Mrs. Settergren had called one Sunday evening in the fall. It had been on the day when Ms Svensson made the long-planned visit to her family in the country, Mr Johansen was lying in the hospital with a cracked foot, and the next day the inspection of the San Bernardino Welfare Organization was to take place, in which the home was in the very best light had to present - because these inspections decided on further funding. It was around nine in the evening, the older children were not yet in bed, the windows had not yet been cleaned, a lot of paperwork had not yet been completed, and Miss Prusselius was just starting to get over the head when the phone rang.
"I hope I don't bother." Ms. Settergren was always very polite.
"Oh, not! Not at all. How can I help? "Miss Prusselius' voice was not noticeable. It sounded at least as gentle and polite as Ms. Settergren's.
"Well, I don't really know what to make of it and whether it is ... well ... appropriate to bother you with it. But Tommy and Annika said, in the empty captain's villa - you know, the one at the end of the street, a few hundred meters from our house, if you walk the path under the birch trees… "
On the upper floor you could hear a little noisy overturning and angry children's voices. Miss Prusselius temporarily shielded the receiver with her hand.
"Yes?"
"So, they say a girl moved in there. A little girl, her age. "
"How nice! Surely the children were very happy? "
What was this call about? Miss Prusselius really had no time or nerves for it at the moment.
"No, I mean: a little girl lives there all by herself."
"How, alone? The parents left it there alone and will be back in a few days? "
"No, as far as I understand - she lives ... really alone. All alone. Apparently there are no parents. Or they don't care. "Ms. Settergren hesitated briefly and lowered her voice. "It should be a bit strange, tells funny stories, the children say. Your father would be in the South Pacific and stuff like that. You know, you know my Annika. And Tommy too. They don't just think of something. And if even a part of the whole thing is right, you have to worry. "
Miss Prusselius found that too. A child all alone in an empty, abandoned house! One that might have been mentally confused or had a desperate reaction to such a frightening situation. What on earth did Ms. Settergren think of calling so late in the evening ?!
"Thank you for calling! Unfortunately, I really can't leave now. What do you think, how urgent is it? Can she make it through another night alone? I would really like to avoid having the little one picked up by the police at night. "
"I wouldn't actually say it's very urgent. Annika and Tommy say that she gets along fine on her own. "Ms. Settergren didn't sound particularly worried. "She seems to have food. I just wanted you to know and maybe just make sure everything is right as soon as you have time. "
"I definitely will! Tomorrow. Many thanks for your call! Say hello to the children. "
"Gladly."
Miss Prusselius put the phone on the fork and cursed the unfavorable moment and Ms. Settergren's inappropriateness of peace of mind… Yes, exactly! A small child who "got along perfectly" alone in a house that had been empty for years - certainly! No wonder that it came up with some comforting stories - it was only a natural protective reaction of such a poor soul and by no means "strange". Cursed, cursed that just today ...
Then she called herself to order and felt a little ashamed of swearing. Nothing more could be done today anyway. Except, of course, to put in a night shift to put up furniture, do dispute settlement, do paperwork and clean windows. She sighed and made her way upstairs.