"Ouch, ouch, ouch!"

Her words are quiet as if she doesn't want the nurse to notice, and finally she gets on her feet. She can feel every stroke that hit her yesterday. She breathes faster which triggers a pain in her chest that's beyond words. She stands still and tries to get her breathing under control. She finally succeeds. Full of fear, she walks over to the sink, where the small mirror is. Already at a distance, she's surprised and lets her hand stroke the bandages. Then she smiles and holds her head a little higher.

"It's not that bad, is it?"

Evy shakes her head.

"But how does it look underneath the bandages?"

"You've had eight st.i.tches. I'll give you a mirror next time we change your bandages so you can see how it looks."

"Is there any blood?"

Evy suddenly thinks that she sounds like a little, scared child and smiles.

"I guess I'll find out."

She laughs, hoping that the nurse won't take her fears too seriously.

"No, we stopped the bleeding with the st.i.tches."

"Now, lunch is ready."

She puts down the tray and leaves the room. Evy leans against the sink and stares at the bandages for a while. Then she closes the door and goes back to her bed with determined steps. She opens the small closet next to her bed and removes the magazines before carefully taking out the pink phone. She looks at it for a long time before switching it on. The battery is almost fully charged and she can see that n.o.body has tried to call her. She puts the phone down in her lap and reflects on the fact that no one has called her. Deep down she feels cold and the words resonate in her head. "I have no family to worry about me." She puts her hand under the pillow and pulls out the business card. She taps it against the phone and then there's the sound of her finger against the screen. She puts the phone to her ear.

"h.e.l.lo?"

She pulls back her head a little.

"Did I wake you? Oh, I'm really sorry. I'll keep it short."

She speaks rapidly and her words sometimes stumble over each other so she has to start over again.

"What do you mean, his name again?"

She listens silently.

"I won't ask any more questions. I'll text you my email address. Will you get back to me? Yes, of course you need to sleep. Goodbye."

Evy looks at the phone, feeling surprised. Then she puts it away.

Chapter 16.

Fredericsson is tired as he parks his car in front of the house. He stays in the car for a while and slowly realizes how beautiful the park is. He gets out of the car with some effort, and he notices that the car is way beyond dirty. He senses the smell of the ground, of the trees and of autumn, and it's as if he can see how the leaves are changing color. He breathes heavily and realizes that he's now so tired it's almost like a physical pain that has left its deep marks on his unshaven face.

"Fredericsson?"

An officer is standing next to him.

"I need a vacation."

"Sorry?"

The young officer looks surprised. Fredericsson looks at him. Smooth skin and an even tan with no apparent signs of age. "Straight out of school."

"Yes."

"Fredericsson?"

He repeats his question and Fredericsson smiles in resignation.

"Yes, I'm Fredericsson."

There's no doubt that he's irritated.

"We've spoken to her."

"Who?"

"The secretary."

Fredericsson nods and tries to concentrate.

"And?"

"She's seen..."

Fredericsson raises his hand and shakes his head.

"I'll talk to her myself. And how do we know that a crime has happened? The man might be with his mistress for all we know."

The young man's plucked eyebrows move upwards toward his forehead. Fredericsson waves his hand dismissively.

"Did... What's his name?"

Fredericsson rubs his stubble. Full of disgust, the young man looks at his dirty fingernails.

"Nathan Wilkins."

"Right. Did he turn up?"

The officer shakes his head.

"Then we wouldn't be here."

The face of the officer clearly reflects the insult.

"Someone called me specifically because of a name on a credit card. What's with that credit card?"

Fredericsson scratches his neck again and his mouth forms an ouch that he never speaks out loud.

"Has it been sent in for a.n.a.lysis?"

The officer shakes his head again.

"No, we haven't touched anything after we arrived. Nathan Wilkins..."

The young man's voice is intense and Fredericsson smiles. "Aha."

"...is rich and famous, so we have to do everything by the book. I've made sure nothing has been touched or moved until you arrived."

"First time you're in contact with the rich and famous, young man." Fredericsson is still smiling and nods.

"Thank you. I appreciate that."

He looks around the park one last time before following the officer who's already on his way up to the house.

"How old is that guy?"

"Nathan Wilkins?"

"Yes, who else?"

Fredericsson is sounding annoyed again. The officer turns and looks back at him as he walks.

"Sorry."

Now Fredericsson just sounds tired.

"I can't remember the last time I slept. But it's a long time ago. Just as long ago as my last shave."

Fredericsson forces a little smile.

"You need one."

Fredericsson looks surprised.

"A shave."

Fredericsson wonders at the disgust in the officer's voice.

"I know."

The officer turns to him again as he speaks.

"He's 64."

"Wife?"

"She died three years ago."

"Girlfriend, mistress?"

Fredericsson walks a few steps before silently adding: "Male lover?"

The officer looks at him for a long time. Fredericsson shrugs.

"I talk so I don't fall asleep."

"Then you're sure to stay awake."

The officer looks ahead again.

"The secretary wants to talk... a lot. She offered to make coffee, so if you're lucky there's some left. And the croissants, they're..."

"Yes, yes, then let's walk faster. I really need that coffee."

The officer enters the door before Fredericsson and they find themselves in an office where a woman dressed in a blue suit looks up from her desk. Fredericsson stops to look at her and a moment later she's standing in front of him.

"My name is Petra Jennings. I'm Nathan Wilkins' secretary."

Fredericsson nods and takes a step back.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realizes how close I was."

She takes a step back but keeps looking at him.

"Coffee?"

She gives him a kind smile.

"Oh, that would be wonderful."

Fredericsson sounds tired and his voice is m.u.f.fled.

"That would be wonderful."

He repeats, this time with a more dynamic voice.

"He has been looking forward to it all the way from the car."

The officer laughs and follows Petra as she walks into the tiny kitchen. Fredericsson is surprised and follows him with his eyes. Suddenly he realizes that Petra is a beautiful woman in an elegant and discreet way. He watches her through the open door as she politely answers the good natured questions of the officer. Fredericsson shakes his head and wonders why he didn't notice her beauty at once. "I must be really tired." Fredericsson shrugs and enjoys watching how she keeps her distance to the officer at all times. She's clearly not as interested in him as he is in her. There's something sad about her movements and her face, but his many years on the force has taught him that she's exactly the type that survives and isn't easily broken.