Lifetime (49 page)
Authors: Liza Marklund
The automatic doors ushered him out into the late summer evening, golden and cool. His car welcomed him with its electronic chirp: The doors are unlocked, please get in, remember to fasten your seat belt or I’ll be reminding you.
Giants endure
, Schyman thought to himself.
They are the victors of power struggles and they write history.
The inventors, changing the agenda for future generations. The perpetually hated dictators and oppressors. The good leaders creating prosperity and legends. The women, the fairest of them all, loved by heroes and celebrated by dead poets.
He drove slowly through the city: asphalt, drunken revelry and neon lights.
I’m a survivor
, he thought.
Immortal, at least for one night.
No southbound traffic. The freeway transported him to Nacka and then on to Saltsjöbaden.
At last Schyman reached the sea, shimmering and eternal.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This is a work of fiction. Every last character originated in the mind of the author. Any similarities to real-life figures are sheer coincidence. The newspaper
Kvällspressen
does not exist, which also goes for Zero Television and the network I chose to call TV Plus. They were inspired by a number of existing organizations, but the manner in which they appear in this book is solely a product of the author’s imagination.
On a number of occasions I have exercised my right as an author to tailor the details of existing locations, floor plans and routes to suit my purposes.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been kind enough to help me and answer my questions.
They are: Anders Carsfeldt, a mobile broadcasting engineer, cameraman, OB technician and general Rock of Gibraltar at the TV4 network, who explained the technical details of outside broadcasting and television technology and let me study the set-ups.
Team Jelbe Production allowed us to study their buses.
The entire staff at Yxtaholm Castle in Södermanland, with a special nod to Patrik Arneke, the restaurateur, for the fantastic service and his patience when providing information.
Bengt Wingqvist, the head of the Stockholm County Police Department’s forensics unit, for his extensive knowledge of crime-scene investigation.
Tor Petrell, detective inspector of the Stockholm police force, for details about police interview procedures and work methods.
Gunilla Bauer, registered nurse and business proprietor on the island of Gällnö, for information about the island and its history.
Henrik Olsson, a solicitor belonging to the firm of Advokatfirman Peter Althin, for help with legal issues and matters pertaining to the freedom of the press.
Per Hultengård, a lawyer employed by the Swedish Association for Press Publications, for explaining and discussing various scenarios with regard to executive liability.
Sakari Pitkänen, editor-in-chief and executive editor of
Metro
, for discussions pertaining to the moral rights and obligations of an editor-in-chief.
Mikael Aspeborg, CEO of OTW Television and my husband, for help with practical details about TV productions.
Peter Svensson, senior press officer for Sweden’s military authorities, for information on weapons used by the Swedish Army.
David Lagercrantz, an author and a colleague, for discussions about the stock market.
Nils Liliedahl, the head of information administration at the Stockholm Stock Exchange, for assistance with scenarios dealing with insider trading and its exposure.
Peter Sving, head of operations at the Securities Register Centre in Stockholm, for information about their procedures and services.
Anna Borné, Mattias Boström, Cherie Fusser, Madeleine Lawass and Anna Carin Sigling at my Swedish publishing company, Piratförlaget, for their supportive and enriching teamwork.
Lotta Byqvist, my associate and press agent: I’d be dead by morning if it wasn’t for you.
Karin Kihlberg, who still makes everything work.
Bengt Nordin, my fantastic agent, who sent Annika out to see the world.
Sigge Sigfridsson, a publisher and a journalist, who made it all possible.
Lotta Snickare, the head of leadership development at Föreningssparbanken, for consultations and inspiration.
Jonas Gummesson, CEO of TV4, who answers any strange questions at any hour.
Jenny Nordin, my creative web editor, who keeps lizamarklund.net up to date.
Astrid Sivander and Arne Öström for proof-reading and make-up.
Karolina Olsson, Fredrik Hjerling and Mi Johansson for their work on the photography, design and layout of the book’s cover and my make-up.
Johanne Hildebrandt, a journalist, writer and a dear friend, for discussions, criticism and support.
Anne-Marie Skarp, my publisher
extraordinaire
, for her boundless knowledge and linguistic instincts.
And last of all, but foremost, as usual: the dramatist Tove Alsterdal, for reading, criticizing, analysing and encouraging – she accompanies me every step of the way. There would not be any books without you!
Thank you, one and all.
And finally, any factual errors in this book are mine exclusively.
Table of Contents
FRIDAY, 22 JUNE: MIDSUMMER EVE