Free The House That Jack Built by Jakob Melander Page A

vacations together, celebrated Christmas, birthdays.” He shrugged. “Ulrik is more ambitious than me. I suppose that’s what Elena was missing.”
    Sanne’s smile stiffened. “If you don’t want —”
    â€œNo, it’s okay.” He took another sip. The coffee tasted bitter. “We’d drifted apart — I just hadn’t noticed it. Ulrik on the other hand — Ow, go . . .” He’d squeezed the cardboard cup so hard that the lid had popped off and hot coffee spilled onto his hand. Sanne grabbed the cup, started wiping the scalding hot coffee off his hand with her napkin. The touch sent a shock through him.
    â€œIt’s not that bad,” he said to Sanne. “It just surprised me.”
    She looked at his hand with a worried expression. “It’s always bad when there are children involved,” she said. “How old is she?”
    â€œMaria’s sixteen, starting grade ten.” He pictured Maria. “She’s going to stay with me for the next two weeks.” He hadn’t seen her for two months. How would she react when they met? Was she still angry at him? He was suddenly nervous about seeing her again. How well did he really know her anymore?
    â€œListen, if you’d rather just be with your daughter tonight . . .” Sanne looked down. “But I was wondering if you’d like to come to my place for dinner? I mean, me and my boyfriend’s place.”
    â€œThat sounds nice. I think . . .” It should really be just him and Maria tonight of all nights. But what was he going to say to her? Where would he start? He threw the coffee cup into a garbage can by the promenade. “You know what, we’d like that a lot.”

Chapter 15
    T here was a file from the translator in her mail slot when she returned. Quick service. Impressive .
    She waited until she was inside her office before she placed the original and the translation side by side on her desk. She adjusted the lamp and started reading.
    Dear Mira,
    I hope you get my letter. I don’t understand why I can’t have your actual address? I promise I won’t come to Copenhagen. I just get so worried.
    Mira, I know you’re just like me. You knew what you were getting into. But don’t waste your life. Soon it will be too late. Soon you won’t be able to have a normal job. The streets devour you. They chew you up and spit you out until there’s nothing left. You know I’ve been there and God knows I never want to go back. I implore you, no I beg you: think carefully.
    You were so beautiful when you were little. You babbled and laughed in my arms. It was just the two of us in the world. Can’t it be like that again?
    That was all I wanted to say. Hurry home, dear girl. Time passes by far too quickly and before you know it, it’s too late. If it’s money you need, then write. I’ll see what I can do.
    I love you.
    Your Mom,
    Zoe
    Sanne put the letter down. Ulrik was right: its contents had not revealed much about Mira. The letter suggested that her mom had been a prostitute too. Had Zoe in some way passed her fate onto her daughter? She forced back the thought. Better to think about what she was going to cook for Lars and his daughter. Tasty but not too fancy. Everyday food, something along the lines of salmon, or fresh plaice. Something that tasted of Danish summer.
    She had better call Martin and tell him they were having guests.

Chapter 16
    A flock of pigeons flew up from the tracks and veered out over Lygten. The F-Line from Hellerup rumbled into Nørrebro Station.
    Lars had a knot in his stomach; he was perspiring, afraid of meeting a sixteen-year-old high school student. It could hardly be more pathetic. But Maria was the person he loved more than anyone — and she was furious with him.
    She had sent him a short text message earlier. She was arriving on the F-line at 4:18 p.m., and even though she’d said