several large buildings for processing the fish, a market, storage sheds and numerous empty pallets guarded by fork-lift trucks.
And the whole thing was watched over by the tower of rock that was Kirkjufell. In Iceland it was difficult to believe that such features were just random movements of geology. Icelandic mountains had personality and purpose. This church of rock completely overshadowed the white building with the little cross on a hill above the town. It was as if it provided the town’s inhabitants with not just physical shelter but spiritual strength as well.
Pall led Magnus towards a fishing boat tied up against the quay,
Two men in thick sweaters poked their heads out of the cabin. One was an overweight balding forty-five, the other was lean and in his early thirties.
Bjorn, no doubt.
Pall greeted the older man and asked if they could have a word with Bjorn. Bjorn stepped off the boat and joined them on the quay. ‘A new navigation system,’ Bjorn said. ‘I was just helping Siggi install it, but it keeps crashing. I swear these days you need to know as much about computers as about engines to keep a boat running.’
They sat on a wall, a short distance from the boat, the captain peering at them curiously from the cabin window. A couple of seagulls landed on the quay a few feet away, hoping for scraps.
‘So what’s this about?’
‘We want to ask you some questions about Gabriel Orn Bergsson and Harpa Einarsdottir.’
‘Harpa told me you had been talking to her,’ Bjorn said.
‘Oh, have you seen her recently?’
‘Yes. I went down to Reykjavik a couple of days ago. You left her quite upset.’
‘It’s unavoidable in these circumstances,’ Magnus said. ‘Are you and she together?’
‘You could say that. I go down to see her whenever I can. She comes up here sometimes. I like her. I like her a lot.’
‘Harpa didn’t mention that you and she still had a relationship.’
Bjorn shrugged. ‘It’s not a secret. As I said, she was upset. You probably didn’t ask her.’
‘No, we didn’t,’ Magnus admitted. But he still had the impression Harpa had been trying to hide it. ‘Had you two met before the night Gabriel Orn died?’
‘No. We first met at the demo that afternoon. I had come down from Grundarfjordur for it specially. I had been to one of the Saturday protests before Christmas and, well, I thought it was important to be there. I wanted to be heard. I wanted the government to resign.’
‘Tell me about that evening.’
Bjorn’s story tallied pretty closely with Harpa’s. He was vague on the details, arguing quite reasonably that the whole thing had happened nine months before. Magnus took him backwards and forwards over the same ground and tried to trip him up.
Nothing.
So Magnus changed the subject. ‘Has Harpa told you about Oskar Gunnarsson?’
‘Yes,’ Bjorn said. ‘She said you thought she was linked in some way to his murder.’
‘We were just asking questions.’
‘You should be careful how you ask them,’ Bjorn said. ‘Harpa has never got over Gabriel Orn’s suicide. From what she tells me about him the man was a jerk, but I think in some ways that makes it worse for her. She feels guilty about going out with him, about breaking it off. She’s a mess. Your questions don’t help.’
‘Do you think she had anything else to feel guilty about?’
‘No,’ said Bjorn calmly.
‘Had you ever met Oskar?’
‘No,’ said Bjorn.
‘Has Harpa told you anything about her relations with him?’
‘No. I didn’t think there were any.’
Magnus took out a photograph of Oskar. ‘Do you know who this is?’
‘That’s him, isn’t it? I’ve seen his picture in the paper.’
‘That’s right. Now, does he remind you of anyone?’
Bjorn studied the picture. ‘Looks a bit like Hugh Grant perhaps. Darker hair.’
‘No. Someone you know.’
Bjorn shook his head.
‘Markus.’
Bjorn looked at Magnus in surprise. ‘What? Harpa’s Markus?’ He studied the picture more closely. ‘That’s ridiculous.’
‘No, it’s not. Didn’t you know?’
‘What do you mean, didn’t I know? Know what? What are you suggesting?’
‘I’m suggesting that Oskar was Markus’s father.’
‘That
‘Harpa confirmed it.’
‘When?’
‘Yesterday.’
Bjorn studied the photograph more carefully.
‘She didn’t tell you then?’ Magnus said.
‘I still don’t believe you.’
‘Did she say who the father was?’
‘No. I asked her once, she didn’t want to answer, and so I never asked her again. It was none of my business.’ He handed the photograph back to Magnus. ‘It’s still none of my business.’
Magnus had to admire Bjorn’s composure. A couple of fishermen strolled past, nodded at Bjorn and Pall, and stared at Magnus, the stranger from out of town, with undisguised curiosity.
‘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?’
Bjorn 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 Oskar?’
‘No,’ said Bjorn.
‘Are you jealous?’ Magnus asked.
‘Of course I’m not jealous!’ Bjorn 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 Oskar was Markus’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?’
Bjorn 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.’
‘Bjorn. Where were you on Tuesday night?’
‘Let me guess. Was that when Oskar 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
