When Billy kissed his bride, spontaneous applause broke out.
★ ★ ★
Billy was contemplating his wedding. He had to repeat the words to himself to drive home the fact that it was actually happening.
His wedding.
He had been nervous all day. In spite of the fact that everything was incredibly well organised, more like a military operation than a party, there had naturally been a certain amount of minor firefighting. However, Maya was in control, and her meticulous preparation had paid off.
Everyone appeared to be having a good time. The seating arrangements were a hit. His gaze swept across the tables and fastened on Jennifer, who was next to Maya’s brother’s boyfriend. She seemed to be enjoying herself. When he got back from Kiruna he had wondered whether there was any way of stopping her from attending the wedding, but he didn’t know how to do it without arousing Maya’s suspicions. For a while he had hoped that Jennifer might think the situation was too awkward and decline the invitation, but no such luck.
She had come over to them after the ceremony. Billy hadn’t seen her beforehand, and was struck by how beautiful she looked in her red dress, with her hair up. Jennifer had introduced herself to Maya and congratulated her. She had sung Billy’s praises to an embarrassing degree, then she had hugged him and moved on. Natural, relaxed, as if Kiruna had never happened.
Maya had definitely thought of everything. Every single thing. A photographer called Disa had met them first thing in the morning and followed them all day. To begin with he had felt stiff and uncomfortable, but he had soon forgotten that she was there with her camera, and now he didn’t even think about the fact that she was with them wherever they went.
As if that level of documentation wasn’t enough, Maya had placed single-use cameras on every table. The settings were bright and colourful, and the decorations were made of leaves, berries and fruit instead of flowers.
Personal and well thought out.
The starter had been served at the tables, but the main course was a buffet that could be approached from several different directions, so in spite of the fact that there were over a hundred guests, everything flowed smoothly and no one had to wait for too long.
Maya had also written a well-received speech, another personal touch in which she explained the reasons behind the choice of food.
The dessert was also served at the tables, there was plenty of wine, and the atmosphere was fantastic.
There had been quite a lot of speeches, mainly by Maya’s friends. Hardly surprising, since seventy per cent of the guests were on her side. Billy’s parents were there, a few elderly relatives, and some close friends from his school days, military service and the police training academy. And Riksmord, of course. Both Torkel and Ursula had given speeches, and Billy had found it hard to hold back the tears during Ursula’s.
He had to admit he was a little disappointed that Vanja hadn’t prepared something. He wasn’t expecting anything from Sebastian, but he thought Vanja could have made a bit of an effort.
However, on the whole he couldn’t help feeling both happy and impressed as he looked out over the room where the meal was just coming to an end. At the same time, he occasionally struggled with the sense that he was a guest at his own wedding.
Which was entirely his own fault.
He had left all the decisions to Maya from start to finish, so it was hardly fair to blame her if he felt like a bit of an … outsider. And he had no intention of allowing such a minor detail to spoil this magical evening. He raised his glass to her.
‘Skål, my darling. I love you,’ he said, clinking his glass against hers before he emptied it.
★ ★ ★
After dinner the youngest and smallest guests were led next door where lots of games had been arranged for them and bowls of sweets laid out, while in the main room the staff cleared away and the band got ready to play.
For anyone over ten years old, it was an opportunity to get some fresh air and catch their breath.
Torkel picked up his glass and wandered out in the unusually warm May evening. He caught sight of Sebastian standing alone, and went to join him; Sebastian glanced over, then turned his attention back to the water down below.
‘What did you think of my speech?’ Torkel wondered, sipping his three-star Cognac.
‘Ursula’s was better,’ Sebastian replied truthfully.
‘I agree, but that doesn’t necessarily mean mine was bad.’
‘No, it doesn’t necessarily mean that,’ Sebastian agreed in a tone that somehow managed to contradict the words he spoke.
‘OK, I get it. You didn’t like it.’
‘Don’t take it personally – I just don’t like speeches.’
