Lars Kepler - The Sandman

‘My name is Saga Bauer, and I’m perfectly healthy, and completely innocent.’

Nathan Pollock is sitting next to Verner Zandén as he logs into the National Judiciary Administration database and types in the twelve-digit code. Together they add the dates when charges were laid, when the application to go to trial was filed, and the main hearing. They classify the crimes, formulate the forensic psychiatric report and the fact that Uppsala District Court found the accused guilty of two unusually violent cases of premeditated manslaughter. At the same time Carlos is adding Saga Bauer’s crimes, sentence and sanctions in the criminal records register of the National Police Authority.

Verner moves on to the National Board of Forensic Medicine’s database, adds a copy of the forensic psychiatric report, enters the examination in the journal, then smiles to himself.

‘How are we doing in terms of time?’ Saga asks.

‘Fairly well, I think,’ Verner says, glancing at his watch. ‘In precisely two minutes the Prison Service Committee will be gathering for their extraordinary meeting... and then they’ll check what it says in the National Judiciary Administration database... and take the decision to transfer two patients to the secure psychiatric unit at Löwenströmska Hospital.’

‘You never explained why there have to be two new patients,’ Saga says.

‘To make you less exposed,’ Pollock replies.

‘We imagined that Jurek Walter would get suspicious if a new patient suddenly appeared after so many years,’ Carlos explains. ‘But if a patient from the secure unit at Säter shows up first... followed a day or so later by one from Karsudden, with a bit of luck you won’t attract quite as much scrutiny.’

‘You’re being moved because you’re dangerous and liable to try to escape... and the other patient has himself requested a transfer,’ Pollock says.

‘Time to let Saga go now,’ Verner says.

‘Tomorrow night you’ll be sleeping in Karsudden Hospital,’ Pollock says.

‘You’ll have to tell your family you’re on a secret mission abroad,’ Verner begins. ‘You’ll need someone to look after bills, pets, houseplants—’

‘I’ll sort it out,’ she interrupts.

Joona picks up her parka from where she dropped it on the floor and holds it up for her to put on.

‘Do you remember the rules?’ he asks quietly.

‘Say little, talk in short sentences, mean what I say and stick to the truth.’

‘I’ve got one more rule,’ Joona says. ‘It probably varies from person to person, but Samuel said you should avoid talking about your parents.’

She shrugs her shoulders.

‘OK.’

‘I don’t know why he thought that was so important.’

‘It seems wise to listen to Samuel’s advice,’ Verner agrees quietly.

‘Yes, I’d say so.’

Carlos puts two sandwiches in a bag and gives them to Saga.

‘I ought to remind you than in there you’ll be a patient, nothing more... you won’t have access to any police information or rights,’ he says seriously.

Saga looks him in the eye:

‘I know.’

‘It’s important that you understand that if we’re to be able to protect you afterwards,’ Verner says.

‘I’m going to go home and get some rest,’ Saga says quietly, and walks towards the hall.

As she’s sitting on a stool tying her boots, Joona comes out to her. He squats down beside her.

‘It’ll soon be too late to change your mind,’ he whispers.

‘I want to do this, Joona.’ She smiles, meeting his gaze.

‘I know,’ Joona says. ‘It’ll be fine, as long as you don’t forget how dangerous Jurek is. He affects people, changes them, rips their souls out like—’

‘I’m not going to let Jurek get into my head,’ she says confidently, then stands up and begins to fasten her coat.

‘He’s like—’

‘I’m a big girl,’ she interrupts.

‘I know.’

Joona holds the door open for her and goes out onto the landing with her. He hesitates and she leans against the wall.

‘What is it you want to say?’ she asks gently.

A few seconds of silence follow. The lift is standing motionless on their floor. A car races past outside, sirens blaring.

‘Jurek will do anything he can to escape,’ Joona says in his sombre voice. ‘You mustn’t let that happen. You’re like a sister to me, Saga, but it would be better that you died than he got out.’

Anders Rönn is sitting at the big conference table, waiting. It’s already half past five. The pale, impersonal room is full of the usual members of the hospital committee, two representatives from general psychiatry, Senior Consultant Roland Brolin and head of security, Sven Hoffman.

The hospital manager, Rikard Nagler, is still talking on the phone as he is given a glass of iced tea by his secretary.

Snow is falling slowly from the low sky.

All conversation in the room ceases as the hospital manager puts his empty glass down on the table, wipes his mouth and opens the meeting.

‘It’s good that you could all come,’ he says. ‘I had a call from the Prison Service Committee an hour ago.’

Silence falls as people sit and wait for him to go on.

‘They’ve decided that the secure unit is going to have to admit two new patients at short notice,’ he continues. ‘Obviously we’ve been very spoiled, with just one patient... and an old, quiet one at that.’

‘Because he’s biding his time,’ Brolin says gravely.

‘I called this meeting to hear your opinions about what this means in terms of security and the general medical situation,’ the manager goes on without taking any notice of Brolin’s comment.

‘What sort of patients are they thinking of sending?’ Anders asks.

‘Naturally they’re both high risk,’ the manager replies. ‘One is in the secure unit at Säter, and the other is in the psychiatric unit at Karsudden after—’

‘It’s not going to work,’ Brolin says.

‘Our secure unit was actually built to house three patients,’ the hospital manager says patiently. ‘Times have changed, we can’t—’

‘Yes, but Jurek is...’

Brolin falls silent.

‘What were you going to say?’

‘It’s impossible for us to handle any more patients,’ Brolin says.

‘Even though we have a direct obligation to accept them.’

‘Find some excuse.’

The manager laughs wearily and shakes his head.

‘You’ve always seen him as a monster, but he—’

‘I’m not scared of monsters,’ Brolin interrupts. ‘But I’m smart enough to be scared of Jurek Walter.’

The manager smiles at Brolin and then whispers something to his secretary.

‘I’m still fairly new here,’ Anders says. ‘But has Jurek Walter ever caused any direct problems?’

‘He made Susanne Hjälm disappear,’ Brolin replies.

Silence descends on the room. One of the doctors from general psychiatry takes his glasses off, then puts them back on at once.

‘I was told that she was on leave of absence... for a research project, I think it was?’ Anders says slowly.

‘We’re calling it a leave of absence,’ Brolin says.

‘I’d very much like to hear what happened,’ Anders says, feeling a vague anxiety growing inside him.

‘Susanne smuggled out a letter from Jurek Walter, but regretted it,’ Brolin explains, with his eyes closed. ‘She called me and told me everything. She was completely, I don’t know... she was just crying and promising that she’d burned the letter... And I believe that she had, because she was frightened, and kept saying she wasn’t going to go in to see Jurek again.’

‘She’s taken leave of absence,’ the hospital manager says, shuffling his papers.