Read Online Blue Blue Eyes: Crime Novel by Helena Anderson - Free Book Online Page B

regretted it. What if Linn read Patrik’s sms? Frustrated, she shook her head and tried to rid herself of the horrible feeling as she placed her half full beach-bag on her shoulder and walked, down to the beach. Once in a while Nikki worriedly checked if she had had any message from Patrik but the screen was empty. She was both happy and grateful that she had followed the advice of the taxi-driver last night to change city and she had gone all the way to Pafos. The trip had taken two hours but she actually wanted to get as far away from Protaras as possible. Nikki’s mobile whistled again.
    Good to hear that you’re fine. Where are you? Linn is here and I don’t think she knows anything about us. X x x Patrik.

1976
    What previously had been a longing now became difficult and full of anguish. The boys had always been jubilant when the family had filled the car and gone to Nynashamn to take the ferry over to Gotland, but not this year. Ten long lovely weeks of summer holiday had been exchanged with ten weeks of pure hell.
    Their mother had gradually become worse during the year and her mood was constantly changing. Sometimes she even needed the crutches to get around. Unfortunately the boys more seldom saw the kind smile in their mother’s pretty but worn-out face. The medicine jars became more and more and the body and mind had slowly been broken down.
    Even though the sun was out a lot on the wonderful green island the brothers and their mother saw life as dark as the night. This summer the little brother had had to build a sacrificial place all the way inside the white washed barn. Without asking any questions he had done what his father told him. During the nights Little brother still had to hold the pillows against his ears while humming to keep out the horrible screams of his big brother. And he had seen the pictures of Big brother standing tied with the leather straps against the hard dirty white limestone wall. What Daddy actually was doing Little brother didn’t quite know but he could see the large burns and swollen bruises on Big Brothers skinny, haggard body.
    The last night before leaving for the city Daddy had come into the brothers’ room. Little brother could smell from far away that it would be an awful night. Both brothers had to go barefoot out to the barn only dressed in pyjama trousers. Daddy had ordered Little brother to sit down on a chair while he silently tied Big brother with the leather straps hanging on the wall. Big brother’s wrists and ankles were already scraped and blue. Little brother closed his eyes tightly as Daddy took off Big brother’s pyjama trousers. Naked and humiliated Big brother had to stand in the dim light with his body trembling from cold and fear. The mandatory sock Little brother had to put in Big brother’s mouth all the while crying. That was the night when Daddy introduced his black bag to his sons.
    With a small scalpel he had cut out different patterns under Big brother’s feet. Daddy had proudly showed Little brother his brother’s shredded feet and prepared him that next summer it would be his turn to know the content of the black bag.

Friday June 7th
    The morning sun was already too hot and Patrik shifted his deckchair to the shade on the large balcony. The palms were nicely lined up at the bottom of the cliff and the sea was shimmering in the rays of the sun. A lone sea-gull was screaming in the still air and he wondered where all the other sea-gulls were. In Sweden they usually flew together in a flock, but here he always saw only one at a time. With the hotel towel wrapped around his hips and his damp hair standing straight up he didn’t really feel amused. The harmonious feeling had been replaced by anger and irritation after the bizarre event of last night.
    To convince himself of what Nikki had said Patrik had felt the need to return to the Asian restaurant. He had immediately recognized Linn’s hysterical laughter as she wildly swayed around the