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

‘I thought you were shut.’ Maija turned her head towards the arrogant woman.

‘The young lady was…’ The woman began, but Maija lifted her hand to stop her and said to Iain, ‘I think I’ll hear it from you. What’s Pia doing here?’ She stared at Iain who was not returning her gaze.

‘Let’s go home, Pia,’ she said, touching Pia’s arm, and turned on her heels. Pia stood motionless for a moment, her eyes on Heikki. She nodded to him and eventually followed Maija into the lift.

Iain stood in the reception for a while listening to Mrs Cooper’s apologies. ‘I’m so sorry, Sir, I didn’t hear you come in and she was just about to go.’ She was speaking in her perfectly accented English. Iain looked at Mrs Cooper’s well made-up face. She treated her job at the Council with the utmost professionalism. ‘Serious people, these Finns, even those we work with,’ the Colonel had remarked about her. Iain wondered how much she knew about Kovtun.

‘Not to worry, Mrs Cooper.’ He pulled on his coat. He needed first to talk to the Colonel and then he must make sure Maija and Pia were safely at home.

‘I’m off,’ Heikki said. He stood next to the lift with his hands in his pockets.

Iain had forgotten about the boy. ‘Hold on,’ he said. He turned back to Mrs Cooper and asked for a piece of paper. He wrote: ‘Make sure the boy is followed until safely at home, phone the Colonel if need be,’ and handed the note to Mrs Cooper. She read it, nodded and smiled.

‘Heikki, I want you to wait here until Mrs Cooper has made a phone call. Can you do that for me?’

‘Yeah, sure, but can’t I come with you? I’m really good at following people, and I can undo locks, remember?’ The young man’s face lit up.

Iain glanced at Mrs Cooper. ‘No. I’m not, I mean, sorry, that’s not possible. Stay here until Mrs Cooper tells you otherwise, and go straight home. OK?’

Heikki hung his head, but nodded in agreement. He walked slowly to a chair in the lobby and sat down with a flourish. He looked like a bag of bones settling into an empty basket. At least the boy is well out of the mess now, Iain thought.

The walk down the Esplanade seemed to be getting colder each time. The afternoon light was just starting to fade. Iain looked at the grey sky above him. At least it wasn’t snowing.

‘Well, well,’ the Colonel said after Iain had run through what the youngsters had told him at the Council.

Iain waited as long as he could, while the Colonel stared at the carpet of his cabin.

‘Kovtun is getting very close to these youngsters, don’t you think, Sir?’

‘Hmm.’

‘I think I should…’

‘No, Collins.’ The Colonel gave Iain a stern look. It was a warning. Iain dropped his gaze.

The Colonel spoke, ‘The ship’s company are preparing for the Open Day tomorrow. The Finnish public will be admitted between the hours of 15.00–19.00. Kovtun will arrive, with the crypto card, a few minutes before seven o’clock. We will sail at 21.00.’

‘Of course Sir, I understand.’

The Colonel looked at Iain for a long time. He got up and went to fetch something out of a drawer. He came back and gave Iain a heavy black case. Iain looked at the Colonel and lifted the lid.

‘You did pass your firearms training?’ the Colonel said.

‘Yes, Sir,’ Iain said. He tried not to show that his hands were trembling as he placed the gun carefully into the inside pocket of his coat. The Colonel nodded towards a set of cartridges and Iain placed them inside another pocket. The Colonel gave him a set of car keys. ‘It’s a moss green Opel Kadett parked in bay 229 in the car park underneath Erottaja. You know the air shelter?’

‘Yes, Sir.’ Iain thought how much easier his task would have been if he’d had a car all along but said nothing.

‘Now, what you need to do is to make sure both Pia and Maija are safely at home.’ The Colonel gave Iain a consoling smile, ‘And then go home, have a beer or two and watch the ice hockey on television. There’s bound to be a match on!’ The Colonel laughed. A short, efficient barking sound that came out of his mouth and made his eyes briefly crease in the corners. ‘Take the night off; tomorrow could be a long day.’

The coat felt heavy on him as he walked out of the ship and into the cold Helsinki night. He scanned the dark jetty and wondered why he felt no fear. He pulled his coat tighter around him and decided the person who would know most about Kovtun was Leena Joutila.

Maija sat with her hands on the kitchen table, thinking. Pia’s make-up was smudged and her hair a mess. Maija could hardly believe what the girl had been through on her own.

‘C’mon darling, let’s get you cleaned up.’ Maija pulled Pia up and together they went into the little bathroom. ‘Why didn’t you tell me all of this before?’ Maija handed Pia a clean towel.

The girl sniffled and said, ‘Iain told me I shouldn’t. Anni is still missing, and he said as few people as possible must know in case that put her in danger.’ Her face, now scrubbed clean of make-up looked like a frightened child’s.

‘But I’m your mother!’ Maija said. She felt a surge of anger towards Iain. He had most certainly used her, but more importantly he had used her daughter. He had lied to both of them and all for what? Maija still couldn’t believe that the unassuming Englishman she knew was some kind of a spy. Was his job at the British Council just a cover? And was his story of his failed marriage to a Finn a lie? How had he learned Finnish? What about the recent increase in his feelings for Maija, were they false and made up for the sake of his other secret life too? The intense kisses, the loving words - all lies? Maija pushed her own disappointment aside and looked at her daughter, tearful and obviously in shock. She stood shivering in front of the mirror, not even looking at her sad face. Maija would not let any man do this to Pia! From now on she would be more vigilant and protect her daughter, as she had protected her from her father’s absence.

‘I’ll make us some coffee,’ she said and put her arm around Pia, leading her back to the kitchen. Her daughter was already a little taller than her, but Maija felt stronger. She would sort this mess out. She would speak to the police, to Mrs Härmänmaa, she would take Pia out of school, she would take leave, unpaid if need be, and they would go and stay with her mother in Lappeenranta. A few days skiing by the lake, eating home-made rye bread fresh from the oven and drinking hot berry cordial would do them both good. Iain and this Heikki boy could go to hell as far as Maija was concerned!

The doorbell rang.

Pia and Maija looked at each other. Pia glanced towards the door and said, ‘Don’t open it, it could be the KGB!’

‘Nonsense!’ Maija said. A doubt registered fleetingly in her mind, but she brushed it away. It was 1979, not 1939 and they lived in a free country, not behind the iron curtain! Maija looked through the spy hole. ‘It’s Anni!’ she said and opened the door.

The two girls hugged each other as soon as Anni was inside the flat. Maija placed the chain on the door. At least now Pia wouldn’t have to worry about Anni anymore. She was glad she didn’t have to tell Pia how she knew the Linnonmaas were safe.

‘Mrs Mäkelä,’ Anni said when Maija walked into the kitchen. ‘I am so sorry about all the trouble you’ve had. My father sends his regards and says not to worry, everything will be sorted soon.’

Maija smiled, but regarded Anni carefully. It didn’t seem as if she knew about Maija and her father’s shared past. She looked even thinner than she had last time Maija had seen her. She was wearing a tight pair of white jeans, with boots and a loose woollen jumper.