White Night

by J J Marsh

  She printed a copy of the email for Theo and sealed it in an envelope. Then she took a deep breath, opened the door and headed towards the noise and mayhem in the garden.

  An hour and twenty minutes later, Beatrice managed to drag Theo away from the attentions of the family and escort him to his Mini.

  “Thank you for today. You really handled it beautifully. Drive safely and when you get home, have a look at this.” She pressed the envelope into his palm.

  “What is it?” he asked. “Bit early for my first bonus.”

  “You’ve already had your first bonus. Two slices of blackberry and apple pie. No, this is a potential job. The thing is, if we were to take it, we would need to fly tomorrow. Don’t look at it now, but when you get home, think it over and give me a call.”

  Theo studied her, his hands clasping the envelope. “Fly where? What about the wedding?” He glanced behind her towards the garden. “They can’t talk about anything else.”

  “You let me worry about that. Is Finnish one of your many languages, by any chance?”

  His eyebrows shot up. “Finnish? No. But my Swedish isn’t too bad and that’s an official language in Finland.”

  “That might come in rather handy.” Beatrice placed a hand on his shoulder and guided him into his car. “Safe trip and I look forward to hearing from you later this evening. Take care now!”

  She watched as the scarlet Mini whizzed off down the lane, Theo’s arm still waving as he rounded the bend. She steeled herself and returned to face the music.

  In the garden, Matthew was fighting a losing battle in trying to teach Luke how to play croquet. Four times out of five, the boy’s mallet either missed or flew out of his little hands. On the rare occasion he did connect with the ball, Huggy Bear grabbed it before it could reach the edge of the lawn. When Beatrice returned, Matthew gave up and came to sit at the table with her and his two daughters.

  Tanya immediately appealed to Beatrice. “Will you talk some sense into this woman?” she pleaded. “She seriously thinks she’s in with a chance with Theo! He’s out of your league and far too young, you cradle snatcher!”

  Marianne lifted her hair off her neck and puffed out a breath from her bottom lip. “Phew! I’m roasting. She’s exaggerating, Beatrice. I only asked if he was single. Just out of curiosity, because with a face like that, he shouldn’t be. Anyway, no one cares about age gaps any more these days. Look at Keanu Reeves.”

  Beatrice had no idea who Keanu Reeves might be and who she was dating, but nodded as if she understood. “I don’t know if Theo is single or not. In my opinion, he lacks a daisy in his attitude to relationships. Catinca tried it on but nothing happened. Pity, because he is devilishly handsome.”

  For once, the sisters were in full agreement.

  “Who’s devilish handsome?” Luke asked, abandoning the mallet to the grass and the ball to Huggy Bear.

  Tanya wrapped her arms around her son and planted a kiss on his hot, pink cheek. “You are, me ’andsome. And so is my husband-to-be. How lucky am I, living with the two best-looking men on the planet?”

  Luke accepted the kiss and gave his mother a tolerant smile, then pulled away to wipe his sweaty face with the neck of his T-shirt. “I’m hungry. Are we having tea here today?”

  “No, not today,” Marianne replied. “You’re going round to Grandma’s tonight.”

  Luke wrinkled his nose. “Do I have to?”

  “Yes, because your mum and I have got stuff to do.” She prodded Tanya. “We should get a shift on. Dad, don’t forget you’re babysitting on Tuesday because it’s the hen night. The minibus will pick you up at ten past seven, Beatrice, OK?” The two women got to their feet.

  Beatrice bit her lip. “Ah, yes, the hen night. I may not be able to make that. The thing is, a job offer has just come in. I’m not sure exactly what it will entail, but if I have to take off for a couple of days, I hope you will understand.”

  The silence that followed was filled with the same kind of tension as just before a balloon bursts. Matthew slipped away from the table, cajoling the croquet ball from Huggy Bear and exhorting Luke to collect the mallet.

