ONCE IN, NEVER OUT
Chapter 3




Janus was under intense pressure from both the press and the British ambassador, but Thor had insisted on completing his preliminary investigation before issuing any statement. It took nine hours, so while Thor worked on in the presidential suite, the British ambassador waited impatiently in Room 728 and most members of the press corps played cards, formulated theories, spread rumors, and increased their already-substantial tabs at the Saga's bar.
     At ten o'clock the reporters were stirred to activity when the bodies were brought down for removal to the morgue. The medical examiner accompanied them, and as the cameras rolled, he was interviewed. The only new information they got from him was that there had been two bomb blasts, but he refused to say anything else, referring the reporters to the chief of police.
     Janus had evolved into an Icelandic institution. He was very popular, highly respected, scrupulously honest, and therefore not a candidate for public mauling. It was a situation that could drive reporters to drink, and it did just that. The last time the Saga's bar had enjoyed a better volume of business was when reporters from all over the world had headquartered themselves there during the Reykjavík Reagan-Gorbachev summit in 1989.
     By noon Thor was ready to leave. He had viewed the videotapes from the hallway security cameras, interviewed six members of the Saga's staff, photographed and mapped every inch of the presidential suite, collected and tagged ninety-nine items of evidence, and lifted fifty-one latent fingerprints. It was time to process his evidence, but Thor recognized he didn't have the equipment or expertise to do it properly alone. That was where Chatwick came in.
     Janus needed some time to draft his press statement, so he sent Thor to Room 728 to report to Chatwick. When the young ambassador answered the door, he surprised Thor by greeting him politely and correctly in Icelandic.
     Thor hadn't known that Chatwick spoke the language, but was impressed that he had taken the time and trouble to learn a difficult tongue that was useless outside Iceland and spoken by fewer than three hundred thousand people in the world. He returned the greeting in Icelandic and was invited by Chatwick into the suite.
     The ambassador was informally dressed in jeans and a sport coat and had been watching the medical examiner's interview on the BBC channel. He shut the TV off before they settled into the sitting room.
     First Thor had some questions for him. "Has anyone claimed responsibility for the bombings, yet?"
     "Not to my knowledge."
     "Has the IRA ever pulled a bombing where they didn't claim responsibility?"
     "Rarely, but it's happened."
     "Is it common knowledge in your country that Ian and his wife didn't get along?"
     "No, I don't believe so."
     "Were they ever in Dublin together?"
     Chatwick looked surprised by the question, but he had the answer. "As a matter of fact, they were," he said in English. "Last year there was a fairly complicated dispute over Irish immigration to the U.K. and Sir Ian managed to resolve it to the satisfaction of both governments."
     Thor followed Chatwick's switch to English. "Did they stay in a hotel or at your embassy while they were there?"
     "I can't say for sure, but I'll find out. I'm assuming by these questions that you believe the IRA was responsible for the bombing?"
     "That's way the it looks to me right now. What I can tell you for sure is that Icelanders weren't involved."
     "I'm glad to hear it," Chatwick said. "I've always been very comfortable here."
     Chatwick's stock was still climbing in Thor's estimation. "You're not surprised?" Thor asked.
     "No. I don't see how you arrived at your conclusion yet, but from the outset I found it difficult to believe one of your people could have done it."
     "Then I'll tell you how. I've spoken to Jónas and he tells me you requested the presidential suite for the foreign secretary at ten-thirty yesterday morning. Is that correct?"
     "Yes. Sir Ian called me at ten and told me he was coming. He also asked me to make the arrangements."
     "He told you it was to be an unpublicized visit?"
     "Yes. He specifically said that he wanted no press."
     "Did he ask you to book the presidential suite for him?"
     "No, I did that on my own. He had never been here and I thought it would be a nice touch. Besides, I've dealt with Jónas before and he has a certain reputation."
     "You told Jónas that the visit was confidential?"
