The Sandman

93

Mikael Kohler-Frost is sitting at a table in the dining room of his hospital ward. He has one hand wrapped round a cup of warm tea as he speaks to Magdalena Ronander of the National Criminal Investigation Department. Reidar is too agitated to sit, but he stands by the door and watches his son for a while before going down to the entrance to meet Veronica Klimt.

Magdalena smiles at Mikael, then gets out the bulky interview protocols and puts them on the table. They fill four spiral-bound folders. She leafs through to the marker, then asks if he’s ready to continue.

‘I only ever saw the inside of the capsule,’ Mikael explains, as he’s done so many times before.

‘Can you describe the door again?’ she asks.

‘It’s made of metal, and is completely smooth... at the start you could pick little flakes of paint off it with your fingernails... there’s no keyhole, no handle...’

‘What colour is it?’

‘Grey...’

‘And there was a hatch which—’

She breaks off when she sees him swipe the tears from his cheeks and turn his face away.

‘I can’t tell Dad,’ he says, his lips trembling. ‘But if Felicia doesn’t come back...’

Magdalena gets up and goes round the table, hugs him and repeats that everything is going to be OK.

‘I know,’ he says, ‘I know I’d kill myself.’

Reidar Frost has barely left Södermalm Hospital since Mikael came back. He’s been renting a room at the hospital, on the same floor as Mikael, so he can be with his son the whole time.

Even though Reidar knows it wouldn’t do any good, it’s all he can do to stop himself running out to join the search for Felicia. He’s paid for adverts in the national press every day, pleading for information and promising a reward. He’s employed a team of the country’s best private detectives to look for her, but her absence is tearing at him, stopping him sleeping, forcing him to roam the corridors hour after hour.

The only thing that makes him feel calm is watching Mikael get better and stronger with each passing day. Inspector Joona Linna says it’s a huge help if he can stay with his son, letting him talk at his own pace, listening and writing down every memory, every detail.

When Reidar gets down to the entrance Veronica is already waiting for him inside the glass doors that lead to the snow-covered car park.

‘Isn’t it a bit early to be sending Micke home?’ she asks, handing over the bags.

‘They say it’s fine,’ Reidar smiles.

‘I bought a pair of jeans and some softer trousers, shirts, T-shirts, a thick jumper and a few other—’

‘How are things at home?’ Reidar asks.

‘Lots of snow,’ says Veronica, laughing, then she tells him about the last few guests leaving.

‘What, even my cavaliers?’ Reidar asks.

‘No, they’re still there... you’ll see.’

‘What do you mean?’

Veronica just shakes her head and smiles.

‘I told Berzelius that they’re not allowed to come here, but they’re very keen to meet Mikael,’ she replies.

‘Are you coming up?’ Reidar asks, smiling and adjusting her collar.

‘Another time,’ Veronica replies, looking him in the eye.