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Karlsson Residence
Stockholm, Sweden

 

“How do I look?”

Acton regarded Karlsson for a moment, his face bandaged, several stitches in sight. “You won’t be winning any beauty contests, that’s for sure.”

Karlsson groaned. “There goes my post-retirement plans, then.” He patted his wife’s hand. “I guess you’re the beauty in the family now.”

“Beauty and the beast, darling.”

Karlsson laughed then moaned in pain. “Okay, nobody make me laugh. It hurts too much.”

Elsa Andersson poured him a glass of water, and was about to help him take a sip when she hesitated, looking at Mira uncertainly. She held out the cup for her.

Mira shook her head. “You go ahead, dear.”

Elsa smiled then positioned the straw for Karlsson, who took a few drags.

“Thanks.”

Elsa stepped back then turned to Acton and Laura. “I’m so sorry for all the trouble I caused. If only I hadn’t fainted, you could have explained everything to me.”

Acton felt his collar for the pin that had been his constant companion. “I’m afraid it would have only made things worse. We weren’t allowed to tell anyone what was going on, and we were under constant surveillance.”

Mira shuddered. “That pin they gave me. I felt like a prisoner in my own home.”

Karlsson squeezed her hand. “We’re all safe now, that’s what’s important. It’s just too bad the ring was lost.”

Acton frowned, the pickup at the front desk confirmed, and Al-Jubeir long gone, apparently no longer assigned to the embassy. “In today’s climate, it ultimately might have been returned regardless. If we’re to believe the sheik’s story, then the ring will be returned to its rightful owners. In the end, I guess I don’t have too much of a problem with that.”

“And what of Fatima?” asked Elsa. “What becomes of her?”

Karlsson shook his head. “It sounded to me like her family didn’t want her remains, so I guess she stays with us.”

Laura sighed. “Such a tragic story. I just wish I knew what happened. She faked her suicide to be with the man she loved, somehow married him, was buried with him, and had the ring on that her groom from her arranged marriage gave her. There are so many missing pieces to the puzzle.”

Acton agreed. “Unfortunately, I don’t think we’ll ever know what happened to Prince Magnus and his wife, Fatima.”