by Sten Ostberg
‘Karl?’
He recognised Brynja’s voice.
‘You’ll be okay now. I have to help Marte.
Karl sat up from his position at the edge of the pond and saw Brynja slogging back into the water. Marte was swimming slowly towards them and Brynja reached her and supported her the rest of the way. They dropped, exhausted, beside Karl.
‘Marte …’
‘I’m okay,’ she nodded at him.
The three of them noisily caught their breath and in that time became coated with snow.
‘You got trapped under the edge of the ice.’ Marte’s chest heaved.
Karl’s vision became fuzzy yellow. ‘Brynja?’
‘I’m fine.’
Marte wiped away the hair that was plastered to her forehead. ‘Brynja pulled you out … swam under the ice to get you.’
Karl nodded but didn’t have the energy to thank her.
‘We have to get back to the car.’ Brynja sat up. ‘Can you make it, Karl?’
He closed his eyes. It felt like a second but when he opened them again Marte and Brynja were standing and awkwardly lifting him to his feet.
The three of them stumbled back to the Outlander.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
As Brynja drove them back through the blizzard, Karl slowly recovered in the passenger seat.
‘How did you get out?’ Marte was slumped trembling in the back.
‘Vigar saw sense. Gave me the car keys.’ He looked at the side of Brynja’s face and waited for her to react but she didn’t. Even when they passed her overturned Agera she didn’t say a word.
Karl wondered what was going through her head. Marte’s plan to mitigate the situation was dead. Surely her fierce family loyalty wouldn’t extend to being silent about what had just happened. Kjell had still been alive, but that didn’t alter the fact that Brynja and Vigar had attempted to dispose of him. And how could they tell the last part of the story without explaining what they had all been doing with the car at the pond?
But Brynja had just saved his life and probably Marte’s as well. Would she expect him to now think twice about handing her and Vigar over to the police? Perhaps that’s exactly what she was thinking about.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Vigar was waiting at the window when the car pulled up and he immediately opened the front door.
‘What happened?’ He’d got dressed and was wearing jeans and a Gorgoroth T-shirt.
Brynja turned to Karl and Marte as they entered the warm hallway. ‘Get in the downstairs shower straight away. Vigar, fetch some clothes for them.’ She closed the front door.
Vigar didn’t move. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Quickly!’ Brynja headed upstairs to use the bathroom there.
Karl clasped his hands around his arms and followed Marte through the door to their left.
They swiftly stripped off their clothes and Marte twisted on the shower.
She turned the heat right up but the temperature didn’t register as they stood beneath the jets, rubbing the circulation back into their limbs. Eventually, Karl could feel the sting of the water and turned the dial back to a cooler position.
Even after their shivering subsided, neither of them spoke. What was the first thing he could say to Marte about her locking him away?
Steam eddied around them and water dripped as they dried off in silence. Then Vigar knocked the door and passed in a bundle of clothes – some of Brynja’s track sweats for Marte and a T-shirt and jeans for Karl.
He regarded them. ‘Did these belong to—?’
‘They’re mine.’ Vigar pulled the door shut after him.
When they emerged they found Brynja coming back down the stairs in a jumper and denims. Vigar appeared through the dining room with a tray of steaming coffee cups and handed it to her.
‘Did you make it like I asked?’
He nodded.
‘Get another pot going.’ Brynja took it into the lounge, set it down in front of the log burner and dropped cross-legged beside it to warm her hands. ‘Drink this quickly.’
Karl moved to the open burner doors and briefly closed his eyes as the heat penetrated him. Marte joined Brynja on the rug but he remained standing. He registered there was a phone on the table.
‘How are you feeling now, Karl?’ Brynja looked up at him.
He reached down, picked up a cup and swallowed half the liquid, even though it scalded his throat. Tasted like a third of it was apple brandy. He didn’t reply but gazed at the flames.
‘I’m sorry I hit you. And I’m sorry you’ve both had to become part of this.’
