Blue Blue Eyes: Crime Novel (40 page)

Epilogue

The screaming of the sea-gulls woke Nikki up. She stretched with a smile on her lips and got out of the hammock tied in the front of the large beautiful sail boat. With quick fingers she tied up her bikini-top and squinted up at the sun high in the sky. It was a beautiful Indian summer day in the beginning of September. The sea was like a mirror and the deep blue colour matched the cloudless sky. Nikki looked around contented and felt an incredible gratitude to life. Now she really felt at her best when surround by her children and good friends. Gustav and Viccan were sunbathing on the foredeck while Linn was deeply involved with a book on the rear deck. Axel had left with Klas and Céline in the rubber dinghy to check out the new diving tower standing on a large rafter in the bay nearby. Nikki looked warmly at David where he was still lying sleeping in the hammock next to hers.

”Anybody feel like a smoothie styled by Nikki?” Linn looked up from her book and smiled.

”I’d love one, do you need some help?”

”No thanks, it’s my turn waiting on you for once.” Nikki went down to the pantry and found Anna busy making a fruit salad.

”Yummie, looks tasty.”

”Thought a fresh fruit salad would be great as a dessert tonight. What do you think?”

”It will be perfect, I love fruit salads. I thought of making us each a smoothie. Would you like one?”

”Yes please. Can you make your special one?”

”You mean the one with chocolate flavour?”

Anna nodded and threw the orange peel in the bin.

Nikki mixed almond milk, avocado, frozen banana, hazelnut butter and raw cocoa in the mixer and then pressed start.

”I’m really happy you could have a week off to spend it with us.” Nikki poured the brown thick cream into the glasses and put a brightly coloured straw in each.

”Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss this trip for anything. It feels really good to associate with you and get to know my half-siblings and Linn a bit better.”

”Yes, you’ve got yourself a completely new family”, Nikki laughed and topped up the glasses with coconut shavings and raw cocoa nibs. ”I have to admit being completely perplexed when I found out you were Patrik’s daughter. But that was nothing compared to when I found out whom your mum is.”

Anna’s eyes filled up with tears. ”I just wish I had got to know my father. Damn it.” She put down the knife on the cutting board and dried her eyes. ”Life is so bloody unfair sometimes. Why did he have to die?”

Nikki went up and took her in her arms. They stood close to each other for a long while without saying anything.

”I know. I miss him every day.” Nikki let her eyes overflow and swiped her hand under her nose. ”He was a great man and a wonderfully involved father. But at least you got to see him once before he passed away.”

Anna shrugged helplessly. She still hadn’t accepted that Patrik was gone despite a whole year having passed since his death.

Nikki dried the tears with a piece of kitchen paper and then lifted Anna’s chin up so their eyes met. ”I know it’s hard. I loved Patrik too but in my own way.”

Anna smiled a bit through the tears. ”At least he’s better off where-ever he is now than if he would have survived. I mean, lying there in a department like a vegetable for the rest of your life. Who the hell would want that?”

”I’m completely convinced that he’s doing well up there on a fluffy cloud. But”, Nikki continued and changed topic knowingly, ”what I don’t get is that my sister has been sitting on this secret for so long…”

Anna made a face. ”You and mum have always been so incredibly close that I can’t understand why she didn’t tell you anything.

”I know. All these years Charlie has told every soul that she didn’t have any idea as to who my father was. And we were real idiots believing her.”

”I’m not defending mum but somehow after Dad and Linn met maybe she didn’t want to destroy things between them. And then the three of you got insanely close.”

Nikki sighed deeply and put the glasses on the lemon blue tray. ”But now the truth finally has been discovered. And when I cornered Charlie she was really relieved that the secret of her life was out in the open.”

”Poor mum, a pity she couldn’t come with us on this trip.”

”Definitely, but you know how crazy she is about yoga and when she found this week in Spain nobody could stop her. I could have thought of joining her but this boat trip felt more important.”

