The Shadow Girls (18 page)

‘We’ll get to the bottom of this at the station. Come with us.’

Tanya gathered her things together and put them in her backpack. Humlin saw that she intentionally left the two envelopes behind.

‘I protest!’ Humlin said. ‘I demand to be allowed to call Pelle Törnblom.’

One of the police officers grabbed his arm. Humlin could already see the next day’s headlines.

*

Humlin did not manage to convince the officer who filed the report to let him call Pelle Törnblom until four o’clock in the morning. Before then he had managed to spend a few moments alone with Tanya.

‘I’m going to tell them the door was already open when we arrived,’ he said. ‘And I won’t tell them anything about who you are. How did you learn to break open doors anyway?’

‘My father was a burglar. He taught me.’

‘Is that what you do, then? Are you a thief?’

‘How would I manage otherwise?’

‘Is that why you keep a crowbar in your boot?’

Her eyes glinted angrily.

‘I hate being poor. Do you even know what that is? To be so poor you start to despise your own existence? Do you know? No, how could you know.’

‘Is that why you left? You wanted to escape the poverty?’

‘I did not try to escape anything. I left Smolensk in order to become rich. I was tired of breaking into houses where there was
nothing left to take. I wanted to come to a country where there was something to take behind the doors I was going to break open. And it happened to be Sweden.’

At this point they were escorted to different rooms. Humlin was placed in a room with a drunken ice-hockey fan who had thrown up on the floor and whose right eye had swollen shut. During the half-hour that followed, Humlin was forced to listen to a completely incomprehensible account of the brawl that had taken place at the Scandinavium arena. It was only when the ice-hockey fan was taken away that Humlin was able to gather his thoughts. What could he do? When Törnblom finally turned up at dawn Humlin had prepared an explanation that shielded Tanya. Törnblom stood and glared at him for a long time before speaking.

‘Why didn’t you just call me and ask me to come down and unlock the door?’

‘I left my phone on the train. Didn’t you ring to check what time the train was coming in and hear it was delayed?’

‘I was waiting for your call, you know. It was damned difficult to stand there and explain to everyone that you had simply stood them up.’

‘The train was delayed,’ Humlin repeated in hurt tones. ‘I didn’t let them down.’

‘Haiman had brought a rugby ball to give to you. When he realised you weren’t coming he said he regretted not having hit you even harder. Everyone was very disappointed.’

‘The train lost all power just outside of Herrljunga! How many times do I have to say this?’

‘Why didn’t you call?’

‘The phone was out of range.’

‘I hope you realise I find this all a bit hard to believe. There are a few too many convenient coincidences in your story.’

‘Every word I’m telling you is true. What happened anyway? I mean, when I didn’t show up.’

‘I had to explain that unfortunately you had revealed your true colours as a fundamentally unreliable person. We decided to cancel the whole thing.’

‘Cancel?’

‘I hope you realise how disappointed the girls are.’

‘This is ludicrous. You’ve heard my explanation. I haven’t let them down.’

‘Where did you find Tanya anyway?’

‘She was waiting for me outside your club.’

‘Why was she still there?’

It was at this point that Humlin used his newly fabricated story.

‘She was guarding your door since there had been a break-in.’

‘There was no break-in. Nothing was stolen.’

‘I wouldn’t know about that.’

Humlin was completely unprepared for Törnblom’s next reaction which was to reach out and grab Humlin by his shirt.

‘I don’t know what the hell you’re up to or what you’re thinking. But you leave my club alone!’

He slowly let go. Humlin was speechless. They were alone in the room. Humlin had to wait for the report to be completed before the police could let him go. He had no idea where Tanya was.

‘How many times do I have to tell you that I had nothing to do with your club being broken into?’

‘You’re probably enough of a worm to pin this on Tanya, aren’t you?’

‘I told you she was just guarding the door. I’m not pinning anything on her.’

Törnblom pulled out a pack of cigarettes although a sign clearly stated that all smoking was forbidden.

‘You can’t smoke here, you know.’

Törnblom calmly lit his cigarette and sat down.

