“I faxed you the ID papers and a photograph of the victim. You should already have received them. The rest will come through the post,” continued Gustav Lindström as he proceeded to describe the circumstances surrounding the discovery of Anton Jukka Lidman’s body.
IT WAS A STORMY NIGHT and the rain was still clattering heavily against the windowsill. According to the digital clock on the bedside table, the time was quarter past five. Kim sat on the edge of the bed staring into space with the morning paper lying on their knee. They re-read an article.
“A badly decomposed corpse has been discovered in a remote summer cottage outside Malmö. The discovery was made last Monday afternoon at 17:00 by two men who were seeking shelter from the freezing weather in an abandoned hut.
The police are reluctant to disclose details about the case, but according to The Evening Post’s sources the discovery has been linked to the ongoing investigation into the murders of homosexual men in Sweden. A preliminary murder enquiry has been opened.”
Kim had almost managed to block out the memory of that incident in Malmö. They placed the newspaper onto the bed with mechanical movements and stood up. It was definitely him, there was no doubt about it. The newspaper article resurrected the memories and Kim was transported back in time. The scenes from that day were replayed over and over again in their head. It was like entering a black cloud.
Kim stood in front of the mirror in sombre contemplation.
“Dear Annelie,” she mumbled. Her eyes watered and she bit her lower lip to stop the tears from falling. Although she wanted to be strong, deep down her soul was in tatters. The wound still festered. Time and revenge hadn’t alleviated the pain.
She looked at herself in close up.
“Annelie died a long time ago,” she whispered. “Long live Kim!”
Kim was an alias she had adopted to hide from reality. But although her neutral identity had prevailed, at this precise moment she was a flesh and blood woman who could remember every detail of what happened in Malmö as well as the events in Stockholm four years ago that had set everything in motion.
She had been looking forward to her trip to Malmö, to the start of her new life. To escape the memories and finally stop agonizing over what had happened in Stockholm. But fate had other plans for her.
It had all happened too fast. She wasn’t prepared. Why had she gone to Malmö? Why? Through no fault of her own she had been placed in an impossible situation, a matter of life or death. She had been forced to make snap decisions, improvise and use the tools that were available.
Had she decontaminated the crime scene thoroughly enough? Was any evidence left behind that could be traced back to her? She had a bad feeling about the discovery in Malmö. She would have to re-examine every detail to dispel her doubts and satisfy herself that nothing at the crime scene could be linked back to her.
Kim ambled into the bathroom and removed her nightdress. She stood under the shower and turned on the tap, letting the cold water gush directly over her body. Her mind was in such a fog that she didn’t even notice the temperature. Thank goodness she had the tools to monitor how the investigation was progressing. At least there wouldn’t be any nasty surprises.
HE WAS SITTING IN THE DARK deep in thought when Sanna knocked on the door and entered the room directly without waiting for an answer.
“It’s so dark in here. Can I turn on the light?”
He looked up and then lowered his eyes again without responding.
“Okay, no problem,” said Sanna giving him a piercing look. It wasn’t like Kalle to ignore her when addressed. Something was wrong. She continued into the room and sat down opposite him.
“How are you, Kalle?”
He ran his fingers through his hair and glanced at her but said nothing.
“What’s happened?”
Kalle shook his head. His eyes glazed over.
“Is it Mia?” she asked gently, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. She knew that Mia was scheduled for surgery in the next few days.
He nodded.
Several minutes went by. Just as she was about to say something, Kalle finally responded.
“We heard from the doctors. The cancer has spread! Her body’s riddled with it!” he shrieked. There was a mixture of sadness and anger in his voice. “What am I going to do? What am I going to do, Sanna?” He couldn’t hold back his emotions any longer and the tears streamed down his cheeks.
Sanna sat there powerless. Words were meaningless in this situation. A single telephone call had dashed all their hopes for a possible cure.
Sanna took Kalle’s hand. “What about the operation?” she said finally. “What did the surgeon say?”
He shook his head. “There’s not going to be one.”
Sanna wanted to press him further but she was reluctant to dig deeper into his open wound. Mia meant the world to Kalle and now the cancer was going to deprive him of the love of his life. Sanna’s thoughts turned to the children. Liza and Pontus were still so young, how would they cope?
CHAPTER 41
Malmö – four years earlier
SLOWLY BUT SURELY HER DESIRE for revenge intensified. The feeling grew more and more powerful each day.
As she sat at the kitchen table with a glass of water in her hand, her thoughts drifted back to that fateful day. In the background Estranged by Gun’s & Roses was playing.
The memory of how events had transpired was still painful. After returning to Stockholm, following the incident in Malmö, Kim was an emotional wreck and prone to extreme mood swings. The doctor diagnosed her with a borderline personality disorder. It was terrifying. She had been plunged into total isolation and forced to take extended sick leave, an intervention that resulted in further negative consequences as she found herself mired in a deep depression compounded by attacks of agoraphobia and constant nightmares. Her life was turned completely upside down.
