116

Anders stares at the tall man outside the door. For a fleeting moment he feels chill with fear. He opens the door to let the man in, and as he asks whether his guest would like coffee, a thousand thoughts are going through his fevered mind.

Petra’s called a women’s helpline and talked.

Brolin has fabricated some sort of complaint against him.

They’ve worked out that he isn’t really qualified to work in the secure unit.

The tall detective says his name is Joona Linna, and politely declines the offer of coffee. He goes into the living room and sits down on an armchair. He gives Anders a friendly, appraising look that makes him feel like a guest in his own home.

‘You’re standing in for Susanne Hjälm in the secure unit,’ the detective inspector says.

‘Yes,’ Anders replies, trying to work out what the man is after.

‘What’s your opinion of Jurek Walter?’

Jurek Walter, Anders thinks. Is this just about Jurek Walter? He relaxes, and manages to bring a dry tone to his voice:

‘I can’t discuss individual patients,’ he says sternly.

‘Do you speak to him?’ the man asks, with a sharp look in his grey eyes.

‘We have no conversational therapy in the secure unit,’ Anders says, running a hand through his short hair. ‘But obviously, the patients talk...’

Joona Linna leans forward:

‘You’re aware that the Supreme Court applied specific restrictions to Jurek Walter because he’s deemed to be extremely dangerous?’

‘Yes,’ Anders says. ‘But everything becomes a matter of interpretation, and as a responsible doctor I’m always having to weigh restrictions and treatment against each other.’

The detective nods a couple of times, then says:

‘He asked you to send a letter – didn’t he?’

Anders loses his grip for a moment, then reminds himself that he’s the one with the responsibility, the one who takes decisions regarding the patients.

‘Yes, I posted a letter for him,’ he replies. ‘I considered it an important way of building up trust between us.’

‘Did you read the letter before you sent it?’

‘Yes, of course... he knew I would, it was nothing remarkable.’

The detective’s grey eyes darken as his pupils expand.

‘What did it say?’

Anders doesn’t know if Petra’s come in, but it feels like she’s standing behind his back watching them.

‘I don’t remember exactly,’ he says, uncomfortably aware that he’s blushing. ‘It was a formal letter to a legal firm... something I consider to be a human right.’

‘Yes,’ the detective says, without taking his eyes off him.

‘Jurek Walter wanted a lawyer to come and see him in the unit, to help him understand the possibilities of getting a retrial in the Supreme Court... that was more or less what he wanted... and that he... if there was to be a retrial, wanted a private defence lawyer to represent him.’

The living room is silent.

‘What address?’ the detective inspector asks calmly.

‘Rosenhane Legal Services... a PO box in Tensta.’

‘Would you be able to reconstruct the exact wording of the letter?’

‘I actually only read it once, and like I said, it was very formal and polite... even if there were a number of spelling mistakes.’

‘Spelling mistakes?’

‘More like dyslexic errors,’ Anders explains.

‘Did you discuss the letter with Roland Brolin?’

‘No,’ Anders replies. ‘Why would I do that?’

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