Майкл Ридпат - The Wanderer

‘We’ll see.’ Magnus noted that Beccari had already made the link himself. ‘But this is Inspector Paulsen’s investigation.’

‘What have you got to tell us, professor?’ Paulsen asked.

‘It’s about poor Rósa,’ Beccari said. ‘The moment I heard she had died, I knew I had to get in touch with you.’

‘How did you hear?’

‘At breakfast at the hotel some guests were talking about a murder at Narsarsuaq. A tourist. So I immediately called Eygló who told me it was Rósa. The poor woman! It was definitely murder?’

Beccari’s hands were flashing in much the same agitation as Magnus remembered when he had first interviewed him about Carlotta’s death.

‘She was stabbed,’ said Paulsen.

‘Right.’ Beccari paused. ‘Then I have something to tell you.’

He gathered himself and began his story. ‘I joined Rósa and the television crew coming over here to Greenland. I have always wanted to visit this country and it seemed like a great opportunity. But if you’ve spoken to them you’ll know that the atmosphere among the team was really bad. Something to do with Einar and Eygló and Rósa. It was obvious to anyone that they were all upset with each other, and it was becoming really unpleasant. So on Saturday I decided to leave them and explore Greenland by myself for a couple of days. I’ve been staying here.’

‘At the Hotel Qaqortoq?’ It was where Magnus was staying; it was probably the only decent hotel in town.

‘That’s right. Anyway, I ended up talking with Rósa a fair bit, because the rest of them were not speaking to each other. We got on well; she was an intelligent woman, and I like intelligent women. Saturday’s filming had been a disaster and Suzy ended it early. I was sitting in the back of the boat with Rósa, returning across the fjord to Narsarsuaq. Until that point she had always seemed cool and in control. But she looked scared.

‘I asked her what was wrong. She seemed to think for a few moments and then said that she had something important to tell me. If nothing happened to her, then I should just forget that she had said anything. But if something did happen to her then I should tell them that she was sorry for what she had done.’

‘“Them”? What did she mean by “them”?’ Paulsen asked.

‘That’s exactly what I asked! But Rósa said if something happened to her I would know whom to tell.’ Beccari looked at Magnus and Paulsen with incredulity. ‘I thought, how could I possibly know? I asked her what she had done, and of course she wouldn’t tell me. She said maybe nothing would happen to her, in which case I should just forget the whole conversation, but she begged me, if something did happen, to do what she had asked me.’

Beccari’s blue eyes were popping. ‘Well! What was I to do? She seemed deadly serious, and very upset. So I promised. What else could I do?

‘The boat arrived at Narsarsuaq and we all got off, and I didn’t get a chance to speak to her alone before I left them later that afternoon to catch a helicopter flight here. Except as I was saying goodbye, Rósa whispered: “You will do as I asked, won’t you?” And I said yes. And that’s the last I saw of her.’

‘So that’s why you have come to see us now?’ Paulsen asked.

‘Of course.’

Paulsen glanced at Magnus. They both knew what Rósa was talking about. Magnus raised his eyebrows and Paulsen gave a tiny nod of assent for Magnus to ask a question.

‘What do you think she meant?’

‘Then or now?’ Beccari said.

‘Both.’

‘When she said it, I had absolutely no idea. But afterwards, as you can imagine, I thought about it quite hard.’

‘And what did you think?’

‘Well, at first I thought it must have something to do with Einar and Eygló: the little ménage à trois or whatever it is they have going on. Rósa had done something that she needed to apologize to one of them for, but she couldn’t face doing it herself. But yesterday I took a trip to Hvalsey — you know, the old Viking church there — and I was just sitting there thinking about it. And it seemed to me that when Rósa said “if something happens” she meant something more permanent. And then I thought about Carlotta’s death. And, well, I wondered whether she had had anything to do with it.’

‘Which is why you thought I had come here?’ said Magnus.

Beccari nodded.

‘So who do you think you need to tell that Rósa was sorry?’

‘Carlotta’s parents, I assume. Don’t you think? I mean, once I heard from Eygló that Rósa had been murdered, it all made sense. Or have I got it completely wrong?’

‘I think you may have got it right,’ said Paulsen.

‘Why do you think she told you?’ said Magnus.

‘If you mean why me, I think it’s because I am an outsider and I have a certain authority, if you know what I mean. I guess I’m Italian so I can talk to Carlotta’s parents. Although I am not sure that they would find it particularly comforting to hear that their daughter’s murderer was sorry.

‘And if you mean why did she tell anyone, I have no idea. Guilt, maybe? Your guess is as good as mine. Better probably.’

Magnus shrugged.

‘So you reckon Rósa killed Carlotta?’ Beccari asked.

Paulsen nodded. ‘It’s looking that way.’

Beccari shook his head. ‘I would never have believed it. And now she wants me to tell the parents she’s sorry.’

‘You don’t have to do that,’ said Magnus.

‘I don’t know,’ said Beccari. ‘She seemed so upset when she asked me and I promised. But if she was a murderer, then I don’t really owe her anything, do I?’

‘I’d say not.’ A thought occurred to Magnus. ‘Before you knew she had been killed, yesterday, when you were at Hvalsey and you had figured out she murdered Carlotta: were you going to tell us?’

‘Hah!’ Beccari said. ‘I was afraid you would ask me that question. I really didn’t know what to do. It was just guesswork on my part — I could easily have been wrong. And I had promised her to keep quiet. The truth is I was going to mull it over. But then when I heard she was dead, my mind was made up.’

‘Thank you for coming in,’ said Paulsen. ‘When are you leaving Greenland?’

‘I’ve a flight booked back to Reykjavík later today, and from Keflavík on to New York tomorrow,’ said Beccari. ‘Can you let me know how the investigation goes, inspector?’ he said to Magnus. ‘Especially when you have decided whether Rósa did kill Carlotta. I will need to figure out what to do about her parents.’

‘OK,’ said Magnus. As Beccari stood up, Magnus hesitated. ‘I do have some bad news about the theory that Gudrid and Co. landed in Nantucket.’

Beccari looked at him sharply. ‘Oh yes?’

‘Yeah. It’s all a hoax. The wampum.’ Beccari’s face showed a mixture of horror and anger. ‘And the Columbus letter.’

‘I don’t know about the wampum,’ he said. ‘But I do know the Columbus letter is genuine.’

‘I’m sorry,’ said Magnus. ‘I spoke with an old lady who lived in Nantucket who planted them. Or she planted the wampum; her friend planted the letter in the Vatican. It’s a fake.’

‘No! Are you sure? I don’t believe it! Who is this old lady? How do you know she’s telling the truth?’

All thoughts of Rósa and Carlotta had obviously left Professor Beccari’s mind as he contemplated the threat to his reputation.

‘I’m sure. Look, I can’t give you the details because it is related to an ongoing investigation, but I wanted to warn you.’

‘I think you are mistaken,’ said Professor Beccari, haughtiness having taken over from horror. ‘And I warn you that you and this old woman, whoever she is, must be careful about questioning my judgement, unless you are both on very solid ground.’