earthly remains. He thought about Jar City as he drove home through the empty streets, hoping that no part of him would ever be kept in a laboratory. It was still raining when he pulled up outside the block of flats where he lived. He switched off the engine, lit a cigarette and stared out into the night.
Erlendur looked at the black bag on the front seat. He was going to put Audur back where she belonged.
37
At around 11.00 that same night, the policemen on duty in front of Katr铆n's house watched her husband leave, slam the door behind him, storm into his car and drive off. He seemed to be in a tearing rush and they noticed he was carrying the same suitcase as when he arrived home earlier that day. The policemen saw no further movement during the night and there was no sign of Katr铆n. A police patrol car was called to the neighbourhood and followed Albert to Hotel Esja where he checked in for the night.
Erlendur turned up outside Katr铆n's house at eight o'clock the following morning. El铆nborg was with him. It was still raining. The sun hadn't come out for days. They rang the bell three times before they heard a rustling inside and the door opened. Katr铆n appeared in the doorway. El铆nborg noticed she was wearing the same clothes as on the day before and she had clearly been crying. Her face was drawn and her eyes were red and swollen.
"Sorry," Katr铆n said as if in a daze, "I must have fallen asleep in the chair. What's the time?"
"May we come in?" Erlendur said.
"I never told Albert what happened," she said and went inside, without inviting them in. Erlendur and El铆nborg exchanged glances and followed her.
"He walked out on me last night," Katr铆n said. "What's the time anyway? I think I must have fallen asleep in the chair. Albert was so angry. I've never seen him that angry."
"Can you contact some of your family?" El铆nborg asked. "Someone who can come and stay with you? Your sons?"
"No, Albert will come back and everything will be all right. I don't want to disturb the boys. It'll be all right. Albert will come back."
"Why was he so angry?" Erlendur asked. Katr铆n had sat down on the sofa in the sitting room, Erlendur and El铆nborg sat down opposite her just as before.
"He was furious, Albert was. And he's generally so calm. Albert's a good man, such a good man, and he's always been so good to me. It's a good marriage. We've always been happy."
"Maybe you want us to come back later," El铆nborg said. Erlendur glared at her.
"No," Katr铆n said, "it's all right. It'll be all right. Albert will come back. He just needs to get over it. My God, how difficult this is. I should have told him straightaway, he said. He couldn't understand how I could keep quiet about it all that time. He shouted at me."
Katr铆n looked at them.
"He's never shouted at me before."
"Can I get you some help? Shall I call your doctor?" El铆nborg said and stood up. Erlendur looked at her in bewilderment.
"No, it's all right," Katr铆n said. "That's not necessary. I'm just a bit sleepy-headed. It'll be all right. Sit down, dear. Everything will be all right."
"What was it you told your husband?" Erlendur asked. "Did you tell him about the rape?"
"I'd wanted to all these years, but I never had the guts to. I've never told anyone about that incident. I tried to forget it, pretend it had never happened. It's often been difficult, but I've managed, somehow. Then you came and I found myself telling you everything. Somehow I felt better. It was like you'd relieved me of a great burden. I knew I could finally talk openly and that was the only right thing to do. Even after all this time."
Katr铆n stopped talking.
"Did he get angry with you because you hadn't told him about the rape?" Erlendur asked.
"Yes."
"Didn't he understand your point of view?" El铆nborg asked.
"He said I should have told him about it straightaway. That's understandable, of course. He said he'd always been honest with me and he didn't deserve this."
"But I don't quite understand," Erlendur said. "Albert sounds like a better person than that. I'd have thought he'd try to comfort you instead and stand by you, not storm out through the door."
"I know," Katr铆n said. "Maybe I didn't tell him about it in the right way."
"The right way," El铆nborg said, not even trying to conceal her