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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

The engagement ring. It could play a part in this plan of his – in fact, it would be little short of genius if it were to work out. But he knew he would regret parting with it; he would miss it terribly. Having it against his chest gave him a good feeling inside as the metal absorbed the warmth of his body, nestling against his chest as it hung from its chain. It was like having something of Ísafold close to him, next to his heart. He finished his noodles, stood up and switched the kettle on again, and opened another packet, crumbling the contents into the bowl.

Maybe it was time for another post from Ísafold. After hearing the police arrive, and having listened to the conversation in the corridor outside his door, he was terrified that it would ruin everything if the police were keeping tabs on Björn. He couldn’t allow that to happen. There was no way he could let it. He loved Ísafold far too much for that.

175

73

She’s with the neighbour in the block, Mum says. That’s good, I reply.

She said you hadn’t answered the phone, Mum says.

No, I say. It’s four in the morning. I don’t answer her calls during the night anymore.

I don’t know who I can ask to look after her, Mum says.

I say nothing.

I can’t face yet another trip to Iceland to help Ísafold get back on her feet.

Listening to her cry and complain, saying she’s leaving Björn. Listening to her repeat all the foul things Björn has said about her family. About me.

Giving her support and encouragement, only to have hopes dashed as she falls for the apologies and the flowers, and goes back to him.

I can’t do this any more.

176

SATURDAY

74

It was six in the morning when Áróra gave up trying to sleep, and dressed ready to go down to breakfast. She had fought against nausea when she lay down in bed, so had sat up, stacked all four pillows behind her and tried to watch TV, but gave up on that, unable to concentrate, instead dozing for a few hours as she replayed the previous evening’s disaster again and again in her mind. What was odd was that she didn’t feel nearly as guilty for bugging Hákon’s room as she did for having possibly hurt Daníel. There had been such a sad look on his face when he saw her with Hákon, she had wanted to do something to make everything better, but no smart solution had come to mind, so she’d just introduced Hákon in a clumsy fashion. ‘This is Hákon,’ she had said, blind drunk and slurring.