”The best thing is anyway that Linn finally has accepted me. I realize that it must have been a real shock for her in the beginning when she found out that I’m Patrik’s daughter.”

”Yeah, it became a bit too much for her there. But now she’s really happy you’re one of the family. Believe me, she asks about you every time we speak.”

”She does? Oh, that makes me happy. It makes such a great difference since she overcame her alcohol abuse.”

”As I said it’s been a tough year for Linn. Come on, let’s join the others, they are probably waiting for these goodies”, Nikki said and pointed at the glasses.

”I’ll drink my smoothie here since I haven’t quite finished the fruit-salad yet.”

”Do you want any help?”

”No, it’s just nice to have some time by myself. I’ll come up when I have finished.” Anna took the glass and put the straw in her mouth. ”Do you know how terribly good this is?”

Nikki laughed, took the tray with both hands and went upstairs. When everybody had a glass she leaned against the sofa’s back next to Linn and pulled up her knees under the chin.

”Imagine, it’s been over a year since we came back from Cyprus…”

”Mmm”, Linn said and looked out over the blue sea. ”There’s been a lot of water under the bridges since then. My life has…” She stared straight out. ”Changed..I miss him so much.. damn it we didn’t even get to part as friends. Do you know what that feels like?” Linn clenched her fist while letting the tears flow down her cheeks.

Nikki let her cry while slowly touching her arm. ”I know sweet-heart, I wish you could have had a chance..but Patrik loves you and the children and he is here although in another shape.” Nikki didn’t know what to say. She had comforted and comforted Linn when Patrik passed away and felt bereaved too, but in her own way. They were sitting in silence for a while and let the sorrow pour over them once again.

”By the way I have to commend you for accepting Anna as your step daughter.”

”It took some time and you have to know it hasn’t been easy. But now I have accepted the situation and think she fits in our family. The children love her and really look up to their big sister.”

”I’ve never seen Anna so happy and content and I know she loves you all. Do you know by the way what I’ve done with the letter you sent me last summer?”

Linn shook her head and looked curiously at Nikki. ”Tell me.” ” I bought a nice frame and put it up over my bed. Thanks for sending it. I really needed to wake up. You are my very best friend and will always remain that. I promise never again to leave your side.”

”So this is where you are sitting gossiping”, David said and sat down. Nikki smiled affectionately at him and made room for him on the sofa.

”Great you could come to Sweden for our yearly crayfish party”, Linn said smilingly while picking up her glass from the table.

”Thanks for inviting me and I really look forward to all the shell-fish tonight. And I’m so grateful to be with you all here onboard and to finally meet my Princess again.” David kissed Nikki’s cheek and got a wide smile in return.

”Tonight there will be a cheese-pie and loads of fresh shell-fish. In your honour we’ve also translated all our traditional drinking songs to English.” Nikki smiled widely at David and then started laughing.

”You’ll have to excuse me but when I think of the texts I can’t help but laughing. Not until now I realize what idiots we Swedes are who sing about ”the whole is walking”. Nikki laughed so much she almost choked. Everybody started laughing just because Nikki was laughing.

”Thank you”, Nikki whispered softly and looked up at David.

”Thank you?”

”You saved my life last summer. And thanks for being here with me and the kids. I really appreciate it.”

David pulled her close to him and smelled her hair.”You know well enough that I care about your safety and that I know what risks you take. So it’s more or less my duty to keep an eye on you when I can.”

”Ah, stop it. It was actually only the second time you’ve had to step in otherwise I usually take care of myself.” Nikki boxed him lightly on his arm while Linn got up and went down to Anna in the kitchen.

