The Drowning Read Online Free PDF Page B

don’t think it’s funny, either.’
    ‘That’s exactly what I said,’ Sanna interjected. ‘I think it’s really creepy, especially since we have children, andeverything. What if there’s some mentally disturbed person who …’ She stared at Christian, and Erica could tell that it wasn’t the first time they’d had this conversation. But he stubbornly shook his head again.
    ‘I don’t want to make a big deal out of it.’
    ‘When exactly did this whole thing begin?’
    ‘When you started writing the book,’ said Sanna, receiving a look of annoyance from her husband.
    ‘I guess that’s about right,’ he admitted. ‘A year and a half ago.’
    ‘Could there be some sort of connection? Did you put any real person or event in your book? Someone who might feel threatened because you wrote about them?’ Erica kept her eyes fixed steadily on Christian, who was looking extremely uncomfortable. It was obvious that he had no desire to discuss this topic.
    ‘No, it’s a work of fiction,’ he said, grimacing. ‘No one should be able to recognize themselves in my story. You’ve read the manuscript. Does it seem auto biographical to you?’
    ‘That’s not something that I would be able to tell,’ said Erica with a shrug. ‘But I know from my own experience that writers weave parts of their own lives into their manuscripts, whether consciously or not.’
    ‘Well, I didn’t!’ exclaimed Christian, pushing back his chair and standing up.
    Realizing that it was time for her to leave, Erica tried to get up from the armchair. But her heavy body resisted her efforts, and all she could manage were a few grunts. Christian’s stern expression softened, and he reached out a helping hand.
    ‘It’s probably just some lunatic who heard that I was writing a book and started getting strange ideas about it. That’s all,’ he said, sounding calmer.
    Erica doubted that was the whole truth, but her opinionwas based more on a gut feeling than any concrete evidence. As she walked towards her car, she hoped Christian hadn’t noticed that were now only five letters in his desk drawer instead of six. She didn’t know what had made her take such a bold step, but if Christian wasn’t going to tell her the truth, then she was just going to have to find out more on her own. The tone of the letters was clearly threatening, and she was worried that her friend might be in danger.
     
    ‘Did you have to cancel any appointments?’ Erik nibbled on Cecilia’s nipple. She gasped as she stretched out on the bed in her flat. The beauty salon that she owned was within easy reach on the ground floor of the building.
    ‘You’d like that, wouldn’t you? To hear that I had to cancel clients in order to make room for you in my calendar. What makes you think you’re so important?’
    ‘What could be more important than this?’ He ran his tongue over her breast, and she pulled him down on top of her, unable to wait any longer.
    Afterwards she lay next to him, her head resting on his arm. A few rough hairs tickled her cheek.
    ‘It was a bit strange, running into Louise yesterday. And you.’
    ‘Mmmm,’ replied Erik, dozing. He had no wish to discuss his wife or his marriage with his mistress.
    ‘I like Louise, you know,’ said Cecilia, playing with the hairs on his chest. ‘And if she knew …’
    ‘But she doesn’t,’ Erik snapped, propping himself up on his elbows. ‘And she’s never going to find out.’
    Cecilia looked up at him, and he knew from experience exactly how this discussion was going to proceed.
    ‘Sooner or later she’ll have to know.’
    Erik sighed to himself. Why did they always have totalk about the past and the future? He swung his legs over the side of the bed and began getting dressed.
    ‘Do you have to leave already?’ asked Cecilia. The hurt expression on her face annoyed him even more.
    ‘I’ve got a lot of work to do,’ he said curtly, buttoning his shirt. He had the smell of sex in his