JESSICA IS SITTING on a sturdy office chair, arms folded across her chest. The space known as “the quiet room” has no windows, only steel shelves covering almost every square inch of wall space, plus a table and chairs.
“This bad boy is fine,” Mikael says, lowering Jessica’s pistol to the table.
Jessica shoves the gun into her belt holster. “Great. So no one unloaded it while I was fishing that girl out of the ice—”
“Erne doesn’t want to take any risks. Why should he?” Mikael pops his gum with his tongue. “In any case, it’s been checked now.”
“Yippee.”
“And your phone. Does it have a strong unlock code?”
“Yeah, I think so.”
“Does anyone else know it?”
“Can I answer in the affirmative without eating my words regarding its strength?”
“So no?”
“Of course not.”
“OK. Could you unlock it for me?” Mikael rubs his fingers clean of undetectable dust. Jessica does as asked and hands the phone to Mikael. She watches him tap at the phone in concentration for a minute.
“The last time the phone’s security was bypassed is damn tricky to figure out, but we can do a different kind of check . . . Settings . . . General . . . ,” Mikael says, pressing the screen of Jessica’s phone. “Storage . . . OK. Here we can see what apps you’ve used recently. You mind if I look, or—”
“Knock yourself out. I’m guessing Tinder isn’t going to scare you.”
“Aha, so you’re on it too. . . . Is—”
“Micke, just check to see if anyone used my phone.”
“Not that we need Tinder.” Mikael smiles as he taps at the phone screen.
Jessica glances at her watch. The last thing she feels like doing right now is sitting in a tiny room alone with Micke a single second longer than necessary. The hookup was a bad idea from the jump. Now, a day later, it feels like the biggest mistake in the world. A momentary lapse that has left Jessica with a horrific moral hangover. The way Nina looks at Micke, she seems so happy.
Mikael hands the phone to Jessica. “Look familiar?”
Jessica stares at the icons and dates on the screen.
Everything looks the way it ought to. In reality the last time she used Tinder was around Christmas. That’s how Fubu came into the picture.
“Looks normal.”
“Good. But check through the sent messages and outgoing calls before you use it.” Mikael pushes the phone across the table to Jessica. “I don’t want you finding another malleus maleficarum when you’re home alone.”
“Great. Thanks, Micke.” Jessica stands. “And hey—”
“Forget about it. Let’s move on, Jessie.”