  “You what?” Tanya’s hands were on her hips. “It may have escaped your notice but I’m getting married on Saturday. This Saturday, not in two weeks’ time. You know how much we have to do in the next week. You can’t go rushing off to London five days before my wedding, Beatrice, you just can’t!”

  Beatrice dipped her gaze to the table and up again at the two outraged faces. “It’s not London, actually. It’s Finland. But it would only be for a couple of days, as I say. Back on Wednesday, Thursday the latest.”

  “Thursday?” Marianne’s voice had raised in pitch. “What about the hen night? What about the dress fittings? Catinca arrives on Tuesday, Adrian and Will are coming down on Wednesday for the stag do and the dress rehearsal is on Friday afternoon. Beatrice, I know your work is important to you, but surely it will keep till the following week! It’s not every day Tanya gets married and we need you here.”

  Beatrice reached a hand behind her head to massage her shoulders and caught sight of Matthew peering out of the kitchen window. Rotten coward, leaving her to deal with this all alone.

  “Girls, listen to me. None of the things that need doing this week depend on me. Tanya, your mother is not only enthusiastic but also has a great deal more knowledge and expertise on the subject than I do. I appreciate the fact that you’ve included me and made me feel a part of things, but at this stage, I would prefer to take a rain check. Please don’t take this personally, but I’m not really the wedding planning sort.”

  Tanya sat down again and took Beatrice’s hand. “I know you’re not. That’s not the reason I want you involved. You are part of the family and it’s important that we all enjoy not just the day but the preparations too. Can you really not postpone this job for one week?”

  “If I could, I would do so in an instant. The fact is, two children have gone missing and someone believes I can help. I know the timing is awful, but if there is just a whisper of a chance that I can help find these youngsters, I have to go. Surely you understand that? I swear on all I hold dear I will be back in time for the wedding. I solemnly promise.”

  Marianne looked at Tanya, her expression defeated. She knew as well as Beatrice how the concept of a missing child would touch a chord with her sister.

  “I see.” Tanya’s expression was grave. “In that case, you must go. I wish you didn’t have to, but I understand why. Does Dad know about this?”

  Beatrice shook her head. “No one knows because I just found out myself this afternoon. I’ve given Theo the details but I’m not sure he will want to come with me. I’m sorry about the timing and I’m very grateful for your understanding. Both of you.” She reached up for Marianne’s hand and the three of them sat for a moment, linked like a daisy chain.

  Matthew emerged from the conservatory with exaggerated caution, with Luke and Huggy Bear in his wake. “Is it safe to come out now?”

  “It’s safe,” said Tanya. “Come on, Luke, we have to go. Beatrice has something she needs to tell Granddad.” She bent to kiss Beatrice on the cheek, kissed her father and reached for Luke’s hand. Marianne said her goodbyes and hugged Beatrice, whispering in her ear, “Thank you for getting another online fake off the streets.”

  Finally, Beatrice and Matthew took the detritus of afternoon tea indoors and sat in the kitchen. He looked across at her with a stern frown, his hands gripping the edge of the table.

  “You may have won those two over with your feminine wiles but I warn you, you’ll find me a much tougher customer. Come on then, spit it out.” His rugged pose was spoiled somewhat by the cat jumping onto his lap. Dumpling reached up to butt his grey head against Matthew’s chin.

  “Nothing is certain yet, but there is a strong possibility I will have to fly to Finland tomorrow in order to help locate two missing children. I have given the girls my sincere assurance that I will be back at the very
latest on Thursday.”

  Matthew narrowed his eyes. “That’s an awfully elaborate excuse to get out of the hen night,” he said. “And I don’t mean this to be insulting in any way, but why you? One would think a case of missing persons would fall under the jurisdiction of the Finnish police.”

  “Good question. Apparently, the person who wants to hire me is one of those who might benefit from the young people’s disappearance. I believe her aim in involving me is a case of proving herself innocent. I’d say I’m her insurance policy. Whatever her reasons, I plan to do the very best job I can in the short time I have available. Do you mind terribly?”