‘None of them? Not even the ones that are about you?’
‘No one’s ever made a speech about me,’ Sebastian stated without a trace of bitterness.
‘Not even at your wedding?’
Sebastian gave a start. Where had that come from? How did Torkel know? But then he remembered telling Torkel he had been married when they met in Västerås, the first time he worked with Riksmord again after a long hiatus. A mistake on his part, but what was done was done. He certainly had no intention of expanding on the subject here and now.
‘How did it go with Pia?’ he asked instead.
‘She’s been arrested and she’ll go to court, but I don’t know … We’re trying to tie her to the murders, but there’s absolutely no proof that she knew what was going to happen, or that she was inside the house.’
‘What about the car in the lake?’
‘Same problem – we can’t prove that she didn’t simply lose control.’
‘So what’s going to happen?’
Torkel shrugged.
‘At the moment we can charge her with causing actual bodily harm, obstructing an investigation, knowingly protecting an offender …’
‘Nothing, in other words.’
‘She’s unlikely to be re-elected, and her high-flying career with the Social Democrats is over – I imagine she’ll find it hard to go on living in Torsby. I suppose that’s a kind of punishment,’ Torkel said.
Both men stood in silence. Everyone around them was fully occupied in having fun. Torkel took another sip of his brandy.
‘She sold the house,’ he said after a moment, apparently addressing no one in particular. For the first time Sebastian turned and looked at his colleague, genuinely interested.
‘Who? Maria? To FilboCorp?’
Torkel nodded, his eyes still fixed on some distant point.
‘Does that mean the mining development will go ahead?’
‘It looks that way.’
‘So Frank’s son – what was his name again?’
‘Hampus.’
‘Hampus will get the money?’
‘Yes. He inherits the property and the land regardless of what his father did.’
Sebastian shook his head.
‘I’m surprised she sold up.’
‘She had no real connection to the house,’ Torkel explained. ‘There was a reason why her sister bought her out in the first place, and she certainly couldn’t have lived in it after what had happened. Nobody was offering as much money as FilboCorp.’
‘I gather you’re in touch with her,’ Sebastian said, hoping his tone sounded neutral.
Torkel gave him a quick glance before he answered. He didn’t really know what had gone on between Maria and Sebastian, merely that it hadn’t ended well. Maria had made him promise not to talk to Sebastian about her, but after all he was a part of the team and the investigation, and he had the right to be kept informed. Torkel just had to make sure he kept it on the right level.
‘Occasionally, yes. I need to know if Nicole decides to say anything else about what happened in the house.’
‘Anything else?’ This time Sebastian’s tone was a mixture of surprise and happiness. ‘Is she talking?’
‘She’s been talking for about a week.’
Sebastian felt a warmth spread through his chest. After everything she had gone through … She was the strongest, bravest little girl he had ever met. He missed her. If only he could see her again. Just once. He had been round to their apartment, but there was no one there.
‘Where are they now?’ he wondered.
‘I don’t know,’ Torkel lied. That was the line he wasn’t prepared to cross.
‘I’m not the type to turn into a stalker, you know,’ Sebastian said, making sure Torkel knew he had seen through him. ‘I just want to be sure they’re OK. That Nicole is coping, getting better. I promised to hold on to her until she wanted to let go.’
‘I genuinely don’t know,’ Torkel reiterated. ‘But she’s let go of you, I do know that.’ He put his arm around Sebastian’s shoulders, and to the surprise of both men, Sebastian didn’t move away.
‘Time we stopped talking about work.’
As if Torkel were a part of the well-oiled arrangements, Brian appeared on the patio, rang his little bell and informed everyone that it was time for the bride and groom’s first dance.
