Read Missing in Malmö: The third Inspector Anita Sundström mystery (Inspector Anita Sundström mysteries) for Free Online Page A

to two mugs.
    ‘I think you need this,’ she said, pouring the steaming black liquid into the mugs.
    Björn sat, bleary-eyed, on the day bed. The duvet was crumpled at one end. He was in his black t-shirt from the night before, blue boxer shorts and white socks. She had removed his jacket, shoes and trousers, but that was as far as she’d gone. ‘Thanks,’ he muttered as he took the coffee.
    She sat down. She watched him as he cupped his mug. It bore the cartoon of a goofy-looking man with a ball and chain round his ankle. The caption ran:
En lydig man är en lycklig man
– an obedient man is a happy man. Björn would have been appalled at the sentiment, if he’d been switched on enough to notice.
    ‘Sorry.’
    Anita smiled. It hadn’t been a word she had often heard him say while they were married.
    ‘I acted like an idiot last night.’
    ‘Yes. Your son won’t forgive you in a hurry.’
    Björn looked startled. ‘Is he...?’
    ‘No. He’s gone out.’
    He sipped at his coffee and grimaced.
    ‘Christ, you still make your coffee too strong!’
    ‘It kept me awake all those nights I waited up for you to come back home.’ She surprised herself at her own vehemence.
    Björn gazed at her. The blue eyes were sad. He shook his head. ‘I really fucked things up.’
    ‘That’s all in the past.’ She had done enough dwelling on their marriage as she had lain in bed last night, and on her run this morning. She didn’t want him to stay any longer than was necessary, so she had better find out about the woman who was causing him so much grief. ‘Greta? Tell me about Greta.’
    He took another sip of coffee before answering. ‘Greta... Greta Jansson is the woman I love.’
    ‘I gathered that from all the whimpering last night.’ She found herself being short with him. The horrid truth was that she didn’t like to hear him say that he loved another woman. Even after all the years apart, it was a difficult thing for her to come to terms with.
    ‘I know it sounds pathetic. Greta’s only twenty-three. And I’m...’
    Though tempted, she didn’t say anything. Anita knew that he had turned fifty a couple of years before. Maybe that’s why he suddenly felt so vulnerable.
    ‘Greta was one of my students.’ Björn managed a wry grin when he saw Anita’s eyebrows head skywards. ‘Yes, I know. My record isn’t good. But Greta was different. Bright, funny... and, unlike some of the others, she was mature for her age. Maybe with me becoming...’ He broke off again, unable to admit that he was well past his half century. This led to another reflective slurp of coffee.
    ‘Though we slept together, she wouldn’t move in with me.’
    She really was bright, thought Anita sardonically.
    ‘Anyhow, she got a job teaching English down here in Malmö. In August. A high school in the centre of town. Kungsskolan.’
    ‘A long-distance romance?’
    ‘Not exactly. But I came down yesterday because I was worried that I hadn’t heard from her for a while.’
    ‘Maybe she doesn’t want to see you.’ As soon as she had spoken, she saw the hurt in his eyes.
    ‘Greta’s not at her apartment. And she hasn’t been at the school this week.’
    ‘She might have gone away for a break.’
    He shook his head slowly. ‘The school said she had suddenly left.’
    ‘Well, there you are. Maybe the job just got too much for her. If it’s Kungsskolan, there are some tough kids there.’
    ‘Greta doesn’t give up on things. She’s a dedicated sort of person. Look, Anita, I just know that something’s wrong. She’s not answering her mobile. I need you to find her.’
    ‘Sounds as though she’s just gone off somewhere. Perfectly innocently.’
    ‘She hasn’t taken anything with her.’
    ‘How do you know?’
    ‘I’ve been in her apartment. I have a key,’ he muttered as an afterthought.
    ‘Should you have let yourself in?’
    ‘She’s my girlfriend, for Christ’s sake,’ he replied angrily. Anita wasn’t so sure