Tainted Blood

24

The search for the woman from Husavik had still not led anywhere when towards evening Sigurdur Oli and Elinborg sat down at Erlendur's office to talk things over before going home. Sigurdur Oli said he wasn't surprised, they'd never find the woman this way. When Erlendur asked peevishly if he knew a better method, he shook his head.

"I don't feel as if we're looking for Holberg's murderer," Elinborg said, staring at Erlendur. "It's as if we're looking for something completely different and I'm unclear what it is. You've exhumed a little girl's body and I, for one, have no idea why. You've started looking for a man who went missing a generation ago and who I can't see has anything to do with the case. I don't think we're asking ourselves the obvious question: either the murderer was someone close to Holberg or a total stranger, someone who broke in intending to burgle him. Personally I think that's the most likely explanation. I think we ought to step up the search for that person. Some dopehead. The green army jacket. We haven't really done anything about that."

"Maybe it's someone Holberg paid for his services," Sigurdur Oli said. "With all that porn on his computer there's a good chance he paid for sex."

Erlendur sat through the criticism in silence and stared into his lap. He knew that most of what Elinborg had said was true. Maybe his judgment had been distorted by worrying about Eva Lind. He didn't know where she was, he didn't know what state she was in, she was being chased by people who wanted to harm her and he was helpless to protect her. He told neither Sigurdur Oli nor Elinborg of what he had discovered from the pathologist.

"We have the note," he said. "It's no coincidence we found it with the body."

The door suddenly opened and the head of forensics peeped inside.

"I'm leaving," he said. "I just wanted to let you know they're still examining the camera and they'll call you as soon as they find anything worth reporting."

He closed the door behind him without saying goodbye.

"Maybe we can't see the wood for the trees," Erlendur said. "Maybe there's a terribly simple solution to the whole thing. Maybe it was some nutcase. But maybe, and this is what I think to be the case, the murder has much deeper roots than we realise. Maybe there's nothing simple about it. Maybe the explanation lies in Holberg's character and what he did in his past."

Erlendur paused.

"And the note," he said. " 'I am him.' What do you want to do with that?"

"It could be from some 'friend'," Sigurdur Oli said, making quotation marks with his fingers. "Or a workmate. We haven't applied ourselves much in those areas. To tell the truth I don't know where all this searching for an old woman is supposed to lead us. I don't have a clue how to ask them if they've been raped without getting hit over the head with a rolling pin."

"And hasn't Ellidi told that sort of lie before in his life?" Elinborg said. "Isn't that precisely what he wants, to make fools of us? Have you considered that?"

"Oh, come on," Erlendur said as if he couldn't be bothered to listen to this nagging any more. "The inquiry has led us onto this path. It would be wrong for us not to investigate the clues we get, wherever they come from. I know Icelandic murders aren't complicated, but there's something about this one that doesn't fit if you just want to put it down to coincidence. I don't think it's a mindless act of brutality."

The telephone on Erlendur's desk rang. He answered, listened for a short while and then nodded and said thank you before putting the phone down. His suspicion had been confirmed.

"Forensics," he said, looking at Elinborg and Sigurdur Oli. "Gretar's camera was used to take the photo of Audur's grave in the cemetery. We took a photograph using his camera and the same kind of scratches came out. So now we know there's at least a strong probability that Gretar took the picture. Possibly someone else used his camera, but the alternative is much more likely."

"And what does that tell us?" Sigurdur Oli asked, looking at the clock. He had invited Bergthora out for a meal that evening and intended to make up for his clumsiness on his birthday.

"For example, it tells us that Gretar knew Audur was Holberg's daughter. Not many people were aware of that. And it also tells us that Gretar saw particular reason, a) to locate the grave, and b) to take a photo of it. Did he do it because Holberg asked him to? Did he do it to spite him? Is Gretar's disappearance connected with the photograph? If so, how? What did Gretar want with the photo? Why did we find it hidden in Holberg's desk? What sort of person takes pictures of children's graves?"

Elinborg and Sigurdur Oli watched Erlendur asking these questions. They noticed how his voice turned into a half-whisper and saw that he wasn't talking to them any more, but had disappeared inside himself, vacant and remote. He put his hand on his chest and instinctually rubbed it, apparently without realising what he was doing. They looked at one another but didn't dare to ask.

"What sort of person takes pictures of children's graves?" Erlendur said again.

Later that evening Erlendur found the man who had sent the debt collectors for Eva Lind. He received information from the narcotics squad, who had a fairly thick file on him, and found out he frequented a pub by the name of Napoleon, in the city centre. Erlendur went there and sat down facing the man. His name was Eddi and he looked about 40, chubby and bald. His few remaining teeth were stained yellow.

"Did you expect Eva to get special treatment because you're a cop?" Eddi said when Erlendur sat down with him. He seemed to know at once who Erlendur was even though they'd never met before. Erlendur had the feeling he'd been expecting him.

"Have you found her?" Erlendur asked and looked all around the darkened room at the handful of unfortunates who were sitting at tables and making tough-guy gestures and expressions. Suddenly the name of the pub assumed significance in his mind.

"You understand that I'm her friend," Eddi said. "I give her what she wants. Sometimes she pays me. Sometimes she takes too long about it. The guy with the knee sends his regards."

"He grassed on you."

"It's difficult to find decent people," Eddi said, pointing around the room.

"How much is it?"

"Eva? Two hundred thousand. And she doesn't just owe me."

"Can we make a deal?"

"As you please."

Erlendur took out 20,000 crowns, which he'd taken out of a cash machine on his way there, and put it on the table. Eddi took the money, counted it carefully and put it in his pocket.

"I can let you have some more after a week or so."

"That's cool."

Eddi gave Erlendur a probing look.

"I thought you were going to give me some lip," he said.

"For what?" Erlendur said.

"I know where she is," Eddi said, "but you'll never be able to save Eva."

Erlendur located the house. He'd been in that kind of house before on the same business. Eva Lind lay on a mattress in the hovel surrounded by other people. Some were her age, others much older. The house was open and the only obstacle was a man, whom Erlendur took to be about 20, who met him in the doorway waving his arms. Erlendur slammed him against the wall and threw him out. A naked light bulb hung from the ceiling of one of the rooms. He bent down to Eva and tried to wake her. Her breathing was regular and normal, her heartbeat a little fast. He shook her and slapped her lightly across the cheek and soon Eva opened her eyes.

"Grandad," she said, and her eyes closed again. He lifted Eva up and carried her out of the room, taking care not to tread on the other motionless bodies lying on the floor. He couldn't tell whether they were awake or asleep. She opened her eyes again.

"She's here," she whispered, but Erlendur didn't know what she was talking about and kept on walking with Eva out to his car. The sooner he got her out of there the better. He put her down on her feet to open the car door and she leaned up against him.

"Did you find her?" she asked

"Find who? What are you talking about?" He lay her down on the front seat, fastened her seatbelt, sat in the driver's seat and was about to drive away.

"Is she with you?" Eva Lind asked without opening her eyes.

"Who, dammit?" Erlendur shouted.

"The bride," Eva Lind said. "The babe from Gardabaer. I was lying next to her."