★ ★ ★
This was the only part of the wedding Billy wasn’t looking forward to. Maya had insisted that she didn’t want a traditional wedding waltz; they were both going to learn to salsa instead. They had followed some films on YouTube, and had had five private lessons at a dance studio in Östermalm. Billy wasn’t much of a dancer under normal circumstances, and he knew he had a long way to go before he could say he had mastered the salsa, but here they were, walking towards the middle of the spacious floor and getting into position. He happened to meet Jennifer’s eye and she gave him an encouraging smile as she picked up one of the single-use cameras on her table.
Maya had also insisted on a decent dance floor, at least sixty square metres. Billy had expressed some reservations about having live music. Admittedly she had booked a proper band with a crooner rather than some cheesy combo, but it still felt a bit … old-fashioned. However, Maya had said they must consider their older guests too, so they had settled on the live band for sixty per cent of the evening, and a DJ for the rest of the time.
The bandleader counted them in, and the music began. Billy was totally shocked; they were playing one of his favourite songs – ‘Forgot about Dre’ – but in a salsa arrangement. He looked at Maya, who was smiling with satisfaction.
‘I love you,’ he mimed. She blew him a kiss, and they started to dance. Everyone cheered, and the whole floor was lit up with phone cameras. It went better than Billy had expected. Maya was faultless, of course. She had even changed her shoes so that her feet wouldn’t get too tired during the celebrations.
She was perfect and he loved her.
He told her.
‘I love you.’
He meant it. He was happy.
★ ★ ★
Later in the evening, when the band came back after a half-hour break, Torkel asked Ursula to dance. They drifted out onto the floor, and neither of them spoke. Torkel at least was enjoying the intimacy, feeling the warmth of her body. Ursula pressed closer and rested her head on his shoulder.
Then he felt something on his other shoulder. A tap. He stopped and turned around.
‘May I?’ Sebastian said, nodding towards Ursula. Torkel raised an eyebrow; she nodded and Sebastian took over. It didn’t take Ursula long to realise that Torkel was a considerably better dancer than Sebastian, and from his position as a reluctant spectator, Torkel could see that she certainly wasn’t resting her head on her new partner’s shoulder. That’s something, he thought as he went to top up his drink.
‘I’ve missed you,’ Sebastian said after a moment or two.
‘I find that hard to believe.’
‘I’m sorry.’ It was almost a whisper. Sebastian cleared his throat and looked deep into her eyes. ‘For everything. I’m sorry you got shot. I’m sorry I haven’t been to see you.’
‘Good. So you should be.’
She had no intention of making it easy for him.
‘I couldn’t.’
‘Why not?’
‘I just couldn’t. It was impossible. I thought about it several times, but … I’ve been gathering my courage all evening, just to ask you to dance.’
Ursula didn’t respond. It wasn’t down to her to drive this conversation. Instead she quickly drew back her left foot, thereby saving her little toe from a serious bruise.
‘We were on our way towards something when … when it happened,’ Sebastian said after such a long silence that Ursula thought he had nothing more to say.
‘Maybe, but that train is long gone.’
Sebastian nodded. Ursula took a deep breath and stopped dancing as a mixture of anger and sympathy came bubbling up. She didn’t want to experience either of those emotions tonight.
‘I mean, seriously? After everything that’s gone on … Is that why you wanted to dance with me? To see if you could get me into bed?’
Sebastian didn’t answer, but his gaze dropped to the floor, telling Ursula everything she needed to know. The anger took over.
‘Thank you for the dance.’
She tried to walk away, but Sebastian held on to her.
‘The music isn’t over.’
‘I know, but Torkel is a better dancer than you.’
‘But that’s all he’s better at.’
‘Goodbye, Sebastian.’
Ursula pulled away, turned her back on him and rejoined Torkel, who was chatting to some of the other guests. Sebastian watched as she touched his arm; Torkel’s face broke into a big smile and they resumed their dance, her head resting on his shoulder once more.
It was too late. Everything was too late.
If he had been a drinker this would have been the perfect occasion to get roaring drunk, but he couldn’t even do that. Was it too late to find some willing distraction? Probably. Besides which, most of them were a bit too young for him. Maya’s mother was a widow, but he hadn’t exchanged a single word with her all evening. Besides which, she was now Billy’s mother-in-law. How unsexy was that?
