Hákon lay back, and she sat still on the floor, waiting for him to fall asleep again. Then she would sneak out and go back to her own room. She couldn’t face climbing into his bed, all innocence, having just bugged his room.

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72

It was Friday evening, and Grímur was at home. He was too agitated to go to the cinema. He wouldn’t be able to concentrate on a movie, regardless of how exciting it might be. Instead he was at home in the kitchen, unable to shave himself again as his skin was too tender – it was practically raw having already been shaved twice today, all over. Now he was preparing instant noodles and thinking about what was ahead. The fact that the police were taking an interest in Björn wasn’t ideal; it could jeopardise all his plans.

The kettle pinged to let him know that it had boiled, so he opened the noodle pot and poured in the hot water. He would need two or three of these before he would be full, and for a moment he regretted having not gone into town, where he could have treated himself to a hot dog, a Coke and popcorn at the cinema, as he usually did when he had some cash. But in his present state a movie would have been a waste of money. He felt his heart race and his thoughts were working on overdrive.

The thing with plans was that they seemed so straightforward and clear from a distance, but as the time for action approached, minor details took on greater significance. Now they hadn’t only taken on greater importance but had become vital factors. The knob of butter melted into his noodles, and he shook salt over them – too much salt. The doctor had told him that his blood pressure meant he would have to cut down, but he had other things on his mind right now. There was more important stuff demanding his attention. He shovelled up a mouthful of noodles – sucking the trailing ends into his mouth so that the butter landed on his cheeks – and chewed. His fingers sought out the chain around his neck, and he tugged at it so that it hurt his neck, until his fingers found the clasp. He opened it, slipped the ring off the chain and placed it on the table in front of him.174