Read Light in a Dark House for Free Online Page A

family’s money away betting on football matches in the English Premier League.
    Almost a year ago, thought Joentaa.
    ‘I only saw her that once. Are you two . . . are you still together?’
    Together, thought Joentaa.
    ‘I don’t know. She’s gone,’ he said.
    ‘Gone?’
    ‘Yes, she often goes away, she often stays away, but this is the first time she’s left the giraffe behind.’
    ‘Ah. Okay,’ said Heinonen. ‘Giraffe?’
    Joentaa heard a pattering sound in the background, and Heinonen didn’t seem to be listening to him very attentively.
    ‘I mean the key to the house. It’s on a giraffe pendant.’
    ‘Mmph.’
    ‘So of course I’m worried. Because it’s something new. I mean, for her to leave the key here.’
    ‘Hmm? Yes. Yes, that figures,’ said Heinonen.
    ‘Well, tell me how you are,’ said Joentaa.
    ‘Me . . . fine, I’m fine,’ said Heinonen. ‘Doing this and that. Tomorrow it’s a family therapy session.’
    ‘A what?’
    ‘Some therapeutic method. Depth psychology, I think that’s it.’
    ‘Sounds like . . .’ said Joentaa, but then he didn’t know what it sounded like.
    ‘I did it once before when I was . . . at my first stay here, and it was okay,’ said Heinonen.
    ‘What’s all that pattering in the background? Is it something on the line?’
    ‘Hm?’
    ‘There’s a kind of pattering sound at your end.’
    ‘Oh, that’s from the laptop.’
    ‘Ah,’ said Joentaa, and Heinonen suddenly began giggling.
    ‘Sorry, Kimmo, I won’t lie to you, I’m so glad you called.’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘It really . . . it means a lot to me. No one but you ever calls. Except for Paulina, of course.’
    ‘Of course,’ said Joentaa.
    ‘I’ve just been placing a few bets,’ said Heinonen.
    A moment of silence.
    ‘Aha,’ said Joentaa.
    ‘There’s an ATP major on in the States,’ said Heinonen.
    ‘Aha,’ said Joentaa.
    ‘Tennis,’ Heinonen explained. ‘The tournament’s showing live on Eurosport, so I can watch it all happen and see the results of the matches.’
    Joentaa nodded, looking at the screen of the muted TV set, where a woman clad entirely in red was soundlessly forecasting sunny weather.
    ‘I know it’s ridiculous,’ said Heinonen.
    ‘I’ll come and see you,’ said Joentaa. ‘When would be best?’
    ‘An evening would be good. It’s all . . . all very open here. We can go out any time and get a drink down by the lake.’
    ‘Let’s do that,’ said Joentaa.
    ‘With the weather staying so fine.’
    ‘Yes . . . well, better go to sleep now, Tuomas. And do stop . . . stop placing bets of any kind.’
    ‘Okay.’
    ‘And if there’s anything I can do, call me any time.’
    ‘Thanks.’
    ‘See you soon.’
    ‘Yes, see you soon. And tell Larissa hello from me when she comes back.’
    ‘I’ll do that.’
    ‘If she remembers me, that is.’
    ‘I’m sure she does. I’ll just tell her hello from Santa Claus.’
    It was a moment before Heinonen laughed. ‘That’s right . . . that stupid costume I was still wearing.’
    ‘Sleep well, Tuomas,’ said Joentaa. ‘And no more tennis tonight.’
    ‘Night,’ said Heinonen.
    Then Joentaa sat in the silence, watching with only half his attention as the bald man on the screen stood on the edge of a swimming pool in the sun, shooting people down with an outsize gun.
    Late-evening entertainment.
    He stood up, turned the TV off, and went to fetch his laptop.
    He sat on the sofa, started the computer, and waited.
    He had no new messages.
    He sat there with the computer on his lap, and thought of Tuomas Heinonen sitting on his bed in his small room, also with a computer on his lap, watching tennis.

14
7 July 1985
Dear diary,
People really do say that, Lauri told me, and he should know. I asked him if I could give him all this to read some time, but he raised his hands and said oh no, that would never do, then it wouldn’t be a diary any more, no one’s allowed to read it except me. That