66 North by Michael Ridpath

Author:Michael Ridpath [Ridpath, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Thriller, Mystery & Detective, Suspense, General, Mystery, Fiction
ISBN: 9781848874022
Google: ewT5lpsmteIC
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 16557476
Publisher: Corvus
Published: 2011-05-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

THE SOUP WAS indeed tasty; lamb and vegetables. Páll and Sara had two noisy but good-humoured kids and both Magnus and Ingileif enjoyed the good-natured warmth. Páll had to take the boy to basketball practice, so they left soon after the meal was over.

‘So, what do you think of that story?’ Ingileif asked. ‘Do you think your great-grandfather was pushed?’

Magnus smiled. ‘It’s the classic question, isn’t it? Did he fall or was he pushed? In this case I suppose it’s possible he was pushed. But who by?’

‘It must have been Benedikt himself.’

‘Or someone he knew well. A brother? I can’t believe he would as much as admit to it in a story.’

‘Perhaps he had to get it out of his system somehow,’ Ingileif said. ‘After all, that chapter in Moor and the Man is clearly about Gunnar.’

‘It could all be a coincidence,’ Magnus said.

‘You’re a cop. You don’t believe in coincidences, surely?’

‘Actually, I do,’ said Magnus. ‘In real life coincidences happen. You have to keep an open mind.’

‘So are we going to see Unnur? Find out if she has read that short story?’

‘I’ll give her a call,’ said Magnus.

Unnur agreed to meet them in an old restaurant in Stykkishólmur. It was a warm, cosy place, but empty apart from a Spaniard and an Icelander talking to each other about fish in English. There was a good view of the harbour, where a ferry was gathering speed as it headed off towards the West Fjords.

Unnur was waiting for them with a cup of coffee. Magnus introduced Ingileif.

‘I didn’t want to meet at the house this time,’ Unnur said. ‘My husband is at home, and I haven’t told him about the stuff with your father. I’m not proud of it: I’d rather he didn’t know.’

‘I understand,’ said Magnus. ‘But don’t worry. Like I said on the phone, we won’t talk about that.’

‘You read the chapter in Moor and the Man?’ Unnur asked.

‘I did,’ Magnus said. ‘You think that shows that Gunnar killed his neighbour?’

‘Yes. I’m pretty sure. As you can imagine there was a lot of gossip around here when the book came out. It didn’t take long for someone to spot the similarity. I was still working in Reykjavík at the time, but it was all the conversation of family visits.’

‘Do you know what Benedikt said about it?’

‘Oh, he denied it, but no one believed him. I think he was surprised that people had made the connection. And of course your grandfather said it was all nonsense. As you can imagine, he was angry about the whole thing. It was my aunt who convinced me that there was something in it.’

‘Your aunt?’

‘Yes. My uncle’s wife. She was also Benedikt’s older sister. She lived at Hraun at the time.’

‘And she confirmed the story?’

‘No,’ said Unnur. ‘She wouldn’t say anything. She just gave this kind of knowing smile.’

‘Did you know Benedikt?’

‘Only vaguely. We met once or twice at some of the larger family gatherings. A nice guy, very clever, rather quiet. His mother had sold the farm at Hraun and moved into town here.

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