Three days passed, and Klara and Magnus were able to keep up their professionalism. Five hours into their shift, Wallander came into the room, startling them both.
"Bloody hell, man," Magnus said. He had risen slightly out of his chair, but sat back down when he saw that it was Kurt.
"Sorry," Kurt said. "Martinsson, I need you back at the station."
"What's up?"
"We found a computer that may have important information on another case. I'd like you to look at it."
"You mean it's password protected and you need me to try to get into it," Magnus said. He couldn't keep the frustration out of his voice. He had somehow become their resident tech guy, even though he didn't like computers all that much.
"Yes," Wallander said. "I'll stay here and finish the shift with Eklund."
Magnus gathered his things and left, but not before catching Klara's eye and giving her a wink. She smiled and puckered her lips at him, then went back to her surveillance.
At the station, Magnus worked for an hour on the computer before he realized that it was far more than password protected. He connected his laptop and tried to get around the encryption. A few hours later the chief came over to him.
"Martinsson," she said.
"I've almost got it," he snapped. "I know Kurt thinks I'm some computer genius, but this takes time. It's not in my normal skill set."
The chief ignored his rant and stepped closer. "Magnus..."
At the sound of his first name, and the tone of her voice, Magnus looked up. "What?"
"Eklund and Wallander were trailing your stakeout suspect. He somehow got behind them and started shooting."
Magnus' hand gripped the arm of his chair. "Are they all right?"
"Klara is being taken to the hospital."
Magnus didn't wait for more details. He grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair as he stood. He barely registered that the chief was calling after him as he ran to his car. He sped the short distance to the hospital. The receptionist was startled when he hit the counter at the front desk.
"Has Klara Eklund been admitted yet?"
The receptionist looked up the name in the computer. "Not yet. The ambulance is still about ten minutes out."
Magnus ran a hand through his hair and walked over to the waiting area. Ten minutes. It would be the longest ten minutes of his life. He pulled out his mobile and called Kurt. No answer. His leg fidgeted as he sat, which wasn't for long. He stood after a few minutes and began to pace around the chairs. It was the sound of the siren that caught his attention and sent him on a mad dash toward the emergency doors. He watched as they unloaded a gurney from the back of the ambulance. It was Klara. Her eyes were closed, and there was an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth. Magnus caught her hand as they rushed pass him, and he ran alongside her.
"Klara, can you hear me?"
No response.
"Who are you," a doctor asked.
"I'm her partner. Will she be all right?"
"We don't know what kind of damage the bullet did."
As they approached large double doors, the doctor grabbed Magnus. His hand slipped from Klara's as they wheeled her through and the doors closed.
"We'll try to keep you informed," the doctor said. Then he disappeared behind the doors.
Magnus stood at the door, staring through the small, square window. Klara faded from view down the long corridor until they finally turned a corner, and she was gone. Magnus still stood there. Staring. He almost didn't feel the hand on his shoulder, almost couldn't hear the voice that accompanied it, until he turned his head toward it.
"What are you doing here," Wallander asked.
"Klara was shot."
"I know. You should be at the station."
"She's..." Magnus' voice trailed off. He couldn't let their secret out. Not like this. "She's my partner, Kurt. I have to be here." He turned his head to look back through the small window. "I should have been with her."
Wallander understood. He knew there was nothing he could say that would ease Magnus' guilt of not being there when it happened. Nothing would get rid of that nagging feeling that if he had just been there, maybe she would be okay. Kurt put his hand on Magnus' shoulder and squeezed.
"Let's go sit," he said.
Kurt managed to pull Magnus away from the doors and into a chair. Magnus' leg no longer fidgeted. The adrenaline was fading and pure worry was setting in. He slouched in the chair and ran his hands over his face.
She looked so weak, he thought. His mind went back to when he last saw her. I winked at her when I left. She smiled at me. She knows I love her... What was the last thing I said to her? No... don't think that way. She'll be fine. She has to be.
Magnus stood and started pacing again. Kurt watched him for a while before he stood.
"I'm going to get me a soda. You want anything?"
Magnus shook his head, not really looking at Kurt, but at the floor. When Kurt turned the corner to head toward the vending machines, a tear slipped down Magnus' cheek. He quickly wiped it away, but he knew he wouldn't be able to hold the rest back much longer.
Klara was almost unconscious when they unloaded her from the ambulance. Between the pain and whatever they were pumping into her, she couldn't keep her eyes open. She felt a hand holding tight to hers, and a voice saying her name. It was Magnus' voice. She wanted to tell him she heard him, but she couldn't get her body to cooperate. She felt his hand slip from hers, and a moment later the blackness overtook her.
She heard the beeping before anything else. That steady beep crept into her thoughts until it pulled her from her sleep. Her eyes slowly fluttered open and adjusted to the dim light in the room.
"Klara?"
That was Kurt. Her eyes settled on him as he reached out from the chair next to her bed and put his hand on hers.
"What happened," Klara asked with a hoarse, weak voice.
"What's the last thing you remember?"
"A gun going off... and pain."
Kurt nodded. "Our suspect shot you."
"Is it bad?"
"Could have been. You were bleeding internally. Another ten minutes and we might have lost you."
Klara took in her surroundings and the darkness outside the window.
"How long have I been out?"
Wallander checked his watch. "About thirteen hours."
"You've been here the whole time?"
"Yeah. Martinsson was here too, but I made him go home."
"Good." As much as Klara wished Magnus was there, it was late, and there was nothing he could have done for her. "Hopefully he's actually sleeping."
"He was pretty upset."
"Well, I'd be upset if he got shot, too. He's my partner."
Wallander stood. "Is there anything I can get you? Anything you need?"
"My throat is dry. Water would be nice."
Wallander smiled and poured Klara a cup of water. He helped her sit up a little to drink it, and Klara almost regretted it as pain ripped through her side. Kurt pushed the button for the nurse and made sure Klara had it handy before he said goodbye. He hesitated to leave, but Klara told him to go home and rest. He had already stayed longer than he needed to.
"I didn't want you to wake up alone," he said.
"Thank you, sir."
"I'll send Martinsson to check on you tomorrow."
Klara nodded. He wouldn't have to send Magnus. Magnus would be there with or without Wallander's consent. Kurt opened the door to leave, but Klara called after him, and he turned around.
"Did you at least catch the guy," she asked.
"Shot him in the leg," he said with a grin.
"Good."