  The rattle of Dumpling’s purr drew his attention downwards. He stroked the cat, a smile playing on his lips. “If the girls are fine with it, so am I. Just as long as you take good care of yourself, Old Thing.”

  “I always do, you know that. When have I ever given you cause for concern?”

  Matthew gave her a sidelong glance but said nothing.

  “By the way, what excuse are you going to use to get out of the stag night?”

  He looked shocked. “I don’t need an excuse. I’m looking forward to it. This is Gabriel, the son-in-law I always wanted, remember. There’ll be no kissograms, discotheques or yards of ale at this bachelor party. Just me, him and a few of the chaps having a quiet pint and a steak and kidney pie at The Star. I might even push the boat out and have a plate of chips. Talking of which, what’s for dinner?”

  On hearing that word, Huggy Bear leaped out of her bed, ran to Matthew’s side and jumped up on her hind legs, wagging her tail.

  Chapter 6

  Valpuri came round to the strangest sensation. It reminded her of school playgrounds, swinging high in the air until the momentum ran out and her stomach dropped, then whistling back in the other direction. She lay, inert, trying to make sense of what was happening. A sharp metallic pain throbbed across her nose and through her sinuses; her arms were stiff and bundled against her body, and she desperately needed something to drink.

  The jerking motion continued as if she were in a basket being carried downstairs, and she could make out distant voices shouting, although she could not understand the words. She opened her eyes to blackness, casting around for some kind of clue as to where she was. The voices lifted in both volume and pitch, with an edge of panic, and solid ground rose to support her. The realisation that she had been winched through the air provoked a sudden nausea and she swallowed several times to control the urge to vomit.

  Hands fumbled with the fabric swaddling her and the restrictions fell away, releasing her limbs. The hood covering her head eased back and she found her cheek resting on soft sand. A silvery light played across her face and she detected the sounds of the sea. She opened her eyes again to see two figures crouching over her. They too were hooded and on seeing her conscious, they stood up and moved away.

  “She’s awake!”

  “Shit! Let’s get out of here!”

  “Do him first! We have to do him.”

  “I’ll do it. You watch her. If she moves, you know what to do.”

  Valpuri blinked, tilting her head from one side to the other, trying to identify what was wrong with their voices. They spoke like computers, strangely distorted electronic sounds although the people making them were clearly human and female. The pain across her nose and face had spread like a metal band around her skull. She made an indistinct noise and the person standing guard took a pace backwards.

  “Quick! She’s coming round.”

  Another voice came from high above, this one a more natural man’s shout. “What’s happening? Why are you taking so long?”

  The robot-person nearest to her shouted back. “Coming! We’ve released her and she’s awake. We’re just untying him and we’ll come up.”

  The man yelled again. “Leave him! Leave the stuff and get out of there. Now!”

  Sounds of rattling tins and a thump of something heavy came from behind her. Unsure she could sit up, she attempted to roll onto her back in order to see what was happening. The two figures were running away from the light into the darkness. Far above, there was a different kind of light, a hole in the roof through which people were shining torches. In the beams, she watched the two robot-people climbing some kind of ladder, one following the other. She lay on the sand, blinking her dry eyes and watching the progress of the steadily shrinking figures. Eventually they clambered out of the hole and pulled the ladder up behind them. The torches went out. Then there was silence apart from the steady wash and rush of the waves.

  Until someone groaned.

  Chapter 7

  The call came as Karoliina was parking in the underground lot beneath the LokiEn headquarters. She rolled her eyes, convinced she knew who it was before even checking the display. She was right. The woman on the end of the line was PA to Ville Ikonen, asking if they could relocate the meeting due to start in ten minutes time to a different site. The secretary cited some bullshit excuse about security concerns, but Karoliina saw it for what it was. Ville Ikonen was playing power games, switching the venue from Karoliina’s office to his own at the eleventh hour. That meant she would inevitably be late, ruffled and on the back foot. Whereas Ville would receive her on home turf, relaxed and in control. She would bet every last Euro in her purse that the third member of the party had been informed either earlier that morning or late last night. The boys always looked after each other and that was unlikely to change.

