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

‘Did the neighbour talk to Anni or her parents?’

When Iain heard the removal men had foreign accents, he knew something was very wrong, very wrong indeed. He needed to telephone the Colonel. Or perhaps he should just go home and think it through himself and then talk to him later. But first he’d have to make sure these two youngsters had played enough heroics for one night.

‘Why wouldn’t Anni tell me she was moving?’ Pia asked.

Iain looked at her face. Her mascara had run in dark smudges around her eyes. She’d have to wash that off before she went back home.

‘They might not have been allowed to say, I’m sure. The removal men weren’t allowed to either. It’s all absolutely normal in diplomatic circles to be called up at short notice.’ Iain hoped he sounded calm and reassuring. The boy was looking at him sceptically. Pia seemed to believe him. Maybe she wanted to. ‘But now, young lady, we’ve had enough antics for one night. Go and wash your face and I’ll take you home.’ Iain turned towards Heikki. ‘Might be best if you make your way out of here first. I’ll follow, then wait for Pia. OK?’

‘Sure,’ Heikki said. He turned towards Pia and kissed her lightly on the lips. ‘See you tomorrow.’

Pia didn’t feel as brave as she had done earlier. Hiding in Anni’s parents’ bedroom had made her feel as though she was still being held by the KGB. When she saw Iain on the landing she could have cried there and then. She could see Heikki didn’t like the man. She herself should dislike him after all the lies about the drugs he’d told her mother. But Iain had apologised, and he seemed to be the only person who could and would help her find Anni. And he seemed to want to protect Pia and her mother. She felt like crying when she thought about Anni.

‘Is she OK, do you think?’

Iain didn’t reply for a while, but then said, ‘Yes I should think so.’

Pia looked long and hard at Iain. Was he telling the truth? Would he tell her if he thought the KGB had the Linnonmaa family?

‘Who was the girl you were talking to outside?’ Iain asked.

‘Sasha.’

‘Do you know her last name?’ Iain was scribbling into his notebook.

‘Roche.’

‘That doesn’t sound like a Finnish name?’

‘I think her father is French or something.’

‘Hmm,’ Iain was quiet for a moment. Then he looked at Pia, ‘And is she friends with Heikki?’

Pia stared at Iain. His large eyes settled on Pia’s for a while with a sad look. Then he looked away, as if he was a little embarrassed.

Pia remembered the way Sasha had asked Heikki in a mock whisper to call her. How they’d been standing close to one another at the smoking place, and the conversation she’d obviously interrupted outside the lockers in the entrance hall of the Lyceum. And when Pia had accused Sasha of trying to get it on with Heikki, she’d called her a ‘stupid girl’.

When Pia said nothing, Iain coughed and said, ‘I assume they are, hmm, friendly?’

Pia decided she might as well tell him everything.

‘Pia, can you do something for me?’ Iain finally said after they’d discussed all that had passed that evening. ‘I’m not going to let you out of my sight. The Colonel has agreed that I will give you constant surveillance. But, and this is very, very important, Pia. Do you always wear that colourful scarf?’

‘I can do,’ Pia said, puzzled.

‘Can you wear it from now on, or at least until I tell you not to?’

‘Of course, but what…’

‘Listen,’ Iain said, interrupting Pia, ‘if you can’t see me, stop and take your scarf off. If you still don’t see me, make your way here to the Council.’

‘But Kovtun said I should keep away from the Council.’

Iain was quiet for a moment. Then he dug something out of his pocket. ‘This will get you in quickly.’

Pia took a small brass key from Iain’s hand. ‘Thank you,’ she said. She felt grateful towards Iain, and less alone with the awful fear she felt for Anni.

Iain smiled and said, ‘And now I will take you home.’ He patted Pia on her arm.

Pia said, ‘Can I ask you something?’

‘Of course.’

‘Heikki and Sasha. Why are you so interested in them?’

Iain looked at Pia for a long time, as if judging whether she was strong enough to cope with what he was about to tell her. ‘There’s no reason. We’re just making sure no one knows of Kovtun’s plans to defect.’

Pia was glad Iain walked her home. Even though she could tell he wasn’t pleased about it. All that she had learned that day was going around in her head as they walked briskly along Kasarminkatu towards her block of flats. It was dark, but the street lights and the snow made it perfectly easy to see. Pia glanced sideways at Iain. He still looked cold in his new coat and his breath froze in the air, making it seem as if he was puffing on a cigarette. Pia looked up and down the street. A tram was turning the corner. No sign of the Russian. Iain must have frightened him off.

Pia could not sleep at all that night. She knew there was a connection between the KGB and Anni’s disappearance, and that connection must have something to do with the planned defection of the blond-haired Russian. If only she could talk to her mother! But Iain had warned her not to say a word about her theory to her mother. As if she would blab again, although it would be difficult not to talk to Heikki tomorrow.

Maija woke early. She’d spent the whole night trying to get to sleep. Now she felt exhausted. Her bedside clock showed 6.05. She put on her dressing gown and walked over to Pia’s door. Silently, she opened it and peered inside. The girl was fast asleep, her head half buried inside the duvet. Maija closed the door soundlessly and went over to the telephone in the hall.

The number she dialled answered immediately.

She listened to the man’s voice and said, ‘I’ll meet you at 7.30.’

Again she listened and said, ‘Alright. Goodbye.’

Maija put the phone down and for a while stood still in the hall, staring at the receiver.

Before Maija left the flat half an hour later, she wrote a note for Pia, saying she had to get into work early. She often did overtime on Saturday mornings, so it shouldn’t rouse Pia’s suspicions. It was still dark outside and bitterly cold. As she waited at the tram stop, moving her feet about to keep warm, she wondered how she hadn’t made the connection before. Though how that would have changed anything she didn’t know. It was pure chance their two daughters were the same age, and ended up in the same class in the same school. Maija knew that by meeting the man she was entering the world she had chosen to leave eighteen years before. But now Pia was involved. She would have to do everything she could to protect her. She needed to know what he was up to. Why he wanted to see her.

Jukka Linnonmaa hadn’t really aged. Even under the harsh lights of the Happy Days Café, he looked youthful. Perhaps the odd line around his mouth betrayed an age over forty, for surely he was older than Maija? He still had all of his fair hair, falling softly onto his forehead.

‘You haven’t changed,’ she said to Mr Linnonmaa.

He stared at his cup of black coffee. He looked up, surprised, ‘Neither have you, Miss Kuortamo.’

‘Mrs Mäkelä, now.’

‘Of course’

Neither spoke for a moment. Maija was thinking how eighteen years ago their paths had hardly touched. Mr Linnonmaa had been far above her in the Customs hierarchy. Unlike Maija, he wasn’t based at the border crossing in Vaalimaa, near the town of Hamina. She’d spoken with him on the telephone most days, but only seen him a few times. Were it not for all those rumours among the staff about his true role, Maija was sure she wouldn’t have remembered him. But it was the voice, his voice, after he called the second time last night that reminded her. Was that what this was all about?