It took Joona three more hours to locate the name of Maja Stefansson, born the same year as Rosa Bergman, whose address was listed as a home for assisted living in Sveg. It was already seven in the evening by then, but Joona decided to drive there immediately. When he arrived, the residents were already in bed so he was denied entry.
Joona checked into the Lilla Hotellet. He went to bed early and woke at four. Since then, hes been standing at the window, waiting for dawn to break.
10
Sunlight slowly marches around the high walls of the room, dancing briefly in the glass panel of a grandfather clock. Joonas fairly sure hes found the right Rosa Bergman. Shes changed her last name to her mothers maiden name and used her original middle name as her first name. Joona glances at his watch and decides its time to go. Buttoning his jacket, he leaves the room, walks through the lobby, and heads out the door into the tiny town of Sveg.
The nursing home is called Blåvingen. It occupies a group of buildings, all of them faced in yellow stucco, surrounding a well-groomed lawn. There are paths and benches for resting.
Joona opens the door to the main entrance and steps inside. Now that hes this close to meeting her, hes suddenly apprehensive and has to force himself to walk down the hall, past the closed office doors, under the harsh fluorescent lights.
She was not supposed to find me, he thinks. She wasnt even supposed to know of my existence. Something has gone very wrong.
Joona never talks about what led him to be such a loner. Still, the reasons are with him every waking moment. His life had burned like magnesium, flaring and then out. From bright white to smoking ruin in an instant.
A thin, bent old man watches television in the activity room, staring intently as a chef heats up oil in a sauté pan while describing a new recipe for the traditional crayfish festival. He peers at Joona.
Anders? Is that you? he asks.
Gently, Joona replies, My name is Joona, his soft Finnish accent coming through. Im looking for Maja Stefansson.
The old man stares at him, with eyes that are damp and red.
Anders, my boy, please listen to me. You have to get me out of here. There are only old people in this place. The man slams his bony fist onto the armrest of the sofa but freezes the moment he sees a nurse enter the room.
Good morning, Joona says to the nurse. Im here to visit Maja Stefansson.
How nice, she replies. But I must warn you Maja has started to suffer from dementia. She tries to run away at every opportunity.
I understand.
Last summer she managed to get all the way to Stockholm.
The nurse leads Joona through a freshly scrubbed but dimly lit hallway and opens a door.
Maja? she says. Theres someone here to see you.
11
An old woman is making her bed. She looks up and Joona recognizes her at once. It is the woman who approached him outside Adolf Fredrik Church and who showed him the tarot cards.
Are you Rosa Bergman? Joona asks.
Yes, she says, shyly holding out her hand.
You had a message for me, he says softly.
Oh my goodness... I dont remember, she says, and sits down on her sofa.
Joona swallows hard and steps closer.
You asked me why Im pretending my daughter is dead.
Well, you shouldnt do that, she reprimands him. Its not a nice thing to do at all.
What do you know about my daughter? Joona asks gently, taking another step. Have you heard anything at all?
She smiles absently and Joona has to look away. He tries to think clearly. His hands are shaking. He goes to her tiny kitchenette to steady them and makes two cups of coffee.
Rosa, this is very important, he says slowly as he sets the cups down on her coffee table. Its extremely important to me.
Rosa blinks a few times. It is clear shes grown suddenly frightened. Who are you? Has something happened to Mother?
Rosa, do you remember a little girl named Lumi? Her mothers name is Summa and you helped them to...
Joona falls silent as he sees her wandering, lost gaze.
Why did you come to Stockholm to find me? he asks, although he knows his question wont be answered.
Rosa Bergman begins to cry. A nurse comes in and comforts her in a practiced manner.
She says quietly to Joona, Come with me. Ill show you out.
They walk along the wide hall, designed for wheelchairs.
How long has she been suffering from dementia? Joona asks.
Things went quickly for Maja. We started to see the first signs last summer, so, for about a year. In the old days, they used to call it a second childhood, which is not so far from the truth.
If she... if shes able to think clearly at all... Joona says seriously.
Its unlikely, the nurse says, but you never know. I can call you.
My card, Joona says, and hands it to her.
She looks impressed. Detective Inspector? She tacks it to the bulletin board behind her desk.
12
Joona steps into the fresh air and takes a deep breath. Perhaps Rosa Bergman did have something important to tell me, he thinks. Maybe someone sent her, but she began to suffer from dementia before she could do anything about it.
Perhaps hell never know what the message was.