Read Online In the Name of Love by Patrick Smith - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Patrick Smith
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accompli.’
‘Madeleine!’
‘What?’
‘You can’t do it alone. It would be horrible.’
‘What do you suggest? That I ask my mother to come with me?’
‘I’ll go with you. If you insist on doing it, I’ll go with you.’
‘Would you? Seriously?’
‘Yes.’
‘You’re an extraordinary man. You really are.’
In the days that followed he stuck to his routine, working, cooking, sleeping, going for long walks late in the afternoon. His breath pushed small clouds into the dark-blue air each time he set out. Sune Isaksson dropped by to see him.
‘What are you doing for Easter?’
‘Nothing.’
‘Me neither,’ Sune said. He was looking fitter than he had. ‘I’m feeling better – ever since I stopped that damned therapy. I’d rather live again for a few months than drag things out like I’ve been doing.’
‘How long?’
‘I won’t see the leaves fall this year, that’s for sure. But right now I’m as well as I’ve ever been. Better! All that’s lacking is a good woman to get me going now and then.’
‘Will you find one out here?’
‘Maybe not. But I’m damned if I’m going back into town. Talking of women,’ he growled, ‘I hear you’ve met Lena Sundman.’
‘Do you have some sort of military intelligence out here?’
‘You were seen on the ferry.’
‘There wasn’t anyone on the ferry.’
‘There’s always someone. A minimum of two. According to the regulations. She tell you the story when you drove her to see the farm at Bromskär?’
‘She told me nothing.’
‘Her father grew up there after his parents died. They were his aunt and uncle and they had no children of their own so they treated him like a son. Lena spent a lot of time with the old couple herself, especially after her parents split up. There’s another family living there at the moment though – and that’s what I want to talk to you about. Maybe I’ve found someone to do your painting for you.’
‘What makes you think I want any painting done?’
‘You can’t leave it like this! And what about upstairs? They’re already getting the roofing on. The rooms must be finished and dried out by now. And the insurance company’ll pay so why not.’
‘Who are you trying to foist on me, Sune?’
‘A young man called Gabriel Rabban. He’s one of the family over at the farm. They’re good people, they could do with a little money.’
‘Gabriel Rabban.’
‘Iraqi refugees. They’ve been living there for a couple of years, off and on, helping the widow until she died. Gabriel’s at a loose end now.’
‘How do you know he wants to do it?’
‘I’ve talked to them. He wants to.’
Dan considered the idea. It would be nice to have the place in order when Madeleine next came out. And if she did decide to leave Anders she could always stay here. There’d be no need for an abortion. She and her baby could live here as long as she wanted.
‘At least let me send him over,’ Sune said. ‘That way you can talk to him and see.’
Halfway through the following morning Gabriel Rabban presented himself. A slender young man with a full-lipped face. His eyes were big and dark. It was easy to sense a brooding presence beneath them. He spoke Swedish with no trace of a foreign accent.
‘You know how to do this kind of work?’ Dan asked him. ‘How to prepare a concrete wall, plaster it, paint it?’
‘Sure. I can do it.’
‘You have experience?’
‘I can do it.’
‘What experience have you had?’
‘I did handicrafts in school.’
Dan thought of the bookends Carlos had once made for his birthday. Those too had been made in handicrafts class in school. Sweetly done, but hardly professional work.
‘How much will you charge?’
‘Forty kronor an hour.’ It seemed a lot for someone unqualified. He quickly added, ‘Cash.’
‘Well, I don’t know.’
‘Let me work a couple of days and see what I can do. You can decide then. If you’re not satisfied, you owe me
‘Madeleine!’
‘What?’
‘You can’t do it alone. It would be horrible.’
‘What do you suggest? That I ask my mother to come with me?’
‘I’ll go with you. If you insist on doing it, I’ll go with you.’
‘Would you? Seriously?’
‘Yes.’
‘You’re an extraordinary man. You really are.’
In the days that followed he stuck to his routine, working, cooking, sleeping, going for long walks late in the afternoon. His breath pushed small clouds into the dark-blue air each time he set out. Sune Isaksson dropped by to see him.
‘What are you doing for Easter?’
‘Nothing.’
‘Me neither,’ Sune said. He was looking fitter than he had. ‘I’m feeling better – ever since I stopped that damned therapy. I’d rather live again for a few months than drag things out like I’ve been doing.’
‘How long?’
‘I won’t see the leaves fall this year, that’s for sure. But right now I’m as well as I’ve ever been. Better! All that’s lacking is a good woman to get me going now and then.’
‘Will you find one out here?’
‘Maybe not. But I’m damned if I’m going back into town. Talking of women,’ he growled, ‘I hear you’ve met Lena Sundman.’
‘Do you have some sort of military intelligence out here?’
‘You were seen on the ferry.’
‘There wasn’t anyone on the ferry.’
‘There’s always someone. A minimum of two. According to the regulations. She tell you the story when you drove her to see the farm at Bromskär?’
‘She told me nothing.’
‘Her father grew up there after his parents died. They were his aunt and uncle and they had no children of their own so they treated him like a son. Lena spent a lot of time with the old couple herself, especially after her parents split up. There’s another family living there at the moment though – and that’s what I want to talk to you about. Maybe I’ve found someone to do your painting for you.’
‘What makes you think I want any painting done?’
‘You can’t leave it like this! And what about upstairs? They’re already getting the roofing on. The rooms must be finished and dried out by now. And the insurance company’ll pay so why not.’
‘Who are you trying to foist on me, Sune?’
‘A young man called Gabriel Rabban. He’s one of the family over at the farm. They’re good people, they could do with a little money.’
‘Gabriel Rabban.’
‘Iraqi refugees. They’ve been living there for a couple of years, off and on, helping the widow until she died. Gabriel’s at a loose end now.’
‘How do you know he wants to do it?’
‘I’ve talked to them. He wants to.’
Dan considered the idea. It would be nice to have the place in order when Madeleine next came out. And if she did decide to leave Anders she could always stay here. There’d be no need for an abortion. She and her baby could live here as long as she wanted.
‘At least let me send him over,’ Sune said. ‘That way you can talk to him and see.’
Halfway through the following morning Gabriel Rabban presented himself. A slender young man with a full-lipped face. His eyes were big and dark. It was easy to sense a brooding presence beneath them. He spoke Swedish with no trace of a foreign accent.
‘You know how to do this kind of work?’ Dan asked him. ‘How to prepare a concrete wall, plaster it, paint it?’
‘Sure. I can do it.’
‘You have experience?’
‘I can do it.’
‘What experience have you had?’
‘I did handicrafts in school.’
Dan thought of the bookends Carlos had once made for his birthday. Those too had been made in handicrafts class in school. Sweetly done, but hardly professional work.
‘How much will you charge?’
‘Forty kronor an hour.’ It seemed a lot for someone unqualified. He quickly added, ‘Cash.’
‘Well, I don’t know.’
‘Let me work a couple of days and see what I can do. You can decide then. If you’re not satisfied, you owe me
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