And it wasn’t just that the bank William worked for in Paris handled Meteorite Metals’ business. It also owned the company.

31

Ingimar was almost at the bridge when his phone rang. He generally ran around the lake in a clockwise direction one day and anticlockwise the next. He tried to alternate the routes, but often the wind was what made the decision for him; he’d start by running with the wind behind him so he wouldn’t have to run against it until he had warmed up. He always jogged slowly and could feel that every step was taking a toll on his knees, but this was the nearest thing to an exercise routine he was able to keep to. He had set himself the target of jogging every day, and in his mind this was still what he aimed for. However, the fact of the matter was that he only found time to run around once a week.

He fished the phone from his pocket and put it to his ear, only managing to catch the second half of William’s agitated greeting.

‘Slow down, man,’ he said. ‘I didn’t hear what you said.’

‘A journalist from Iceland turned up at the warehouse today and tried to push her way inside. A woman called María.’

‘At the warehouse in Indiana?’

‘Yes. That’s why I’m concerned. Didn’t you say she was nothing worth worrying about?’

‘That’s right.’

‘Then what’s she doing in the States? She must be on to something if she’s made the effort to travel there in person to ask about aluminium in storage.’

Ingimar’s knees were suddenly even more sore, and he slowed his pace so that he was ambling along. He was a few metres from the bench with the statue of Tómas Guðmundsson, the Reykjavík poet, so he limped over to sit next to him. This particular run had now been ruined.

‘I’ll check her out. It’s the same woman who has been calling me constantly with all kinds of crazy conspiracy theories. She’s also been pestering the smelter with these half-arsed theories. Don’t lose any sleep over it.’

‘I’m not that concerned, but it’s best if we keep this to ourselves and a few others – the way it’s been up to now. It’s awkward if there’s some journalist sticking her nose in and asking all sorts of questions.’

‘I agree completely,’ Ingimar said. ‘I’ll check her out.’

‘Excellent,’ William said. ‘And now I’m about to pull the cork from a rather wonderful Leroy I was given. You should have been here to share it.’

‘Bye for now,’ Ingimar said, standing up.