‘This isn’t good enough. You’re not good enough.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘You aren’t man enough to help these girls start to believe in themselves.’

‘And how could I do that? You just cancelled everything.’

‘I was humiliated when you didn’t show. Leyla was close to tears and all her relatives were upset. Even if you don’t care about them you don’t have to treat them like shit. You’ll have time to regret you did.’

‘I assume you mean Haiman is going to come looking for me.’

‘We don’t use violent methods. That’s part of the stereotype of immigrants people like you help to perpetuate.’

‘I’m not perpetuating any stereotypes. I’m just trying to understand what you’re saying.’

‘The reporter was also very disappointed. He said he was going to study your poetry for signs of a mindset that despises weakness in people. Even if you try to hide behind pretty words he’ll find you out. He’ll crush you.’

Humlin’s stomach started to hurt.

‘This is unfair. I don’t deserve this kind of treatment.’

Törnblom threw his cigarette on the floor and crushed it with his foot.

‘There’s no point in continuing this conversation. I still don’t understand how you can claim one of the girls was with you on
the train only to disappear in Hallsberg. It sounds implausible. I take it for granted you understand that we will have no contact after this. You should also avoid Stensgården, at least for the next few years. The people out there have their pride, however humble their circumstances.’

Törnblom left. Humlin searched desperately for a solution to what he now viewed as his greatest problem, the fact that a reporter was going to write an article with the intention of crushing him. But he was also hurt and saddened by Törnblom’s words.

The door opened and a police officer looked in.

‘You are free to go,’ he said. ‘We just need you to sign a couple of papers.’

‘I’m not signing anything.’

‘It’s just a document stating that you are not accused of having committed any crime.’

Humlin signed it.

‘What happened to the girl who was brought in with me?’

‘Do you mean Tatyana? Tatyana Nilsson?’

Humlin wasn’t surprised by anything at this point.

‘Yes. Where is she? We arrived at the boxing club at the same time. The door was already broken in.’

‘We know that.’

‘So I’m assuming that means she is also being released now?’

‘We can’t release her.’

‘Why not?’

‘She escaped through a window in the bathroom. We’re still not sure how she actually opened it and got herself out.’

‘Is that a crime?’

‘Not in itself. But we have been checking her driving licence
in our registers and there’s something fishy about the information she gave us. We haven’t got to the bottom of it yet.’

‘There are few things that make any sense in this life,’ Humlin said. ‘But can I go now?’

It was a quarter past five. Before Humlin left the station he called his mobile phone number. He was surprised to hear that someone answered.

‘Who am I speaking to?’ he asked.

‘Who’s asking?’

‘The phone you’re using actually belongs to me.’

The man who had answered Humlin’s phone sounded sleepy and not completely sober.

‘I bought this phone yesterday for one hundred kronor.’

‘I’m going to block the account as soon as this conversation is over. If you really did buy the phone you bought stolen property.’

‘I don’t care about that. But you can get it back for five hundred.’

‘Where can I meet you?’

‘I’ll think about it. Call back in an hour. What time is it anyway? Who the hell calls people at this hour?’

‘I’ll call back in quarter of an hour.’

Humlin’s head was throbbing. During the last few years he had become increasingly convinced that he was going to develop high blood pressure, just like Olof Lundin. But his doctor had patiently explained to him that his blood pressure was completely normal. He had bought a blood pressure cuff in secret since he always suspected she didn’t tell him the truth. When the cuff showed the same results as the doctor’s, he immediately suspected that it had malfunctioned.

Every morning he spent the first few minutes of his day going through his various body parts to see how he felt. He was rarely sick but often felt bad. If he discovered some little thing that seemed amiss it could ruin his whole day. A few weeks earlier he had found a strange rash on his leg and right arm. He immediately suspected it could be the sign of serious illness and asked Andrea about it as soon as he had a chance. She glanced at his arm.

‘That’s nothing,’ she said.

‘You can see this, can’t you? How can you say it’s nothing?’

‘Because I am a highly qualified nurse and because I can see with my own eyes that it’s nothing.’

