could’ve stolen his knife,” he added.
Louise and Eik glanced at each other. What the hell was it with him? Louise thought. Could it be some mental wall he’d built, to shield himself from the family’s problems?
Eik asked if they could borrow a few chairs and sit down.
“Sure,” the butcher said, bringing in two dining room chairs. They sat beside the bed. Jane looked up at the ceiling with her hands folded on the comforter.
“Our son has been very deeply affected by my illness,” she said, turning to them now. “But all the time he’s been missing, I’ve never believed he would go so far as to take his own life.”
Her husband quickly jumped in. “No one’s said he did.” His tone made it obvious that they indeed had talked about it, possibly even prepared themselves for it. “But you do read nowadays that a lot of teenagers play around with the idea,” he continued. “It’s the ultimate punishment for parents. The school principal even said that on the phone.”
He sniggered. “It’s almost like they blame us already. That it’s our fault he might have done it.”
“Lars, please!” his wife whispered. “Don’t be so angry.”
The butcher suddenly hid his face in his hands and bowed his head.
“It’s not always easy living in a small town, with people gossiping,” she said, to excuse her husband.
Louise looked away when her old school friend made eye contact with her.
“At any rate, not when you have a shop, and everyone thinks they know you,” Jane continued. “And Lars is right. You get the impression that people think my illness is why Sune isn’t doing well, that maybe he even…” She closed her eyes.
“But luckily there’s no reason anymore to believe that your son chose that path,” Eik said. He asked if Sune had been a Boy Scout.
“Yes,” his mother said, with a hint of pride. “He has all the merit badges you can earn. He never cared about hanging out at the gym with the other boys.”
Louise noticed that his father was about to say something, but he stopped himself.
“Does this mean he’s coming home?” Jane said hesitantly, as if she was afraid it was too early for optimism. “Not a moment has gone by that I haven’t thought about him. What hurts the most is that we might never say good-bye to each other. I’ve planned it all; I know exactly what I want to say to my son, the words that will help him when I’m gone. But now that he’s not here, I haven’t been able to say any of it to him.”
She turned to Louise, who had to muster every bit of willpower not to lower her eyes. She’d known this woman well, and it was heart wrenching to see her this way. Be professional , she scolded herself. She tried to focus on what was in front of her: a dying woman now hoping to be reunited with her son.
“We found a campsite in Boserup Forest, where your son probably has been staying since he disappeared,” Eik said. Louise straightened up in her chair, thankful once again for Eik.
“Fine,” the butcher said, preparing to stand up. “I’ll go out and get him.”
Louise and Eik said nothing, and eventually the parents sensed that something was wrong.
“He’s not there anymore,” Louise said. “The camp’s been abandoned.”
“Did he have any money when he disappeared?” Eik asked. “Cash, credit card?”
Both parents shook their heads. “He had a debit card, but it’s in his wallet,” his father said. He leaned back in his chair.
“We’re going to ask Roskilde Police to initiate a search for—” Louise said.
“I’ll find my son myself,” the butcher said. “Sune has been through enough. I don’t want him hunted by the police, too.”
Louise nodded and handed him her card. “I don’t know if you have anyone to help you search, but call me if you don’t find him. And I’ll notify my colleagues in Roskilde.”
Jane reached out for her hand. “Thank you for helping,” she said, smiling broadly now. “I can’t tell you how
Louise and Eik glanced at each other. What the hell was it with him? Louise thought. Could it be some mental wall he’d built, to shield himself from the family’s problems?
Eik asked if they could borrow a few chairs and sit down.
“Sure,” the butcher said, bringing in two dining room chairs. They sat beside the bed. Jane looked up at the ceiling with her hands folded on the comforter.
“Our son has been very deeply affected by my illness,” she said, turning to them now. “But all the time he’s been missing, I’ve never believed he would go so far as to take his own life.”
Her husband quickly jumped in. “No one’s said he did.” His tone made it obvious that they indeed had talked about it, possibly even prepared themselves for it. “But you do read nowadays that a lot of teenagers play around with the idea,” he continued. “It’s the ultimate punishment for parents. The school principal even said that on the phone.”
He sniggered. “It’s almost like they blame us already. That it’s our fault he might have done it.”
“Lars, please!” his wife whispered. “Don’t be so angry.”
The butcher suddenly hid his face in his hands and bowed his head.
“It’s not always easy living in a small town, with people gossiping,” she said, to excuse her husband.
Louise looked away when her old school friend made eye contact with her.
“At any rate, not when you have a shop, and everyone thinks they know you,” Jane continued. “And Lars is right. You get the impression that people think my illness is why Sune isn’t doing well, that maybe he even…” She closed her eyes.
“But luckily there’s no reason anymore to believe that your son chose that path,” Eik said. He asked if Sune had been a Boy Scout.
“Yes,” his mother said, with a hint of pride. “He has all the merit badges you can earn. He never cared about hanging out at the gym with the other boys.”
Louise noticed that his father was about to say something, but he stopped himself.
“Does this mean he’s coming home?” Jane said hesitantly, as if she was afraid it was too early for optimism. “Not a moment has gone by that I haven’t thought about him. What hurts the most is that we might never say good-bye to each other. I’ve planned it all; I know exactly what I want to say to my son, the words that will help him when I’m gone. But now that he’s not here, I haven’t been able to say any of it to him.”
She turned to Louise, who had to muster every bit of willpower not to lower her eyes. She’d known this woman well, and it was heart wrenching to see her this way. Be professional , she scolded herself. She tried to focus on what was in front of her: a dying woman now hoping to be reunited with her son.
“We found a campsite in Boserup Forest, where your son probably has been staying since he disappeared,” Eik said. Louise straightened up in her chair, thankful once again for Eik.
“Fine,” the butcher said, preparing to stand up. “I’ll go out and get him.”
Louise and Eik said nothing, and eventually the parents sensed that something was wrong.
“He’s not there anymore,” Louise said. “The camp’s been abandoned.”
“Did he have any money when he disappeared?” Eik asked. “Cash, credit card?”
Both parents shook their heads. “He had a debit card, but it’s in his wallet,” his father said. He leaned back in his chair.
“We’re going to ask Roskilde Police to initiate a search for—” Louise said.
“I’ll find my son myself,” the butcher said. “Sune has been through enough. I don’t want him hunted by the police, too.”
Louise nodded and handed him her card. “I don’t know if you have anyone to help you search, but call me if you don’t find him. And I’ll notify my colleagues in Roskilde.”
Jane reached out for her hand. “Thank you for helping,” she said, smiling broadly now. “I can’t tell you how
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