Page 230 of The Sleepwalker

‘Yeah, and who the fuck’s gonna pay for it when you wreck my boat? D’you know how much something like this costs?’ the man with the beard asks, pointing at Joona.

‘It’s urgent.’

‘D’you think I’m stupid or something?’ The man snorts. ‘I’m not giving you my fucking RIB. Sorry. Ask someone else.’

Joona pushes the man with the ponytail to one side and releases the brake on the winch. There is a loud whizzing soundas the wire unwinds, and the heavy boat crashes back into the water.

‘Hey, what the fuck?!’

‘Is the key in the ignition?’ asks Joona.

‘You are not setting foot in my boat,’ the man with the beard snarls, bending down to pick up a spade.

He knocks the snow and ice from the blade on a rock, then adjusts his grip on the shaft.

Joona moves to one side, preventing either of the men from coming up behind him. The boat is floating parallel to the shore, the waves pushing it inwards and the cable straining in the winch.

The bearded man takes a slow step forward, gripping the spade like a baseball bat in both hands. Tiny ice crystals shimmer in his beard, and his eyes are wide. Snow has collected in the folds of his orange overalls.

The man with the ponytail moves round to one side, past the wreckage of an old rowing boat.

‘Careful, boys,’ Joona warns them.

‘People get hurt during storms,’ the man with the beard says as he takes aim. ‘They disappear.’

‘Ronny, just stop,’ the other one tells him.

‘Fucking pigs.’

Joona steps back and holds up a hand. A ripped tarpaulin flies through the air.

‘Let’s just stay calm. I promise you’ll get your boat back, but—’

‘I’ll cave your fucking head in,’ Ronny snarls.

‘If you don’t drop that spade, I’m going to break your nose and your shoulder before taking your boat anyway,’ says Joona.

Ronny swings the spade at him with a surprising amount of force. Joona ducks back, and the blade passes close to his face. The man loses his footing for a moment, but quickly regains hisbalance and raises the spade again.

His friend slips in the snow as he tries to get out of the way.

Ronny comes towards Joona again, jabbing the spade in his direction. He takes a quick step, feints a low blow, then swings it towards his head again.

Joona blocks Ronny’s arm, twists to one side and jerks his elbow upwards into his nose.

The man’s head snaps back, and he drops like a stone.

Joona wraps his arm around Ronny’s upper arm, pulls upwards and feels a crack as the bone breaks. The spade swings around, and the edge of the blade grazes Joona’s throat, leaving a deep gash.

Ronny lands heavily on his back in the snow.

Joona presses a hand to his neck, conscious that he is bleeding heavily.

The other man has pulled out a hunting knife, and Joona turns to him, taking a step closer.

Ronny gets up on one knee, his arm hanging limply by his side. He roars in pain, spraying blood and saliva into his beard.

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