A Nearly Normal Family

Adam reflects on Stella’s change from a patient, focused child to a teenager who struggles with impulse control and attention. He remembers Stella’s decision to stop attending church and her growing skepticism toward religion. Adam hoped that the confirmation camp might bring Stella back to the church and to him. Her decision to attend this camp surprised Adam but struck him as a potential turning point in her relationship with her family and her own journey of self-discovery.

In the courtroom, Adam’s faith in Stella’s innocence is challenged. The prosecutor presents a footprint found at the crime scene and traces of capsaicin (pepper spray) on the victim’s body. The prosecutor reveals that Stella’s hair, skin flakes, and clothing fibers were found in Christopher Olsen’s apartment; moreover, chat conversations between Stella and Christopher suggest a possible intimate relationship. The legal system’s reliance on such circumstantial evidence frustrates Adam. The judge declares Stella’s detention under probable cause for homicide, deepening Adam’s sense of helplessness and frustration, which he vents about in Blomberg’s office.

The narrative flashes back to Adam deciding he will unexpectedly visit the confirmation camp, telling himself he is doing so because of his personal initiative in organizing the camp. At the camp, he inadvertently discovers 15-year-old Stella and the camp director, Robin, scrambling to put their clothes back on.

In the present, Adam is tormented by the thought of his daughter in jail and finds himself at odds with Ulrika, who suggests focusing on work to distract himself. As Adam heads to the church, he overhears his colleagues discussing Stella. His colleague, Monika, suggests that he is not well enough yet to be working and sends him home. Adam actively struggles over Stella’s sexual assault. He questions his decision not to report Robin, worrying about the message it sent to Stella and struggling with feelings of guilt and inadequacy as a parent. Adam does not return home but instead impulsively visits the address of Christropher Olsen’s ex-girlfriend, Linda Lokind, who reported Christopher for sexual assault and abuse.

Privately, Adam partially blames Ulrika for their decision not to report Robin to the police. Ulrika once successfully defended men accused of gang sexual assault, and Adam finds her actions morally reprehensible. Confronted with Stella’s assault, Ulrika explained the invasive and often brutal nature of sexual assault proceedings: Victims’ actions and characters are dissected, leading to secondary victimization. Ultimately, she and Adam chose not to file charges in an effort to shield Stella from this.

Adam finds Linda Lokind’s address and lies to gain entry into her apartment and persuade Linda to talk to him. Discussing her relationship with Christopher, Linda describes him as a psychopath and says that she hopes Stella “gets off.” Linda’s candid comments about Christopher and her indifference to his death raise new questions for Adam about the case. Adam notices a pair of shoes in Linda’s apartment identical to the ones found at the crime scene.

Adam grapples with the idea that Linda Lokind, who has the same shoes as Stella and a troubled past with Christopher Olsen, might be connected to the crime. His suspicion grows as he considers her possible motives and Christopher’s abuse of her. Adam’s frustration with the investigation’s lack of progress and Stella’s continued detention prompts him to approach the police with his theory about Linda. During a tense meeting with Chief Inspector Agnes Thelin, Adam questions the investigation’s focus and suggests potential corruption, highlighting Linda’s past allegations against Christopher and the dismissal of her accusations. Adam also learns that Stella’s case has become public.

Adam wrestles with doubts about Linda Lokind’s credibility, pondering if she might have falsely accused Christopher Olsen and could be involved in his death. Chief Inspector Agnes Thelin’s revelations about the challenges in prosecuting domestic abuse cases and her reservations about Linda’s accusations against Christopher only deepen Adam’s suspicions. Their conversation shifts to Stella, with Thelin questioning Adam about the last time he saw Stella’s phone and her attire on the night of the incident, probing for inconsistencies in his story. Adam struggles to recall details, feeling increasingly cornered and defensive. The tension escalates when Thelin reveals incriminating messages from Stella to Christopher, shaking Adam’s belief in his daughter’s innocence. Adam grapples with the dilemma of protecting Stella versus confronting the truth. After leaving the police, Adam attempts to contact Amina, only to discover that her phone number is no longer in service.

Adam’s frantic search for answers leads him to confront Amina after her handball practice. He urgently questions her about Stella and Christopher Olsen, trying to understand their relationship. Amina, clearly distressed, denies that Stella and Christopher were in a romantic relationship, claiming they only met occasionally. Adam, overwhelmed by the situation, unintentionally upsets Amina, leading to an emotional exchange.