     "Yes, and he assured me that word of it wouldn't leak out from his staff."
     "I'm sure it didn't. Besides Jónas, only five other staff members knew of the foreign secretary's presence here. All of them are longtime employees with a history of discretion."
     "You've spoken to all five?" Chatwick asked.
     "Yes, and they all say they told no one else of the visit. I believe them and I'm certain none of them have anything to do with the bombs."
     "How can you be so sure?"
     "Because I've seen the videotapes."
     "What videotapes?" Chatwick asked.
     Thor wasn't surprised that Chatwick didn't know about the hallway security cameras. They were well disguised and Jónas was always reluctant to discuss his security measures with anyone.
     "Come on, I'll show you," Thor said. Chatwick followed him to the door where Thor pointed out the cameras in the hallway and explained how they operated.
     "So there's a videotape showing everybody who's ever gone into that suite," Chatwick surmised.
     "No, that's one of my problems."
     "They don't change the videotapes?"
     "Not usually. When the tape is completed the video recorder rewinds it and the camera starts taping over the old images."
     "But only when there's motion in the hallway?"
     "Yes. Usually about a week fits on each two-hour tape before it rewinds," Thor explained.
     "So you still have pictures of everyone who was in the suite yesterday."
     "Yes, I've got video on everyone who went in there yesterday, along with the time they entered and left. There's a date/time stamp on the video tape."
     "So you must have a picture of the bomber."
     "Maybe. What I can tell you is that the bombs were in place before yesterday."
     Chatwick looked confused. "I don't see how that's possible."
     "Let's go back inside and I'll explain how it is possible," Thor suggested.
     Chatwick followed Thor back into the sitting room and the two men resumed their seats.
     "The first person to enter the suite yesterday was Jónas," Thor said. "He went in at ten-forty-one yesterday morning to check out the suite after you booked it. He left at ten-forty-six. At eleven-thirteen a maid went in with her cleaning cart. She dusted, stocked the bar, changed the sheets, and left at twelve-ten."
     "That's it?"
     "That's it. No one else went in until you arrived with Smythe-Douglass and his wife at two minutes after four yesterday afternoon. The computer hooked up to the card entry system backs that up."
     "How about after we left for the meetings?"
     "Nobody until you got back."
     "How about the windows?" Chatwick asked.
     "According to both Jónas and the maid, they were locked from the inside. They still are."
     "What you're saying is that the bomber knew the foreign secretary was coming to Iceland and would be staying in the presidential suite before the decision to come here was even made."
     "Hard to believe," Thor conceded, "But that's the only thing that makes sense."
     "How?"
     "I'm still putting that together, but I'm betting that whoever was behind the Irish claim to Rockall has to be involved."
     "Someone in the Irish government?"
     "Probably someone in the Irish cabinet. Somebody who hates the British, somebody connected to the IRA, somebody brilliant and diabolical. Ring any bells?"
     "You just described Timothy O'Bannion," Chatwick said. "Irish minister for finance and a devout Finian."
     "A Finian?"
     "A leading member of the Sinn Fein party, the political arm of the IRA. He's from County Donegal, right next to Ulster."
     "In the Irish Republic?"
     "Yes, in the Republic, but Donegal's still an IRA stronghold."
     "You think he hates the British enough to be behind something like this?"
     "He always has, O'Bannion and his whole family. His brother Seamus was an IRA soldier, and there's talk that Timothy was as well."
     "What do you mean, `talk'?"
      "I mean that my government has some evidence that he and Seamus were behind an ambush that killed two British soldiers in Londonderry in 1971, but it turned into a tactical defeat for the IRA. One of their men was killed during the firefight and three were wounded, including Seamus. They all managed to get away from the scene, but Seamus and another one of their wounded were captured an hour later."
     "But not Timothy?" Thor guessed.
     "No, not Timothy. He showed up back in the Republic with an alibi."
     "I'm assuming the evidence wasn't strong enough to extradite him."
