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

Again she spoke in Russian thanking the town and people of Helsinki for hosting the tournament. The woman sat down and a few people in the hall clapped. Now it was the turn of the Finnish speaker. Maija and the rest of the hall listened in total silence as he announced the winners.

The Russians are good, Iain thought. He was crouching behind a low wall at the top of the hall. There was a reasonable view of the stage through the banisters. Iain watched the movements of the tallest Russian girl. There was something about her, but Iain could not think what it was. He racked his brain as the hall filled with Russian balalaika music.

Earlier, Iain had spotted Maija settling into a seat at the front. He’d seen her look upwards, but he didn’t think she’d seen him. That was good. He knew his time was running out. The performances would soon end and the Colonel would welcome Kovtun onboard. The ship’s company was ready to sail that evening.

The music stopped. During the silence Iain moved closer to the stairs. If someone had spotted him, it was best to move about as much as possible.

The Lyceum girls entered the stage, led by Pia.

Suddenly Iain saw the connection.

Iain opened the door very carefully and glanced behind him. No one was watching him. The whole of the hall was holding their breath, willing the Finnish girls to do well. Iain shook his head and started running down the stairs. He hoped the music in the hall would conceal the rattle of his footsteps on the steel staircase.

When Iain reached the corridor once more, a door further down opened. A matronly woman came out and locked her hard eyes on him.

‘Hello,’ Iain said in Finnish.

The woman didn’t reply. She folded her arms over her considerable frame and surveyed Iain. The door she’d come through was left ajar. Iain heard someone talking in Russian. There were giggles, and a man’s raised voice. The corridor smelt strongly of sweat and disinfectant. The woman moved to call to someone inside the room, when a door close to Iain opened. It was Leena, ‘Here you are!’ she said and smiled. She nodded to the woman and said ‘Zdravstvuite’ in Russian, and then in Finnish, ‘my husband.’ She motioned to Iain. Once inside, Leena locked the door behind them.

‘What are you doing here? You’re not allowed come into the girls’ changing rooms!’ Leena hissed. ‘That was the Russian trainer!’

‘I’m sorry, I needed to talk to you,’ Iain said.

Leena surveyed him, ‘And how did you know where the girls’ changing rooms are?’

‘Aren’t you supposed to be up there watching the girls – watching Pia?’

Leena looked down at her hands, ‘I’m too nervous.’

‘Ok,’ Iain looked at his watch. He had no time for female logic. The Open Day was due to start in one hour fifteen minutes. It would take half an hour to drive back to Helsinki from here.

‘Leena, could you go back up to the hall.’

‘Why?’

‘I think Pia is in grave danger. We must stop Kovtun.’

Leena was staring at Iain, ‘I don’t understand. What are you talking about?’

‘Miss Joutila, this looks bad, I know, but trust me.’ Iain took a deep breath and continued to hold Leena’s gaze. ‘I have Pia’s best interest at heart and I believe she’s in danger, in grave danger.’

Leena continued to look at him.

‘Please, Leena, believe me, I’ve only told you what you need to know. Kovtun is a dangerous man. He has already killed a secretary at the Soviet Embassy and an innocent young woman in Stockholm.’ Iain bit his lips. He was taking a big risk telling Leena all this.

‘I don’t understand,’ Leena was shaking her head, ‘I knew he was a liar, but…if what you say about him is true, how can you alone stop him?’

‘Don’t worry, I can do it. Now, you must go!’

Leena’s eyes darted from Iain to her hands and back.

‘I’d better get to the girls,’ she said finally.

‘Please, Miss Joutila, Leena, bring the girls down here and wait for me.’

‘What are you saying – that Vadi is planning to hurt Pia? But why?’

The music stopped, and they heard the start of the enthusiastic clapping from upstairs.

‘There’s no time to explain, just make sure you bring Pia back here.’ Iain nearly pushed Leena out of the changing rooms.

The corridor was empty again. Iain tiptoed past the doorway where the Russian woman had stood, walked to the end and then out into the cold. The sun had set while they’d been inside the hall and it was dark. There were no street lamps at the back of the ice hockey hall. Iain climbed the steps slowly, all the time keeping an eye on the bins to his left. Following the brick wall of the building, he made his way slowly to the bins. Some of the snow had frozen in clumps and made a crunching noise as Iain stepped on it. He cursed silently and stopped each time it happened.

