Free The Blood Spilt by Åsa Larsson

smart!”
    The big lad gave her a shy smile and a quick glance.
    “Come over here and let me have a proper look at you!” called the woman with the dog, pushing her soup bowl to one side.
    Rebecka suddenly noticed how alike Mimmi and the woman with the dog were. They must be mother and daughter.
    The dog at the woman’s feet raised its head and gave two tired wags with its tail. Then it put its head down and went back to sleep.
    The boy went over to the woman with the dog. She clapped her hands.
    “Don’t you look wonderful!” she said. “Happy birthday! What a smart shirt!”
    Nalle smiled at her flattery and raised his chin toward the ceiling in an almost comical pose that made Rebecka think of Rudolph Valentino.
    “New,” he said.
    “Well yes, we can see it’s new,” said Mimmi.
    “Going dancing, Nalle?” called one of the men. “Mimmi, can you do us five takeaways from the freezer? Whatever you like.”
    Nalle pointed at his trousers.
    “Too,” he said.
    He lifted up his arms and held them straight out from his body so that everybody could see his trousers properly. They were a pair of gray chinos held up with a military belt.
    “Are they new as well? Very smart!” the two admiring women assured him.
    “Here,” said Mimmi, pulling out the chair opposite the woman with the dog. “Your dad hasn’t arrived yet, but you can sit here with Lisa and wait.”
    “Cake,” said Nalle, and sat down.
    “Of course you can have some cake. Did you think I’d forgotten? But after your meal.”
    Mimmi’s hand shot out and gave his hair a quick caress. Then she disappeared into the kitchen.
    Rebecka leaned across the table to Torsten.
    “I was thinking of staying the night here,” said Rebecka. “You know I grew up by this river, just a few miles upstream, and it’s made me feel a bit nostalgic. But I’ll drive you into town and pick you up in the morning.”
    “No problem,” said Torsten, the roses of adventure on his cheeks in full bloom. “I can stay here as well.”
    “The beds won’t exactly be the height of luxury, I shouldn’t think,” said Rebecka.
    Mimmi came out with five aluminum packages under her arm.
    “We were thinking of staying here tonight,” Torsten said to her. “Do you have any rooms free?”
    “Sorry,” replied Mimmi. “One cottage left. Ninety centimeter bed.”
    “That’s okay,” Rebecka said to Torsten. “I’ll give you a lift.”
    He smiled at her. Beneath the smile and the well-paid successful partner was a fat little boy she didn’t want to play with, trying to look as if he didn’t mind. It gave her a pang.
    *                  *                  *                  
    When Rebecka got back from town it was almost completely dark. The forest was silhouetted against the blue black sky. She parked the car in front of the bar and locked it. There were several other cars parked there. The voices of burly men could be heard from inside, the sound of forks being pushed forcefully through meat and clattering on the plate underneath, the television providing a constant background noise, familiar advertising jingles. Nalle’s moped was still standing there. She hoped he’d had a good birthday.
    The cottage she was sleeping in was on the opposite side of the road on the edge of the forest. A small lamp above the door lit up the number five.
    I’m at peace, she thought.
    She went up to the cottage door, but suddenly turned and walked a few meters into the forest. The fir trees stood in silence, gazing up toward the stars which were just beginning to appear. Their long blue green velvet coats moved tentatively over the moss.
    Rebecka lay down on the ground. The pine trees put their heads together and whispered reassuringly. The last mosquitoes and black-flies of the summer sang a deafening chorus, seeking out whatever parts of her they could reach. She could cope with that.
    She didn’t notice Mimmi, bringing out some