‘That’s beside the point. Why did you come? What have you said? Why did you disappear? You have to answer these questions.’
‘I always tell the truth.’
‘Who is Adamah, and what restaurant is she talking about? I never eat African food.’
‘You should.’
‘I should do many things. Why did you say you were going to Eskilstuna?’
‘That’s where I live.’
‘You live in Gothenburg.’
‘Have I ever said so?’
‘That was where we met. In Gothenburg, or more precisely Mölndal and Stensgården. That’s where your friends live. You can’t turn up at a reading in Mölndal or Stensgården if you live in Eskilstuna.’
‘I never said I lived in Eskilstuna.’
‘You just did. What happened in Hallsberg anyway? Why did you leave the train? Can’t you understand that I was worried?’
But Humlin had to wait for his answer. Andrea came back.
‘That was Märta.’
‘What did she want?’
‘She’s coming over.’
‘I don’t want to see her.’
‘That’s not going to be a problem.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘She doesn’t want to see you either. She’s coming over to see me. She made a point of saying that she’ll leave at once if she sees you.’
‘Then why does she have to meet you here? Can’t you go over to your place?’
‘She needs some advice for the book she’s writing.’
‘She’s not going to write a book. What kind of advice?’
‘She wants suggestions for how a nurse could use her expertise to kill people.’
‘And why does she need to know this in the middle of the night?’
‘Anything your mother does normally happens after midnight.’
Andrea changed the subject by turning to Tea-Bag.
‘Jesper will help you make up the sofa bed in the study. I was planning to go home to my place tonight but now I’ll be staying after all.’
I don’t even count, Humlin thought. She’s not staying for my sake but for the sake of my crazy mother.
Tea-Bag got up and went to the bathroom.
‘Why does she have to spend the night?’ Humlin asked.
‘There are no trains to Eskilstuna at this hour.’
‘She doesn’t live in Eskilstuna. She lives in Gothenburg.’
‘Her brother Adamah lives in Eskilstuna.’
‘I want to know what happened. Did she knock on the door?’
‘Why are you so nervous all of a sudden? What have you been getting up to in Gothenburg?’
‘I’ve already told you everything.’
‘Everything you’ve told me has been completely disjointed and incomprehensible. She was sitting in the stairwell when I came back from work. She asked about you. She wondered if you were back from Gothenburg yet. She told me she was forced to cancel her plans and get off in Hallsberg.’
‘Did she tell you why?’
‘No, just that it was necessary. But I imagine you probably said something objectionable. She’s very sensitive.’
‘So am I.’
‘What did you say to her?’
‘I didn’t say anything. She told me her story of how she came to Sweden. Then I closed my eyes for a while. She disappeared.’
‘Think of cycling across all of Europe.’
‘Cycling?’
‘I thought you said she told you how she managed to get to the border through northern Finland?’
Humlin realised there was no point in asking more questions. Tea-Bag’s story was as full of contradictions as Tanya’s. He wondered more than ever which story really belonged to whom. If anyone could have cycled over the border at Tornea it was Tanya and not Tea-Bag.
‘Help her make up the bed. Märta will be here soon. We’ll sit in the kitchen and I’ll keep the door closed. I’ll tell her you’re sleeping.’
‘And how am I supposed to sleep knowing that my mother is sitting in the kitchen with you plotting how best to kill me?’
‘You silly man. She loves you. Why would she want to kill you?’
‘Because she’s off her rocker.’
‘She’s writing a book. I think it’s wonderful that a person her age has that kind of energy and drive.’
Humlin brought sheets and a blanket to the study and made up the sofa bed. Tea-Bag came in wearing his robe. He turned away while she removed it and crawled into bed. That was when the front doorbell rang. Tea-Bag made a startled sound and seemed frightened.
‘It’s just my mother.’
Humlin closed the door to the study and sat down in his chair. Tea-Bag lay in bed with the covers pulled up to her chin. He saw her gaze travel over the wall-to-wall bookcases.
‘This is where I write my poetry,’ he announced.
‘You don’t happen to have a book about monkeys?’ she asked.
‘Not that I can remember.’
She seemed disappointed.
‘What are most of these books about, then?’
‘People, I guess.’
Then he took the plunge.
‘What happened that made you get off that train?’
Tea-Bag didn’t answer. She started to cry. Humlin felt like an oaf.
‘Shall I leave you alone?’ he asked.
She shook her head and Humlin stayed put. It was as if he were holding her book in his hands again, waiting for it to be opened.
‘I got scared.’
‘Were you scared of me?’
‘Nothing from the outside frightens me any more. My fear comes from inside. I heard my father’s voice. He told me to run. I couldn’t see him, but I knew I had to do as he said. I ran as fast as I could and I didn’t look back.’
‘Then what?’
‘The fear went away. I hitched a ride all the way back to Stockholm.’
‘And what’s all this talk of a brother?’
‘Who?’
