Far North - Michael Ridpath [90]
‘There’s something in that,’ said Magnus.
Sindri grunted. He obviously didn’t like policemen agreeing with him.
‘We want to ask you about the protests over the winter,’ Magnus said.
‘Oh, yes? It’s a bit late to round up the usual suspects, isn’t it? But there will be more of them, you know,’ Sindri said. ‘The people won’t put up with this Icesave agreement. Why should our grandchildren and great-grandchildren have to repay debts that were incurred by a bunch of crooks we had no knowledge of?’
‘Why indeed?’ said Magnus.
Sindri was off. ‘The government are just bending over backwards for the British and the Dutch. What is all this crap? “The Icelandic nation will always stand by its obligations.” Why the fuck should we? That’s what I want to know. We should tell the British to get their money off the bankers themselves and leave the rest of us out of it.’
Sindri nodded, encouraging himself. ‘I knew this would happen. We have a socialist government now, but what’s the point? They are just like the last lot, but weaker. They haven’t actually done anything. It’s nearly a year since the banks went bust and they still haven’t brought a banker to justice. Not one single one. Yet you guys raided the squat around the corner and threw ordinary people out on to the streets.’
Magnus had heard of the raid, although it took place just before he arrived in Iceland. Drug-dealers, he had heard, and some of them dangerous at that. But he didn’t defend his colleagues.
‘I get it,’ said Sindri. ‘You’re trying to take me out before the new protests start.’
‘Actually, no,’ said Magnus. ‘We want to ask you about one protest in particular. Tuesday the twentieth of January. The day Parliament came back from its recess.’
‘Oh, I remember that one. Or at least the beginning of it. I missed some of the fun later on that night. Left too early. I went out the next day, the Wednesday, though.’
‘Do you know Harpa Einarsdóttir and Björn Helgason?’ Vigdís asked.
‘No.’
‘You were seen with both of them at the demonstration that day. They stuck with you most of the afternoon.’
‘Have you been looking at your surveillance videos?’ Sindri asked. ‘I’ve often wondered what you did with them.’
‘You are seen with Harpa and Björn.’
‘And lots of other people,’ Sindri said. ‘I like to talk to people at these things. You’ve seen the video footage. You know.’
‘So you don’t remember these two?’ Magnus asked.
Sindri paused. ‘Wait a minute. I think I remember Harpa. Dark curly hair? Cute?’
‘That’s right. Have you seen her since then?’
‘No, unfortunately. And I’ve got no idea who this Björn guy is. I went to all the protests. They all merge into one after a while.’
‘Did you go anywhere with them afterwards?’ Magnus asked.
‘No. I was a bit pissed. I came back here, had a bit more to drink. Went to sleep. As I said, it was a shame. Things got a bit more exciting later on, apparently.’
‘Did you come back here alone?’
‘Quite alone.’
‘Harpa and Björn didn’t come with you?’
‘No.’
‘They were seen following you. Where did they leave you?’
‘I really can’t remember,’ said Sindri. He smiled.
A dead end. Sindri knew it. And Magnus knew it.
‘Have you been abroad recently?’ Magnus asked.
‘No,’ said Sindri. ‘Can’t afford it. No one can afford it these days. I went to Germany at the end of last year to publicize my book, but nothing since then.’
‘And where were you on last Tuesday evening?’
‘Um. Let me think.’ Sindri made a show of struggling to remember. But Magnus had the impression that he had an answer already prepared and he was just delaying for effect. That was interesting.
‘I was in a bookshop. Eymundsson’s. A friend of mine was launching his book there. They’ll remember. Why? What am I supposed to have done?’
‘What about yesterday?’
‘Did nothing. Went to the Grand Rokk at lunchtime. Spent most of the day there.’
‘The Grand Rokk?’ said Vigdís. ‘You mean the