  She assured the secretary she would be there, if a little later than expected. Driving in rush-hour from the centre of the capital to Scanski Solutions HQ would take at least half an hour. She was about to reverse and battle the traffic when a roar filled the garage and a leather-clad figure on a BMW motorcycle pulled into the space next to hers. For the first time that morning, Karoliina smiled.

  The motorcyclist switched of the engine and pulled off a matt-black helmet, releasing a cascade of thick blonde hair down her back. “Good morning, Karoliina!”

  Her Swedish assistant always brightened Karoliina’s spirits but especially so today. “Astrid, you’re a sight for sore eyes. How fast could you get me to Töölö, do you think?”

  “Around fifteen minutes. Twenty if the traffic is shit. And the traffic is always shit. Why are you in a hurry to get up there? Is Ikonen jerking you around again?”

  “Right first time.”

  Astrid opened the pannier behind her and withdrew a spare helmet. “In that case, you’d better get on. We’ll be there in ten.”

  As predicted, when the secretary accompanied her to management level at Scanski Solutions and showed her into the corner office, Ville Ikonen and Jouko Lahti were already there. The two men sat at the conference table, sipping coffee and laughing at some private joke. The jollity left their faces as they saw her, replaced by businesslike half smiles.

  Ville stood. “Karoliina, I cannot apologise enough for the inconvenience. It only occurred to me this morning that meeting at LokiEn’s headquarters might be an imprudent move, given the events of Saturday morning. I spoke to Jouko and he agreed to come here instead. I’m so glad you were able to make it. And only a few minutes late.”

  Karoliina shook his hand with a smile, hoping he could not see her teeth were clenched. Then she briefly clasped Jouko’s clammy paw, resisting the temptation to wipe her palm on her skirt. She kept her tone light. “Of course I was able to make it. I could hardly miss a meeting of this significance, could I? Oh, is that coffee?”

  The secretary poured her a cup and she sat on Ville’s right, directly opposite Jouko. Once the woman had closed the door, the meeting began, five minutes later than planned. Naturally, Ville took the chair.

  “I would like to open proceedings by expressing great sorrow at the loss of Juppo Seppä on behalf of myself and the entire organisation. That Saturday’s disorder resulted in the death of a Finnish citizen is a matter of profound regret. May I suggest that whatever press statement we release at the end of this meeting begins
with those sentiments?”

  Jouko’s jowly face sagged still further in what he must have fancied was an expression of heartfelt sorrow. Karoliina bowed her head, partly out of respect to the dead man and partly to hide the fact she was crossing her eyes in frustration.

  “Personally, I’m shocked by what happened,” said Jouko, shaking his head like a bulldog with a flea in its ear. “I do believe the whole country feels the same way. Up to now, we have indulged the younger generation and allowed them to express their opinions; no matter how ill-informed they may be. However, on Saturday morning, these protesters crossed the line and broke the law. That is unacceptable and cannot happen again.”

  Both men looked down at the blotting pads before them. Karoliina took a sip of her coffee and raised her eyes to the blue sky behind Jouko’s head. “It’s true that Saturday was a dramatic escalation from any previous protests. I can’t help wondering why that might be. Most factors were more or less similar; number of protesters, length of route, level of media interest and number of participating groups. There’s only one element that differed on this occasion and that was the presence of a private security agency.” She sat back and waited for the theatrics to begin.

  Ville did not disappoint. His jaw retracted into his neck and eyes bulged as if he were a turkey that had just seen the stuffing. “The private security agency was something agreed upon by all three of us as partners, I’ll thank you to remember. The reason for their presence was to protect and defend your headquarters. Jouko and I agreed to share the bill due to the fact the new plant is a venture supported by all three companies. The fallout from Saturday is tragic and ugly but the one thing we can and should be grateful for is the lack of damage to LokiEn’s headquarters.”