After a series of pointless visits to the doctor and ineffective treatment with tranquilizers and painkillers she had decided to try and return to work on a part-time basis. Hopefully working would focus her mind on something other than the intense anger she felt towards the men who had violated her.
Kim decided to try to live in the present. It was time to make up for all those lost years, for her own sake as well as for her family and friends.
Her social circle was quite small but the first person she thought of was Freja, an old school friend; in their youth they had been best friends, sharing both the good times and the bad times.
However, later on their lives had diverged. Freja had fallen in love with a man from Skåne. They got married and after she moved to Malmö they met only sporadically, maintaining minimal contact through Facebook.
One evening, on a whim, Kim picked up the phone and called her and within minutes they were chatting like the old days. They were genuinely overjoyed and began to plan a two-week reunion in the family’s summerhouse, together with Freja’s daughter.
The get-together was a great success. The days were warm and sunny and they revelled in the fresh country air.
Unfortunately, their delightful holiday was cut short by an unexpected turn of events. Freja’s daughter became seriously ill and they were forced to take her to the hospital in Malmö. After being informed that the little girl would be admitted overnight for observation, Kim decided to take the train home to Stockholm.
Kim went into the living room to turn off the music and then returned to the kitchen. She couldn’t shake off the memory, which was so vivid it could have happened yesterday.
She gulped down the water and continued to brood on the events of that day four years ago.
SHE FELT DESPONDENT. Dark clouds gathered over the city and heavy rain began to fall, prompting her to run and seek shelter under a tree.
The downpour persisted. She ran towards Malmö Central Station and entered the large glass hall. It was an imposing building and, despite the late hour, there were still a lot of people millin
g around or sitting waiting for their trains.
Kim felt wretched. She was completely drenched and even her hair was dripping wet. A dog at the feet of its master shook the excess water from its fur. Kim barely noticed and made her way directly to the ticket machine. Unfortunately, the only available tickets were for the night train at 10:30.
She groaned and began to feel restless. This definitely wasn’t her day. On another occasion it might have been pleasant to hang around in Malmö by herself for more than an hour, but at that point all she wanted to do was get out of there.
Clutching the ticket in her hand she looked around for somewhere to change out of her wet clothes. She picked up her rucksack and walked towards the ladies room.
Kim got up from the chair and paced the room.
If only she had waited at the station until the train arrived. It was obvious she was being assaulted on all sides by malicious forces that refused to back down.
What happened in Malmö was a sign that she needed to act. But the question was how? In the course of time the solution had come to her. A dreadful solution, which was irreversible. She was left with no alternative but to carry out the rest of the plan.
She poured water into the coffee percolator and watched the hot liquid drip down into the jug.
Kim may have been physically inside the apartment but her mind was elsewhere.
The rain continued and Kim decided to wait it out in a pub near the station.
Upon entering the bar she was greeted by a warm stream of air that smelled of old beer and smoke, the residual effects of a generation of drinkers and smokers. The pub’s interior was in a state of quiet decay with tired décor and faded walls. There was a semi-circular mahogany bar, heavily scratched and covered in stains, groups of rickety tables and chairs and a threadbare floor.
The pub was full and the noise level deafening. In the background November Rain by Guns N’ Roses was playing. A fitting song, she remembered thinking as she scanned the room hoping to see familiar faces among the guests.. She walked over to the bar and ordered a beer.
Kim took out her iPhone to see if she had received any interesting mail and catch up on Facebook. It didn’t take long before a man approached her.
“Hi,” he said with a deep, dark voice.
She looked up. Her eyes met his and she froze.
Kim’s first instinct was to tell him to go to hell. But when she realised he didn’t have a clue who she was, she stood there paralysed, unsure of her next move. She felt her blood boil. Anger welled up inside her but instead of glaring at him and countering his confident banter with insults and put downs, she decided to play along. She must keep calm.
Her defences were up. She watched every movement he made as he prattled on and on, occasionally placing his hand in his pocket.
She pretended to listen.
He was eloquent and certainly knew how to charm a woman. In fact, he appeared pleasant enough. But that was on the surface – she knew full well what he was capable of.
She looked at him curiously, wondering what he had in mind. However, it didn’t take long before her suspicions were confirmed.
He attempted to slip something into her drink but then had second thoughts.
This was exactly what she had expected yet she couldn’t help exploding inside with anger and indignation.
This time she had no intention of letting him get away with it. She suggested going to his place.
“How nice, I was just going to suggest the same thing,” he said, smiling triumphantly.
FINALLY SHE WAS GOING to take a stand and make him pay for his actions.
She could still hear his voice echoing in her head, “Let’s go to my summer cottage, it’s more peaceful.”
As he drove further and further out of town she became more and more convinced of his malicious intentions. This didn’t surprise her. Although she hadn’t been prepared for this encounter, at the back of her head she had always half envisaged something like this would happen.
By nature she was a calculating person and, in circumstances like this, the key was to keep up the pretence, not ask too many questions or protest about the distance they were travelling. He would only make excuses or silence her in another way.
She was vigilant but not frightened. Since that day she always carried pepper spray in her handbag, and this time she at least had the advantage of foresight.
