Arnaldur Indridason - Oblivion

‘I swear to you,’ said Mensalder, ‘she never showed up.’

‘Do you expect me to believe this story?’ said Erlendur, who had remained silent while the other man was speaking.

‘Yes, of course,’ said Mensalder. ‘Because that’s how it was; there’s nothing more to tell. I just did as she asked and waited for her, but when she didn’t turn up, I drove out to the base. Next thing I heard they’d launched a massive search for her all over Reykjavík.’

‘And you did nothing to help?’

‘No, I—’

‘Didn’t let on to anyone that you’d spoken to her. That you’d waited for her that morning. Didn’t try to help her family. Or any of those who were devastated by the incident. Something about this doesn’t add up, Mensalder. You’re lying to me. Or not telling me the whole truth. I don’t know how but I believe you played a part in her disappearance. Come on, admit it.’

Mensalder didn’t answer.

‘Don’t you think it’s time, after all these years?’ said Erlendur. ‘Time you stopped trying to hide?’

Joan made to slam the door in their faces the instant she saw who her visitors were but Caroline shoved hard in the opposite direction and the woman stumbled backwards. Caroline barged in, and Marion, following on her heels, closed the door. A pungent reek of cannabis filled the flat and there was soothing, hypnotic music playing on the hi-fi. The kitchen light was on, dimly illuminating the hall. Candles were burning in the sitting room.

‘Cosy,’ said Caroline.

‘Get the fuck out of here!’ shouted Joan. ‘You have no right to come in here. And who’s that freak with you?’

‘Keep a civil tongue in your head,’ snapped Caroline.

‘Get out, you bitch!’

‘I thought dope was supposed to make you nice and mellow,’ said Caroline, surveying the flat. ‘Doesn’t seem to work on you. Where’s your husband? Is he back yet?’

‘I have nothing to say to you,’ said Joan. ‘I’m going to call the police. They’ll throw you in jail. You can’t just force your way in here like this.’

‘Aren’t you afraid we’ll confiscate your dope?’

Joan paused, muddled. She had forgotten Caroline was in the police and gaped at her armband in bemusement.

‘What would Earl say?’ asked Caroline. ‘If the cops took all his shit away?’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ said Joan. ‘What shit?’

‘The stuff Kristvin bought off him,’ put in Marion.

‘Kris?’

‘Isn’t it correct that Earl supplied him with marijuana?’ said Marion, speaking as clearly as possible so that Joan would grasp what was going on.

‘Are you using his drugs?’ asked Caroline.

‘No, I—’

‘You admitted to sleeping with Kristvin,’ said Caroline. ‘You admitted to cheating on Earl with Kristvin. We need to know if Earl found out. We also need to know if Kristvin owed Earl money and had trouble paying him back. Can you tell us anything about that?’

Joan listened dully. Her gaze swivelled back and forth between Caroline and Marion as if she was trying to figure out what had led to this violent invasion of her apartment and how it was connected to her affair with Kristvin and his death.

‘Earl didn’t touch him,’ she said at last, believing she had hit upon the nub of the matter.

‘Did Kristvin buy his dope from him?’ asked Marion.

‘What dope?’

‘The stuff you’re smoking now, girl,’ said Caroline.

‘Is your husband a dealer?’ asked Marion.

‘I... I don’t know what you’re talking about,’ said Joan.

‘All right,’ said Caroline. ‘Then you’d better come with me and we’ll have another chat down at the police station.’

‘Police station...? No, it... I... can’t say... I mustn’t... mustn’t talk about that. You’ll have to ask him. I don’t know nothing. Nothing at all.’

‘You’d better come with me,’ repeated Caroline.

‘How’s his sister?’ asked Joan suddenly.

‘Kristvin’s sister?’

Joan nodded.

‘What do you know about her? Did he tell you about her?’

‘I know she’s sick. That’s why he needed the grass.’

‘She wants to know what happened to her brother,’ said Marion. ‘She believes he died because he was trying to score drugs for her. She feels guilty. We know Kristvin bought marijuana from somebody here on the base. Was it Earl?’

‘Wait a minute,’ said Caroline. ‘You told me you didn’t know Kristvin used marijuana. Now suddenly you know all about his sister and why he needed the drugs. What else have you lied about? Is everything you say a lie?’

‘You shut your mouth. I’m not lying.’

‘Was Earl in the country when Kristvin died?’ asked Caroline.

Joan didn’t answer.

‘I haven’t had time to check,’ Caroline said to Marion. ‘Joan claimed he wasn’t on the base the day Kristvin was killed. But I still haven’t verified that. You can’t trust a word this woman says.’

‘Sure you can,’ protested Joan.

‘Was your husband in the country?’ asked Marion, moving closer to Joan.

‘He flew out that evening or night. He wasn’t in the country. I’m one hundred per cent sure of that.’

‘Evening or night? Which night?’

‘The night Kris was here.’

‘You swore Kristvin left you before midnight, around eleven o’clock. Had Earl left the country by then or not?’

‘Earl left here about 6 p.m. I called Kris once he’d gone and he... I don’t remember exactly... it was the same day. Earl was gone.’

Joan wandered into the sitting room. She seemed to have given up complaining about the intrusion and snapping at Caroline. She sat down in the soft glow of the candles. A look of weariness crossed her face and she stared silently, blankly at the flames, the Dolly Parton wig a little askew on her head.

‘Where did he fly to?’ asked Caroline. ‘Do you know?’

‘He went to Greenland. I’m sure he’d left by the time Kris came to see me. Earl didn’t know about us. He knew nothing. He was gone.’

‘Where in Greenland?’

‘I don’t remember what it’s called. I always forget.’

‘Thule?’

‘Yes, Thule, that’s it,’ said Joan, giving Caroline a wondering look. ‘How did you know? Did I tell you?’

‘We have a big airbase at Thule,’ said Caroline. ‘Any idea what he’s doing over there?’

‘No. Earl doesn’t talk much about that kind of thing. Doesn’t talk much to me at all. You know, doesn’t tell me anything. He doesn’t treat me good. Not like Kris. He was different. He was...’

Her words petered out and Caroline sat down beside her. There was a TV in one corner and a small bookcase containing paperback romances and thrillers by big-name writers. A couple of Danielle Steels on the coffee table. But almost no ornaments. Only a large framed AC/DC poster on one wall and a wedding photo of Joan and Earl on a table. Marion noticed a collection of hunting knives in a glass cabinet and assumed they were Earl’s. Perhaps he liked to hunt back home. The knives looked extremely sharp, sharp enough to skin big game. Marion wondered if Earl was capable of that. Through a doorway they could see into the bedroom where there was an empty wig stand on the dressing table.

‘What do you think happened to Kris?’ asked Caroline.

‘I don’t know. He was OK when he left here. That’s all I know. There’s no point asking me. I don’t know what happened. He often used to drop by the Zoo and he loved the States; he loved living there, and he was... he was kind, you know what I mean? He was a nice boy, you know? We got talking and it was fun and one time when Earl was away I... I just invited him home. I just did. And we... I don’t know why it had to turn out like that. I don’t know. I know nothing about what happened. Nothing. He just left and never came back.’