‘They’re not Indian. There’s one from Iran, Russia, Nigeria and also a boy named Torsten who stutters and is from Gothenburg.’
‘That sounds like quite a mixed bag. What about the boy — why does he stutter?’
‘I don’t know. When I was younger I used to stutter whenever I was nervous. Or when I talked with someone else who had a stutter.’
‘One can always overcome a stutter. It’s only a matter of willpower.’
‘Tell that to the people who have suffered from it their whole lives. Anyway, I didn’t call you at seven to discuss the issue of stammering.’
‘I’m going back to bed.’
‘Not before you’ve heard me out.’
‘Good night.’
‘If you put that phone down I’m going to cut off all contact with you — I mean it.’
‘Well then, what is it that’s so important, Jesper?’
‘Later on today I’ll be coming by your place with them.’
‘Why would you do that?’
‘They’re going to stay with you, I don’t know for how long exactly. But it’s extremely important that you don’t mention this to anyone. Understood?’
‘Can I go back to bed now?’
‘Sleep well.’
Humlin noticed that his hand was shaking when he put down the phone. But he was convinced his mother had understood the main thing: that she was not to say anything about Humlin making his way to Stockholm with an unorthodox assortment of companions.
They arrived in the early afternoon. During the trip he had made them spread out to various parts of the train. When they were just pulling out of the Södertälje station he asked to borrow one of Tanya’s phones.
‘Whose phone is this?’
‘It works fine.’
‘That’s not what I was asking. Am I still using phones that belong to police officers and prosecutors?’
‘This one belongs to one of the train conductors.’
Humlin was taken aback. Then he locked himself in the toilet and called his mother, who picked up immediately.
‘I’m waiting for you. When will you get here?’
‘We’ve just passed Södertälje.’
‘I thought for a while that I had been dreaming. I take it you are bringing them here because they need a place to hide out?’
‘Yes.’
‘How many are they? Ten, twelve?’
‘Just four.’
‘Are you also staying here?’
‘No.’
‘I’m looking forward to meeting these Indian girls. I’m wearing an Indian shawl your father gave me while we were engaged.’
‘They’re not Indian, Mother. I told you this morning. Take off that shawl and don’t make any strange food. I would also be grateful if you could refrain from moaning on the phone this evening.’
‘I’ve already called the others about it.’
Humlin was horrified.
‘What did you say?’
‘Naturally I said nothing about you coming over with the girls. I just said I didn’t have the energy to work tonight.’
Humlin finished the conversation and then tried to flush the phone down the toilet. It got stuck. He left the toilets and went back to his seat.
Once they got to the Central station he looked for a taxi big enough to hold them all. A police car drove by and Tanya and Tea-Bag waved to it. One of the officers waved back. They think I can guarantee their safety, Humlin thought. They don’t understand that I’m unable to give guarantees of any sort.
The initial meeting between his mother and the girls did nothing to assuage Humlin’s fears. The girls embraced his mother with an outpouring of affection and warmth from the first. He was forced to admit to himself that she could be charming when she wanted. She mixed up their names, insisted that Leyla was Indian, called Tea-Bag ‘the beautiful girl from Sumatra’ and kept referring to Tanya as ‘Elsa’. But it didn’t seem to matter. The girls even appeared to change their attitudes to him now that it turned out that he had such a wonderful mother.
There seemed to be a limitless sense of security in her large apartment, as if it were sealed off from the rest of the world by diplomatic immunity. She had made up all available beds and after only a few minutes they had all been shown to their spot. Tea-Bag and Tanya were still sharing a room, Leyla had her own and Torsten was camped out on a folding camp bed in the hallway.
‘I simply can’t let an unmarried couple share a room.’
‘That’s very old-fashioned of you, Mother.’
‘I am old-fashioned.’
‘What about the Mature Women’s Hotline?’
His mother didn’t reply. She had already turned her back to him.
A little later Humlin left to go shopping. He took Tanya along to help him carry the groceries. He had asked Torsten first but Leyla had looked so unhappy about this that he changed his mind. On the way to the shop Tanya suddenly stopped outside a bar.
‘I’m thirsty.’
She opened the door and walked in. Humlin followed her, just in time to see her order a beer.
‘I’ll get you one too, if you like,’ she said. ‘But you’re paying. I have phones, not cash.’
‘Isn’t it a little early in the day for a beer?’
Tanya muttered something under her breath, then sat down at a table. Humlin joined her with a cup of coffee. He saw how tense she was — her eyes travelled nervously around the room.
‘Do you want to be left alone for a while?’ he asked.
