Ten Swedes Must Die by Martin Österdahl

Author:Martin Österdahl [Österdahl, Martin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781542040617
Published: 2019-06-18T04:00:00+00:00

THURSDAY,

AUGUST 17

55

When Denis opened the door to his office at the Russian embassy, he felt a prickling sensation at the back of his neck. He recognized the feeling of being hunted; he’d experienced it a few times in the last couple of days.

Papanov was sitting in Denis’s chair, behind his desk.

“How was the dinner last night?” he asked.

The centralized Russian government had ears and eyes everywhere. Denis was the third man from the top at Russia’s embassy in Stockholm and did not belong to the trusted elite who were spared this kind of vigilant attention. If he protested, Papanov would no doubt claim that Denis and everyone else in Stockholm needed extra protection and that it was all about his own safety. And who could say whether it was a matter of protection or distrust? Denis had never learned to tell the difference.

“Excellent. Thanks for asking,” he replied. “I recommend Gondolen’s homemade pickled herring and their Wallenberger.”

Papanov smiled a little.

Denis had specified the wrong appetizer in order to find out whether whoever had spied on him had actually come into the dining room or had just followed him on his way to the restaurant. He had thought this might establish the important distinction between consideration and suspicion. But as usual, Papanov displayed no reaction.

“Was she happy to hear that we’ve received help from the English and the Norwegians?” asked Papanov.

During the dinner with Pashie, Denis hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Papanov’s unusual instructions. They had engendered conflicting feelings in him. On the one hand, he was firmly committed to serving his country. On the other hand, he had feelings for Pashie that wouldn’t go away. Her hand had felt soft in his. He didn’t know where he wanted those feelings to lead, but he didn’t want her to be harmed, no matter what happened.

“I would say so, yes,” said Denis. “She’s a woman with her heart in the right place.”

Papanov raised his eyebrows. Shifted in his chair. “Do you know what they say about women’s hearts in Kamchatka?”

Denis looked with surprise at the man sitting in his chair. How old was he, actually? He seemed to have lived more than one life, seen more than this world. Denis could not imagine what his Russian brothers in the most remote area of the country had to say about women’s hearts, so he just shook his head.

“That when they get cold, they take them out and put them in heating cabinets.”

Denis didn’t understand. It was like a different language.

“Pashie told me they were going to collect money to benefit the widows,” he said.

Papanov grimaced a little. What else?

“She also said that at Vektor they were discussing the bombing at Centrs and were going to investigate it further.”

Finally a reaction. Papanov narrowed his eyes.

“Good,” he said. “That’s good. Then maybe they can be of use to us.”

Papanov stood up and walked over to Denis. Laid a hand on his shoulder. Denis felt himself sink a few centimeters from the weight of his hand.

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