Stalker: A novel by Lars Kepler

Author:Lars Kepler [Kepler, Lars]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published: 2019-02-05T00:00:00+00:00

71

In the kitchen, Erik recounts everything Rocky said about the unclean preacher—that he wore makeup over his stubble, was a heroin addict, and showed Rocky pictures—while Joona puts the food on the table.

He’s roasted lamb with root vegetables and garlic. He scatters some herbs over the dish, then pours more wine into their glasses.

“Thank you for this,” Erik says, taking his seat.

“You know…Summa’s last months,” Joona begins, looking up at him. “We had half a year together, the whole family. That wouldn’t have been possible without you, Erik, without the medication you prescribed for her and everything. I knew I could trust you, and I’ll never forget that.”

They clink glasses, drink, and then chat about how they first met but are soon back on the subject of Rocky and the photographs.

“Margot needs to take the preacher seriously,” Erik says.

“She will,” Joona assures him. “The profilers have come up with a—”

“I’ve seen it.”

“I’m not involved in the case, but Anja told me they’ve done a first sweep. She started with the parish of Salem, then nearby parishes and congregations.” Joona pushes the serving dish toward Erik. “Roman Catholic, Assyrian, Russian and Greek Orthodox…the Scientologists, Mission Church, Salvation Army, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Latter-day Saints, Methodists, Pentecostalists. And now they’re expanding the search to look at all the priests in the country who work with drug addicts, in prisons, institutions, and hospitals.”

Erik’s hands have almost stopped shaking, but he’s moving slowly, as if he doesn’t quite trust himself as he takes some food.

“How many names are on the list?” he asks, pushing the dish back to Joona.

“More than four hundred already. But if you can get Rocky to remember the preacher’s name…even a first name, a description, a parish, then—”

“It’s just so difficult,” Erik interrupts. “His brain damage and addiction…”

“Why don’t we talk about this tomorrow?” Joona says, and starts to eat.

“His memory follows its own patterns,” Erik says, cutting his meat.

“But he seems to remember much better under hypnosis.”

“Yes, although the line between his nightmares and memories seems to become pretty thin.”

“Some of what he told you has to be based on real memories,” Joona says.

“It should all be real, in theory,” Erik points out. “It’s just that it sounds psychotic.”

“If Rocky agrees to be hypnotized again, do it at once. Try to get concrete details, like names and places.”

“I can do that. I know I can.”

“If you can, I’ll be able to stop this serial killer,” Joona says.

“I’ll drive out there first thing tomorrow morning,” Erik says.

They eat in silence. The glazed root vegetables lend an earthy sweetness to the acidity of the red-currant sauce, the salad is dressed with balsamic vinegar and truffle oil, and the lamb, slightly pink, is spiced with coarsely ground black pepper.

“You really do look much better already,” Erik says as Joona helps himself to more food. “It only took six injections of penicillin and a little bit of cortisone.”

He trails off when his phone rings in his pocket. It’s Margot.

“Yes, Erik here.”

“Is Joona there?” she asks shakily.

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