tears start to run. Daniel gets up and gives her a hug.

“Sorry I keep talking about Vicky,” she says, shaking her head. “It’s just that you’ve said that you don’t believe she did it. I mean, otherwise I wouldn’t have… But it seems as if you and I are the only ones who believe she’s innocent.”

“Elin,” he says, “I don’t believe anything at all. It’s just that the Vicky I knew was not capable of this.”

“May I ask you a question? Tuula seems to have seen Vicky and Miranda together,” Elin says.

“That night?”

“No, earlier…” Elin falls silent and Daniel holds her shoulders and tries to catch her eyes.

“What is it?”

“Vicky and Miranda played some game, where they held their hands over their face,” Elin says. “I don’t want to tell the police because that would add to their evidence.”

“But Elin-”

“Perhaps it doesn’t mean anything,” Elin says quickly. “I’m going to ask Vicky when I have a chance. She should be able to explain what they were doing.”

“What if she can’t?”

He falls silent as the waiter returns with the bottle of wine. Elin dries her tears and Daniel returns to his seat. He places his napkin on his knee and then tastes the wine. His hand shakes.

“Good,” he says, a little too quickly.

They are silent while the wine is poured. They thank the waiter and look carefully at each other when they’re left alone.

“I want to foster Vicky again,” Elin says in a serious tone.

“Are you sure?”

“Do you think I’m not up to it?” She smiles.

“It’s not that, Elin,” he says. “Vicky is suicidal. She’s gotten better but she still has a great deal of self-destructive behavior.”

“Does she cut herself?”

“She cuts herself and she overdoses. In my opinion, she’ll need twenty-four-hour care.”

“So you wouldn’t recommend me?”

“She needs professional help,” Daniel says. “I mean, I don’t think she got enough care at Birgittagården, actually. We didn’t have the money for it, but-”

“What does she need?”

“People to care for her around the clock.”

“And therapy?”

“I only had one hour a week with each student, sometimes two. It was much too little if you-”

Elin’s cell phone rings and she excuses herself as she looks at the display. It’s Johannes Grünewald, so she answers right away.

“What’s going on?” she asks.

“I’ve looked into the matter and the prosecutor has decided that the girl will be arraigned without further interrogation,” the lawyer replies. “I’m going to talk to the court about the time for arraignment, but we’ll need a few more hours.”

“Will Vicky accept help from us?”

“I talked to her and she’s hired me as her lawyer.”

“Did you mention me?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Did she say anything?”

“Well, she said… They’ve medicated her and-”

“What did she say about me?”

“Nothing at all.”

Daniel can see a wave of pain pass over Elin’s beautiful face.

“Meet me at the hospital,” she says. “It’s just as well to talk to her directly before we go much further.”

“Good.”

“How soon can you get there?”

“Twenty minutes at the earliest, it should-”

“Good, I’ll see you there,” she says, and ends the call. She looks at Daniel, who has a questioning look.

“Okay then,” she says. “Vicky has taken Johannes on as her lawyer. I have to go now.”

“Now? But we haven’t eaten yet!”

“I know… I’m sorry.” She gets up. “Maybe we can meet for dessert later on.”

“Of course,” he says with a weak smile.

“Would you like to come with me to Söder Hospital?”

“I don’t think I’m up to it,” he replies.

“I don’t mean that you should see her,” she says swiftly. “I was thinking of myself. I would feel calmer if I knew you were waiting outside.”

“Elin, it’s just… I haven’t come so far that I can think about Vicky… I need more time. Elisabet is dead and even if Vicky didn’t do it-”

“I understand,” Elin says. “It wouldn’t be good for you to see her.”

“Or maybe it would,” he says. “Maybe it would help me start to remember. I just have no idea how I would react.”