The journey to the cottage proceeded in silence. He inserted a Bruce Springsteen CD and turned up the volume. As he hummed merrily to the tune she occupied herself preparing a brief mental plan of what would happen once they reached their destination.
After almost an hour on the motorway they turned onto a narrow gravel road, which led to an old cottage, almost hidden from view and enclosed by wild thickets and mature trees.
He parked behind the house.
“At last,” she said, forcing a smile. Her calm expression was a mask. Inside, she was anything but confident as she calculated whether she had the will power to survive the rest of that endless week.
They climbed out of the car and were met by a faint smell of creosote from the log cabin.
“Here we are,” he said, unlocking the door.
They entered a large, open-plan room. She let the man make himself comfortable, although, in truth, he seemed rather uptight. He disappeared into what she assumed was the bedroom.
She hung up her jacket and perused the accommodation.
It was a small cottage of approximately forty-five square metres. Under a window overlooking the garden and occupying much of the room, was a shabby leather sofa. There was a small table across from it with two chairs on either side, as well as an old TV.
She entered the bedroom, which was about half the size as the main room and housed a large, double bed. He was busy rummaging in the drawer of the bedside table. She didn’t have time to focus on him, however. She wanted to check out the rest of the cottage. To the left of the bedroom there was a simple bathroom with a shower and dry toilet.
“You have a shower, that’s luxury,” she said. “Do you have a well?”
“Yeah.”
Kim sighed dejectedly and ran her hand through her cropped hair. Her heart was pounding and an unpleasant sensation crept into the pit of her stomach.
As she walked out of the bedroom the man suddenly grabbed her from behind, putting his arms around her and groping her breasts. In that instant she was so overcome with revulsion that she managed to summon almost superhuman strength, shoving him away and striking him on the neck with such force that he fell down onto the floor, motionless.
Using his belt she quickly bound his wrists behind his back, then took off her own belt and firmly bound his feet. She dragged him back into the bedroom and heaved him up onto the bed. There was no time to lose. She must act quickly, otherwise when he regained consciousness she would be done for.
She acted with cold-blooded indifference.
She pulled up a chair and sat down in front of him, waiting.
The time passed in complete silence.
After a few minutes he regained consciousness. He looked at her, confused and angry. When he discovered he was tied up he went berserk, convulsing his muscles and heaving his chest up and down trying to free himself.
“What the hell?” he shouted.
She stared at him unmoved.
“Having a hard time?” she mocked. His anger didn’t faze her in the least – she had the situation well under control.
Suddenly she hurried out of the bedroom and entered the grubby kitchen. She ransacked the cupboards and, armed with a pair of rubber gloves, scissors and a sharp knife, she returned to the bedroom.
Although he had calmed down by then, he was still wary of her. She had outwitted him. There was no point in shouting for help or screaming, the nearest neighbour was half a mile away.
He raised his eyebrows in fear as she approached him holding a pair of scissors and a knife.
“What the hell are you going to
do?” he cried.
“Belt up!” she instructed, waving the knife at his face. “I don’t want to hear a sound from you! If you scream I’ll cut your throat!”
He stared at her, terrified.
She put on the rubber gloves. Although she planned to wipe everything down before leaving the house it was important not to make her job more difficult by leaving fingerprints.
“Now I’m going to remove your clothes,” she announced, slicing open his garments with the scissors.
Sweat poured down his forehead as he writhed and twisted in fear.
“I’ll be damned. It’s you!”
“Yes. It’s me.” Her voice pierced him to the core.
The colour drained from his face and the sweat glistened on his naked body.
She turned the chair around and straddled it, her arms resting on the back.
He held his breath and watched her, his expression in constant flux as he tried to take stock of the situation.
Minutes of uncertainty passed while she weighed up her options.
All of a sudden the neighbours turned on their stereo and the sound of “All I Ask of You” from The Phantom of the Opera thundered through the walls.
Her eyes filled with tears. It was a song that reminded her of her ex-boyfriend. Their romance had ended abruptly when his company unexpectedly relocated him to England – a job offer that he could hardly refuse, not that he wanted to. He moved, and the very same week the rest of her life fell to pieces.
The music stopped.
She felt empty. Thoughts of her lost love were supplanted by other more painful memories. She could remember every touch, every violation. Her heart pounded and she could hardly breathe.
She was trapped in an alternative reality where the memory of different events in her life kept intersecting. Once again her thoughts returned to Malmö.
After spending at least half an hour weighing up her options, she decided to go ahead and teach him a lesson he would never forget. Spurred on by the memory of how he had treated her, she grew more and more determined. She returned to the kitchen.
He would have to be scrubbed absolutely clean. In the cupboard under the sink she pulled out a bottle of Ajax and some liquid green soap, as well as a bottle of chlorine buried deep at the back, which she then discarded. It was difficult to improvise. She continued into the bathroom and opened a cupboard above the sink containing an assortment of toiletries, including shaving cream, lotion, and razor blades. She reached for a bottle of acetone.
Impact Epub Page 21