Bad Intentions by Karin Fossum Read Free Book Online

that he could not be put back together again. The mattress repelled him. It had blue and white stripes and was covered with a kind of plastic sheet, through which he could detect some stains.
    "There's not much," Hanna Wigert said. "Just some clothes. And his stereo and CDs. I'll get you some boxes."
    Reilly was restless. He paced up and down the floor, went over to the window and looked out at the park, at the paths and the fountains.
    "I feel like an intruder," he said. "This is Jon's room. We've got no right to be here."
    "Let's just get it over with," Axel said.
    Reilly went to the bed and held a sweater to his face. It was blue with a darker pattern across the chest. Suddenly he was surrounded by Jon. He inhaled the smell and his throat closed instantly as though a stick had been pushed down it.
    "We need to fold them neatly," Axel said, "so Ingerid can see that we've made an effort. Don't just stand there. Procrastinating will only make it worse."
    Reilly was still pressing the sweater to his face. It was as if Jon were very close and wanted to tell him something. Bring me back, the voice said, I don't want to be alone here in the dark.
    "Now get going," Axel ordered him.
    Hanna Wigert returned with the boxes. She put them down on the floor and placed her hands on her hips.
    "If you understand anything about what's happened, I expect you to tell me," she said.
    Reilly let go of the sweater. Axel pulled the boxes toward him. It said Evergood on one and Delikat on the other.
    "It came as a shock," he said. "But then again, he was ill," he added.
    "Ill," Hanna Wigert echoed. "Not suicidal."
    Axel picked up a pair of trousers. Hanna Wigert did not take her eyes off him. There was something ominous about her disapproving look and her wild red hair.
    "If you think that we bear some responsibility for this, then you're probably right," Axel said. "We should have seen that something was up, we should have taken more care. But we don't have your experience, we're just ordinary people."
    His words silenced her. She left, closing the door behind her, and Jon's room fell quiet.
    "She's one angry woman," Axel said. "She practically had steam coming out of her ears. I thought she would blow her top."
    "Jon liked her very much," Reilly said.
    "Jon was desperate," Axel said. "He liked anyone who was nice to him."
    That was when Reilly snapped. He grabbed hold of Axel and shook him.
    "You're a prick," he said, "and you'll shut up now! Jon was worth much more than you!"
    Axel grunted by way of reply. They packed Jon's belongings in silence: sweaters, trousers, underwear, CDs and a couple of books, socks. Axel thought they could pair the socks at random, but Reilly protested.
    "Jon was very neat," he said.
    When everything was packed up, they looked around the bare room.
    "Look at the mirror," Reilly said. "It's plastic."
    "This is a desolate place," Axel said. "How do people stand it?"
    "They have no choice," Reilly argued.
    They carried Jon's possessions down to reception. Axel went down the stairs first. Reilly followed him, a little anxious about tripping in his long coat. He was carrying the heaviest box with books and CDs. Hanna Wigert was waiting for them. She gave them another long, critical look.
    "There was just one more thing," Axel said. He put down the box on the floor. "Could we meet Molly, please?"
    "Meet Molly?" she said.
    "After all, they were friends," Axel said. "Jon spoke so much about her and she would probably like to go to his funeral. It's on Friday. One o'clock. I thought we could have a little chat."
    Hanna Wigert frowned.
    "Molly has enough on her plate as it is," she said.
    "I'll understand if she says no," Axel said, "but please, would you give her the choice? It's about Jon. She'll probably want to know."
    Hanna Wigert looked defeated.
    "I don't even know where she is."
    "But you could check her room, please?" Axel asked. "We understand that you have to protect your patients, but some decisions they have to