Sonja put the newspaper down on the sideboard and told Ingimar that she and Tómas might well take up his offer to look over the boat if they had time, although during such a short visit to Iceland there was naturally a great deal to do, with plenty of people to visit and errands to run.

She tripped quickly down the steps and sat in the car next to Alex. She took out her phone, punched in 800 5005 and as soon as the police confidential hotline responded she began to speak.

‘You need to take a good look at the boat that’s on the front cover of Fréttablaðið today: Anton RE. It’s due to arrive in Iceland the day after tomorrow and on board is the largest shipment you’ve ever seen. Coke, Es, speed, steroids.’

She ended the call and took the battery out of her phone. Alex looked at her questioningly. He understood no more than a few words of Icelandic, but he could see that Sonja looked relieved.

Messing up the occasional shipment was never appreciated, but Sebastian would never forgive Húni Thór for losing the whole of the store in one go. This would put Húni Thór out of the game and her back in a key position. The knot of tension that had been growing and hardening in her belly over the last few days had vanished, and now she gazed along Tjarnargata and admired how beautiful the dark-green shrubs on the bank of the lake looked even this early in the summer.

102

Agla had waited with her phone in her hand all evening, but when it finally rang she was so startled, she dropped it and it bounced onto the floor and under the sofa. On her knees, she groped for it, finally found it and answered.

‘What are you up to?’ Elísa asked. ‘Right now. What are you doing?’

‘I’m in my dressing gown, on my knees on the floor crawling around to find my phone under the sofa.’

Elísa laughed.

‘I wish I was there with you,’ she said. ‘So I could laugh at you.’

‘I wish you were as well,’ Agla said. ‘But I have the feeling you’re best off at Hólmsheiði for the moment.’

‘Yeah, I know. I’m getting treatment for the withdrawal symptoms,’ Elísa said. ‘I have an AA meeting tomorrow and again the next day. I’m going to be at every one from now on.’

‘That’s good, sweetheart.’

‘Am I your sweetheart?’ Elísa giggled quietly and Agla imagined her standing hunched against the white-painted wall by the wing pay-phone, and immediately felt a strong wave of desire.

‘You’re my sweetheart,’ Agla whispered. ‘And now you’re mine. You’re free of the Boss and all of that crowd.’

‘I’m free of them at least for as long as I’m in here,’ Elísa said. ‘The problems start when you’re let out and old friends start to call, you know. Of course you’re fond of them and don’t want to lose them, and all that. But before you know it you’re back in the shit and doing all sorts of stupid stuff.’