The Lost and Hidden Years

Chapter Thirty-Eight

"Are you three alright? How are you doing?" Lieutenant Larson asked. "The medical examiner is going to check up on you. I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner," she apologized with deep regret. "However, we were able to get a confession."

"A confession?" Björn questioned. "But he's here."

"There were more people involved than you think. We'll go over it when you're ready. Please, follow. They need to check Anna first. Is it okay if we ask you a few questions, Anna?" She nodded. Anna followed the instructions, taking a seat on the back of an ambulance with a blanket wrapped around her.

"Do you feel pain anywhere?" asked the paramedic.

"No."

"Do you know what happened to you?" the lieutenant asked.

"I was taken. I was supposed to see my mom, Lena... I remember walking towards her house. I don't remember anything after
that."

"What time?"

"Around 9 or something, sorry I don't know."

"We have to ask this. Were you physically assaulted?"

"No. I was alone the whole time. I never even spoke to anyone. I didn't even see anyone either." The examiner checked for Anna's blood pressure, temperature and drew blood to make sure she wasn't drugged.

"Okay, that's very good," the lieutenant responded.

"Your blood sugar is very low."

"Probably because I haven't eaten. He left me gummy bears," both parents reacted. One sighed and one tensed with a boiling anger.

"Did you ever see Lena?"

"I don't remember that."

"Gert said Lena had Anna. Did he take her from there?" Björn asked and she nodded in return. Detectives and paramedics were able to get Gert out of the building and into the next ambulance. Agnetha watched them lift him inside, her head cringed and her feelings grew timid. Björn slightly turned her away. She didn't need more memories of him for later. He haunted her enough.

Björn's cellphone had chimed nearly a hundred times in those forty-five minutes they stood with the officials.

"Björn, please, answer them. I'm sure it's the kids. They want to know what's going on."

"Hello?" he answered on the sixth ring.

"Papa? Hey, w-what's going on? Where are you and mom?"

"Hi, Linda," he sighed. "Sweetheart, we're okay. We're all okay, mama's fine and we have Anna now, too."

"Oh, my God," overwhelmed with her feelings, she sighed. "I'm so glad to hear that. We were so worried. You left so fast."

"We should be home in a bit. Tell your siblings not to worry. Everything's getting worked out. Few questions and we'll be home."

"Okay, take care of yourselves. We're waiting for you at home. Christian and Emma are at my house."

"Okay, darling." Björn looked up to find Lieutenant Larson walking towards them again. Her face wore a frown. "What is it?"

"He..." she cleared her throat and gently spoke to both Agnetha and Björn. "He's dead. I can't imagine him being a threat to you now."

"Oh, God," Agnetha turned into Björn, feeling her body completely hardened. "I'm sorry," she apologized to him. "I don't know why I'm crying," she said, taking him by surprise.

"It's okay, baby. It's over. He's gone," he whispered. "He got what was coming for him."

"He did," agreed Zola. "Anna is almost finished with the examination. Why don't you guys go and rest? There isn't anything to go through now. Everything is covered. Security will remain at your home for another six hours until everything is cleared. Weissman and I will come by at some point and tell you everything we know." They both nodded.