The Day is Dark Read Online Free PDF Page B

disasters or strikes there, either recently or in the past. This was what pricked her curiosity: there was a definite challenge involved in evaluating a situation in search of what could be considered uncontrollable. Crimes could be categorized under force majeure, and considering the video it was possible that might be the case here; however, that was not at all a given, making this an even more exciting legal issue. And there were other factors involved: whoever did not fulfil his obligations had to demonstrate that he had tried everything within his power to minimize the impact of external factors. In this case, determining such a thing could prove to be more challenging than pinpointing the actual phenomenon that had prevented the party from fulfilling its contract. Was this not precisely what she had craved so much – that very morning, in fact? A challenging case that wouldn’t make her yearn to throw her pen at her client’s head in fury?
    ‘I’ll come,’ she told him, without considering the matter any further. As soon as she said it she felt a definite sense of relief and anticipation. She actually also felt troubled, but pushed that feeling aside.
    Matthew stopped for a moment in the elegant lobby of the bank’s headquarters. He hurriedly stepped away when he realized that he was standing in the middle of the entrance and that the large automatic glass plate doors were about to close on him. ‘Really?’ Now it was his turn to have doubts. ‘You realize it’s going to be a difficult trip – it’s a real wilderness of ice and snow there.’
    Thóra was certainly aware of the snow. It was what was not there that attracted her most. Boring, routine cases. This would be different; that was for sure.
    ‘What colour are Greenlanders?’ asked Sóley, yawning. She was lying in bed and should have been asleep long ago, but in the light of her impending trip, Thóra had decided to ignore her daughter’s normal bedtime. She kissed the girl’s blonde head.
    ‘They’re just like us, darling. Not green, if that’s what you think.’
    ‘Mummy,’ said her daughter indignantly, ‘I know that. I meant whether they were yellow like Chinese people or something like that.’
    ‘Chinese people aren’t yellow any more than the Independents are blue,’ said Thóra, smoothing down the pink duvet cover.
    ‘What?’ asked Sóley, who knew as much about politics as any other eight-year-old child.
    Thóra merely smiled at her. ‘You’ll behave yourself at Daddy’s while I’m gone, won’t you?’
    ‘Yes, if you bring back a nice present for me,’ replied Sóley, smiling. ‘Sweeties, too.’
    There must be sweets in Greenland. ‘I’ll buy something,’ answered Thóra. ‘Maybe a polar bear cub.’
    ‘Oh, yes,’ said Sóley, excitedly. ‘A real one.’
    ‘Well, I meant a teddy bear,’ said Thóra, patting one of the many soft toys lying on the bed. She prepared to stand up. ‘It’s much too late. Try to sleep now.’
    ‘A dog?’ implored Sóley, taking her mother’s hand, and Thóra shook her head out of old habit. Sóley piped up at least once a day about getting a pet. More often on weekends. ‘Why not? Gylfi got to have a baby – why can’t I have a puppy or kitten?’
    ‘Good night,’ said Thóra, standing up from the bedside. ‘We’ll wake up at the same time in the morning, you’ll go to school and Mummy will go to the airport. I’ll try to call you when you’ve got to Daddy’s, but I can’t promise that it will work.’ She responded in advance to the question that would inevitably follow: ‘There are phones in Greenland, but I don’t know if they work where I’ll be. They might be broken.’
    After switching off the light in the pink room and staring for a few moments at the numerous glittering teddy bear eyes, Thóra went out to the garage. She had no rucksack, as Matthew had recommended she bring – a suitcase would have to do. Things became more complicated, however, when it