     "In those days the Republic didn't extradite IRA people, so the request was never made."
     "What happened to Seamus?"
     "Tough case. He never talked, didn't say a word at his trial. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to life. Went on a hunger strike in the Maze Prison in 1977 and died after thirty-two days. Made himself into one of the IRA martyrs."
     "I see. Is O'Bannion against the peace process?"
     "He's a major obstacle and one of Smythe-Douglass's most vocal critics in the Irish government."
     "Are you beginning to see my point?" Thor asked.
     "I think so. This Rockall dispute between your government and mine had been festering for weeks and was bound to come to a head, sooner or later. Throw in the Royal Navy's action and Sir Ian's got an instant crisis on his hands, especially since he's the one who reportedly fanned the flames."
     "Reportedly?"
     "I can't admit it officially, but it's said that Sir Ian pushed through the measure declaring Rockall to be part of the British Isles. He was the MP for Cornwall, the center of our fishing industry, so he stood to gain if Rockall was ours alone. It's also said that he persuaded the prime minister to send the Royal Navy there to back up the claim."
     "Aren't there quite a few Irish-born sailors in your navy?" Thor asked.
     "Many seamen and officers as well. There's also quite a few Irishmen in our fishing fleets. If O'Bannion was inclined to listen, I'm sure he would have heard of our plan to send the fishing fleet to Rockall and then protect it with the Royal Navy."
     Try to protect it, Thor almost added before courtesy killed the comment. "I'm sure that plan had been brewing for weeks, so let's assume he did," he said instead. "Would O'Bannion be smart enough to predict the outcome of that encounter?"
     "I'm certain he is. I don't consider myself a genius and I could have predicted it," Chatwick said. "Problem is, nobody asked me. Anyway, engineer an Irish claim to Rockall, and from the foreign secretary's viewpoint, it's a crisis that has to be resolved quickly. Maybe O'Bannion figured Sir Ian would be coming here to mend fences. If so, that's brilliant."
     "Kill Smythe-Douglass and it becomes diabolical," Thor added.
     "Yes, that would be diabolical if he put it all together and then figured Sir Ian would stay in the Saga's presidential suite," Chatwick agreed. "Do you have any other indicators pointing in his direction?"
     "Just that the bomber was extraordinarily thorough. He planted two bombs, one in the master bedroom and one in the servant's bed. Who would expect that Smythe-Douglass and his wife weren't getting along and sleeping apart?"
     "I see. If Sir Ian stayed in a hotel when he was in Dublin with his wife, it would have to be someone with connections in the hotel industry."
     "Yes, someone who could quietly have had the maids questioned. Is that O'Bannion?" Thor asked.
     "I don't know, but I'll find that out, too."
     "Thanks."
     "So now all you have to do is identify the bomber and connect him to O'Bannion, if possible."
     "Identifying him could be difficult," Thor said.
     "Difficult, but at least you have everybody who's been in that suite in the past weeks on video, don't you?"
     "Not exactly," Thor said. "Our constable standing guard in the hallway was a problem."
     Chatwick understood at once. Haarold had been in the hallway for more than two hours before the bombs went off. "How far back does the videotape go?" he asked.
     "Fortunately, Janus had the cameras shut off as soon as he arrived or we'd have nothing. As it is, from the camera facing the presidential suite I've got one hour and three minutes video of our constable."
     "Why's that? He was there for more that two hours, wasn't he?"
     "You know Haarold?"
     "Met him last night. Very impressive."
     "And very unusual. Apparently, he doesn't move around much. The camera taping him in front of the suite kept shutting down for lack of motion. We still have video going back to February 28th on that one."
     "How about the other camera?"
     "Much better. It's over the door to the presidential suite, so it didn't get much of Haarold moving around. That tape goes back six days, to February 24th. There's a good chance we've got the bomber on that one."
     "Have you watched both tapes?" Chatwick asked.
     "Yes."
     "Do you have a suspect?"
