The Silent Girl (Sebastian Bergman 4)
Page 42
It was too late. He had missed his chance.
So he went for a walk instead. He saw Billy standing behind the stables, heard noises he couldn’t quite place, and now he realised that taking a closer look out of curiosity had been the right thing to do.
Very few people, none in fact, could kill two people without being affected in some way. Sebastian had always been surprised at Billy’s lack of reaction, wondered what the young man was doing to deal with the emotions that must have arisen.
Now he knew.
And he didn’t like it. He didn’t like it at all.
‘What do you feel when you do it?’ he asked cautiously, well aware that adrenaline and endorphins were coursing around Billy’s muscular body.
‘How do you know I’ve done it before?’ Billy took a step closer to Sebastian.
‘I can see it in you.’ Sebastian didn’t move. ‘Do you want to talk about it?’
Billy stopped. Sebastian could see that he was trying to get a grip on his feelings. Power, sex, pleasure. Feelings he didn’t really understand; he couldn’t put them into words, but they were so incredibly strong that he just had to experience them again. Everything else, particularly sex, which was supposed to fulfil the same function and provide total satisfaction, seemed grey and boring in comparison. Sebastian nodded to show that he understood, but it was doubtful if Billy noticed.
‘It’s the ultimate act in many ways. There is power in the thing that is most forbidden,’ Sebastian said, taking a step forward. Billy already seemed calmer, more balanced.
‘Animals won’t be enough to meet your needs for ever. You’ve embarked on a dangerous journey, and it can only end in one way.’ Sebastian’s voice was full of genuine anxiety and concern.
‘I know where to draw the line.’
‘At the moment.’
‘I’m not crazy.’
‘Yes, you are – just a little bit. Damaged, anyway. Won’t you let me help you?’
Billy shook his head emphatically, his breathing becoming heavier again as his anger rose. He pointed at Sebastian with a trembling finger.
‘I know things about you too.’
‘Like what?’
‘I know you’re Vanja’s father.’
If Billy hadn’t already been certain when he received the results of the DNA test last week, Sebastian’s reaction would have put the matter beyond doubt.
‘Where did you get that idea from?’ Sebastian said, making a futile attempt to avoid the inevitable.
‘I took items from both your rooms in Torsby and sent them to a DNA lab, one of those that does anonymous paternity tests.’
‘The receptionist said you’d been in my room …’
‘I’ll tell Vanja if you take this any further,’ Billy said, nodding in the vague direction of the cat.
‘So I just forget about all this, otherwise you’ll go running to Vanja?’
‘And you don’t want that, do you?’
‘No, I don’t.’
‘There you go, then.’
‘Indeed.’
There wasn’t much else to say. Billy turned and walked away, heading back to the main building. Sebastian waited until he could no longer hear his footsteps, then he went over to the cat and kicked it into the bushes by the wall of the stable block. If, or when, someone found it, they might think it had fallen from a window or off the roof and broken its neck.
Or eaten rat poison. Not many people would imagine that the bridegroom had come padding out in the early-morning light and strangled it, anyway.
But he had, and that was a problem. Billy was a problem. Partly because he so clearly linked death with pleasure. Sebastian hadn’t been able to help seeing his erection through the thin sweatpants.
And partly because he knew about Vanja.
There wasn’t much he could do about the first part right now; therapy and counselling would remove the unhealthy association that had arisen, but it would take time, and first of all Billy had to admit that he had a problem and wanted to do something about it.
That clearly wasn’t the case at the moment, because Billy had used his knowledge about Vanja and Sebastian as a tool to make Sebastian keep quiet.
Blackmail worked only if one person had an advantage over the other. If that advantage was removed, the option no longer existed.
Simple in theory, more difficult in reality.
But when had his life ever been simple?
★ ★ ★
Sebastian glanced at his watch.
It was still early, but best to get it over with.
He knocked on the door. No answer. He knocked again, harder this time.
‘Come on, open the door!’ he hissed, his mouth close to the hinges.
He thought he could hear footsteps approaching from inside. The security chain rattled and the door opened.
‘Sebastian – what is it?’
‘There’s something I have to tell you.’
‘Now? Can’t it wait until later?’
‘No. I’ve waited too long as it is,’ he said, pushing his way into the room uninvited.
Vanja sighed wearily and closed the door.
Acknowledgements
Thanks to everyone at Norstedts and Norstedts Agency who not only devote time and energy to publishing what we write, but also always seem so happy to be doing what they do. That means a lot to us.
Special thanks to Susanna Romanus, Peter Karlsson and Linda Altrov Berg with whom we work most closely and most frequently. So calm, so positive, so good, so important.
Once again we would like to thank all our overseas publishers, who successfully continue to work to bring Sebastian Bergman to a wider international audience. Special thanks to Rowohlt in Germany and Nina Grabe, who not only take care of Sebastian and Riksmord, but also look after us in the best possible way on our – happily – increasingly frequent visits.
Thanks also to all the booksellers, book days, literary festivals and libraries who so generously invite us along to talk about our books and our writing. You commitment is fantastic and invaluable.
Micke:
As always there are so many people I would like to thank for inspiration, help and good advice. Rolf Lassgård, who has always been a part of Sebastian Bergman. Our colleagues at Tre Vänner and Svensk Filmindustri, principally Jonas Fors, Fredrik Wikström, Jon Nohrstedt, Tomas Tivemark, Jenny Stjernströmer Björk, Johan Kindblom and William Diskay. They never question the time and effort I put into the books, and always step up to the plate when things are tight. Above all I want to thank my wonderful family who have been there through thick and thin. Astrid, Vanessa, William and Caesar – you’re absolutely fantastic! You’ve put up with late nights, and with my absence both physically and at those times when I am thinking more about my fictional characters than those who are closest to me. I am eternally grateful for your patience and love. Without you none of this would have been possible.
A thousand hugs and kisses – you’re the best!
Hans:
As usual, as always, the biggest thank you goes to Lotta, Sixten, Alice and Ebba. You are the smartest, funniest and in every way the best family anyone could ever have. Without you: nothing.
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Epub ISBN: 9781473535374
Version 1.0
Published by Century 2017
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Copyright © Michael Hjorth & Hans Rosenfeldt 2014
Translation copyright © Marlaine Delargy 2017
Cover photographs: girl © Arcangel;
house and landscape © Plainpicture
Michael Hjorth and Hans Rosenfeldt have asserted their right to be identified as the authors of this Work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
First published by Century in 2017
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A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
ISBN 9781780894607