Hidden in Snow (The ?re Murders, #1)(80)
“Our source claims that the two of you were in a relationship.”
Hanna notices that Daniel sounds much more friendly than when they spoke to Sandahl and Bergfors; he isn’t out to provoke a confrontation now.
Harald blinks several times.
“We’re wondering if her husband could have found out,”
Daniel continues. “When we spoke the other day, you said you didn’t have any enemies, but if this is true, it changes things.”
Harald rests his forehead on one hand.
“It’s true,” he says quietly. “But it ended a while ago.
Lena doesn’t know anything about it. You can’t tell her—she wouldn’t be able to cope right now.”
Hanna decides to come straight out with their hypothesis. “Could Fredrik Bergfors have been out for revenge? Attacked your family?”
Harald’s face loses its color. “I’ve asked myself the same question. I found out yesterday that our dog died of nicotine poisoning. The vet called. It seems he was killed deliberately.”
“And you think it was Fredrik?”
“I don’t know. Who else could it be?”
Hanna tries to catch Harald’s eye, but without success.
He clenches both fists on his lap.
“You have to do something,” he begs. “He can’t be allowed to get away with this.”
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84
A few hours later, Hanna is on the way home. She is tired from everything that has happened, but also relieved. She feels as if the day went well, and Daniel seemed pleased with her input.
The lump in her throat that has been there for so long has gone.
Lydia calls while she’s still driving.
“Congratulations on the new job!” her sister says. “It’s brilliant news—and you deserve it after everything that’s happened.”
Hanna tells her about the first day and her new boss, Daniel Lindskog, who made a real effort to fix up a temporary placement for her. The first meeting on Monday, when Anton asked if she’d consider working in ?re.
“It’s all happened so fast,” she concludes; she can hear the happiness bubbling in her voice. “But it feels fantastic.”
It’s so wonderful to be working in an environment where they have confidence in her.
Lydia clears her throat. “The thing is . . .” She sounds serious. “We have to talk about something else. I’ve spoken to Christian about the apartment, told him he can’t just take it.”
Hanna’s heart sinks. She doesn’t want to think about Christian—not today, when everything is going so well.
“You do realize he’s fucking furious?”
Hanna is fucking furious too, but there’s no point in bringing that up.
“Yes.”
“He claims you’ve deliberately destroyed his suits and shoes—clothes that are worth thousands.”
Hanna bites the inside of her cheek. Is it really only a week ago? It feels like a different life. She wishes Lydia hadn’t found out.
“Did you do it, Hanna?”
“Do what?”
“Don’t even start. Did you cut up Christian’s Italian suits?”
“Maybe.”
In the cold light of day, with the benefit of hindsight, it seems incomprehensible that she could have done such a thing. Hanna would never have believed herself capable of it, and yet she’d stood there wielding the scissors.
She doesn’t regret it, but she knows it was a crazy, misguided act of revenge.
“He also said you’d put mustard in his shoes. From what I gather they’re completely ruined. Is that true?”
“Yes,” Hanna mumbles.
“For God’s sake—what were you thinking?”
“I don’t know. I was just so angry and upset.”
She feels a surge of rage once again, remembering how Christian dumped her—just like that.
“He says he’s going to report you to the police.”
“What?”
Hanna can’t believe her ears. Christian has cheated on her, betrayed her—and now he’s threatening her with the police? What kind of person is he?
“I tried to reason with him,” Lydia goes on. “Apparently he’s already spoken to a lawyer, and they’re intending to go for criminal damage. You could get probation or a fine. Do you understand how serious this is?”
“I’m aware of the punishment for criminal damage, thank you.”
Fucking Christian.
“What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
Lydia sighs in her ear. She sounds exactly like their mother. “As I see it, your only chance is to call him and offer a heartfelt apology. He might relent.”
Hanna simply cannot humiliate herself in that way. Her skin crawls at the very thought of it. She never wants to see Christian again, nor does she want to speak to him.
Asking him for forgiveness is absolutely out of the question.
“I can’t do it,” she informs her sister through stiff lips.
“I know who his lawyer is. Experienced and slick when it comes to criminal law. You’re no match for him.”
Lydia sounds weary, and Hanna can’t blame her. Who can cope with cleaning up their kid sister’s crap all the time?