The band launched into a new song: ‘Only the Lonely’.
Oh, the irony … Sebastian headed for the table laden with cakes. If he couldn’t drink or screw, at least he could consume diabetes-inducing amounts of cake.
Billy and Maya had withdrawn to the bridal suite at half past midnight. Some of the younger female guests had asked whether Maya was going to toss her bouquet over her shoulder, but she had merely stared uncomprehendingly at them. It wasn’t a Swedish tradition and she hadn’t even thought about it, just as she hadn’t considered having someone to ‘give her away’ at the altar. As if she couldn’t manage for a second without a man at her side. Her father had been dead for many years, but even if he’d been alive he wouldn’t have been allowed to hand her over. There was no bouquet-tossing either.
There was, however, sex.
Not as carefully planned and neatly packaged as everything else during the course of the evening, thank God – it was spontaneous, lustful, inventive.
And plenty of it.
More than he had thought he could cope with. It was perhaps half an hour before dawn when they finally stopped, and Maya curled up with her head tucked under his chin. ‘I love you,’ she said, and immediately fell asleep. Billy thought he would do the same, but he lay there wide awake, strangely unsatisfied.
He gently freed himself from Maya and slipped out of bed. Silently he dug a pair of sweatpants out of his overnight bag and pulled on a T-shirt.
When he got outside he took a deep breath. The air was so fresh, and everything was quiet in a way that belonged only to these late-spring mornings when the light was just beginning to creep over the horizon.
He left the main building and crossed the dew-soaked grass, heading for the edge of the forest and the old stable block that stood there. He needed a pee. When he had done what he had to do against a wall, a cat appeared and rubbed around his legs. It was miaowing, wanting a fuss, and the sound
mingled with the tinkle of the little bell on its collar. Billy reached into his pocket and took out his gloves. He didn’t really remember putting them there, but he must have subconsciously known he would end up here. Hoped he would end up here.
He bent down and picked up the cat. Scratched behind its ears and heard it begin to purr as it pushed its head against him.
Billy let his hand slide down over the head towards the neck, then he squeezed. The cat immediately realised what was happening, and let out a hiss. With his other hand Billy grasped the front paws as best he could. Once or twice the cat jerked its body and managed to use its claws, but the gloves provided protection. He hadn’t had any in Torsby, and had got badly scratched. Fortunately he had been out in the woods with the search parties all day, so his injuries had been easily explained away.
He lifted the cat, squeezing the neck as hard as he could with his left hand. It didn’t matter whether it suffocated or whether its neck broke.
It was the moment of death he wanted.
The magic moment when life was extinguished.
The moment when he experienced an intoxicating rush of power like nothing he had ever known.
The cat’s movements began to slow down, to weaken. Billy leaned closer, staring feverishly into its eyes, breathing heavily. Soon life would be gone. The green eyes would take on a cloudy film, and the body would go limp in his hands.
Simplicity. Purity. Clarity.
The cat stopped struggling and a trickle of blood ran from its nose. Billy stood there and closed his eyes as his breathing slowly returned to normal.
‘Was it good for you too?’
Billy spun around and saw Sebastian standing at the corner of the stable block. A single thought flashed like lightning through his brain.
Kill him.
But he pushed it away as quickly as it had appeared.
‘How long have you been standing there?’ he asked instead, dropping the dead cat on the ground.
‘Long enough.’
★ ★ ★
Sebastian hadn’t been able to sleep. He was feeling slightly queasy from eating too much, and he regretted the way his encounter with Ursula had gone. Eventually he gave up and got out of bed. He went along to Ursula’s room, but just as he was about to tap on the door he heard a deep voice that definitely didn’t belong to her. Unlike the laughter that followed. Sebastian deduced that the voice was Torkel’s, and walked away.
The Silent Girl (Sebastian Bergman 4) Page 41