‘But I’m completely red here!’

‘Does it itch?’

‘No.’

‘Hurt?’

‘No.’

‘Then don’t worry about it.’

Then, he was temporarily assuaged by Andrea’s words. Now he massaged his aching head and wondered if he should call his doctor, even though it was only half past five in the morning.

After fifteen minutes he called his mobile again. It had been turned off. He slammed the phone down in a fury and left the police station. It was still dark outside. He was tired and hungry and his head still ached. He was worried about what Törnblom’s reporter was going to write. When he walked past the Gothenburg football stadium he suddenly had the feeling that someone was following him. He turned around but there was no one there. He continued on towards the Central station. It was windy and icy cold. He thought he felt a sore throat coming on. When he
reached the station someone appeared at his side. He jumped. It was Tanya. Or Inez/Natalia/Tatyana.

‘What are you doing here?’

‘I wanted to see how things went.’

‘Neither of us is accused of any crime, but they did find something wrong with your licence. Is your name really Tatyana Nilsson?’

‘Of course not. It’s a fake ID.’

Humlin looked around nervously. He felt additional problems growing up around him. First Tea-Bag had disappeared. Now Tanya had escaped from the police station. He pulled her over to a cafe that had just opened.

She looked curiously at him.

‘Why are you so worried?’

‘I’m not worried. Do you by any chance have a mobile phone I could borrow? I left mine on the train and now someone has stolen it. Probably one of the cleaners. Who then sold it.’

‘Is there any particular brand you want?’

‘What?’

Tanya got up. Some businessmen in expensive winter coats were leaving a table nearby. She walked past them, then returned. When the men had left she handed him a phone. Humlin realised she had somehow managed to steal it from one of the men.

‘I don’t want it.’

‘They can afford to buy new ones.’

‘I can’t understand how you managed to take it. Was it lying on the table? Didn’t he notice that you took it?’

‘He had it in his pocket.’

‘His pocket?’

‘Is that so strange?’

‘I don’t understand how you could get it.’

She leaned forward and patted his arm.

‘What do you have in your pocket?’ she asked.

‘Some change. My keys. Why do you ask?’

‘Can you show me your keys?’

Humlin reached for his keys but couldn’t find them. Then she opened her hand and showed them to him.

‘When did you take them?’

‘Just now.’

Humlin stared at her.

‘Who are you?
What
are you? A burglar, a pickpocket?’

The door to the cafe opened and one of the businessmen hurried in. He looked at the table he had been sitting at, then went up to the counter and asked if anyone had found his phone. The server behind the counter shook her head. Humlin crouched down. The man shook his head and walked out again.

‘Didn’t you have to make a call?’ Tanya asked.

‘I don’t think I’m quite up to it.’

Tanya got up again.

‘I have to do something. I’ll be back.’

‘How do I know that?’

‘I will be back. An hour at the latest.’

‘I might be gone by then.’

‘No,’ she said, ‘you can’t go until I’ve answered your question.’

‘Which one?’

‘The one about if I’m a thief or a pickpocket.’

Tanya left. Humlin had another cup of coffee, then tried to gather his thoughts. The phone felt heavy in his pocket. He forced himself to take it out and call Andrea.

‘Why are you calling so early?’ she said.

‘I haven’t slept all night.’

‘I can hear that.’

‘How can you hear it?’

‘You sound like you always do when you’ve been up drinking all night. Have you had a good time?’

‘I’ve been holed up in a Gothenburg police station accused of breaking and entering.’

‘Did you do it?’

‘Of course not. It has not been an enjoyable evening. I just wanted to tell you I’ll be home later today.’

‘Good,’ she said. ‘Because I want us to have made a decision about our future together in exactly forty-eight hours.’

‘I promise.’

‘What do you promise?’

‘That we’ll talk about this.’

‘It’s for real this time. Also, you should call Olof Lundin.’

‘What did he want? When did he ring?’

‘He called last night. He said you could call back any time. I also should tell you that your mother called.’

‘What did she want?’

‘She said you had attacked her.’