But he shouldn’t make assumptions about Gústi’s life. He should keep an open mind.
There wasn’t much on Gústi’s computer. A few old video games. He had an Internet connection. There were a couple of soccer-related sites, and porn. Lots and lots of porn.
But still nothing that he would need a webcam for.
Magnus searched the directory and then found it. A video file, dated two weeks before. The file name was hvalreki.mpg. Hvalreki literally meant ‘beached whale’ in Icelandic, but it was an expression that was still used to mean an unexpected piece of luck. Historically, there was nothing better that could happen to an Icelander than to have a whale wash up on the beach outside his house.
Magnus opened the file and clicked play. The video lasted four minutes and twenty-three seconds. When it was finished, Magnus clicked play again.
6
Magnus was deep in thought as he walked back through the lamp-lit streets of Bolungarvík to the police station. A Land Rover Freelander drove gently through the gloom towards him and slowed.
The window slid down. ‘Hi, Magnús! I was looking for you.’
The Mayor of Bolungarvík looked radiant, with her blond curls falling on her warm, white jacket. She smiled broadly at him.
‘And now you’ve found me.’
‘I expect you’re busy, but do you want to come to dinner again tonight?’
Magnus was taken aback. ‘Are you sure that’s a good idea?’
‘Quite sure. In fact Davíd wanted me to ask you.’
‘Really.’
‘Yes, really. Jump in and I’ll explain.’
It was true that Magnus had a lot to do back at the station. But he shrugged and climbed in to the Land Rover beside Eyrún. ‘What happened?’
‘I was really angry last night,’ Eyrún said. ‘About what Davíd said to you. We had a major row. It went on for hours, it was really horrible. Then we went to bed. And then in the middle of the night, Davíd started talking. He said he was sorry. He said his jealousy was unreasonable. He said he just hadn’t come to terms with losing his job, with having nothing to do here and me having all the status of being Mayor.’
Eyrún smiled to herself. ‘I never realized he thought that. He said he knew he had been behaving badly, but he couldn’t help himself. It was, well, it was such a relief. Oh, I know he’s not cured yet, but it was a step forward. A huge step forward.’
‘And you are sure I won’t ruin it all?’ said Magnus.
‘I really don’t think so. He wants to see you again to apologize. To show himself and me that he can behave normally. At least that’s what he said, and I believe him.’
‘OK,’ said Magnus. ‘I’m game. But let me just call the station.’
Vigdís answered. ‘Where are you, Magnús?’ she said.
‘I’ll just be a couple of hours,’ Magnus said. ‘I’m having dinner with the Mayor.’
‘We need you back here,’ said Vigdís. ‘The press are asking questions about the hidden people.’
‘Don’t answer them,’ said Magnus. ‘Tell them we’ll give them a full press conference at eight a.m. tomorrow?’
‘Are you sure? Who knows what they’ll publish?’
‘That’s their problem,’ said Magnus. ‘See you later.’ He hung up.
‘The press?’ Eyrún asked.
‘Yes. They’ve got the hidden people angle. It was inevitable.’
‘One of them collared me earlier. The RÚV woman.’
‘What did you say?’
‘I said I had no idea about the investigation. But I had to tell them about the little ceremony on Sunday.’
‘Had they figured out we had Rós in custody?’
‘They knew you were questioning a woman, but they hadn’t worked out who. It won’t take them long, though. And then they’ll have a field day. Are you sure you don’t want to talk to them now?’
‘Let them make fools of themselves,’ said Magnus. ‘We’ll straighten them out tomorrow.’
They pulled up outside Eyrún’s house. Magnus noted that the lights were on in Arnór’s house over the street, and through a gap in the curtains he thought he caught sight of a family around a dining table.
Eyrún opened the door. There was a similar scampering of children and dogs as the evening before, and then Davíd appeared from the kitchen. He had shaved. His brow was still twisted in a question mark, but he smiled stiffly at Magnus and held out his hand. ‘Welcome,’ he said. ‘And thank you for coming. I’m sorry about my behaviour yesterday.’
Eyrún opened a bottle of wine, and she and Davíd both had glasses. Magnus excused himself, saying he still had work to do that evening. Eyrún’s cheeks glowed as she watched her husband take the fish stew out of the oven. Davíd did his best to talk, asking Magnus polite questions about the case and where he lived in Reykjavík. But he was struggling, and by the time the kids were called to dinner he had lapsed into silence.
Lára, the four-year-old girl, showed up with a panda and plonked it on the table beside her.
‘Take that down, darling,’ said Eyrún. ‘Put it on the floor.’
‘OK,’ said Lára, doing what she was told.
‘What’s his name?’ Magnus asked the girl.
‘He’s called Panda.’
‘Nice name,’ said Magnus. ‘Does he have any friends?’
‘Yes. There’s an elephant called Nellie, and an old teddy that used to belong to my Mum.’
‘I see,’ said Magnus. ‘And no polar bear?’
‘I used to have a polar bear, but I didn’t like him and then he ran away.’
‘Lára, the policeman doesn’t want to know about your toys,’ said Eyrún sharply.
Magnus glanced at her. Her cheeks were reddening.
‘That’s OK,’ said Magnus. ‘Maybe we can find him. When did he run away?’
‘I don’t know,’ said Lára. ‘But I don’t mind. Panda didn’t like him.’
Eyrún opened her mouth to scold her child, but then closed it. It was too late.
Magnus watched the Mayor closely. After a moment, he spoke. ‘Would you excuse me while I check in with the station?’
He got up from the table and went out into the hallway, where Eyrún and her husband could hear him, but not the person he was speaking to. He dialled Vigdís.
‘Hi, Magnús?’
‘Anything going on, Vigdís?’
‘The journalists are still pestering us.’
‘OK. I’ll be there in a moment. And I’ll bring the Mayor with me.’
‘Excellent. See you soon.’
Magnus returned to the kitchen. There was silence as the family stared at their food, waiting for Magnus to return before they started. Eyrún glanced at Magnus anxiously, her face bright red. Davíd stared at both of them, his expression a mixture of puzzlement, anger and fear.
He knew something was wrong, but he didn’t know what.
‘Eyrún, can you come with me to the police station? We really need to talk to the press and I’d like to have you with me.’
Eyrún hesitated. Glanced at her children and her husband.
Magnus waited.
Eventually she stood up and hugged each child. Then she kissed her husband on the lips. ‘See you later,’ she said.
‘What is it, Eyrún?’ he asked.
But she left her family and led Magnus out of the house.
‘I suppose I should give you a lift?’ she said, as soon as they were outside.
‘Please,’ said Magnus. ‘Or I could get a police car to come out.’
‘Don’t worry.’ She opened the door of the Land Rover.
Magnus waited until the car had driven to the end of the street. ‘Just stop here a moment, Eyrún.’