Summerchill by Quentin Bates Page B

sat down humming to himself.
    ‘What are you looking so happy about?’
    ‘You know what it’s like as a detective. It’s one long round of cocktails and loose women. And you? How was the salmon? Where did Steini get it from?’
    Gunna looked over the top of her monitor as Helgi looked back at her over his.
    ‘Helgi Svavarsson. You should know better. You should know that a gentleman never asks a lady her age and he never asks where a whole salmon appeared from.’
    ‘Agreed. The age bit is easy, because I can just look it up on the national registry. But it was good, was it?’
    ‘Sublime. The best I’ve ever had, poached to perfection.’
    ‘That Steini really is a keeper, isn’t he? I’m almost tempted to marry him myself.’
    ‘In that case, we may have to fight it out.’
    ‘And my money would be on the bruiser in the red corner,’ Helgi cackled.
    ‘Flattery will get you everywhere. Maybe you should try it one day. Now, where the hell have you been to turn up here grinning like a monkey? Did that guy turn up?’
    Helgi leaned back and scratched the top of his head.
    ‘No sign of him. There’s an alert out for his car but nothing yet. However,’ he said and paused.
    ‘However, what? Come on, man. Out with it.’
    ‘He and his pal Stefán Ingason are big into MMA and run a gym up on Fossháls. It seems the two of them have also been doing a little freelance enforcement work, including a young woman who had her arm broken and then didn’t dare press charges.’
    Gunna grimaced. ‘Ouch. That really stinks. So what next?’
    ‘I’m not sure. I’m wondering why this Axel Rútur character has disappeared to start with. His girlfriend doesn’t know why and, although she’s vaguely decorative in a Barbie doll kind of way, I get the feeling she’d be confused by anything more complex than hot and cold taps.’
    ‘As Steini would say, «nice bodywork, shame about the electrics». An apt description?’
    ‘Fits like a glove.’
    ‘So, Sherlock. What’s your next move?’
    ‘Seek advice from a more senior officer of great experience and personal charm?’
    ‘Good move. Me or Sævaldur?’
    ‘It’ll have to be you, because Sævaldur’s on holiday.’
    ‘In that case, as the management types keep saying, don’t bring me problems – bring me solutions.’
    Helgi shuddered. ‘If there’s one thing twenty-first-century policing needs, it’s more management jargon.’
    ‘Agreed. So where do you want to take this, considering there’s no sign of the guy? You think he’s disappeared because someone’s knocked him on the head, or because he’s holed up somewhere with a girlfriend, or even a boyfriend?’
    ‘A Brokeback Mountain kind of situation, you mean? No, I don’t imagine so.’
    ‘Abducted? Murdered? Or has he just gone off on a bender?’
    ‘I don’t expect he’s been abducted. Murdered, possibly, but unlikely. Most likely flipped out, I’d say. Stefán said he’d been heavily into steroids at one point.’
    ‘So what next?’
    ‘Start checking all the traffic cameras for a sighting of the guy’s car and then pile some pressure on Stefán.’
    ‘Excellent. Award yourself a gold star and get on with it.’
    The work was finished and Logi congratulated Marek and Tadeusz on a job well done and ahead of schedule. They shook hands and clapped each other on the back.
    ‘You’re leaving in the morning, Marek?’
    ‘Yes. Early. Home in the evening and something good to eat at last.’
    He almost smacked his lips in anticipation.
    ‘Give me a call when you’re back here.’
    Marek nodded lugubriously. ‘ If I come back.’
    ‘And thanks . . .’ Logi added. Marek nodded again. ‘For you know what.’
    ‘Nothing. Don’t speak of it.’
    ‘And I’ll see you on Monday, Tadeusz? You’re working on Pétur’s site again?’
    ‘If we start Monday. You call me tomorrow?’
    ‘I will,’ Logi promised, and there was a final handshake with Marek before they got into Tadeusz’s