Karl studied the side of her face again. He was wary of whatever she was going to say. Was the apology her way of convincing them they were now complicit?
‘When I called you, I wasn’t thinking straight. I should have worked things out on my own.’
He drained the cup. ‘You should have called the police and told the truth.’
‘You still want me to do that?’ She left the question hanging between the three of them.
The truth was it had now been nearly two hours since they’d arrived. And in that time Marte had tried to help her sister move what they thought was a dead body out of a car before the three of them had watched Kjell drown.
Karl exhaled. ‘I’ll make the call.’
Marte spoke for the first time since they’d arrived back at the house. ‘The police will never believe us. Not with Kjell’s injuries.’
Karl knew she was right. ‘What exactly happened?’
‘He attacked me when I was getting him out of the car. When it went down he tried to drown me. He must have thought I was you.’ Marte turned to Brynja.
‘How did you get away?’ Karl asked.
‘He tried to pull me back by my coat so I took it off.’
‘So the coat’s still in the pond.’ Karl stated flatly. He felt suddenly exhausted but remained upright. ‘Anything in the pockets to identify it as yours?’
Marte shook her head but didn’t seem sure.
‘This is such a fucking mess.’
‘I offered him my hand.’ She added quickly. ‘But the car had sunk through the ice by then and he was trapped.’
Not even Karl could vouch for her story. By the time he’d reached the pond the Kia was submerged and all he’d seen was Marte stomping on the ice while Kjell’s hand had scrabbled about in the opening. Or had she been trying to stamp on his fingers?
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
‘He was never going to get out of there.’ Brynja repeated what she’d said at the pond.
‘If you’d tried to save him, I wouldn’t have to call the police.’
‘We tried to.’ Marte turned sharply to Karl. ‘I tried to. Tell him, Brynja.’
Brynja didn’t react.
‘Tell me what?’
Brynja placed her cup on the tray and whispered. ‘I promised Vigar I wouldn’t.’
Marte lightly touched her leg. ‘You’ve told me. You have to tell Karl now.’
Brynja looked behind her to make sure Vigar was still in the kitchen. ‘He kept it hidden for so long.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘I only found out after his … attempt.’
Karl sat cross-legged beside Brynja.
‘Kjell molested Vigar when he was four.’
Karl watched Brynja’s lips shape the words, but his own couldn’t find a response.
‘Thirteen years he stayed silent.’ Tears blurred her eyes.
‘How long have you known?’ He immediately regretted asking Marte the question. It was Brynja’s terrible secret and his first response was to be wounded that it had been kept from him.
‘After Brynja hit you with the ornament, when you were out cold – that’s when she told me.’ Marte tightened her lips.
Karl nodded and recalled the murmured voices he’d heard before he’d regained consciousness. He tried to process the revelation. Given what Karl knew about Kjell’s past brush wit
h the police, it didn’t shock him as much as it should have. The incident report was something he’d never shared with Marte. ‘But Vigar’s suicide attempt was two years ago. You’ve lived with Kjell knowing—’
Brynja’s eyes dropped to the floor. ‘I was never sure it was the truth.’
Karl felt revulsion swell. Brynja had known. But she hadn’t wanted to lose what she had. Even though she’d been aware of Kjell’s abuse, she’d chosen to remain with him.
‘I don’t care what happens to me.’ Brynja didn’t look up. ‘But I need to protect Vigar. Like I should have before.’
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
‘And I’m begging you both to help me.’ Brynja put her hand on Marte’s.
Karl looked past her to the storm. ‘I’m part of this. I can’t help him now. You should have thought of that before you locked me up and drove out to the pond. Both of you.’
Marte ignored the rebuke. ‘We could send Vigar away. Never tell the police he was here. He can get on a train back to college.’
‘And do you think Vigar will be able to live with what happened?’ His eyes darted between Marte and Brynja. ‘What he did to Kjell and the fact that his mother will be imprisoned because of it?’