He didn’t see evidence of the car until he came right up to the container wall. First he smelled the exhaust, and then he saw the floating puffs of smoke. Iain froze when he heard voices. He moved forward and knelt beside the container. A man and woman were arguing in Russian. Iain hid in the shadows between the lights from the ice hockey hall windows and a street lamp on the edge of the car park. He heard a car door slam, then the muffled sound of steps on the snowy car park. He crawled between the wall of the hall and the container. From here he had a clear view of the headlights of the car. Iain heard the steps go past the container, then recede. If Kovtun was going to go back to the changing rooms, he’d catch sight of Iain crouching in the snow as he descended the steps. Iain crawled towards the headlights of the car. He got back on his feet and, staying close to the wall, made his way towards the second container, trying to walk normally. As he passed the car, he caught sight of a frightened woman’s face inside the passenger seat. She was alone in the car, her face turned away from him. Iain turned the corner out of sight and stood for a while, catching his breath. His feet felt weak and his hands were trembling. He now had a clear view of the main car park at the front of the hall. The Russian bus with its covered windows had started its engine.

Iain tried to think. If Kovtun was about to use Pia, how would he get her? Was he mad enough to think it would work? He had to get back to Pia. He started running towards the front of the sports hall. He slipped in the poorly sanded back car park and landed on his hands. It stung. He heard steps behind him.

As Iain tried to scramble to his feet, a hand grabbed his collar and pushed him back onto the ground. His mouth filled with snow and ice. He tried to kick but the weight of the man was on his back. He tried to lift himself up and turn around, push away whoever was on top of him, but his back was punched. Iain tried to shout out, but a gloved hand grabbed his jaw.

‘Silent, or I will kill you.’

Kovtun, Iain thought as the Russian pulled him up and started walking towards the girls’ changing rooms. He felt the gun against the back of his neck. Iain’s blood was rushing in his ears. He tried to keep calm as Kovtun pushed him into an empty changing room. Iain stumbled, nearly losing his balance, but managed to turn around. He tried to punch Kovtun’s face but instead saw the raised hand with the butt of the gun pointing towards him before he fell down.

Pia was grabbed so quickly she didn’t even have time to scream. When she tried, no sound came out of her mouth. It was as if her throat had dried up. She’d seen surprise in Miss Joutila’s face and then she was grabbed. Next she was dragged along the corridor. She’d seen Kovtun’s dark eyes staring at her briefly before he’d pushed her face against the rough brick wall, pulling her left arm high up to her back. It hurt and she let out a whine. The rough wall was scraping her cheek. There was a burning sensation on her face. The Russian pulled Pia’s other arm to join the left and pushed her whole body harder against the wall. Pia managed to scream. Now the Russian’s lips were behind Pia, close to her, whispering in her ear, ‘Quiet now, little Miss.’ He smelled of vodka just as he had done at the Linnonmaas’ flat. Pia tried to kick him from behind but the Russian was strong. He pushed his leg up against Pia’s knees to stop her from moving, and stuffed something damp into her mouth. She tried to bite the hand, but couldn’t through the foul-smelling cloth. It was wet and tasted sweet. The rope against her wrists was hurting, but at least her face was released from the rough wall. Now the Russian got hold of her waist and hoisted her up, while holding the cloth up to her mouth. She had a heavy feeling in her head. The brick walls of the corridor whisked by. She tried to struggle, but Kovtun pulled tighter on her wrists and pushed the cloth deeper into her mouth. Pia thought she was going to suffocate. She tried to kick again, but her legs felt heavy, as if she had weights around her ankles. The Russian eased his grip on her mouth and Pia saw her chance to scream, but when she tried she could not summon the energy. She managed to keep her eyes open, but couldn’t make out anything. It was dark and cold. She felt like crying. Now there was cold air on her sore cheeks and she realised they were outside. She tried another shout but couldn’t find the energy to open her mouth. Then she realised it was already open but had something in it. Pia bit into the strange-tasting cloth. She saw a bright light and they were moving towards it. Next, she was propped up inside a warm place. She tried to focus, but all she could make out were vague shapes. People? Who? She felt a sensation that they were moving, that she was no longer being held in the Russian’s grip. Then everything went black.