Far North - Michael Ridpath [41]
Árni shrugged.
‘And let’s say he suddenly decides at midnight to kill himself. There are many quicker and easier ways of doing it.’
‘Perhaps he went for a walk,’ Árni said. ‘Got more and more miserable the further he went. Found himself near the sea. Decided to end it there and then.’
‘Possible,’ said Vigdís.
‘But unlikely,’ said Magnus.
‘The witnesses’ stories stack up,’ said Árni. ‘Ísak Samúelsson, the kid who had the fight with Harpa. And Björn Helgason, the fisherman.’
‘Who has a criminal record.’
‘Two assaults when he was nineteen and twenty,’ Vigdís said. ‘On a night out in Reykjavík both times. There is nothing unusual about a fisherman getting drunk and into a fight.’
‘What about this motorcycle gang he’s a member of. The Snails?’ Magnus smiled. ‘Is that the Icelandic for Hell’s Angels?’
Vigdís shook her head. ‘Some of them would like to be, but they are much tamer than that. A lot of them are fishermen, but they have all kinds of people as members, even some lawyers and bankers. They just get dressed up in leathers and ride around the country together.’
‘And his brother? Who he was supposed to be staying with?’
‘He’s credible,’ Árni said. ‘His name is Gulli: he runs a small decorator’s business. He was out all night. Came home in the morning, saw Harpa as she was going out. He said Björn stays with him regularly when he comes down to Reykjavík for the weekend, but they often go out separately. ’
‘That leaves us with Harpa,’ Magnus said. ‘The weak link.’
Baldur stuck his head into the conference room. ‘What time does the British policewoman arrive?’
‘Her flight gets in at one-thirty,’ Magnus said. ‘I’m going to meet her at the airport.’
‘I’d like to see her when she gets here,’ said Baldur. ‘And so would Thorkell.’
‘I’ll bring her in.’
‘Good.’ Baldur picked up a report on the conference table and examined it. ‘What’s this?’ he said. ‘The Gabríel Örn investigation from January?’
‘That’s right,’ said Magnus.
‘What has this to do with Óskar Gunnarsson?’
‘They were both senior executives at the same bank.’
‘And you think Óskar’s murder had something to do with Gabríel Örn’s suicide? How can that be?’
Magnus took a deep breath. ‘We don’t think Gabríel Örn killed himself.’
Baldur frowned. ‘That’s absurd.’
‘Is it?’
‘Of course it is. There was an investigation. We examined all the evidence. Case closed.’
‘Do you think it was suicide?’
Baldur pursed his lips. ‘I said, case closed.’
Magnus examined Baldur closely. There was anger in his eyes. Despite their disagreements, Magnus didn’t underestimate Baldur. He was a smart enough cop to know that suicide didn’t stack up. So why did he want to sit on the case? Magnus needed to find out.
‘I think we should reopen it,’ Magnus said. ‘It smells. Harpa Einarsdóttir, Gabríel Örn’s former girlfriend who was supposed to meet him that weekend, was lying.’
‘Have you proof of that?’ Baldur said.
‘Not yet.’
‘Or any hard connection to Óskar, beyond them all working in the same bank?’
‘No.’
‘Then drop it.’
‘Why?’ Magnus said.
‘Because I tell you to.’ Baldur stared at him. Vigdís and Árni sat motionless.
‘I need to have a better reason than that to drop a case that is crying out to be reopened,’ Magnus said carefully. ‘Especially if it involves murder.’
‘Are you suggesting something?’ Baldur asked in little more than a whisper.
Magnus folded his arms. ‘I guess I am. This looks like a cover-up to me. Where I come from, cover-ups happen from time to time. I guess I just didn’t expect to see them in Iceland.’
‘You don’t understand the first thing about this country, do you?’ said Baldur, his voice oozing contempt.
‘I think I do,’ said Magnus, but he couldn’t hide his uncertainty.
‘Have you any idea what it was like here last January?’
‘I guess it was pretty hairy.’
‘Pretty hairy?’ Baldur almost shouted. ‘You don’t have a clue.’ He shook his head and sat down opposite Magnus, leaning forward towards him. The muscles in his long face were tight, anger seeping out