Chapter 96
Hanna calls Leffe while Daniel organizes the search for Bengt Hedin. She still feels nauseous with tiredness and anxiety over Filip, but at the same time, she is determined to press on with the new information.
No reply. It is early for a Saturday morning, but surely he ought to be up? She is fizzing with impatience as she tries again, drumming her fingers on the table as the signal rings out.
“Hello?” a sleepy voice mumbles eventually.
At last.
Hanna introduces herself and outlines the situation without going into detail. “I was wondering if you know whether a child was born as a result of the assault you told me about the other day?”
Leffe is breathing heavily. “Yes. That fucker destroyed her life, and he refused to take any responsibility for what he’d done.”
“We need to contact the woman who was raped—it’s a matter of urgency. If you don’t recall her name, maybe you can think of someone who would remember her?”
Silence.
“Hello?”
Hanna can’t shake off the feeling that Leffe knows a great deal about the incident—otherwise surely he wouldn’t care so much after all these years.
If he doesn’t answer her questions, she is going to get in the car and drive over to Storlien.
It is quite a distance, but it might be worth it if she can get him to talk by standing face-to-face.
Maybe Leffe thinks he is protecting the victim and her now grown-up child, but he couldn’t be more wrong.
“This is a matter of life and death,” she says, trying to get across the importance of his cooperation. “If you know the woman’s name, you have to tell us. We need to speak to her right away.” Hanna stands up and starts pacing back and forth. “Please,” she begs.
“Her name was Monica,” Leffe replies with sorrow in his voice. “Monica Mogren. She was so beautiful back then . . .”
Thank God.
“And the child?”
“She had a little boy. He must be nearly fifty now.”
It was exactly as Hanna thought—Leffe knew the story, and the identity of the woman who had been so shamefully treated.
“Do you have an address for them?” She can’t hide her impatience.
“Monica left Storlien. I don’t know where she and her son went—I never saw them again.”