Hell Fire by Karin Fossum

Which puts me in a terrible dilemma. On the one hand, they’ve been offered help from home care services, and in that sense, the home health aides are duty-bound to go to the addresses they are given. I’ve worked as a home health aide myself, and I know how it feels having to go to a client you don’t like. Many of them don’t want any help—it’s their family who insist on it because they need someone else to take responsibility. A difficult and ungrateful client is like a knot in your stomach; you dread it all week. Some of the old people call their home health aides at home to nag them. Bonnie was always the solution. It wasn’t in her nature to protest. She did what she had to do. In other words, she ended up with all the difficult clients. And not only did she go to them, but she also did an excellent job and never complained. I think she was actually quite fond of them, in her own patient way. And she has barely taken a sick day in all these years. A lot of our employees are off sick; they get bad backs. And then everything has to be rearranged, and others have to take on their clients. And again, it was Bonnie I turned to. How could I have done that to her?”
    â€œDo her clients know what’s happened?”
    â€œWell, of course some of them know—certainly those who are able to understand,” Ragnhild said. “We’ve spoken to all the families and left it up to them to tell their relatives in the best possible way.”
    â€œI would appreciate a list of all the people she went to,” Sejer said.
    â€œDo you want to talk to them?”
    â€œYes. Don’t you think we owe it to them? It might even be their right. We’ll be gentle,” he promised.
    Ragnhild’s fingers tapped on the keyboard and she soon found a list of Bonnie’s clients and their addresses. The printer hummed.
    â€œDo you think any of them will come to the funeral?”
    She nodded. “I should think so, but not all of them. They’re close to death themselves. It’s only a matter of time; it could happen at any moment. In bed or in the bathroom. Goodness knows what it’s like to be at that stage.”

13
December 2004
    BRITT ARRIVED IN BlÃ¥kollen at eight o’clock, after Bonnie had put Simon to bed. He was in his own room that evening. But he hadn’t gone to sleep; he lay awake listening. Not many people came to the house, only Britt and Granny Henny. He only saw Grandpa Henrik occasionally, as he generally didn’t come.
    He heard voices out in the hall, and then later they went into the kitchen. The door was ajar and he saw shadows.
    â€œI’ve been Christmas shopping,” he heard Britt say. “The little one is for you and the big one is for Simon.”
    Simon’s heart beat faster. It wasn’t long until Christmas now, but time passed so slowly. The four of them always spent Christmas together. Grandpa would sit silently in his chair. He never took part in the conversation, but he ate with a healthy appetite.
    â€œMy, you smell good,” Britt said.
    â€œChanel Number 5,” Bonnie said. “I got it from Erna.”
    â€œWell, it’s nice that one of them appreciates you,” Britt replied. “You certainly deserve it.”
    Then Simon heard footsteps, and the door was slowly opened a little wider. The light from the kitchen extended across the floor.
    â€œAre you asleep?” Britt whispered.
    Simon sat up in bed. He was full of the knowledge that she had a Christmas present for him. And she had said that it was big.
    â€œCan I get a hug?”
    He didn’t answer but remained sitting upright, and she crossed the floor without a sound in her stockinged feet. She bent down over the bed and gave him a hug.
    â€œBe nice to Mommy,” she ordered in a kind voice. “No fuss when you go to daycare, because if you don’t go to daycare, then Mommy can’t work, and then you’ll