Майкл Ридпат - The Wanderer

Magnus raised his eyebrows. It was a good question, and one perhaps Einar could answer.

Einar was having none of it. ‘Tell me. Why?’

‘Take me through what you did the night Carlotta died. You left Glaumbaer at seven-thirty?’

‘That’s right,’ said Einar. ‘I had brought my own car and Eygló came with me, with the other two following in their rented Land Cruiser. We drove straight to the Hótel Tindastóll in Saudárkrókur and checked in.’

‘Then what did you do?’

‘Checked emails for half an hour or so, and went out to a restaurant in town with Eygló and Suzy. Suzy left a little early — she had a headache. I’d say Eygló and I got back to the hotel at maybe nine-forty, nine forty-five. Then at ten-twenty I left to go and meet Carlotta.’

‘Did anyone see you?’ said Einar.

‘I don’t know. Maybe the woman at reception, if she was there. The police station is right opposite the church, but I expect that was shut at that time of night.’

‘And then what did you do when Carlotta didn’t show?’

‘Went back to the hotel. And I think I said goodnight to the woman at reception, but I can’t be sure. I got up early the next morning and met the others in the dining room for a quick breakfast before heading off to Glaumbaer.’

‘What colour is your car?’ Vigdís asked.

‘It’s black. A black Toyota RAV4.’

Not the car the local girl had seen the strange man getting into the night Carlotta was killed.

The others were waiting at their hotel just around the corner from the police station. Einar was stuck in a cell for the time being; Magnus had a few hours before he had to decide whether to formally arrest him.

Eygló was first. Her blue eyes were wide with curiosity.

‘Let me ask you again what I asked you in Saudárkrókur,’ Magnus began. ‘Did you know Carlotta Mondini?’

‘No,’ said Eygló. ‘I had never seen her before.’ Those big eyes were all innocence. Magnus felt himself being convinced.

‘When I asked you that question in Saudárkrókur, I got the idea that you were hiding something from me.’

Eygló shrugged. Less innocent.

‘You see, we now know that Einar knew Carlotta. He knew her very well. She had been a student of his on the dig in Greenland. They had had an affair.’

Eygló’s wide eyes widened further. Then she shook her head. ‘Oh, Einar.’

‘You look surprised?’

‘Do I? I don’t know why. Einar has an active interest in women. Always has had.’ She reddened slightly. ‘Me included, a long time ago. He says he’s over all that now, but then this woman shows up.’

‘Do you think he’s over it?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Eygló. ‘It doesn’t look like it. Were they still having an affair when she died?’

‘He says not.’

Magnus knew she was hiding something. But what?

‘Have you ever been to Greenland, Eygló?’ Vigdís asked.

Eygló sat motionless.

‘Well?’

Eygló blinked.

‘Yes. Once.’

‘When?’

A pause. ‘Several years ago.’

‘In 2011?’

Another pause. Then Eygló nodded.

‘You went on that dig led by Einar, didn’t you?’

Eygló nodded.

‘Do you still say you didn’t know Carlotta?’ Magnus asked.

Eygló glanced at both of them. Then she exhaled.

‘All right. I did know Carlotta, but not very well and I hadn’t seen her for years. When I found the body, I didn’t recognize her at first because she has changed her hairstyle: it used to be long and dark, and now it’s short with blonde streaks. I was on that dig in Greenland with her and Einar, but I left a few days before they discovered the wampum. My son had come down with chickenpox back in Iceland.’ Eygló winced. ‘But then I recognized her name when the police were interviewing me.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me that when I asked you in Saudárkrókur?’

‘I don’t know,’ said Eygló. ‘I didn’t want to get Einar into trouble.’

‘That’s not good enough!’ said Magnus. ‘This is a murder investigation. We need to get someone into trouble. A lot of trouble.’

‘I didn’t mean that kind of trouble. I mean with his wife. Rósa. She can be very jealous.’

‘How do you know Rósa can be very jealous?’ Vigdís asked. Magnus could tell she had spotted something. She was clearly better at reading Eygló than he was.

Eygló’s cheeks reddened. ‘When I was a student at the university, I slept with Einar. And then again when we were both at York University in England. Einar had got me the job there. Einar thought Rósa didn’t care, but she did. She told me.’

‘Told you what?’ said Vigdís.

‘To stay away from him.’ Eygló shook her head. ‘And boy, she meant it. She was pissed off; I mean really pissed off.’

‘Sounds fair enough,’ said Vigdís.

‘Yes. It was. I’m not proud of what I did. I guess I believed Einar when he said his wife knew and didn’t care.’

‘Did you tell him she had warned you?’

‘She asked me not to. By that stage I was so ashamed I just did what she asked.’

‘And do you have a sexual relationship with Einar now?’ Vigdís asked.

‘No way. Not since then. Our relationship is purely professional. We have helped each other over the years. He introduced me to Suzy when she was doing a documentary about York. And I suggested him as an expert for The Wanderer documentary series — I knew the wampum find would fit in nicely. He plays it cool, but he loves being on TV.’

Magnus examined Eygló. She looked uncomfortable, as she should; she had been caught lying to the police. Magnus couldn’t be sure whether she was telling the truth now. People were always lying to Magnus, but oddly, in Eygló’s case, he felt disappointed.

He checked Einar’s account of his whereabouts with Eygló. She confirmed that they had driven back to Saudárkrókur together, and that they had both had dinner with Suzy in a restaurant. She also stated she had seen him leaving the hotel later in the evening, and walking along Adalgata towards the church.

So Eygló and Einar’s stories matched. No surprise there.

Once Eygló had been escorted from the interview room, Magnus turned to Vigdís. ‘That was a great question about Greenland.’

‘You seemed to think Eygló was lying about Carlotta. I was just trying to work out how she might have met her.’

‘She did lie to us,’ said Magnus. ‘That’s never a good sign.’

‘She was covering for Einar. The question is why?’

‘Maybe she really did want to protect Einar from his wife finding out about Carlotta?’

‘Maybe. Maybe there’s another reason.’

‘You mean she thinks Einar killed Carlotta?’ said Magnus.

‘Or she knows he did.’

‘And Einar conveniently omitted to tell us that Eygló had been with him and Carlotta in Greenland.’

‘There is quite a lot Einar has omitted to tell us.’

‘Let’s see what the others have to say,’ said Magnus. ‘I can just about see why Eygló might cover for Einar, but not the others. But first give Árni a call and get him to ask the hotel staff if they saw Einar late that night.’

Vigdís was just finishing her call with Árni when Páll interrupted them. ‘Professor Beccari wants to talk to you.’

‘Tell him to wait,’ said Magnus. ‘It’s Suzy Henshaw next. We need her to confirm Einar’s movements.’

‘The professor is quite agitated,’ said Páll. ‘He has only just found out the name of the victim. He says he knew her.’

Magnus glanced at Vigdís. ‘Another one.’

Constable Páll was correct: Professor Beccari was indeed agitated. His smooth forehead was glistening, and he started talking as soon as he was shown into the interview room, his hands moving as fast as his lips, his jaunty pink scarf waggling in time with his gestures.