Page 135 of Hidden in Memories
“Someone has to pay for what he did! None of this is my fault.”
Once again Daniel feels sheer contempt, but Hanna’s tone is sympathetic.
“It’s perfectly natural for you to be so angry, given what happened. But have you thought about where you are directing your anger?”
Mogren continues to spew out fury and hatred.
Daniel checks the time; it is almost four o’clock. They still have no confirmation that Filip is alive.
He scribblesHow’s Filip?on a Post-it and pushes it across to Hanna. There is already a pile of notes with different questions in front of her. It’s Daniel’s way of helping without speaking—he doesn’t want to distract her.
She takes it without reacting, and Daniel is so proud of her. She is so strong; she is managing to sound both empathetic and engaged without asserting her authority.
Other negotiators are on the way, but there has been a delay. Colleagues from Sundsvall have had to be brought in because some staff in Östersund are on Easter leave.
“Are you near Filip? How is he doing?”
“He’s upstairs.”
“Where?”
“In the bar. I can’t stand looking at him.”
Daniel leans forward. It definitely sounds as if Filip is alive.
“Of course. In that case it’s probably wise not to be in the same place.” Hanna’s voice carries just the right amount of sympathy. “Young men can be hard work sometimes. And he’s only twenty-three, much younger than you. In fact you’re old enough to be his dad.”
She keeps chatting, sneaking in references to Filip from time to time.
Daniel knows what she is doing. She is trying to get Mogren to regard Charlotte’s son as flesh and blood. A real person, not a symbol of old injustices.
This will increase the chances of persuading him not to harm Filip.
“I’ve got an idea,” Hanna says a few minutes later. “If you find it too difficult to speak to Filip, maybe I could do it instead?”
Daniel notices that her knee is jiggling up and down, even though her tone remains calm and steady.
“Not now,” Mogren says unexpectedly. “My battery is about to die.”
Hanna gives Daniel an agonized look. They have to keep the conversation going, or there is no hope.
“What do we do?” she whispers.
“Burner phone,” he whispers back.
They can send in a new phone to keep the lines of communication open.
“Okay, this is what we’re going to do,” she says, without a trace of anxiety in her voice. “If you just wait a little while, we’ll get you another phone.”
Mogren says nothing. There is a scraping noise in the background.
“Tell him where we’re going to put it,” Daniel whispers.
“How about if we open the door to the left of the main entrance, and leave a box containing a new phone? Then you can call me when you’ve got it. How does that sound?”
There is no response for some time. Hanna’s shoulders are hunched. Daniel can hardly breathe.
Eventually Mogren grunts.
