The Fire Witness

150

Susanne Öst sits down with a thump. She pours water into her glass and spills some on the table. She wipes the drops up with her sleeve and drinks. Her hand is shaking. When she hears Johannes call Daniel Grim as a witness, she understands how completely her hand has been undermined. She’ll have to lower the level of suspicion required if Vicky is going to be sent to jail at all.

Elin tries to look at Vicky’s face, but the girl is keeping her head down.

Using his warmest voice, Johannes introduces Daniel Grim, mentioning how long he has worked at Birgittagården and all the institutions where he’s worked previously. Vicky looks up for the first time. She tries to meet Daniel’s eyes, but he’s staring straight ahead, his lips pursed.

“Daniel,” Johannes begins, “please tell us how well you know Vicky Bennet.”

“Know,” Daniel repeats, thinking. “No, I…” He stops speaking.

Vicky scratches one of the scabs on her wrist.

“Is there any psychologist or counselor who knows her better than you do?”

“No, there isn’t,” Daniel whispers.

“Not one?”

“No, well, it’s hard to judge. I don’t believe she had much therapy, if any, before she came to Birgittagården. So it’s my understanding she was in therapy longer with me than with anyone else.”

“You had one hour of cognitive behavioral therapy with Vicky every week until she ran away, is that correct?” Johannes asks.

“Yes. I also took part in her All Day Lifestyle training.”

“That’s training to prepare patients for a normal life back in society,” Johannes explains to the judge.

“It’s a big step,” Daniel tells the judge.

Johannes contemplates Daniel for a while and his tone is serious when he says, “Now I have to ask you a difficult question.”

“All right.”

“There is a great deal of technical evidence that points to Vicky Bennet being involved in the murder of your wife.”

Daniel nods so slightly it can barely be seen. The room fills with tension.

Elin is trying to read Daniel’s expression, but he isn’t looking at her. Vicky seems on the point of tears.

Johannes, however, stays calm and doesn’t let Daniel escape his gaze.

“You were Vicky Bennet’s therapist,” he says. “Do you believe that she is capable of murdering your wife?”

Daniel Grim lifts his chin. His lips are pale. His hand trembles as he wipes his eyes, nudging his glasses off-kilter.

“I have not discussed the case with any of my colleagues. I haven’t been able to. But in my professional opinion, well, no, I don’t believe that Vicky Bennet is capable of this.”

“How did you reach that opinion?”

“Vicky was responsive to therapy and medication,” Daniel says. “But most important, in my profession, you meet people who are… that is, she did not have any violent fantasies and she was not violent in the manner that such people are.”

“Thank you,” Johannes says quietly.