The Dead of Summer by Mari Jungstedt Read Free Book Online Page A

her mouth. She straightened the child’s cotton dress and patted her hair, which was pulled back in a ponytail. It had grown long and now reached all the way down her back. They headed toward Almedalen. The lovely park was right outside the Visby ring wall, an oasis between the town and the harbour.
    The sun was blazing, and it was already hot. The park was relatively deserted this early in the morning. An elderly woman was sitting on a bench, tossing breadcrumbs to the ducks in the pond, and a couple of early-rising mothers and their toddlers had settled on blankets which they’d spread out on the grass. Otherwise Emma saw mostly tourists who were on their way to the boats in the harbour, or to their cars, carrying all their beach paraphernalia as they headed for the sea.
    Everything seemed so carefree in the summertime. The people she passed all seemed happy and relaxed as they chatted and laughed. It made her feel even more lonely and miserable. Was life so much easier for everyone else? Was there something wrong with her, something that somehow made her life more difficult?
    They had agreed to meet outside the Packhus restaurant on Strandgatan, but as she approached the ring wall she had already caught sight of Johan as he came through the gate opening. He was looking the other way and hadn’t yet seen her. She couldn’t help it if she still found him attractive. His dark hair, those sinewy arms, his unshaven cheeks. He was wearing shorts, which revealed that his long legs were slightly bowed, and of course the obligatory trainers. Johan had never been interested in fashion.
    For a few moments she pretended that nothing had changed between them, that they were simply about to meet and take a walk in the park with their daughter. That everything was fine.
    She had just managed to convince herself how that would feel when he turned his head and saw her. She flushed when she noticed how his face lit up.
    He waved and started towards her.
    ‘Hi!’
    ‘Hi,’ she replied, sounding a bit strained.
    He gave Elin a hug and planted a light kiss on Emma’s cheek before she managed to pull away.
    ‘Do you have time to keep us company for a bit?’
    Of course she did; her dentist appointment wasn’t for another half-hour.
    ‘So how are you doing?’ asked Johan as he took over the pushchair.
    ‘OK, I suppose.’
    They walked on in silence for a moment.
    ‘It’s so awful about that murder. Do you know anything more than what was reported in the papers?’
    ‘And on the radio and TV, you mean?’ he teased her. ‘No, not really.’
    ‘Pappa phoned. They were really upset because it happened so close to their house.’
    ‘Yes, well, I’m not surprised at their reaction. Although I don’t think they need to be scared. The murderer has probably left the island by now.’
    The house belonging to Emma’s parents was quite isolated, located on Fårö’s north-eastern promontory.
    ‘So I guess you’re really under a lot of pressure right now.’
    She studied his profile.
    ‘Yes, but don’t worry. We’ve got to do a follow-up report today, of course, but we’ll make it. You’ll be done around eleven, right?’
    Emma noticed a trace of impatience in Johan’s dark-brown eyes, which annoyed her. He always seemed to think his job was so damn important.
    ‘Sure, probably even a little earlier.’
    ‘All right. That’ll be fine then.’
    Emma took a pack of cigarettes out of her purse and lit one.
    ‘I thought you’d given up.’
    ‘I did, but I’ve started again,’ she snapped.
    She hadn’t intended to sound so sharp, but it was too late now. She avoided meeting his eye.
    ‘You don’t need to be so grumpy. I didn’t mean it as a criticism.’
    It was impossible to ignore the resignation in his voice. And it drove her crazy. As if all it took was for her to light up one cigarette to ruin everything. That’s how bad things were between them. They just couldn’t get along. After five minutes, it was all