Death in Summer by Lina Areklew

Author:Lina Areklew [Areklew, Lina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Mystery & Suspense, International, Fiction & Literature, Crime
ISBN: 9781800329829
Google: bG3azgEACAAJ
Publisher: Canelo
Published: 2022-05-05T04:00:00+00:00

35.

Ulvön Island, 1979

Christine stopped below the front stoop and looked wide-eyed at the group standing there. Adam, Mats, and Thomas were crowded around Marianne. The girls from the Soviet Union were also there. Loud pop music was blasting from the radio on the kitchen windowsill. Thomas applauded so that his fat belly jiggled. Adam was leaning against the outside wall of the house and petting that cat he was always lugging around. He seemed more interested in it than he was in her.

Marianne stood at the center of the circle. She was swaying back and forth and singing along to the radio. Shaking her hips and pouting with her full lips. She was dancing as if she was in a trance, as if she didn’t see them, but she saw. Christine noticed how she opened her eyes every now and then to check and see if the boys were paying attention to her. They were.

They all followed every move her body made. Then she stopped abruptly and pointed to Christine.

“Come here!”

“Birger sent me over with some pickled herring from the hotel,” she ventured. “He told me to give it to Bodil or Ester.”

Marianne stopped and adjusted her t-shirt. Her shirt said “Hooked on a Feeling” on the front, written in ornate lettering. It was so short that when she raised her arms, the bottoms of her breasts showed.

“God’s chosen monstrosity can wait.” Marianne scoffed, enjoying the laughter she elicited from the boys. “Come dance with me instead!”

Marianne came over to her and took the baking dish of fish out of her hands and set it on the steps. Adam immediately set the cat down and let it eat from the dish. Marianne pulled her into the circle and Christine started awkwardly moving to the music. Even though she felt embarrassed, she started imitating Marianne’s movements. She fixed her eyes provocatively on Adam. He looked into her eyes and she felt tingly inside. He was so good-looking. Marianne, who seemed to see everything, looked at Adam with burning eyes.

“Do you think Christine is pretty?” The music was still pouring out of the window, but no one was moving anymore. Adam shrugged and Christine blushed.

“If you think she’s so pretty, maybe you want to kiss her? Come on, Adam, kiss her!”

The cheering section immediately joined in and started chanting loudly.

“I dare you!”

Christine looked at Adam. He looked hesitant, but took a step forward. She so desperately wanted him to kiss her. The others’ chanting grew louder. Just as he leaned forward, the music stopped, and a head poked out the window.

“What are you doing? Don’t you guys know Ester is resting? You can’t be making noise down there!”

Bodil pulled her head back in, disappearing back into the house. She promptly came storming out the front door. She aimed a hard kick at the cat that was still eating out of the oven dish. It slid off the steps yowling and disappeared into the woods.

“Don’t just stand around out here. Go set the table for breakfast!”

Marianne exchanged looks with the others and rolled her eyes.

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