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Back Cold as Hell Save as PDF
Chapters (115)
  1. COLD AS HELL
  2. PRONUNCIATION GUIDE
  3. CONTENTS
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. 46
  50. 47
  51. 48
  52. 49
  53. 50
  54. 51
  55. 52
  56. 53
  57. 54
  58. 55
  59. 56
  60. 57
  61. 58
  62. 59
  63. 60
  64. 61
  65. 62
  66. 63
  67. 64
  68. 65
  69. 66
  70. 67
  71. 68
  72. 69
  73. 70
  74. 71
  75. 72
  76. 73
  77. 74
  78. 75
  79. 76
  80. 77
  81. 78
  82. 79
  83. 80
  84. 81
  85. 82
  86. 83
  87. 84
  88. 85
  89. 86
  90. 87
  91. 88
  92. 89
  93. 90
  94. 91
  95. 92
  96. 93
  97. 94
  98. 95
  99. 96
  100. 97
  101. 98
  102. 99
  103. 100
  104. 101
  105. 102
  106. 103
  107. 104
  108. 105
  109. 106
  110. 107
  111. 108
  112. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  113. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  114. ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR
  115. COPYRIGHT

‘That’s right,’ Hákon said. ‘Agla came to my rescue when I started building the hotel in Akureyri. She came up with the finance for the construction and for getting the place running, and she’s supported me all the way through.’

Hákon asked what she would like to drink, and she requested water, the questions multiplying in her mind.

Why had there been no mention in any of the online coverage that Agla had a share in Hákon’s hotel business? Áróra was close to getting the information she needed about his accounts, so it was frustrating not to know exactly what sort of business relationship he had with Agla.

She didn’t have to wait long for an opportunity to ask her question and a few others, as, while Hákon was at the bar, Elísa got to her feet, excused herself and headed to the toilet.

‘It’s too long and complicated a story to go into now,’ Agla said. ‘But Hákon can explain it all for you.’

‘No need for that,’ Áróra lied, aware that her question could be seen as suspicious. ‘I was just curious.’

The woman raised her glass and smiled to someone in the room. Áróra followed her eye, and saw the smile was intended for Hákon as he stood at the bar with a beer in one hand, which he raised in return. He seemed happy and contented, and Áróra felt a sudden surge of self-disgust at the thought she was betraying him.

‘I know who you are,’ Agla then said, with eyes that seemed to pierce Áróra to the core.

Áróra felt sick, and the restaurant again began to turn in circles around her. Hákon appeared, and handed her a glass of water, which she drank down in a single draught. It served to ease her nausea, but it returned as Agla leaned close, smiled icily and whispered, ‘And I have my own ideas about why you’re interested in Hákon.’

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‘Are you all right?’ Hákon asked with concern, handing her a serviette. She mopped the perspiration from her face and got to her feet. The restaurant was still spinning around her, and she wasn’t sure whether she had been somewhere between a dream and wakefulness a second before, or whether Agla had really told her that she knew who she was and what she wanted from Hákon. How the hell could that have happened? Áróra didn’t know Agla at all, apart from what she had read about her in the papers, and was certain she had never met her before.

‘Ach. Just a bit drunk,’ she said, aware of how her voice slurred. ‘Can you take me back to the hotel?’