Sun and Shadow Read Online Free Page A

surprise. It was like interrogating a suspect. Taken by surprise. No time to think.
    “Of course.”
    “I don’t believe you.”
    “How on earth could I fib about that? It’ll be the most important event of my life, along with my own birth.” He looked at her. Hair combed back. A slight swelling of the stomach. “That, and when I met you.”
    “Good answer. But I think you’re already starting to worry about all the bad things that could happen.”
    “That’s where you’re wrong, Angela. I’m an optimist, as you know.”
    She burst out laughing.
    ‘About this, anyway,“ he said.
    “I think you’re already starting to think what it will be like when ... when our child is a teenager roaming around the Avenue with a gang.”
    “Come off it.”
    “I’m right, though, aren’t I? That’s what’ll happen.”
    “There won’t be any Avenue by then.”
    “No parade street in Gothenburg anymore? Is that the optimist talking?”
    Winter’s mobile rang on the bedside table. It was 12:03 A.M. The few people who had his mobile number rang on police business, apart from Angela, but she was lying in bed beside him, still soft and red, with three small beads of sweat on her forehead.
    His mother was the only other person it could be. It’s either murder or Mother, Winter thought, without smiling. He scrambled over to the other side of the bed and answered.
    “Erik! Thank God you answered.” His mother was out of breath, as if she’d just run up two or three hills in Nueva Andalucia. Winter could hear crackling over the line from the Costa del Sol.
    “What’s the matter, Mom?”
    “It’s your dad, again. This time it’s serious, Erik.”
    Winter recalled the last time, last year. His father had been taken into the Marbella hospital with a suspected heart attack, but it was in fact myocarditis. Winter had considered flying down to Spain, but it turned out not to be necessary.
    He hadn’t seen his father since his parents had more or less fled Sweden, taking their money with them. He hadn’t wanted to see him last year and he didn’t want to do so now either, if it could be avoided.
    “Is it myocarditis again?”
    “Oh, Erik. He’s had a heart attack. Just a couple of hours ago. I’m phoning from the hospital. He’s in intensive care, Erik. ERIK? Can you hear me?”
    “I’m here, Mother.”
    “He’s dying, Erik.”
    Winter closed his eyes, took a deep breath. Keep calm. Calm.
    “Is he conscious.”
    “What ... no, he’s unconscious. They’ve just operated on him.”
    “They’ve operated on him?”
    “That’s what I said. He’s undergone a long operation. Cleaned out his ducts, I think.”
    Angela had pulled the sheet up to her chin and sat up in bed. She looked at him, a serious expression on her face. She gathered what had happened.
    “Have you spoken to Lotta?” he asked. His sister was a doctor. Angela was also a doctor, but she couldn’t speak Spanish. His mother spoke a bit of Spanish, but he wasn’t sure whether she understood what people said to her. She was best at wines and spirits. Even if the doctor spoke in English to her, she would be too upset to listen properly. Even if the doctor spoke Swedish.
    “I phoned you first, Erik.”
    “Has the doctor said anything?”
    “Only that he’s still under the anesthetic.” She was sobbing into his ear. “What if he doesn’t come round, Erik?”
    Winter closed his eyes, saw himself in the car on the way to the airport, in an airplane seat. A blue sky over the clouds. He glanced at his hand. It was shaking. Perhaps these are his last hours, he thought.
    “I’ll take the first flight.”
    “Will there be ... will there be any seats? Flights are nearly always full at ... at this time of year.”
    “I’ll fix that.”
    Angela looked at him. She had heard it all. He would fix that. He would be aboard that aircraft at seven o‘clock, or whenever it left. Some other passenger would have to lean against his golf bag and wait for