‘Kjell ruined his life.’ There was hostility in Marte’s voice now. ‘Why should Vigar suffer further if Brynja’s prepared to do this for him? You can tell the police everything else.’
‘Everything? And where d’you think that will leave us?’ Karl matched her aggression. ‘Where d’you think that will leave our daughter?’
‘Then don’t pick up the phone!’ she snapped. ‘It’ll give us more time to think this through.’
‘There’s nothing to think through.’
‘We’ve already delayed contacting them long enough to raise suspicion. What difference is another few minutes going to make?’
Karl knew Marte was trying to postpone the inevitable arrests of Brynja and Vigar, as well as theirs. ‘So, in a few minutes, we’ll have a solution?’
‘There could be another way.’ Brynja wiped a tear from her split lip.
‘Brynja, you’re not thinking straight.’ Karl wanted to put an end to the conversation. ‘There’s no remedy for this. We all have to admit our involvement.’
‘You never came to the house.’
He took a breath. ‘This isn’t just about us.’
‘Listen to me.’ Brynja held up her hand. ‘For Nadina’s sake, I want to release you from everything that’s happened here. And I can.’
Karl sighed. ‘You called us.’
‘You say you weren’t even at home.’
‘We picked up the phone. And your mother and father were looking after Nadina.’
‘They’ll lie for you, say you were there, particularly if it’s for the sake of Nadina and Vigar. I can pack Vigar off and wait a few days before reporting Kjell missing.’
Karl stood. ‘No. No lies.’
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Brynja wasn’t crying anymore. ‘So, we all have to forfeit our lives. Is that what you’re saying?’
Karl glanced at Marte but she was waiting for his answer as well.
‘Walk away and leave me to handle this.’ Brynja got to her feet.
So did Marte. ‘But what are you going to say?’
Brynja shook her head. ‘Don’t ask me any more questions. It’s better you don’t know. My priority is getting Vigar out of here. Would you take him with you and drop him near town? He can get a cab to Narvik and a train from there.’
‘No.’ Karl blocked their path to the door. ‘I’m not agreeing to this.’
Brynja looked at her watch. ‘It’ll be light soon. And the storm will blow itself out. You must go while you still have cover and nobody’s on the roads.’
Marte took Karl’s arm but he pulled free. ‘We’re not leaving.’
‘Then what are we going to do, Karl?’ Marte brushed back her wet hair. ‘We have as much chance gambling our freedom with Brynja’s idea than trying to convince the police of our innocence now.’
‘We can’t stay silent.’
‘We already have.’
‘And if we do any longer there’ll be no doubting our guilt.’
Brynja nudged past Karl. ‘I can’t wait for you two to discuss this. I’m taking Vigar. Vigar!’
Marte followed her. ‘We’ll take him.’
Karl gripped her shoulder. ‘No we won’t.’
‘Vigar! We’re leaving!’ Brynja paused at the door.
Karl and Marte fell silent.
Brynja frowned. ‘Vigar?’
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
The three of them stepped into the hallway and saw the front door was slightly ajar.
‘I closed that.’ There was dread in Brynja’s voice.
‘Vigar!’ She called up the stairs.
No reply.
Karl opened the front door wider and the wind blasted snowflakes in at him. He couldn’t see any further than the front step.
‘Vigar!’ He examined the footprints there but it was impossible to see if his were amongst them.
Marte was at his shoulder. ‘Why would he have gone outside?’
‘Maybe he heard us talking,’ Brynja said stolidly.
Karl turned to where she was standing at the bottom of the stairs glaring at him.
‘If you’re going to hand us over he must be terrified of what’ll happen.’ She wrung her hands.
Karl looked back out through the doorway. ‘I’ll go after him. He can’t have got far.’
‘Take these.’ Brynja opened the cupboard beside it and pulled out a pair of Kjell’s boots.
