Frozen Assets

It hadn’t stopped her from calling in at the station to see what progress Bára and Bjössi were making. Bára looked surprised to see her, while Bjössi made it clear that her presence wasn’t wanted and that she should make the most of an afternoon off duty now that she finally had one.

After a visit to the supermarket in Keflavík, she drove Gísli’s rusting Range Rover through the achingly slow Sunday afternoon traffic in the town to the museum that overlooked the small boat harbour and parked in the sunshine.

She pulled down the shade, peered carefully at herself in the mirror and didn’t entirely like what she could see. She looked tired, and older than she ought to. Fine lines were starting to appear at the corners of her eyes and fatigue was entrenched in her face. She had long ago given up make-up, having been told many times by Raggi that her fresh complexion didn’t need it.

Gunna frowned and her mighty eyebrows fused into a dark bar across her forehead. For a moment, she thought about crying off and going home, but brushed aside the idea of a grown woman being nervous about what was not even really a date.

She fussed for a moment with her hair, decided that this week she really would have to get it cut before it became so thick that it would be beyond control, and swung herself down from the Range Rover.

He was sitting alone at a table by the window in the corner of the room, gazing down at one of the small boats leaving the little pontoon dock. Outside a group of children on the café’s balcony waved frantically at the boat as it chugged past and whooped with delight when the man at the tiller waved back at them.

‘Waiting for someone?’ Gunna asked.

Steini’s head jerked up and he grinned with what Gunna saw was obvious relief. He quickly stood up and took her by surprise by leaning forward to peck her cheek.

‘Don’t you know I could arrest you for that?’

Steini held out both hands, wrists together. ‘Go on, then.’

‘Sorry. I’m off duty,’ she apologized, sitting down opposite him. ‘Anyway, how are you?’

‘Fine.’

They sat in awkward silence for a moment.

‘The Salt House was good,’ he ventured finally.

‘It was. Shall we do that again some time?’

‘I think we ought to,’ Steini replied seriously and waved for the waitress to bring a menu.

Gunna made her choice in seconds flat and laid her menu down again while Steini pored over his a little longer. She felt guilty, enjoying the colours outside, cobalt sky and the bright green of the autumn grass clinging to the basalt outcrops surrounding the little harbour, while Bára and Bjössi were on duty.

‘Aren’t you hungry?’ Steini asked.

‘Do I look like the sort of girl who doesn’t enjoy her food? Of course I’m hungry.’

Steini grinned and waved to the waitress, who stood there with her open note pad and waited expectantly.

‘Ready to order?’ the girl asked finally, as Gunna and Steini each waited for the other to go first.

‘Fish of the day,’ they both suddenly said simultaneously.

‘Two fish,’ the waitress said. ‘And to drink?’

‘I have to drive, so water for me,’ Gunna said, looking at Steini.

‘Same here,’ he added, handing back the menus. Gunna sat back and stretched her legs out beneath the table, basking in the warmth of the afternoon sunshine on her face. Steini let a smile run around his face while his fingers tugged at the end of his moustache.

‘How goes it? Work and everything?’

‘Ah, really busy right now. I shouldn’t be here at all.’

‘Well, there’s no point overdoing it. You don’t get paid any more for it and I don’t suppose you’ll get thanked either.’

‘Y’know, you’re probably right,’ Gunna agreed, trying to imagine Vilhjálmur Traustason with anything other than the usual disapproving look on his long face. ‘It’ll blow over soon, I hope.’

‘Is that all the work around that aluminium smelter they’re building?’

Gunna sighed. She had hoped to get away from work for an hour or two. ‘Partly. We have an unusual murder investigation in progress that’s taking all my time right now.’

‘Murder? In Iceland?’ Steini’s eyebrows lifted in surprise.

‘Yup. It’s a serious one and I’m afraid that’s about all I’m able to say. Case in progress and all that, has to be kept confidential.’

‘Understood. Ah, food,’ Steini said with his interest on the waitress, striding towards them with a plate in each hand.

Gunna hadn’t realized quite how hungry she was until the aroma of the generous portion hit her senses.

‘Bon appétit,’ Steini said seriously, setting to with gusto.

They ate in silence. Gunna felt that Steini was not completely at ease and wondered why, while she found herself to be more relaxed than she had expected. Steini seemed to be the kind of person it was easy to spend time with, without a need for chatter. The case was still preying on her mind and it irritated her that she could not clear thoughts of work even for a few short hours.

‘Good fish,’ she said finally when her plate was almost clear.

‘Can’t beat it,’ Steini agreed, his plate already shining. ‘Coffee?’

‘Let me finish, at least.’