Brian Freemantle - No Time for Heroes

Another distraction was having not Larissa but Olga beside him for the ceremony. Not because he felt embarrassed by Olga and would have been prouder of Larissa, although the sweater Olga wore with the Swiss-bought skirt and shoes showed a moth-hole neither had noticed until too late, beneath the left arm. He wanted Larissa because it was all too cruel to Olga: she was moving around the American embassy dazed, smiling and nodding but not speaking because she was frightened, believing herself in surroundings to which she had still to become accustomed and in which she must learn how to behave in the future. And in just over twenty-four hours, when the confrontation was finally to be staged, Olga was to learn she was being discarded: that she was never again going to be in such a situation, never again have to worry about how to cope.

Danilov accepted he was moving around smiling and nodding and near dazed, like Olga, because he had never expected to receive the FBI’s Medal of Valour like this. He’d thought it would simply arrive: in the post even, a wrapped package – although if it had been delivered that way, with an American postmark, it would have been stolen. He certainly hadn’t expected a formal presentation ceremony in the American embassy, before a phalanx of Russian and American cameramen (which made him glad he’d taken the precaution of a short haircut) and with Sergei Vorobie and Vasli Oskin and Nikolai Smolin as invited guests, which was to prompt later comment in the media of both countries on the continuing investigative rapprochement between Moscow and Washington such an invitation indicated. There were legal restrictions about what could be said, so the press conference and television interviews were limited. Cowley participated in both but apart from that remained determinedly in the background, letting it be Danilov’s day: they had their own farewell plans for later.

The American ambassador made a speech of platitudes, the only highlight another relayed message from David Patton, and Danilov delivered a matching set of cliches. The objects of the toasts became confused, after four, and Danilov kept raising and lowering his glass automatically, although he was drinking very little. There was still the parting meeting with Cowley to come and after that the final arrangements for the following day to be made with Larissa, who was expecting him at the end of a split-shift duty at the Druzhba.

The event over-ran, although it still ended by mid-afternoon. When she realised Danilov was driving her back to Kirovskaya, Olga said: ‘I thought we might have gone on somewhere! Had a party.’

It was the last deceit Danilov would have considered, letting her imagine there was anything to celebrate. ‘I’ve still got a lot to tidy up. Cowley’s going the day after tomorrow: there are things to do. I’ll be late home tonight.’ For the last time, he thought.

Olga was hardly listening, still held by what had happened at the American embassy. ‘I was photographed ten times: I counted! Four times by myself.’

And once at a nightclub with a murdered hooker that doesn’t count any more, thought Danilov. ‘You’ll probably be in the papers tomorrow.’

‘I want you to buy every one. And I might be on television tonight.’

‘Make sure to watch.’

‘You going to wear the medal?’

It had been ceremoniously pinned on to his lapel – worrying him it might puncture the cloth of his Italian jacket – but he’d taken it off before leaving the embassy. ‘It’s not that sort of medal.’

‘I thought you looked very handsome today!’ she said.

‘I thought you looked very attractive,’ he said, dutifully.

‘Let’s get together with Yevgennie and Larissa soon! I want to show your medal off to them!’

‘I’ve arranged something tomorrow night,’ said Danilov. Committed! he thought.

‘ You called them?’ frowned Olga.

‘I telephoned Yevgennie,’ Danilov lied. ‘He wasn’t there but Larissa was. I invited them over.’ He was making the decision on how it was to be done without consulting Larissa. Now she’d have to agree.

‘You want to eat in?’ protested Olga.

‘No!’ said Danilov. ‘Drinks. Then we’ll decide what to do.’ She’d hate him for this conversation, later.

‘Will Bill come, too? He told me today he wants us to go and stay with him in Washington: said I’d like it.’

‘We’ll see,’ avoided Danilov.

‘I’m so happy!’ said Olga. ‘Aren’t you?’

‘Yes,’ said Danilov, thick-voiced.

Danilov thought it was a considerate gesture for Cowley to have invited Yuri Pavin, as well. And there was the additional benefit, as far as Danilov was concerned, that Pavin’s presence prevented the American repeating yet again he didn’t know how to thank Danilov for what he’d done about the photographs. The American had said it twice, in the bar while they were waiting for Pavin, and Danilov now thought there’d been enough gratitude.

Because Danilov said he had an appointment later, they ate early in the ornate dining room of the Savoy, at a discreet table quite near the street entrance. Each agreed it was difficult to imagine it finally over, and Pavin pointed out that it wasn’t really, because Cowley would undoubtedly have to return for the Antipov trial and there would also be the reunion in Italy, for the Mafia hearing.

Cowley said all the eavesdropped tapes from Kosov’s BMW – a total of 56 – had been returned from America and were waiting, together with the transcripts, at the embassy. ‘Taking up quite a lot of space,’ he added.

Danilov hadn’t thought of where to store them, until he made his professional move against Kosov: one step at a time, he thought. He supposed they could be conveniently lost among his now established chaos in the Petrovka office he did not actually occupy any more.

‘And there’s still the bugs, in the car,’ reminded Cowley. ‘Our technical people are dismantling the recording and listening apparatus in the next few days, but at the moment it’s all still live and hearing everything Kosov says or does. I guess you’ll be able to get them out easily enough, on some trip or other?’

He wouldn’t, Danilov realised. After tomorrow night he’d hardly be a welcome guest in the ostentatious vehicle. And he wouldn’t be in it before then. ‘What happens if I can’t?’

Cowley shrugged. ‘They stop functioning when we disconnect at our end, I suppose. And I guess the magnetism of the fixings will give out, sooner or later. So they’ll fall off in the car. When he finds them he’ll know what’s happened.’

He’d know that anyway, recognised Danilov. He’d just let the microphones stay where they were. To Pavin, Danilov said: ‘We’ll collect everything tomorrow.’

Cowley said: ‘You want what’s still coming in? There’s been nothing much since you went to Kutbysevskij. Quiet, in fact.’

‘We’ll take it all,’ decided Danilov. If evidence was available he wanted it, even if he didn’t know its worth at that stage.

‘It was quite a bunfight at the embassy today,’ smiled Cowley.

‘My one and only medal!’

Cowley appeared briefly uncomfortable. ‘But not the final presentation.’ He reached into his inside pocket, bringing out two gift-wrapped packages. ‘You weren’t the only guy shopping at Geneva airport.’

Danilov’s gift was a heavily calibrated chronometer, with three time-measuring dials in addition to the second hand. Pavin’s was a tortoiseshell-bodied fountain pen.

‘You always seemed to have difficulty with the time,’ grinned Cowley, to Danilov. ‘… and you sure as hell do a lot of notetaking,’ the American completed, to Pavin.

Both Russians were embarrassed, Danilov more so, because it hadn’t occurred to him to buy anything for Cowley, and although there would be time before the American finally left Moscow Danilov couldn’t think of anything to buy, in the meagrely stocked shops. Perhaps Larissa would have an idea. Both Danilov and Pavin stumbled their thanks and Cowley said pointedly he had more to be grateful for to them than they had to him.