Far North - Michael Ridpath [76]
‘Did you know that Harpa travelled to London recently?’ Magnus asked.
‘Yes. A couple of months back. Just for a few days.’
‘Do you know why?’
‘She said she needed a break.’
‘How could she afford it?’
Björn shrugged. ‘I don’t know. She used to be a banker. She’s probably got savings. It’s true she’s usually careful with money, but she deserved a treat.’
‘Did she tell you she saw Óskar?’
‘No,’ said Björn.
‘Are you jealous?’ Magnus asked.
‘Of course I’m not jealous!’ Björn said. ‘Look. If there’s one person in this world I trust, it’s Harpa. Who she saw before she met me is none of my business. I had no idea that Óskar was Markús’s father, and frankly I still don’t believe you. But if he was, maybe Harpa went to see him, I don’t know. And if she did, I’m not surprised she kept it a secret from me.’
‘Does it make you angry that Harpa keeps secrets from you?’
Björn stared hard at Magnus. His blue eyes were remarkably bright. And angry. But Magnus got the impression it was with him, not with Harpa. ‘No.’
‘Björn. Where were you on Tuesday night?’
‘Let me guess. Was that when Óskar was killed?’
‘Just answer the question.’
‘I was out at sea that day. Got back about seven. A good catch, lots of mackerel. Helped unload and clean up. Came home.’
‘And Wednesday morning?’
‘Went out again, early in the morning. Same boat. The Kría. She’s out right now, but she’ll be back later this afternoon. One of the regular crew had flu. Gústi is the skipper. Páll knows him.’ He nodded to the constable. ‘He can check with the crew. And actually on Tuesday night I went to the fishing company’s office to pick up some pay they owed me. You can ask Sóley, she’ll tell you. In fact they probably have it written down.’
He stared at Magnus. ‘So I wasn’t in London shooting bankers.’
‘Did you get what you needed?’
Magnus and Páll were walking back along the quayside towards the police station.
‘He’s a cool customer,’ Magnus said. ‘It’s hard to say whether he’s telling the truth. If he wanted to lie, he could do it well, I’m sure.’
‘I’ll check out his alibi,’ said Páll. ‘But I bet it will stand up. Which means he can’t have shot that banker.’
‘You’re probably right,’ said Magnus. ‘But be thorough. In a small town like this, people could easily cover for their friends.’
‘Gústi is an honest man,’ said Páll. ‘In fact, I’d have to say that Björn has a very good reputation here.’
‘Tell me,’ Magnus said. ‘Do you know him well?’
‘Quite well. As you say, this is a small town. He had his own boat, the Lundi. Bought it off his uncle. He was very successful, bought up more quotas, worked long hours. But he did it all on borrowed money, and when the kreppa came he had to sell. Since then he’s been crewing on other people’s boats whenever he can.’
‘Have you seen Harpa around?’
‘I think so. Curly dark hair? About one eighty high?’
Magnus was only just getting used to thinking metric again. Heights still confused him, but that sounded about right. ‘That’s her.’
‘She’s been here a couple of times.’
‘Does Björn ever get into trouble?’
‘No. Not here at any rate. I think he used to go down to Reykjavík to party every now and then. He stays with his brother Gulli down there.’
They walked on.
‘Magnús?’
‘Yes?’
‘I can’t imagine Björn murdering anyone.’
Magnus paused and looked at the constable. He had a bit of a belly and an imposing moustache, but he had kind eyes. And they were troubled.
‘Is Björn a friend of yours?’ Magnus asked.
‘No. Not exactly. But…’
‘But what?’
‘Did you have to tell him about his girlfriend’s son? I mean that the father was a banker? What does that really have to do with the police? Isn’t that a secret she has a right to keep from her boyfriend if she wants to?’
Magnus felt a flash of irritation. In a town like this, with a population of a thousand people, two thousand max, the loyalty of the local cop was more likely to be with his buddies than with a detective parachuted in from the big city.
But then Magnus needed Páll.
‘Murder is always painful. To the victims, to their friends and family, obviously, to all kinds