Chapter 70
Morris has settled himself comfortably on Hanna’s chest when Henry calls her cellphone.
After picking up the cat from the neighbors, she had a couple of sandwiches and crawled into bed.
She had intended to speak to Henry tomorrow; after such an intense day she simply didn’t have the energy to sort everything out.
She is also still very shaken after her conversation with that journalist.
During the evening she has been bombarded with messages from both old friends and journalists, all wondering about her relationship with Henry. She has also heard from Karro, Anton’s sister, who was her first real friend in ?re. She sent a text full of red hearts and encouraging emojis.
It is as if the whole of Sweden has simultaneously gone online and read about Hanna’s new boyfriend, and now everyone wants to know as much as possible. She has already rejected calls from at least half a dozen unknown numbers, which she suspects belong to nosy reporters.
“Hi, darling,” Henry says immediately.
As usual his deep voice is comforting; it is full of warmth, and inspires confidence. He has a natural authority that makes Hanna feel safe. But tonight he sounds tired. Maybe he is still in the office on Skeppsbron. He works long days when he is in Stockholm.
Or maybe he is also upset by all the publicity.
“I assume you’ve seen the headlines?” he says in an apologetic tone.
“Is there anyone who hasn’t? I’ve had countless calls from journalists wanting a comment.”
“I’m so sorry you’ve been exposed to this, Hanna. It was never my intention to put you in such a difficult situation.”
“I know that.”
There is a brief pause. Hanna rubs her cheek against Morris’s soft fur, and ends up with a mouthful of cat hair as a result.
“You’re a well-known financier,” she says. “It’s hardly surprising that the press are interested in your love life.”
“I really wish I could have spared you this.”
“It’s not your fault.” Hanna wonders if she is trying to console herself or him. “Of course they’re all wondering how you fell for someone like me. It’s a nice juicy story.”
She regrets the words as soon as they have come out of her mouth. Why must she constantly undermine herself? Her mother does a perfectly good job of that.
“You mean how I was lucky enough to capture a woman like you? I ask myself the same question. All the time.”
Hanna can’t help smiling. Henry has always been good at making her feel beautiful and attractive.
Desirable.
And today she needs that more than ever.
“I was going to suggest you speak to my media team,” he goes on, sounding serious now. “They can help you to handle the situation if it becomes a nuisance. Of course the best response is to say nothing at all.”
“Don’t worry, I can take care of myself.”
Her comment is sharper than she intended, but she can’t fight the frustration that has built up during the course of the day. The fact that her mother has also pounced on the news is especially painful.
Henry sighs. “Hanna, I’m not trying to tell you what to do. All I wanted to say is that I’m here if you need me, and that I have resources that are used to dealing with the media. They can protect you. Protect us.”
He sounds both sad and resigned, which makes Hanna feel guilty. There is no point in taking her irritation out on him.
It isn’t his fault that the press are hounding her.
Or is it? Technically Henry is the cause, but she still can’t get mad at him for that.
“Shall I fly up for a few days? Or would you like to come down to Stockholm? We can go overseas at the weekend if you want to get away for a while, avoid the press? London maybe, or Palma? I can send a plane to pick you up from J?rpen.”
Hanna opens her mouth, then wonders what to say. It’s a tempting offer, but she doesn’t know where Filippa’s case is going. It seems highly likely that her death was the result of a crime, which means that the investigation is going to require her full attention in the immediate future.
What she really wants to do is work, without thinking about her personal life. Focus on what she is really good at: being a police officer.
She’s not sure if she can cope with Henry’s intense courtship right now.
Plus she wants to be with Morris. She missed her big, fluffy ball of fur while she was away.
If she is seen with Henry, she risks attracting even more unwelcome attention, more pictures, more newspaper articles. If they could take photographs secretly at the airport in Kiruna, it wouldn’t be difficult to do the same in ?re.
“It might be better to lie low for a while,” she says. “Let things calm down a little.”
“Your decision.”
There is no mistaking the disappointment in his voice. And she still feels guilty for interrupting their break in the mountains.
“But I miss you, just so you know,” he adds.
“I miss you too.”
She does, but she can’t deny a sense of relief when she and Henry agree not to see each other at the weekend.
She needs breathing space, both from the tabloid press and from him.
And she can’t help worrying about what Daniel will think when he finds out about her relationship.