Adam reflects on his relationship with Amina and recalls an incident from four years ago involving a local man, Roger Arvidsen. Roger, a timid man often ridiculed by others, had been extorted by a young girl. He told Adam that the girl visited him twice, once taking a compromising photo and demanding money to keep it secret. Adam, assuming it was Stella, confronted her and learned she did participate in the scheme; however, she promised to rectify the situation. Adam decided not to share this incident with Ulrika out of shame. However, it later emerged that it was not Stella but Amina who was the primary instigator of the extortion.

Amina reluctantly admits to Adam that she and Stella met Christopher a few months ago at Tegnérs. She recounts their last encounter before Stella’s arrest, emphasizing its brevity and lack of significance. Amina’s hesitance and vague responses raise Adam’s suspicions, as he struggles to reconcile her account with Stella’s known propensity for lying.

Adam confronts Ulrika about Stella’s situation. Ulrika, distressed, suggests moving from Lund to Stockholm for a fresh start. Ulrika reveals that she was awake when Stella came home on the night of the crime—that is, she knows Adam lied about Stella’s alibi. She also admits to disposing of Stella’s phone.

Adam and Ulrika meet with Blomberg, who shares possible leads in the case against Stella. Blomberg reveals Christopher Olsen’s shady business dealings and hints at potential suspects among Christopher’s disgruntled workers. Adam, desperate to see Stella, expresses frustration over the legal obstacles. When Blomberg suggests focusing on Linda Lokind, Christopher’s ex-partner with a history of mental illness, as a potential suspect, Adam impulsively reveals that he knows Linda owns shoes matching those found at the crime scene. Ulrika and Blomberg are shocked by Adam’s reckless actions.

Adam struggles with feelings of helplessness as he confronts public speculation about Stella’s involvement in Christopher Olsen’s murder. Consumed by the need to prove Stella’s innocence, he obsessively searches online, finding slanderous remarks about himself and his daughter. Meanwhile, Ulrika reveals that the medical examiner’s report indicates a time of death for Christopher that could implicate Stella. The revelation intensifies Adam’s anxiety, leading to a heated discussion with Ulrika about their future plans and Stella’s case.

Adam’s emotional state reaches a boiling point as he wanders through Lund. Ulrika calls to apologize for their argument and suggests meeting for dinner to mend their relationship. Adam agrees but then unexpectedly encounters Jenny Jansdotter, the prosecutor in Stella’s case. Adam confronts her, asking why Stella is being targeted and why he and Ulrika can’t see her. Jansdotter dismisses Adam and accuses him of unlawful influence. This confrontation, witnessed by bystanders, exacerbates Adam’s distress.

Adam, desperate for answers, confronts Amina in her room without permission, leading to a physical altercation with Dino. His actions, driven by frustration and lack of trust in the justice system, further strain his relationships, especially with Ulrika.

Ulrika suggests that Adam needs someone to talk to. Adam reflects on his actions to save his family, feeling he has gone against his moral principles. Ulrika takes a trip to Stockholm for work, and the family begins the process of relocating. Adam’s obsession with proving Stella’s innocence and his suspicion of Linda Lokind grow.

Reeling from the stress of Stella’s legal troubles, Adam and Ulrika, who has returned from Stockholm, seek a brief respite in a café. Here, they review the interrogation report of Linda Lokind, whose inconsistent statements and history of mental illness raise doubts about her accusations against Christopher Olsen.

Adam confronts Linda Lokind again. He questions her about her accusations against Christopher Olsen and her claims of confusing reality with fantasy. Linda’s responses are evasive, deepening Adam’s suspicion that she’s hiding something significant. The police arrive unexpectedly, leading to Adam’s forceful apprehension.

Adam faces interrogation by Agnes Thelin, who informs him that his actions have led to police involvement and his phone being seized for analysis. She dismisses Adam’s attempts to defend his actions and urge further investigation into Linda Lokind. The situation escalates when Thelin reveals new evidence implicating Stella in the crime, based on forensic analysis of her shoes. The chapter ends with a twist, with Stella seemingly admitting her presence at the crime scene, drastically altering Adam’s perception and the case’s trajectory.