The Fire Witness

153

While Johannes Grünewald meets with the journalists in the National Police Bureau press room, Elin and Vicky leave Stockholm in Elin’s Jeep. They have already passed between Haga Park, where Crown Princess Victoria lives in her castle, and the enormous cemetery where the socialist August Palm lies buried.

The aroma of Italian leather fills the roomy interior. Elin’s left hand on the steering wheel is bathed in the amber light from the instrument panel, and the autumnal sound of Bach’s first cello suite pours from the speakers.

Elin looks at Vicky’s calm face and smiles to herself.

In order to escape media attention, Elin is taking Vicky to her mountain cabin, where they will stay until the trial starts. The cabin is a 4,500-square-foot house in the foothills of Tegefjäll outside Duved.

There, Vicky will have around-the-clock care. Elin’s local maid, Bella, is already at the cabin, and Daniel set out just ahead of them in his own car. A nurse will arrive tomorrow.

Vicky showered and washed her hair at the hospital, and her hair now smells of cheap shampoo. Elin bought her jeans, shirts, underwear, socks, and sports shoes, as well as a Windbreaker, and Vicky picked out the pair of black Armani jeans and a baggy gray sweater from Gant. The rest of the clothes are still in their bags in the backseat.

“What are you thinking about?” Elin asks.

Vicky doesn’t answer. She’s staring at the road. Elin turns down the music a little.

“You’ll be found innocent,” Elin says. “I’m absolutely sure of it.”

They’ve now passed through the suburbs and there are fields and patches of forest on either side of the highway.

Elin offers Vicky some chocolate, but she shakes her head.

She looks much better today. Her face has more color and the bandages are gone. Only the cast on her thumb is still there.

“I’m so glad that Daniel is able to join us,” Elin says.

“He’s good,” Vicky says.

Elin caught a glimpse of his golden Audi Kombi near Norrtull, but she’s fallen behind him since.

“Is he better than the other therapists you’ve met before?” asks Elin.

“Yeah.”

Elin lowers the volume a bit more.

“Do you want him to continue to work with you?”

“If I have to.”

“It would be a good idea for you to continue therapy for a while,” Elin says.

“In that case, then Daniel.”

The farther north they drive, the more autumn makes itself known. Mile by mile, there’s less green and more yellow and red. The fallen leaves form glowing lakes around the base of the tree trunks. They whirl over the highway.

Elin and Vicky do not speak for a while, then, out of the blue, Vicky says, “I need my stuff.”

“What stuff?”

“My things. The stuff I left behind.”

“Your belongings have been moved to the house where the other girls are living now,” Elin says. “At least, the things the police didn’t take with them. I can see that someone picks them up for you.”

She glances at the girl and thinks that her things are important to her.

“Or would you like to get them now?”

Vicky nods.

“All right, if that’s what you want. I’ll call Daniel,” Elin says. “After all, it’s on the way.”