Page 150 of Hidden in Memories
“It’s okay. It’s probably best if you go home to your family. It’s late.”
Daniel feels a sudden pang in his chest.
His family.
Ida and Alice are waiting for him.
That is where he belongs.
But Hanna looks so small in the passenger seat. He doesn’t want her to be alone after what she has been through. Her input today was huge—she saved not one but two lives. It’s hardly surprising that she is completely drained; she gave so much of herself that there is nothing left.
“What you did today ...” He places a hand on her arm. “It was incredible.”
If he could, he would hold her close and never let her go.
“Thanks.”
She sounds utterly exhausted.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come in for a little while? We could have a cup of tea and talk.”
He doesn’t want to be parted from her, every minute together suddenly feels precious.
Hanna shakes her head. “I’ll be fine. And I’ve got Morris.”
“Morris?”
“My new cat.” She is about to explain, then changes her mind. “I’ll tell you about him some other time.” She gets out of the car. “Thanks for tonight.”
Just before she goes into the house, Daniel glimpses a gray-and-white cat in the doorway. She picks the animal up before disappearing from view.
He really wants to jump out of the car and go after her. Spend the night talking, promising Hanna that nothing bad will ever happen to her again.
He has never been so scared as when she went into the hotel.
The world stopped turning, time stood still.
What would he do if she didn’t exist?
Monday, April 5 Easter Monday
123
There aren’t many people in Mrs Maggie’s restaurant in Duved when Anton walks in.
He looks around the cozy room, where dark wooden tables combine with a wonderful mixture of mismatched chairs and secondhand finds. There are vases of yellow flowers everywhere, and an enormous Easter egg on the bar.
Anton has deliberately arrived early; he isn’t meeting Carl until seven thirty. That’s twenty minutes from now, but he needs to gather his thoughts for a while. The last few days have been hectic—the aftermath of the hostage drama in Storlien has kept everyone busy.
Erik Mogren has been remanded in custody, where he will remain until his trial. Filip Wretlind is still in the hospital under observation. Bengt Hedin was finally discovered in his hunting cabin, where he had spent the last few days, keeping a low profile. They are hoping to gather enough evidence to charge him with bribery and corruption.
Anton has worked nonstop since the “major event,” as the case is designated internally.
A waitress comes over, and he orders a glass of red wine—then changes his mind and goes for a beer instead. He doesn’t want Carl to think he’s showing off.
When the door opens again, he stiffens, but it is only a family collecting pizzas. Anton peers through the window. The restaurant is on Karolinervägen, the street where Carl lives just a few hundred yards away. It will take him only a couple of minutes to get here.
But there is no sign of Carl. Anton takes out his phone and begins to surf the net as he sips his beer. For once the press has praised the Åre police for their resourceful effort that saved the hostage from a terrible death.
