Meltwater (Fire and Ice)

question where his priorities should lie. But. But . . .
    ‘OK. I’ll meet you at lunchtime, but we’ll have to be quick. And somewhere on Hverfisgata.’
    ‘The café in the Culture House. Twelve-thirty?’
    The Culture House was actually down the other end of Hverfisgata from the police station, but it seemed an appropriate place. It was where the best of Iceland’s national saga treasures
were exhibited, including Gaukur’s Saga , which had turned up in a case Magnus had been involved in when he had first arrived in Iceland a year before.
    ‘Yes. See you there, twelve-thirty.’
    As he walked out of the station to his car he thought about Ollie. His brother would be really upset if he knew Magnus was asking questions about their father’s death. But, as Magnus had
made clear, his need to know was just as great as Ollie’s desire not to know.
    Yet he felt guilty about going behind his brother’s back. Perhaps he should invite him along? After all, there was precious little chance he would actually come.
    He took out his phone.
    ‘Hey, Magnus. What’s up?’
    ‘Where are you?’ Magnus asked.
    ‘In bed,’ Ollie said. ‘I’m on vacation.’
    ‘I take it you are not alone?’
    ‘Hey, I’m having fun.’
    ‘That’s good to know, Ollie. Listen, I’ve just had a call from a guy named Jóhannes. He’s Benedikt’s son and he says he has some interesting information
about his father’s death.’
    ‘Benedikt?’
    ‘You know. The author who died the same way as Dad. I told you about him.’
    ‘Oh, yeah.’
    ‘Anyway, I’m meeting him for lunch at the Culture House on Hverfisgata at twelve-thirty. Do you want to come?’
    ‘Jesus Christ, Magnus, I thought you promised me you wouldn’t ask any more questions?’
    ‘No, Ollie, I told you I would. I’m just giving you the option of being there as well, that’s all.’
    ‘Well, I think I’ll pass.’
    The line went dead as Ollie hung up.
    The house on Thórsgata was beginning to smell, Magnus noticed as he walked in. All the occupants were up and awake and working at their terminals, apart from Ásta
who had answered the door. She looked agitated when she saw him, but she offered him some coffee. Magnus accepted, and took his cup to where Erika was sitting at one end of a dining table, laptop
open. Her face was pale and she had a dressing across her cheek.
    She glanced up at him. ‘Hi,’ she said.
    ‘You look exhausted,’ Magnus said.
    ‘I am,’ said Erika. ‘But we’re nearly there.’
    ‘When are you planning to go live?’
    Rather than answer she just raised an eyebrow.
    ‘State secret?’ said Magnus.
    ‘You could say that.’
    ‘Well, I need to know the answer,’ Magnus said, suppressing his irritation. ‘Because until you go live you are particularly at risk from anyone trying to stop you.’
    Erika sighed and gave him a weak smile. ‘Yes, of course. Sorry. The current plan is to finish up by midday Sunday, and launch the video at a press conference on Monday.’
    ‘Volcano permitting.’
    ‘The ash won’t last that long, will it?’ Erika asked. ‘Doesn’t it get blown away?’
    ‘I’ve no idea,’ said Magnus. He sipped his coffee.
    ‘Thanks for yesterday, by the way. I should never have left the house.’
    ‘No, you shouldn’t,’ Magnus agreed. ‘We’ve doubled the police presence outside.’
    ‘Two guys sitting in a car eating doughnuts instead of one?’
    ‘That kind of thing,’ said Magnus with a grin. ‘Just stay indoors. No more runs, OK?’
    ‘I was meaning to ask you, how can we get hold of a handgun or two? For our own protection.
    ‘Hah!’ said Magnus. ‘No chance of that. I don’t even have one.’
    ‘I wondered why you didn’t pull out your gun yesterday.’
    ‘I’ve got to admit I haven’t figured out this country,’ said Magnus. ‘The rural police seem armed to the teeth, ready to repel any amphibious invasion by polar
bears. But in town, the idea that a cop should carry a gun gives them the heebie-jeebies. They think their streets will turn into war zones overnight.’
    ‘What, like Baltimore or Detroit? They may have a point.’
    ‘They don’t have a point. If I’d had a firearm with me yesterday, the guy who attacked you would never have gotten away.’
    ‘True. So we need to rely on the cops outside with their doughnuts?’
    ‘ Kleinur . They are like doughnuts but smaller.’
    ‘Great.’
    ‘Look,’ said Magnus. ‘We know that this guy doesn’t have a