The Polar Bear Killing by Michael Ridpath Read Free Book Online Page A

genuinely perplexed.
    ‘Why? Why, Vigdís? I don’t understand. You must know that snogging suspects is not professional behaviour?’
    ‘I know,’ said Vigdís.
    Suddenly the consequence of what she had done hit her. Somehow, out in the wilderness, away from her mother and the police station and her day-to-day life, she had thought that her actions would not matter in the real world of Reykjavík policing. But it would. She would be disciplined. She may end up back in uniform, or even losing her job entirely.
    But she wouldn’t beg.
    ‘I will have to report this,’ Ólafur said.
    ‘I understand,’ said Vigdís.
    ‘I am going to get Reykjavík to send a replacement out for you. In the meantime, I want you to stay clear of Martin Fiedler. In fact, you are off the case. As soon as your replacement arrives, you go back to Reykjavík.’
    Magnus drove up to the University of Iceland campus on the hill overlooking Reykjavík City Airport. He was curious about Vigdís’s case, and eager to help her. He would love it if it was her who made the breakthrough and not Baldur’s old buddy Ólafur.
    He found the building that housed the politics department and tracked down the office of Dr Árndís Húbertsdóttir, Gudrún’s tutor, a friendly woman in her forties. With the students away, she wasn’t teaching, and she was happy to talk to Magnus.
    ‘I was so sorry to hear about Gudrún’s father,’ she said. ‘I knew her mother had died several years ago. Poor girl.’
    ‘Do you know her well?’
    ‘I take an interest in my students, so I know her a little, but you can never really have much of an idea about their life outside the university. She is a good student, with a real interest in politics.’
    ‘As an academic subject, or as an activist?’ Magnus asked.
    ‘Both, really. She is politically engaged. Most of the students are here, and most of them to the left.’
    A question struck Magnus. ‘Is she interested in animal rights, do you know?’
    ‘Yes, she is,’ said Dr Árndís. ‘Very much so. Save the whales. Stop experimenting on rats…’
    ‘And stop shooting polar bears the moment they arrive in Iceland?’
    ‘And that, too. In fact, I’m sure that’s why she left a couple of days before the end of term. She asked my permission. She said her father was ill. I believed her; she’s an honest girl, or at least I thought she was. But then I saw that a polar bear had been shot in her home town, and that the mother may be loose in the area, and I thought: I bet she has gone home to try to find it. By that time it was too late to stop her.’
    ‘Did you know it was her father who had shot the polar bear?’
    ‘I knew it was a policeman, but I didn’t notice the name. If I had I might have made the connection, but I didn’t know what her father did, just that he was very ill. Supposedly. But then when the news came out that he had been murdered, I understood everything.’
    ‘He wasn’t ill at all,’ said Magnus.
    ‘Obviously not.’
    ‘Has Gudrún been in touch?’
    ‘Yes. She says that with what has happened, she won’t be coming back to university next year. I told her not to rush to a decision; she has the whole summer. I’m sure she would be better here in Reykjavík than stuck in Raufarhöfn by herself. I read she has a brother?’
    ‘Yes. Sveinn. She didn’t mention him?’
    ‘No. I hope they can stick together. Support each other.’
    ‘You didn’t ask her why she lied to you?’
    ‘No. Given what has happened, I’m willing to forget it.’
    ‘Of course,’ said Magnus. ‘Thanks for your help.’
    ‘Not at all,’ said Dr Árndís. ‘If you do see her, tell her I think she has a bright future. She shouldn’t throw it away. She should come back here.’
    In the car park, Magnus dialled Vigdís’s number. He was sure she would want to hear what he had to say. She didn’t pick up. He knew he ought to get hold of Inspector Ólafur directly, but he thought he would give