     "I'm not sure, yet. A Canadian named Thomas Winthrop checked into the hotel on Saturday, February 21st, and was given a room on the fifth floor. On the following Wednesday he asked Jónas for a change to the presidential suite, said he had gotten married last month in Canada and that his wife was flying in to meet him. It's off-season, so Jónas was happy to give it to him. The bellboy brought Winthrop's luggage up and tape shows him entering and leaving the suite a total of eight times--always alone."
     "His wife never showed up?"
     "No. He checked out on the evening of February 28th and she doesn't appear on the videotapes, if she exists."
     "He checked out of the presidential suite the day before the foreign secretary arrived?" Chatwick asked.
     "Yes, but right after the Rockall incident. If Winthrop is our man, he knew that Sir Ian would be coming here before long. If so, I have to figure that Winthrop watched the hotel and saw him and his wife arrive."
     "Does your immigration have a record of when Winthrop arrived in Iceland?"
     "Came in on an Icelandair flight from Montreal on Saturday, February 21st. However, according to our immigration, he still hasn't left the country."
     "Did he have much luggage?"
     "Five pieces. More than enough to carry the equipment to make the type of bombs I think were used."
     "So what's your plan from here, if you don't mind my asking?"
     "I've got Immigration watching out for him and I've got people checking every hotel in the country."
     "And if you don't find him?" Chatwick asked.
     "Foreigners attract attention here at this time of year. If I don't get him in the next couple of days, I'll go public. In the meantime, I'll try and pin down the exact workings and composition of the bombs."
     Thor stood up, but kept his eyes on Chatwick. He could see that the ambassador was thinking and knew what he had on his mind.
     "Before you go, there's something I have to ask you," Chatwick said. "I hope you don't take it the wrong way."
     It was just what Thor wanted to hear. "Go on."
     "Since it was our foreign secretary who was killed, I've been instructed by my government to offer you any assistance you might require in this case. As you might imagine, we have people with quite a bit of experience investigating bombings, specifically IRA bombings."
     "I don't mind a little help, as long as it's subtle," Thor said. "Frankly, I could use some specialized scientific equipment and people who know how to use it."
     "We'd also be glad to help you out there. We have a mobile lab designed specifically for bomb investigations."
     "That's fine with me, but I'll have to check with Janus first. He'll probably want to establish some ground rules."
     "Rules like no overt presence, give help only that's asked for, no firearms, and no talking to the press?" Chatwick asked with a smile.
     Thor had to smile himself. "Roger, it's a pleasure dealing with an agreeable person who understands the fine art of diplomacy. When can your people and that lab of yours be here?"
     "Two hours."
     Wonderful! Thor thought. All the expensive scientific equipment needed, equipment that had never been deemed necessary in Iceland, is on the runway in the U.K. and ready to go. "Two hours would be fine. I also wouldn't mind having a person who knows the IRA personnel and tactics."
     "That would be Inspector Rollins. He'll also be here in two hours." Chatwick stood up and offered his hand. Thor was about to take it and thank the ambassador, but was stopped by a loud knock at the door. Chatwick went to the door and returned with Janus.
     Thor could tell by one look at the chief's face that more trouble was brewing. He could also see that Janus wanted to talk to him alone, but Thor didn't think that would be polite after just having made Chatwick and his government a de facto partner in the case. "Let's have the bad news, Janus."
     "There's been another murder. A girl's body washed up this morning on the beach near Heimaey."
     "Murdered?" Thor asked, astonished. Three murders in one week? Impossible!
     "Horribly. Body is naked and sexually mutilated. Fingers are gone and all her teeth have been knocked out."
     Heimaey? That's in the Westmann Islands, about a hundred kilometers from here, Thor thought. Can there possibly be a connection? "Whoever did it doesn't want her identified," he said.
     "Do you want the body brought to the morgue here?" Janus asked.
     Thor put his hand in his pocket to check his Dramamine supply before answering. "I guess so."

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