Helena Halme - The Red King of Helsinki - Lies, Spies and Gymnastics

The front door opened and slammed shut. Footsteps echoed on the stone floor of the uncarpeted hall. Pia was glad Heikki had his hand around her. They heard the steps pass the door to Anni’s parents’ room. Whoever it was, had gone into Mr Linnonmaa’s study.

Iain had his doubts about Heikki. When he saw Pia take his hand and run to the tram he swore silently to himself. What had he just told the girl? He turned away from the window and ran out of the Council.

The Colonel was far too nonchalant about the girl’s safety. Iain was getting too involved, and he knew the Colonel thought so too. But damn the man, these were real, innocent people. In the tram he suddenly knew where Pia had gone. But when he stepped out of the carriage on Kasarminkatu, he started to doubt. It was late. Surely Pia would go home, so as not to arouse Maija’s fears. Iain pulled the collar of his coat up and walked up Tehtaankatu. Though the street looked empty, he walked around the block and entered the Linnonmaa apartment from a different direction.

Iain had been standing in the corner of Tehtaankatu for a while, with a good view of the entrance to the block, when he saw an elderly man come out. He was wearing a bottle-green coat and a felt hat. Iain looked at the man carefully and started to sway. He picked up an empty bottle of Frascati he’d spotted by the side of the street. He started to sing a song. He’d heard one of the old puliukko sing it at the Helsinki railway station as the drunk was being led away by two policeman. He recognised it as one Virpi’s father sang, when he had too much beer and vodka after a long session in the sauna. ‘Minun kultani kaunis on, vaik on kaitaluinen, hei luulia illalla, vaik on kaitaluinen…’ The man didn’t even look in Iain’s direction. He was just about to stop the singing – he only remembered the one line – when he saw Pia and Heikki come out of the door. So his hunch had been right! Thank goodness, they were now out, surely this meant they would go home. When another girl appeared, Iain swayed more. Pia looked once in his direction, but didn’t seem to recognise him. At least she didn’t let on. Good girl, Iain thought, and started walking slowly up the street. Then both Pia and Heikki disappeared back inside the Linnonmaa apartment block.

Iain walked up to the entrance and stopped. He looked up and down the street and used the key he’d got from Linnonmaa’s file to open the door. He listened to Pia and Heikki talk in whispered tones. Then he heard a door being opened and shut.

Iain sighed.

There was a space to wait behind the spiral staircase. The stairwell was dimly lit. The only light came from the large windows on the landing between the first and ground floors. They must overlook the inner courtyard, which was lit with a single streetlight. The snow reflected light back into the hallway, so there was no need to put the light on. Iain hoped he was safe in the shadow of the spiral staircase. He crouched down. What would Pia find in the Linnonmaa flat? Presumably the family was out, and presumably the old man had interrupted Pia and Heikki trying to break in. This really was not wise, Iain thought. If Iain was caught in a compromising situation in the Finnish diplomat’s home, the Colonel would probably send him straight back to London. Then who would look after Maija and Pia?

Iain didn’t trust Heikki, nor was he sure Pia wasn’t in danger from Vladsislas Kovtun. He’d been watching her for some reason, and if he thought the girl was an obstacle to his plans…

The entrance door to the block went again. Iain listened carefully. The steps were heavy set, a man’s.

When the man had taken a few steps up the staircase, Iain moved the top of his body slowly and silently around the stone pillar. He caught sight of the man’s black coat and boots. Iain would have recognised them anywhere. ‘Damn, damn, damn,’ he swore silently as he huddled back in the small space under the stairs. The steps stopped on the second floor, paused for a moment, and then Iain heard the door into what must be the Linnonmaa apartment open and shut.

There was no time to think. Iain moved slowly up the stairs. There were two apartments to a floor. As he walked past flats numbers one and two, his heart beat so hard he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. At the bottom of the first step leading up to the second floor, he paused and tried to steady his breath.

Iain could hear no sound from inside the flat. The whole apartment block was deadly silent. Had Kovtun already taken the two children hostage, or worse? Iain had certainly not heard a gunshot, but then the Russian had other, much quieter, means at his disposal. How would he explain the deaths, and how would he get them out of the flat without being seen? And why was he even taking a risk like this so close to his move to the West?

Iain looked at the hallway. He spotted a door in between the two apartment entrances. He took hold of the handle and pressed it slowly down. The door opened to a small cupboard. There was a mop and bucket and some old dusters hanging up on a makeshift clothesline.

Iain moved back to the Linnonmaas’ door and rang the bell, then moved swiftly into the cupboard. He left the door only slightly ajar and waited.

Minutes, more like hours, passed. The Linnonmaas’ door opened and the face of Vladsislas Kovtun appeared in the doorway. Leaving the door ajar, he walked up to the top of the staircase and peered down. He didn’t have a gun, and was still wearing his long black overcoat. Suddenly he turned around and scanned the hallway. Iain stopped breathing. The man’s eyes lingered on the cleaning cupboard. Did he know of its existence? Had he spotted the door slightly ajar? He nodded slightly towards the door, then turned on his heels and went up to the door of the apartment. Kovtun closed the door, took a key out of his pocket and double locked it from the outside. A few moments later, Iain heard the outer door of the apartment block slam shut.

Iain touched his watch. The display lit up and he waited exactly five minutes before stepping out of the cleaning cupboard. As he did so, the Linnonmaas’ door opened again. He rushed to Pia and Heikki and pushed them back inside.

‘Oi!’ Heikki said when they were back inside.

‘Quiet!’ Iain took each youngster by the arm and led them into the kitchen. ‘Now, you two, what are you playing at?’

Pia was looking down at the floor. She looked frightened. The boy’s face was as defiant as ever.

‘Pia, didn’t I tell you to be careful?’ Iain said.

The girl looked at him and now he saw she’d been crying. Suddenly she flung herself on Iain, taking him aback. He felt her soft breasts against him. Iain put his arms loosely around the girl, and started to pat her back. ‘There, there,’ he said in English. Over Pia’s head he scrutinised Heikki. He did look a little pale.

‘Did he see you?’ Iain asked.

‘No, we were in Anni’s parents’ room when he came in. Who was it anyway?’ Heikki said. His voice was higher than usual. He was obviously frightened. Good, Iain thought.

‘Now Pia, it’s OK, as long as he didn’t see you?’

‘No,’ Pia sniffled. Iain gave her a hankie from his trouser pocket. She moved away from Iain and said, ‘I was so scared. Can we just get out of here?’

‘Yes, but first I need to know why you’re here.’

‘I wanted to see Anni,’ Pia said.

‘So it was your idea, Pia?’ Iain examined Heikki’s face.

‘Yes, but the man said they’d gone to Moscow.’

‘What man?’

After Pia had told Iain about the neighbour, he remembered the man walking out of the block just before Pia and Heikki. He’d have to describe him to the Colonel. Just as well he’d had a good look at him.