Let the Old Dreams Die by John Ajvide Lindqvist Read Free Book Online

didn’t mean to wake you.’
    ‘No problem. It’s time I got up anyway.’
    Tina nodded and looked around. ‘I’ve never actually been here before.’
    ‘But you still recommended it?’
    ‘Well, it was actually the surroundings I recommended, if I remember rightly.’
    ‘I’ve no complaints on that score. I went for a long walk yesterday afternoon. I love forests like these, where man hasn’t had the chance to destroy everything.’
    ‘Yes. It’s a nature reserve.’
    ‘Let’s hope it stays that way.’
    Tina herself was very fond of the forests around Riddersholm. Since the area was protected, no one was even allowed to chop up a fallen tree unless it was lying right across the track, and in that case permission was needed.
    Just for something to say, she came out with, ‘It’s just a pity they hunt elks.’
    Vore frowned. ‘Yes, it’s a terrible thing. You don’t go in for hunting with dogs around here, I hope?’
    ‘Not as far as I know. Why?’
    ‘Because you end up with dogs running around all over the place with that kind of hunting.’ He looked at her. ‘But you have dogs, I noticed.’
    ‘They’re Roland’s. He’s my…’ She waved her hand vaguely. ‘He lives there too.’ She took a deep breath. ‘Which actually brings me to my reason for coming here. If you’re interested in renting the cottage, then of course you’re welcome to do so.’
    ‘He…That’s not what Roland said.’
    ‘No. But it’s not his decision. It belongs to me.’
    ‘I see.’
    ‘So…if you’re interested, just turn up.’
    ‘I’ll give it some thought. How are you?’
    ‘Fine. Why do you ask?’
    ‘He said you were at the hospital.’
    Tina laughed with relief. ‘Oh, I see. I’d just given my neighbours a lift—they were having a baby.’
    Now he’s going to ask if I have children,
she thought, and decided to bring the conversation to an end. Admittedly Vore was a woman, and it shouldn’t be difficult to discuss this kind of thing with a woman. But as he stood there in front of her…she would have had to pinch her arm until it was black and blue to remind herself of that fact.
    ‘Did it all go well?’ he asked.
    ‘I don’t know.’ She looked at her watch. ‘I have to go to work.’
    ‘In that case I’ll see you this afternoon. What time do you finish?’
    ‘Five.’
    ‘Good. Then I’ll call round in the early evening.’
    They said goodbye, and Tina walked back to her car. As she drove out of the carpark she glanced in the mirror to see if he waswaving to her. He wasn’t. She shook her head.
    How did we get to be so familiar with one another?
    It was impossible to say. If she was threatened with torture, she might perhaps admit that she had felt some kind of…affinity. Once the torture was well under way, she would add that the feeling had been there the very first time she saw him.
    But red-hot pincers wouldn’t get any more than that out of her. Because there wasn’t any more. But there was an affinity. Just as difficult to grasp as a perch with your bare hands, but it was there nonetheless. Beneath the jetty on a sunny day. The warmth of the planks against her stomach, the sun glittering on the water. A shimmering movement.
    Work was dull, to put it mildly.
    A lorry driver she had been on nodding terms with for years had suddenly decided to bring in ten cases of cheap Russian vodka. He was furious with her when she explained that she had to report the matter and confiscate the liquor, as if she had broken some kind of trust.
    A hundred bottles, what would he make on those? Five or six thousand, max. His son needed a new violin if he was going to be able to continue playing—did she have any idea what a violin cost? And now he would be facing fines and all hell would break loose. He would probably lose his job, and how would they manage to pay the mortgage then? Couldn’t she just let it go, just this once, for fuck’s sake, Tina. Won’t happen again, promise.
    No, she