The Sandman

62

A meeting was arranged just two hours after Saga Bauer told her boss that she’d changed her mind and was going to accept the job.

Now Carlos Eliasson, Verner Zandén, Nathan Pollock and Joona Linna are waiting in a flat on the top floor of Tantogatan 71, with a view of the snow-covered ice in Årstaviken and the rainbow arch of the railway bridge.

The flat is furnished in a modern style, with white furniture and inset lamps. On the large dining table in the living room are plates of sandwiches from Non Solo Bar. Carlos stops abruptly and just stares as Saga walks in. Verner breaks off mid-sentence and looks almost scared, and Nathan Pollock slumps down at the table with a sad look on his face.

Saga has shaved off her long hair. She has several grazes on her scalp.

Her eyes are swollen with crying.

Her pale, beautiful head is still graceful, though, with its small ears and long, narrow neck.

Joona Linna walks over and gives her a hug. She holds him hard for a while, pressing her cheek to his chest and listening to the beat of his heart.

‘You don’t have to do this,’ he says against her head.

‘I want to save the girl,’ she replies quietly.

She holds on for a few more seconds, then goes into the kitchen.

‘You know everyone here,’ Verner says, pulling out a chair for her.

‘Yes,’ Saga nods.

She drops her dark green parka on the floor and sits down. She’s wearing her usual clothes, a pair of black jeans and a tracksuit top from the boxing club.

‘If you really are prepared to go undercover in the same unit as Jurek Walter, we need to act at once,’ Carlos says, unable to hide his enthusiasm.

‘I looked through your contract with us and there are a few things that could be improved,’ Verner adds quickly.

‘Good,’ she mutters.

‘We may have a little scope to increase your salary, and—’

‘I don’t really give a shit about that right now,’ she interrupts.

‘You’re aware that there are certain risks associated with this mission?’ Carlos asks cautiously.

‘I want to do this,’ she says firmly.

Verner pulls a grey phone from his bag, puts it on the table next to his usual mobile, writes a short text message, then looks up at her.

‘Shall we set things in motion, then?’ he asks.

When she nods he sends the message, which vanishes with a small whooshing sound.

‘We’ve got a few hours now to prepare you for what you’ll be faced with,’ Joona says.

‘Get going,’ she says calmly.

The men quickly take out folders, open laptops, spread out their papers. Saga feels a shiver run through her arms when she sees how extensive the preparations are.

The table is covered by big maps of the area around Löwenströmska Hospital, the drains, and a detailed plan of the secure psychiatric unit.

‘You’re going to get a conviction from Uppsala District Court, and you’ll be sent to the women’s section of Kronoberg Prison first thing tomorrow morning,’ Verner explains. ‘In the afternoon you’ll be driven to Karsudden Hospital in Katrineholm. That’ll take an hour or so. By then the Prison Service Committee will be evaluating the proposal to transfer you to Löwenströmska.’

‘I’ve started sketching out a diagnosis that you’ll need to look at,’ Nathan Pollock says, giving Saga a careful smile. ‘You’ll be given a credible medical history, with a juvenile psychiatric record, emergency treatment, placements, diagnoses and all sorts of medication, leading up to the present.’

‘I understand,’ she says.

‘Do you have any allergies or illnesses we ought to know about?’

‘No.’

‘No problems with your liver or heart?’