Page 140 of Hidden in Memories
A trail of white spittle has trickled down her chin.
“Mom?” he says tentatively. “What are you doing?”
She doesn’t react. It looks as if she’s asleep, but he doesn’t understand why she is lying here in the kitchen instead of in bed.
Why didn’t she lie down beside him as usual?
Hesitantly he moves closer. There is a horrible smell, and he instinctively backs away. It seems as if Mom has been sick right in front of the sink; he sees a pool of reddish vomit.
The ends of her long black hair have ended up in the disgusting mess. Several empty wine bottles are on the floor next to a white pill bottle.
“Mom,” he says again, louder this time. “Wake up!”
She still doesn’t react, and fear squeezes his heart. Without her he has nobody. He is the only one in his class without a dad, and he has never met his maternal or paternal grandparents.
Something wet runs down his cheeks. He is crying, although he shouldn’t. Mom often tells him that he must be brave. He has turned eleven and is a big boy now.
He edges closer, despite the stench. Tries to work out if Mom is still breathing.
She is completely motionless. When he cautiously reaches out and touches her, she is unnaturally cold. Her chest isn’t moving either.
Slowly the truth begins to sink in.
Mom is never going to wake up again.
Now he really is alone.
112
Dusk has begun to fall in Storlien, and the mountain birch trees are casting long shadows on the snow. Daniel has gone outside to get some fresh air. Hanna is still in the motor home, having something to eat. When they sent in the pizza, the conversation was interrupted. Erik hung up, and they haven’t yet made contact again.
Daniel hopes the food will make the guy feel better, or at least more capable of reaching a rational decision.
One that involves giving himself up.
Or at least letting Filip go.
While Hanna was on the phone, the cloud cover has blown away. It is now after eight o’clock, and the mountain hotel is bathed in a warm evening glow. The pink clouds are reflected in the windows of the bar where Filip is being held captive. For a moment it looks as if the place is on fire, and Daniel gives a start. Then he realizes it is only the reflection of the burning sunset.
Everyone’s nerves are on full alert since they found out that Mogren has drenched his hostage and part of the hotel with gasoline. The consequences if he fulfills his threat don’t bear thinking about. So that was why he kidnapped Filip instead of killing him outside the restaurant.
He intends to burn the whole place down, and let Curt Wretlind’s last living relative die in the flames.
It is a revenge so horrific that it’s hard to take in.
The sound of an engine catches Daniel’s attention. A police car approaches and stops at the cordon. Tiina is sitting in the back seat.
Under normal circumstances it is best to avoid having a close relative present in challenging hostage situations, but they are desperate. The decision was made to ask Tiina to come here, in the hope of finding other ways to reach Mogren.
Tiina gets out of the Volvo, and Daniel sees that she has brought the dog with her.
“Thanks for coming,” he says, making a huge effort to sound calm.
The police cars and cordons would frighten anybody.
“Have you been informed of what’s going on? That your husband is holding a young man hostage inside the hotel?”
Tiina looks as if she is at the breaking point. Her eyes are red-rimmed, as before.