”To experience the archipelago here at the West coast together with you and the kids and your friends, is magic. Then it will be exciting to experience a Swedish crayfish party. I’ve hear how crazy you Swedes are.” He smiled and looked deeply into Nikki’s eyes. The kiss was a bit hesitant at first and they were both surprised at the feelings bubbling up within them. Nikki stretched out her free hand to David’s cheek and let her fingertips glide over his beautiful face. She wanted to close her eyes but couldn’t let go of his glittering eyes.

Kygo’s summer plague ”Cut your Teeth” started ringing out in the lukewarm air. Nikki reluctantly moved from David’s sweet mouth and went to get her mobile. She knew that her boss could get in touch any time to order her to work overtime. But Nikki was happily surprised to see Daphne’s picture instead on the display.

”Do you know what else has happened?” Daphne said after some ten minutes of chatting.

”Has Carlos had any more spins?” Nikki laughed and went to sit down in the hammock in the prow.

”That’s a way of saying it. Before Carlos went to Spain he was finally granted money for a completely new police station. Do you get it? All the old machines are gone, as is the furniture. You wouldn’t recognize the place if you went there again.”

”There?”

Nikki heard Daphne clearing her throat. ”Yes, I have moved.”

”What? you’ve moved? To where?”

”Carlos asked if I wanted to go with him to Spain, there was a vacancy there so...”

”So you accepted?”

Daphne laughed and realized how bizarre it seemed. ”Yes, we live in Spain now. Don’t forget that I have both Cypriot and Spanish blood in my veins. My husband got work here and my mother came along as well.”

”I’ll be damned. What’s it like working with Carlos in Spain? Is he the same good boss as before?” Nikki grinned sarcastically and was eternally grateful not to have to work with that idiot.

”He’s just as sick in his head as he was in Cyprus, but the other colleagues are quite good.”

”You’ll have to tell me more later, but first I’d like to know more about the renovated police station in Coral Bay.”

Daphne told her in detail about how modern it was with all the latest technology.

”Wow”, Nikki said and smiled with pleasure by herself. ”And you say that Carlos is telling everyone that the money is coming from the police”

”Yeah, it’s all thanks to him.”

Nikki sighed quietly. So much like Carlos to take all the honour by himself. ”Can you keep a secret?”

”Of course. What?”

”It’s the Mafia’s money giving you the new police station.”

”What? What do you mean? What about the Mafia’s money?”

”Do you remember how I got the Mafia’s account statement when I was onboard Money Talks?”

”Sure.”

”I also got access to their money. They had over 100 million Euros on the account and somehow David managed to get hold of them. I put in a larger sum on a newly opened account for Carlos and told him that the money should be for your police station.

Nikki could hear Daphne panting on the other side of the line.

”Are you joking, or what? So it’s the Mafia paying for it all?”

”But how bloody much like Carlos to take all the honour for himself. But I promise to keep quiet. Funny feeling, though, to know that the Mafia is paying for it all. But what if they find out that you’ve stolen their money?”

Nikki laughed out loud. ”It’s absolutely impossible for them to track their money. But that’s not the only thing they had to pay for. I’ve also made sure that Theo’s wife Pauline has got some money so she can support herself and the kids. Then there’s the cat sanctuary in Coral Bay which has got a part so they can pay for the costs of vet and food the coming years.”

”Are you a gift from above, or what?”

”Maybe”, Nikki giggled. ”Hey, Daphne, I’ve got something to confess as well. You know the recording which David found in Theo’s mobile, the one I mailed you. I have sent a copy to Theo’s wife in case the Mafia doesn’t leave her alone now that she has got back the Golden Coast.”

”Yes, you read about that in the newspapers, the Mafia’s buying the Golden Coast wasn’t valid since Theo was threatened.”

”Yes, I saw it in the Cyprus Mail. Patrik’s business transactions were also declared not binding and Linn has finally got her money back. But how the hell could the Mafia bribe the judge so as not to go to prison?”

”You know, these boys are capable of anything.”

”Well, at least that’s how it seems. They’ve even helped building you a new police station”, Nikki laughed and looked at David’s mouth.