small angel statuettes and, of course, crystals in every conceivable size, shape, and colour. There is also a display of jewellery, a glittering mass of silver and cheap stones. Most of it looks like junk. But her eyes are drawn to a silver necklace with little red stones. Like tiny drops of blood around the neck. She rests her fingers on the glass. The necklace isn’t her style yet she wants it. She wants to buy it now, at once, and wear it all the time. If only she had the money …
Rebecka doesn’t know how long she’s been standing there looking at the necklace, when she feels the skin crawl on the back of her neck. Someone’s watching her, she’s sure.
She focuses her eyes on the reflection in the window. A blurred figure is standing behind her. She can only just make it out in the faint sunlight filtering through the front entrance to the mall, but she instantly recognises it.
She doesn’t dare turn. A few seconds pass but it feels like eternity. The figure is still standing there.
She sees someone moving around inside the Crystal Cave. A woman in a denim suit with a shock of blonde hair. She’s walking around, muttering to herself. If she would just look up and see Rebecka. But the woman disappears behind a curtain, and Rebecka realises there wouldn’t be a single witness if that figure were to come after her now. This dark shopping mall is the perfect place to attack someone, even though it’s the middle of the day, in the middle of the town. Her back tenses with fear.
Rebecka struggles hard to gather her courage. Nothing can be worse than standing there, waiting for something to happen. She tries to convince herself that she’s strong. She has a power she hadn’t known about last time the figure had stalked her.
She takes a deep breath and turns. Just then she hears the automatic doors open with a faint whisper. The figure has vanished. Gustaf is running towards her, his footsteps echoing against the stone floor. ‘Sorry it took so long,’ he says. ‘Leffe takes his job a little too seriously. I had to describe the scarf to get it back. I’d never thought about what colours the squares were—’
He breaks off and stares at her probingly. ‘Are you all right?’
‘It’s nothing. Did you see anyone on your way in?’
Gustaf looks at her quizzically. ‘No. Why do you ask?’
She forces a smile, cheerful and unconcerned. ‘I thought I saw someone I knew, that’s all.’ She turns to the Crystal Cave’s window. ‘Have you seen this new shop? Mostly horrible stuff, but a few nice things.’
‘Anything in particular you like?’
She points at the necklace.
‘I knew it,’ says Gustaf, and grins in satisfaction.
‘What?’
‘Nah, I was just thinking … It’s your birthday soon … I shouldn’t have mentioned it.’
He laughs and she senses he’s already bought the necklace for her as a present, or at least planned to. He’s like a child. You can see everything in his face. It’s as if he’s never had to hide anything.
‘Just don’t go buying me anything too expensive,’ she says quietly, and hopes she hasn’t hurt his feelings.
They’ve tried to discuss the money issue, but it’s difficult. Gustaf’s parents have plenty and are happy to share it. By contrast, there’s never anything to spare in Rebecka’s big family. Gustaf always says her family is generous, too, that you give according to your means, which sounds sensible. If she had a lot to give she would. But when you don’t have much, it’s difficult to receive anything.
‘You’re so quiet,’ Gustaf says.
She realises she hasn’t said anything for a while. ‘I was thinking.’
‘Sometimes I wish I could see into your head,’ he says, and smiles.
‘You’d get bored pretty quickly,’ she answers, and puts her arm around his waist.
Rebecka studies the photo of her and Gustaf on the wall beside his bed. He had taken it – he had held the camera up to them during a walk by the sluice gates during the first week they were officially going out together.
She rests her head on his arm, lies close to him and feels the heat of his body.
‘I love you,’ he whispers, and his breath is warm against her ear.
‘I love you, too.’
Gustaf’s parents are having dinner at his mother’s boss’s house. But he and Rebecka had been as quiet as always while they had sex. It sticks with you, the knowledge that you have to be careful because