Where the Shadows Lie (Fire and Ice)

know.’
    ‘Do you mind if we go back and ask your father about the hidden man?’
    ‘Be my guest,’ said the farmer.
    The old man was still in his armchair while his wife was tidying up the coffee cups.
    ‘Your son tells me that the pastor was wearing a ring?’
    ‘Oh, yes,’ said the old man’s wife.
    ‘What kind of ring?’
    ‘It was dark, dirty but you could see it was gold under the dirt. It must have been very old.’
    ‘It was the hidden man’s wedding ring,’ said the old man. ‘That’s why his friend was killed. He stole the hidden man’s wedding ring. Fool! What did he expect? I’m surprised the pastor wasn’t killed as well, although he was half dead when he came to our door.’
    ‘Did you see the hidden man clearly?’ Magnus asked.
    ‘No, it was snowing. I caught no more than a glimpse of him, really.’
    ‘But you could tell he was young?’
    ‘Yes. By the way he moved.’
    Magnus glanced at Ingileif. ‘Could he have been thirteen?’
    ‘No,’ said the old man. ‘He was taller than that. And besides, remember he was married. Thirteen was too young for a hidden man to get married, even in those days.’ He stared at Magnus with eyes full of certainty.
    *
    ‘Tómas was tall at the age of thirteen, one of the tallest in our class,’ Ingileif said. ‘Probably one metre seventy-five, something like that.’
    They were driving fast down the Thjórsárdalur back towards Reykjavík.
    ‘So he could have been out there with them that day,’ Magnus said.
    ‘You would have thought that the police would have discovered that, wouldn’t you?’
    ‘Maybe not,’ said Magnus. ‘Country police. No reason at all to think that a murder had been committed. I will dig out the files. They’re probably at Selfoss police headquarters.’
    ‘I knew Hákon had the ring!’ Ingileif said.
    ‘It certainly sounds like it. Though I still find it difficult to believe the ring actually exists.’
    ‘But the farmers saw it on his finger!’
    ‘Yes, just before they saw an elf.’
    ‘Well, I don’t care what you believe. I believe Hákon killed my father and took the ring! He must have done.’
    ‘Unless it was Tómas who killed him?’
    ‘He was only thirteen,’ said Ingileif. ‘He wasn’t that kind of kid. Whereas Hákon …’
    ‘Well, if Tómas didn’t kill your father, he would have witnessed it. It sounds like I have plenty to talk to him about.’
    ‘Can’t we just go back to Hruni and search Hákon’s house?’
    ‘We need a warrant. Especially if we’re going to find evidence we plan to use at trial, which it sounds like we might. That’s why I’ve got to get back to Reykjavík.’
    They were going pretty fast. The surface of the road along the edge of the river was excellent, but there were some bends and wiggles. Magnus sped over the crest of a small hill, and almost hit a white BMW four-wheel-drive coming at him the other way.
    ‘That was close.’ He glanced over to see Ingileif’s reaction to his driving.
    She was sitting bolt upright in her seat, frowning slightly.
    Her phone rang. She answered quickly, glanced at Magnus, mumbled ‘ Já ,’ two or three times, and hung up.
    ‘Who was that?’ Magnus asked.
    ‘The gallery,’ Ingileif answered.
    Magnus took Ingileif directly to her apartment in 101.
    ‘Will I see you tonight?’ she said as she got out of the car. ‘I could cook you dinner.’ She smiled.
    ‘I don’t know,’ said Magnus. ‘I’m bound to be working late on the case.’
    ‘I don’t mind,’ said Ingileif. ‘We can eat late. I’ll be eager to hear what’s happening. And well …’ she hesitated, blushing. ‘It would be nice to see you.’
    ‘I don’t know, Ingileif.’
    ‘Magnús? Magnús, what is it?’
    ‘There’s this girl. Colby. Back in Boston.’
    ‘But I asked you if there were any girls! You told me there weren’t.’
    ‘There aren’t.’ Magnus tried to get his thoughts in order. ‘She’s an ex-girlfriend. Definitely an ex-girlfriend.’
    ‘Well then?’
    ‘Well …’ Magnus was floundering. Ingileif was standing on the pavement watching him flounder. Her smile was long gone.
    ‘Yes?’
    ‘Am I just like Lárus?’
    ‘What!’
    ‘I mean, am I just a, you know, someone to see, when you feel like …’
    ‘When I feel like a fuck? Is that what you’re trying to say?’
    Magnus sighed. ‘I don’t know what I’m trying to say.’
    ‘Look, Magnús. You’re going back to the States in the next few days. I