The Girl Who Died, Ragnar Jonasson [small books to read .TXT] 📗

locals and I don’t think they like me. It’s a weird place. There’s a lot of sadness. And too many secrets. To tell the truth, I’m not sure I’ll last the whole winter here.’

This time it was Sara’s turn to be silent for a while before replying. ‘Oh God, I … I wasn’t expecting that. I thought you were happy there.’

‘Not any more. I probably never was.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘It’s not your fault, Sara.’

‘I feel partly to blame … I mean, I was the one who showed you the advertisement.’

‘But it was my decision to take the job. I wasn’t happy in Reyk-javík either and I needed a change of scene. I just chose the wrong place.’

‘Of course, it’s terribly far away. You know I’ll come and visit you as soon as I can.’

‘There’s no rush.’

‘No, I’m serious … I’m going to check what the weather forecast is like for the next few days and see if I might be able to make a quick trip up to see you either next weekend or the weekend after. It all depends on the weather and the state of the roads.’

‘That would be great, if I’m still here then.’

‘Have you got room for me?’

‘More than enough. I’ve got a whole flat to myself.’ Thinking of the ghost, Una qualified this: ‘Sort of.’

‘What happened about that man who disappeared?’ Sara asked. ‘I heard on the news that he’s still missing. Did the picture help at all?’

‘No. It seems it may not have been him after all.’

‘Oh, I see.’

‘By the way …’ Una suddenly recalled a remark the policeman had made. ‘Someone mentioned that the man – Patrekur – was mixed up in bad company. Has there been anything about that in the news? Was he some sort of criminal?’

‘Yes, hadn’t you heard? There was a front-page article about him at the weekend in Helgarpósturinn.’

‘The papers get here late and irregularly,’ Una said. ‘If at all.’

‘It was quite a dramatic story. He was a suspect in the Hannes and Hilmar murders, before the trio confessed. Apparently, he was high on the police’s list. I had no idea and don’t remember his name being released at the time.’

‘And now he’s vanished too.’

‘Exactly. Of course, it’s mostly just the press being sensationalist, but the journalist was suggesting there might be a link between the cases. That the person who bumped off Hannes and Hilmar might have been responsible for Patrekur’s disappearance too. In which case, the trio who are in prison can’t be guilty.’

‘There were always stories doing the rounds, claiming they weren’t necessarily responsible,’ Una pointed out.

‘So I’ve heard.’ After a brief silence, Sara continued: ‘So, in other words, you don’t think Patrekur was in Skálar after all?’ The article in the paper had obviously aroused Sara’s interest in the mystery.

‘I doubt it. It’s hard to tell from the picture.’

‘Yes, I suppose. It would have been a good story, though. You could have sent it to the papers. Perhaps even got a reward for the tip-off.’

‘Yes, well, I’ll bear that in mind.’ It occurred to Una that this was still an option.

‘Anyway, I’ll be in touch, Una,’ Sara said, sounding unusually affectionate. ‘Look after yourself. And if you’re unhappy there, just come back to town. There’s no reason to hang on in a miserable situation.’

‘Thanks. Either way, hopefully we’ll see each other soon,’ Una said. ‘If you do come, could you bring me some bottles of red wine?’

‘You bet.’

After they had rung off, Una peered into the dining room. Salka was sitting very still at the table, her head bowed.

Now might be as good an opportunity as any to sit down with her and have a talk; try to get at the truth for a change.

The verdict hadn’t come as a surprise to her.

She was now a convicted murderer.

It wasn’t as big a shock as she had thought it would be. She had mentally prepared herself for the news. According to her defence council, the case would now go to the Supreme Court and they would have a better chance there. She wasn’t sure how realistic this was, but then she had long ago given up the fight.

Maybe she had been there and taken part in killing Hannes and Hilmar. Or maybe she was innocent and the other members of the group were guilty. They had all been convicted and given prison sentences of varying lengths.

She herself had got the full sixteen years.

She avoided calculating how old she would be when she got out. Her lawyer had tried to keep her spirits up by saying that the Supreme Court verdict would be more lenient and that in any case she wouldn’t have to serve the whole sentence. Eight years max. And she had already spent nearly a year in custody. ‘So, of course, they’ll take that off,’ her lawyer had said, with a forced smile.

It was easy to look on the bright side when it wasn’t you who was going to be locked up for years.

By now she had got into a routine of sorts in prison and she tried to take it one day at a time. She wouldn’t start counting down the days yet, not until there was a shorter time left.

And, of course, there was always the Supreme Court.

XXX

‘Salka?’

She jerked her head round. Evidently, she hadn’t heard Una enter the dining room.

‘Yes?’ She spoke quietly, looking in Una’s direction without meeting her eye.

‘Salka, can I talk to you? Shall I make us some coffee?’

‘I don’t want any coffee, thanks. Not now.’

Una sat down at the table facing her.

There was a deathly hush in the old house.

Salka lowered her eyes, staring at the table as if it held the answers to all the world’s riddles.

‘I’ve been reading about Thrá,’ Una said, tweaking the truth a little.

Salka raised her eyes. ‘Have you? Why?’

‘I know you don’t want me sticking my nose in, but I hope you’ll forgive me. I was just curious because I feel kind of invested in what happens here.’

‘No need to apologize,