Last Rituals

Ignoring his mocking laugh, Thora called back: 'Want to swap?'

Matthew shook his head and wound up the window. Then he drove away, still chuckling to himself as far as she could tell.

The previous evening, Thora had arranged for her daughter to go to a friend's house after school. She dropped by there to pick Soley up and thanked the friend's mother, a young and rather sassy woman, who told her it was nothingactually it was easier to have the two of them because they could keep each other occupied. Thora thanked her again and told her that she would hopefully be able to repay the favor sometime soon. Sometime when the sun started rising in the west.

There was a crowd at the front door to her houseGylfi's friends had been round and were just leaving. The floor was cluttered with a heap of coats, sneakers, and beat-up rucksacks that served as bookbags. The owners, three gangling boys whom Thora knew well and one girl who was less familiar, were getting ready to leave and trying to identify pairs of shoes.

'Hi,' said Thora cheerily as she squeezed past the group. Her son watched from the hallway door. He seemed just as morose as he had that morning. 'Were you doing your homework?' Thora asked, well aware that this was inconceivable. At that age youngsters did not study togetheranyone suggesting such a thing would be ostracized on the spot. But as a parent it was her duty to make such stupid remarks.

'Er, no,' answered Patti, Gylfi's best friend for years. He was a good lad and his new thing was being able to say how many months, days, and hours he had left until he could get his driver's license. A few times Thora had checked the figures, and generally he wasn't far off.

Thora smiled at the girl, who looked away shyly. She simply could not remember her name, although she had been turning up at their house more and more recently. Gylfi had matured a lotmaybe her son was in love with the girl, or perhaps they were even going out together? She looked sweet enough but hardly stood knee-high to Gylfi and his friends.

Soley, who had followed Thora in, had taken off her shoes and coat and arranged them neatly where they belonged. She looked at the teenagers, placed her hands on her hips, and asked them in a housekeeperly voice: 'Were you jumping on the bed? You're not allowed toit ruins the mattress.'

Her brother blushed with embarrassment and shrieked: 'What did I do to deserve such a family of retards? I hate you both!' He stormed out and slammed the door behind him. His friends were embarrassed as well and left hurriedly.

'Bye-bye,' Patti said as he closed the door behind them. Before the door shut completely he seemed to have second thoughts and stuck his head back in to announce: 'You're not half as retarded as my familyGylfi's just going through a moody phase.'

Thora smiled and thanked him. At least this was an effort at courtesyalthough the wording could have been more polished. 'Well,' she said to her daughter, 'shall we make some food?' With a conscientious nod the girl lugged one of the shopping bags into the kitchen.

After dinner togethermicrowave lasagna Thora had picked up at the store and pitas she had grabbed thinking they were garlic breadher daughter went off to her room to play while her son tidied up the dishes. He clearly regretted his rash remarks about the mental faculties of his mother and sister but could not bring himself to apologize. Thora feigned nonchalance and hoped she was taking the right approachmaybe in the end he would tell her what was troubling him. She thought she had made it clear to him that she was there if and when he needed her. After a cautious peck on the cheek to thank him for his help, she was rewarded with a dopey grin. Then he went to his room.

Thora decided to take advantage of the peace and quiet that had suddenly descended to examine the files she had copied from Harald's computer. She fetched her laptop and settled down on the sofa. First she looked at several shots of cooking and the tongue operation, which was dated September 17. Opening them one after the other, she zoomed in on parts that might be interesting, and this made the photographs slightly less revolting. The main theme was the mouth and the operation itself, but various details could be discerned beyond Harald's jaws. The operation had been performed in someone's housethat was certainbecause what was visible of the surroundings could not possibly be a doctor's or dentist's office. She could see a coffee table littered with half-full or empty glasses, beer cans, and other trashand a huge ashtray filled to the brim. It was also clearly not where Harald lived. This apartment looked much scruffier and cheaper than his pristine modern abode.

One photograph showed part of the body of the person performing or assisting with the operation. He or she was wearing a light brown T-shirt bearing a slogan which was made illegible by the folds in it. She managed to discern the number 100 and 'lico'

No incision had been made in the first two photographs but the third was taken after the knife had been appliedblood was pouring out of the side of Harald's mouth and an arm that was visible was spattered with bloodstains. The blood must have spurted everywhere when the tongue was cutif tongue wounds were like ordinary head injuries, it would have bled profusely. Thora squinted at the arm and zoomed in on what looked like a tattoo. This turned out to be correctthe word 'crap' was etched into the arm. No decoration or frillsjust 'crap.' There was nothing else to see in the tongue pictures.

The cookery photographs had caught Thora's attention because they were dated just before Harald was murderedat the time when Hugi said he had gone off by himself and broken contact with his friends. The file properties confirmed thisthey were taken on a Wednesday, three days before Harald was murdered. Thora studied the two shots, focusing on the hands making a salad and slicing bread. Anyone could tell that they belonged to two different people. One pair was covered with scarstattoo scars including a pentacle and a smiley with a downturned mouth and horns. This must have been Harald. The other pair was much more delicate, feminine hands with slim fingers and neatly trimmed short nails. Thora zoomed in on one finger that had a single ring apparently set with a diamond or some other transparent stone. The ring looked too ordinary to stick in anyone's mind, but she could try showing it to Hugi to find out whether he recognized it.

One thought in particular was preying on Thora's mind, something which had been plaguing her ever since she first went to Harald's apartment. It was the German magazine Bunte in the bathroom. She was absolutely certain that Harald would not read that kind of women's magazine. The Icelanders could be ruled out too. It must have been brought there by a Germanand a woman. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had been smiling on the cover about the expected addition to their family. If her memory served her well, the baby was born that autumn. Could Harald have had a visitor from Germanysomeone who stayed with him so that he did not have time to go out with his friends? Thora called Matthew, who answered on the third ring.

'Where are youis this a bad time?' she asked when she heard the noise in the background.

'No, no,' said Matthew, his mouth full. He swallowed. 'I've gone out for a meal. Had some meat. What's updo you want to come and have dessert with me?'

'Er, no thanks.' Thora could feel how much she really wanted to. It was nice to go out to dinner, dress up, and drink a toast in glasses that someone else would wash up. 'There's school tomorrow and I have to make sure the kids go to bed at a reasonable hour. No, I just called to find out if you have the number of Harald's cleaner. I suspect someone was with him just before the murderand possibly even stayed there. All the signs are that the guest was a German woman.'

'I have the number somewhere on my address list. Do you want me to phone? I've spoken to her before and she speaks good English. That might be easiestshe doesn't know you, but she'll definitely remember me because I paid her last bill.'

Thora agreed and he promised to call back. She used the time to tell her daughter to get ready for bed and was about to brush her teeth for her when Matthew phoned back. Thora lodged her mobile between her shoulder and cheek so that she could talk while she handled Soley's dental care.

'Listen, she says that the bed in the spare bedroom was used. And there were things in the bathrooma disposable razor, a woman's razorwhich suggests you're right.'

'Did she inform the police?'

'No, she didn't think it mattered because Harald wasn't murdered in his own place. She also said there had often been guests, sometimes more than just one or two at a time. Generally there was more partying when they were around than there was with this particular visitor.'

'Could he have had a German girlfriend?'

'Who flew all the way over here and then slept in the spare bed? I doubt it. I never heard any German girlfriend mentioned either.'