Page 160 of The Sleepwalker
‘Just eject the device.’
‘OK,’ he says, passing back her things.
One of the messages is from the dentist, reminding him that he has an appointment coming up. Two are from his father, the first asking how the hypnosis session went and the second telling him that he had a fall, but that he is OK. Agneta has also sent a text to say that Bernard is in hospital following an accident, but that he is doing just fine.
An hour ago, Olga sent a brief response to all his multiple calls and flirty messages:
You can’t keep calling and texting constantly, Hugo. It’s really stressing me out, OK? Maybe it’s my fault for giving mixed signals, but I need some space, got a load of stuff to sort out. Speak after Xmas. O xoxo
His cheeks are burning as he locks his phone and stares down at it in his hand, trying to work out what just happened. He wantsto call Olga and ask what he did wrong, but he knows he can’t.
Hugo chews on his thumbnail for a moment, then puts his phone screen-down on the table and looks up at Svanhildur.
She uses her hand to cover her mouth as she chews, smiling as she holds his gaze.
‘D’you want to watch a film or something?’ he asks.
‘I’ve got a bottle of tequila in my room,’ she whispers.
‘No way.’
‘What?’
‘You’ve got tequila?’
‘Shh,’ she tells him, pressing a finger to her lips.
Hugo reaches for the salt shaker and drops it into his pocket. He then gets up and carries his dirty plate and glass over to the washing tray before pausing in the kitchen doorway.
‘Thanks for dinner,’ he says as the woman turns to look at him.
‘No problem.’
‘I wanted to ask if you had any limes.’
‘Limes?’
‘Yeah, I’ve got a real craving for lime. Who knows, maybe I’ve got scurvy or something,’ he explains, tucking a lock of hair back behind his ear.
‘We’ve got lemons .?.?.’ she says.
56
A battery-powered candle casts a warm, flickering glow over Svanhildur’s pantry.
The sweaty bottle of tequila is on the table between her and Hugo, alongside two pale-blue egg cups, a lidless salt shaker and a white chopping board covered with lemon slices.
‘Seriously, that Kasper guy .?.?. he’s super creepy. Like, what’s wrong up here?’ Hugo says with a gesture to his temple.
‘Yeah, he’s kind of weird.’
‘Understatement of the year.’
‘I’ve realised he’s got a skeleton key .?.?.’
‘What’s that?’
‘A homemade master key. Because it seems like he can go wherever he wants round here.’
