by Samuel Bjork
She spotted Kim on the sofa and ran up to him.
“Thank you,” she said, wiping away a tear.
“It’s nothing,” Kim said. “I was just doing my job.”
“No, thank you, I mean it. Thank you,” Miriam said, putting her arms around his neck before running over to Curry and repeating the gesture.
Curry seemed almost embarrassed at the attention. He nodded to Miriam and gave her a long hug in return.
“Is she all right?” Munch said, going up to his daughter.
“Marion is fine.” Miriam nodded, wiping another tear from her cheek. “She’s with Johannes. She was exhausted but in surprisingly good shape, and she asked after her granddad.”
Munch smiled.
“Any news about Mia?” Miriam asked anxiously.
“No,” Munch said, and his eyes turned dark again.
A doctor came down the corridor with some papers in her hands. “Jon Larsen?” she inquired, looking across the gathering.
“Curry,” Anette said, pointing him out to the doctor.
“Eh?” Curry grunted.
“She’s asking for you.”
Curry turned around.
“Jon Larsen?” the doctor said again as she looked down at her papers.
“Yes, that’s me,” Curry said, raising his good hand. He kept the other one pressed to his chest.
“Want me to take a look at you?”
“No, no, I’m all right,” Curry said, dismissing her with his undamaged hand.
Munch looked sternly at his colleague, who was still evading his gaze. Curry had almost wrecked the whole operation, risked all their lives with his impulsive behavior, but they would have to deal with that later. The time for disciplining was not now.
Munch glanced at the door to the ward, but there was still no sign of movement.
“I think we should take a look at you all the same,” the doctor said, smiling at Curry.
Curry sighed and reluctantly followed the doctor down the corridor. “Keep me in the loop!” he called out, jabbing a finger on his one good hand sternly at them.
“Debrief tonight?” Anette asked, looking at Munch.
“No, no, we’ll wait,” Munch said, combing his fingers through his beard as the door opened and another doctor appeared.
“Mia Krüger’s next of kin?”
A sea of hands went up immediately.
“How is she?” Munch said, walking up to the doctor.
“It was touch and go. But she’ll be fine.”
The relief was palpable in the small room. Gabriel got up and hugged Anette. Kim was grinning from ear to ear.
“Can we see her?” Munch asked.
“She’s exhausted,” the doctor said. “But we will allow one visit. Provided it’s short.”
“Me,” Munch said.
He took off his duffel coat, gave it to Miriam, and followed the doctor through the door.
Mia was lying in a bed with her eyes closed when they entered the private room.
“A short visit,” the doctor said firmly, and disappeared.
Munch went over to the bed and took her hand in his. Mia slowly opened her eyes and smiled when she saw him.
“Have you been smoking?” she whispered.
“Not for a while.” Munch smiled back at her.
“Good for you,” Mia said, closing her eyes again.
Munch gently squeezed her hand.
“Did we get her?” Mia said weakly.
“We got her,” Munch said.
“And Marion?”
“Marion is fine,” Munch said.
Mia opened her eyes again and gave him a tentative smile.
“Yes?”
“Yes.” Munch nodded.
He watched as her body suddenly relaxed. Her hand in his grew limp, and her head sank deeper into the pillow.
“Will you come visit me?” she asked.
“On Hitra?”
Mia nodded.
“Maybe on holiday,” Munch said. “But I think you should stay here. I need someone to keep me company.”
“Okay,” Mia mumbled, and closed her eyes.
The doctor popped his head around the door and tapped his wrist. Munch acknowledged the signal to leave.
When he turned to look at Mia, she was already fast asleep.
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