Free Still Waters (Sandhamn Murders Book 1) by Viveca Sten Page A

the company meant that operations had now been divided into four regions: north, south, central, and west. Each region was now to be allocated its own legal adviser, who would answer to the regional board. Would Nora be interested in the post for the southern region? It would be based in Malmö, so she would have to be prepared to move, but she would receive a significant raise. In addition, it would be a major step up the career ladder within the bank.
    Nora had felt both flattered and curious. It sounded like an exciting opportunity. It also meant that she would have a new boss, which would be a welcome change. She enjoyed her work, but she was truly sick of her current boss, who in her opinion was definitely not up to the job. He had been promoted to lead the central legal team at the bank at an unusually young age, when his predecessor had unexpectedly moved to a competitor. Ragnar Wallsten was a nonchalant, supercilious individual who liked to bad-mouth his colleagues within the organization—always behind their backs, of course.
    While Nora and her fellow lawyers worked hard, he sat there with his door closed, reading financial journals. Since his office had glass walls, it wasn’t difficult to see what he was up to. Nora had heard that he had married into a very well-known family within the world of finance, which might explain his inferiority complex but was no excuse for his dreadful leadership skills. How someone like Wallsten could have been appointed to such an elevated position within a major bank was a mystery, and it was incomprehensible that no one had realized how incompetent he was.
    Therefore, the thought of marching into Ragnar Wallsten’s office and telling him that she had secured a terrific promotion within the bank that meant he no longer had any jurisdiction over her was extremely tempting.
    The HR director had told Nora that Sandelin & Partners, an independent recruitment company, would be interviewing all the candidates for the job. If she were interested, they would contact her to make arrangements.
    She wondered how she was going to tell Henrik. The idea of relocating to Malmö was not going to be high on his wish list. On the other hand, she had completed her time as a clerk in Visby because that was where his hospital placement happened to be. She had also taken the full allotment of maternity leave when the boys were born, while Henrik completed his specialist training. She felt it was her turn now.
    She was woken abruptly from her daydreams by Simon, who was throwing wet seaweed at her legs.
    “Stop it,” she said. “It’s freezing!”
    Simon’s whole face seemed to be laughing as he bent down to pick up more seaweed. Nora held up both hands in a gesture of surrender.
    “I give up—you win,” she said. Simon was poised for the next onslaught.
    Suddenly she heard the sound of an engine, rapidly getting louder. She shaded her eyes with her hand; it looked like Thomas’s aluminum boat, a Buster. As it came closer, she could see Thomas standing behind the wheel. He swung the boat around in a wide arc, then slowed down and docked at the end of the jetty.
    “Hi,” said Henrik, holding out his hand. “Have you come to say thank you for last night already?”
    “You’re just in time for coffee,” Nora said. “Sit down, and I’ll fetch another cup.”
    “Sorry, I can’t.” Thomas didn’t look happy. “I just wondered if I could leave the boat here for a few hours. The marina is full, and the police and medical launches are already moored at the emergency landing stage.”
    Nora looked at him more closely. His eyes reflected the seriousness of the situation. “What’s happened?”
    “Another body has been found. I’m on my way over to see what’s going on.”
    Nora went cold all over. “Where?”
    “At the Mission House. The maid found it when she went in to clean the room. Apparently the body was a real mess. Is it OK if I leave the boat here for the time being? I don’t