Read Meltwater (Fire and Ice) for Free Online Page B

obvious, even in those few
words.
    ‘OK,’ said Erika. ‘But what about you, Sergeant Jonson? What are you doing here?’
    ‘I’m attached to the office of the National Police Commissioner,’ said Magnus.
    ‘I don’t believe you.’
    Magnus frowned. The Icelanders were much less prone to waving their badges around than American cops, but that was clearly what was required. He pulled out his ID and slid it across the table to
Erika. He had been made to do a six-month programme at the National Police College, and since graduating from there he had full status as a member of the Icelandic police.
    Erika picked it up, glanced at it and tossed it back on to the desk.
    ‘I don’t believe it.’
    ‘What do you mean, you don’t believe it?’
    ‘I’m involved in a murder on a mountain in the middle of Iceland. I get taken to some hick small town and who shows up to interview me? An American. Just where the hell did they find
you?’
    Magnus fought to control his temper. ‘You’ve seen my ID, now answer my questions.’
    ‘You work for the CIA, don’t you?’
    ‘The CIA? You’re nuts!’
    ‘What happens next, you fly me out to Morocco or somewhere and interrogate me?’
    ‘Erika, I work for the Icelandic police. I am an Icelandic policeman. Now answer my questions.’
    ‘Or what? You’ll waterboard me? I want a real Icelandic policeman in here now. Someone with a uniform. In fact I’d like to speak to the chief superintendent. He must be in the
building somewhere.’
    ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’
    ‘I’m not being ridiculous. My lawyer will be here soon.’
    ‘Your lawyer?’
    ‘Yes. I have an Icelandic lawyer in Reykjavík. I called from the station. He’ll be here in a few minutes.’
    ‘Stay here!’ snapped Magnus. He left Árni with Erika and went to look for the chief superintendent. He was interviewing a small dark-haired woman with Vigdís.
    ‘Got a minute?’
    Kristján and Vigdís joined Magnus in the corridor. Magnus quickly explained about Erika, Freeflow, Erika’s suspicions that he was in the CIA and the lawyer.
    ‘Wait a moment,’ said Vigdís. ‘I remember seeing her on Silfur Egils last year . She was good.’
    ‘Did you let them make calls?’ Magnus asked Kristján.
    ‘Of course I did,’ said Kristján. ‘She’s a victim, not a suspect.’
    ‘Yeah, of course, sorry. What does the woman say? Is she the priest?’
    ‘Yes,’ said Vigdís. ‘Her name is Ásta. She hasn’t mentioned Freeflow. She says the foreigners were all there to report on the volcano.’
    ‘That’s bullshit,’ said Magnus. ‘We need to move fast, before the lawyer gets here. Kristján, is there a way of keeping the witnesses separate? I don’t want
them talking to each other. Perhaps we can get one of the others to give us something.’
    ‘I can organize that.’
    ‘What is it?’ Magnus noticed the look of doubt in the chief superintendent’s eyes.
    ‘You don’t work for the CIA, do you?’
    ‘What kind of question is that?’ Magnus asked.
    ‘A good one,’ interrupted Vigdís. ‘Kristján, I’m sure you must have heard of Magnús. He caused a bit of a stir in Reykjavík last year.
I’ve worked closely with him since he arrived last April, and I can assure you that he would make a really bad spy. But perhaps you should call the Police Commissioner as soon as he gets in
in the morning?’
    Kristján hesitated, and then smiled. ‘I’ll do that. In the meantime, you are in charge of the investigation and I will help you as best I can. I’ll split the witnesses
up now and then have a word with Erika myself.’
    ‘Thanks,’ said Magnus. ‘And I’m sorry. Vigdís is right, you needed to be sure. OK, Vigdís, let’s talk to this priest. You never know, she might tell
us the truth.’
    Magnus sat opposite the young woman, examining her. She looked more like a student than a minister, with her jeans and her young fresh face. An honest face – that was
good. The clerical collar