Karl quickly slipped them on and she handed him a green waterproof with a hood. ‘Give me your phone, Marte. You can call me if he comes back.’
She looked at him warily then trotted to the bathroom. ‘It probably won’t work if it’s been in the water.’
‘I took Brynja’s. It should be in my coat pocket. Try that one as well!’
A few moments later Marte emerged with one phone. ‘Brynja’s won’t turn on.’
‘What about yours?’ Karl pulled on the waterproof.
‘It’s not there.’
‘In the lounge?’ Karl nodded in its direction as he did the zip up.
Marte shook her head, horrified realisation on her face. ‘I used the phone’s torch when we were on the ice.’
‘Could it be in the Outlander?’
‘I can look …’ But her expression said she didn’t expect to find it.
‘If it’s not there …’ Brynja said what they were all thinking. ‘… it’s back at the pond.’
‘Or inside Kjell’s car.’ Marte absently slapped her pockets, even though they belonged to Brynja. ‘That’s my coat and my phone.’
They absorbed the implications.
Karl was the first to snap out of it. ‘Is there a spare mobile here?’
Brynja went to the drawers beside the cupboard and opened one. ‘Yes, but it probably won’t have any charge.’
‘What about Vigar’s?’
The phone in the lounge started ringing. Brynja rushed to answer it.
Karl quickly followed. ‘Don’t pick up.’
Brynja had reached the table with the phone unit on it. ‘Who would be calling at this hour of the morning? It’s got to be him.’ Her fingers were on the handset.
‘Yes, and if it is Vigar it’s another call that’ll be logged. The police will know where he rang from.’
‘He’s right.’ Marte tried to intercept her.
‘I have to.’ Brynja answered the phone and angled her body away from her sister. ‘Hello?’ She listened to the voice the other end. ‘Vigar, you have to come back inside.’
Karl could hear Vigar babbling.
‘Calm down. We can sort this out. But you have to come back. Vigar …’ Brynja held the handset up to Karl, ‘… he wants to speak to you.’
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Karl put the phone to his ear and could hear
the wind and Vigar breathing against the mouthpiece.
‘Vigar, why did you leave?’
‘I’m not coming back. Don’t try to make me come back!’ Vigar grunted as if he’d stumbled in the snow.
‘You can’t run away from this.’
‘You have to promise you’ll help us.’
‘That’s exactly what I want to do.’
‘No, you’re going to turn us in. I heard you.’
‘I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure everyone understands why all of this happened.’
Vigar’s boots squeaked through the snow. ‘But you’re part of this. Once you do that, you’ll be under arrest as well.’
‘Vigar—’
‘I’ll do it. Like I tried to before. Don’t think I’m kidding.’
‘Do what, Vigar?’ But Karl already knew. His eyes slid to Brynja’s.
Vigar didn’t respond but the sound of the wind suddenly ceased.
‘Where are you? I’ll come and get you. We can talk this over and you’ll see my way is best.’
‘What is he saying?’ Brynja held her hand out for the phone. ‘Let me talk to him.’
‘I’ve got everything I need. If you call the police, my death is down to you.’
Karl closed his eyes against Brynja’s expression. ‘Listen, Vigar, it’s been a long night. We’re all feeling emotional. Just take a few minutes to breathe and think about this. We can take this one step at a time but the first thing you have to do is come back to your mother. She needs you now.’ Karl could hear a fluttering noise.
‘No. I want your word you’ll stay silent.’
Karl recalled Marte telling him how Vigar had waited for his parents to go out before he’d attempted to hang himself the first time. Only Brynja leaving her phone behind had saved him. ‘I believe you’ll do it, Vigar. But I don’t believe you’d want to do that to your mother.’
‘Fuck my mother.’
‘Vigar—’
‘Or wasn’t that your job at one time?’
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
‘What are you talking about, Vigar?’ But Karl realised exactly what he was referring to.
