by J J Marsh
“It is. The best place for a heat-generating reactor. All their homes can now be warmed using locally produced energy, rather than transporting it for hundreds of kilometres and losing much of its power. Don’t you think that makes sense?”
The debate had gone past Beatrice’s level of comfort and she was more than a little annoyed that Theo’s comprehension far exceeded hers. She shuffled her papers into a bundle. “Thank you, obviously you’re a minefield of information and I’ve clearly got a lot to learn. My focus is on how to locate the teenagers you’re paying us to find. Can I ask you, frankly, what you think happened to the two young people concerned?”
Karoliina looked out to sea, the blues and greens of the Baltic reflected in her irises. She shook her head, a minuscule movement. “I don’t know. I really don’t. That’s why I need you.”
Their hotel was situated right on the harbour. While they checked in, Beatrice gave her assistant a very hard stare. “Since when did you become an expert on forms of energy production?”
His lips curved upwards in amusement. “Since we got this job. I do my homework.”
“I only told you about it yesterday afternoon.”
“Which gave me all yesterday evening to do the background reading.”
“Swot.”
A laugh shook his shoulders. “Damned if I do and damned if I don’t.”
Beatrice handed her passport to the desk clerk and surveyed the scene outside. “Helsinki is prettier than I imagined. Do you fancy a wander after we’ve had lunch?”
“I am itching to get out there,” said Theo. “I was thinking I might go for a run. I think best when I’m running. Do you mind having lunch without me?”
The clerk handed over their respective keys and wished them a pleasant stay.
“Not at all. That will give me time to marshal my own reactions to what we heard. I’ll eat, you run, then let’s regroup and share our thoughts.”
Theo treated her to one of his thousand-watt smiles. “As bosses go, I’ve had worse.”
Their rooms were adjoining, so Beatrice wished him a good jog, as if there were such a thing, and went to explore her quarters. First impressions were good. Spacious and light with well-stocked mini bar, sizeable bathroom and balcony with an uplifting view across the harbour. While taking in the scenery, she saw Theo loping down the steps in his shorts and taking a right towards the enormous cruise ships at the end of the dock. She scowled. She had developed quite an aversion to cruise ships since a nasty serial killer case a few years ago.
Although Beatrice’s curiosity in her immediate vicinity was piqued, she decided to order room service, allowing her to spread out her paperwork and concentrate on the reason she was here. Three things nagged at her so she focused on each in turn. Firstly, the police. Conducting a shadow investigation was a delicate matter and both her experience and instinct advised her to inform the local force about her activities. Secondly, the importance of getting close to the environmental protesters was a key factor in gaining inside knowledge. She held out little hope of a warm reception for herself but had more faith in Theo’s easy charm. Thirdly, Karoliina had impressed upon them the pressure of time. In her employer’s view, this case needed to be resolved by Saturday. But Beatrice knew that anything not done and dusted by Thursday would be a failure. She had a wedding to attend.
Chapter 9
The windows need cleaning, thought Tanya when she parked outside her house on Monday evening. Another job to add to the ever-growing list. She could see Gabriel and Luke sitting at the dining table, poring over Luke’s homework. She dumped her bag in the hallway and sniffed the air. No smell of cooking, she noted.
“Hello!” she called and went into the living room to give them both a kiss. Luke insisted on showing her a page of sums and Gabriel handed over a pile of post.
“Today’s mail,” he said, his attention on Luke’s workbook.
Tanya threw the cards into the nearest armchair and stalked into the kitchen in search of a bottle of gin. She poured herself a healthy measure, topped it up with tonic and rummaged around in the freezer compartment for some ice. She leaned against the counter, glaring at the soft afternoon light throwing a tinge of pink across the clematis. The sounds of her son’s laughter from the living room did nothing to improve her spirits and she took another large slug of gin.
Ten minutes later, Gabriel entered the kitchen and she had almost emptied the glass. He stood in the doorway, studying her.
“Looks like you want a top up,” he observed. “May I join you?”
Without replying, she held out her glass. Gabriel took it and commenced the preparation of their pre-dinner drinks. A thump indicated Luke had left the table and his footsteps thundered upstairs.
“I told him to take off his school uniform before dinner,” Gabriel explained.
“Dinner?” Tanya sighed. “I honestly can’t be arsed to cook tonight. Let’s get a takeaway.”
Gabriel handed her a refilled glass. “No need for a takeaway. It’s too hot to put the oven on, so I made three different salads. All the ones Luke likes, don’t worry. Thought we’d have that with some cheesy garlic bread. It’ll only take a few minutes under the grill. Do you want to eat now or chill for half an hour?”
“You’re the most infuriating man,” said Tanya. “I came in here, all guns blazing, dying to bite the head off someone and what do you do? Help Luke with his homework, cook a healthy meal for the three of us and mix me a gin and tonic. Now what am I supposed to do?”
He reached out an arm to pull her close. They embraced one-handed, their other hands holding the G&Ts. “How about you sit in the garden for twenty minutes and tell me all about who’s rattled your cage? Then when you’ve got that out of your system, we’ll eat and listen to Luke tell you all about the joys of multiplication tables. Are you OK?”
Tanya led the way into the tiny garden, her spirits lifting at the sight of the wrought iron table and patchwork cushions on each of the chairs. She sat heavily, releasing a deep sigh.
“I’m all right, I suppose. Just hassled, pissed off, frustrated, overemotional and probably a bit tired. Before I start bending your ear with all my woes, how was your day?”
Gabriel stretched out his long legs and rested his socked feet on the chair opposite. “Not too bad. To be honest, work is a break from all the planning and organising and discussions and endless streams of people. Just me and the trees. It’s grounding.”
Tanya clasped his hand, aware of what a solitary individual her future husband was. The polar opposite to her. Gregarious, positive and outgoing, she had made a great success of her role at the estate agent. She was born to love parties and organise fun events. A scowl crossed her face. Unless it was her own wedding. The problem, as always, was other people.
“I wish I could be more like that. Instead of getting all steamed up about things and letting it spoil my day. On top of everything else, work was a bloody nightmare.” She kicked off her shoes and lifted her legs so her feet shared the same chair as Gabriel’s.
“One more day, that’s all you have to get through. Then it’s full steam ahead to Saturday. After that, just you and me and an island for one whole week. That’s what I’m concentrating on. Our honeymoon. Can you imagine? Sitting on the verandah, listening to the cicadas, watching the sun go down beyond the sea with nothing to worry about. No plans other than wandering down to the beach and exploring the local restaurants before heading home for a siesta. All we have to do is sleep, eat, read, swim and enjoy each other. Bliss.”
His voice lulled her into such a state of relaxation she could almost imagine herself on the island, with the scent of olive groves wafting beneath her nose. She stroked her feet against his.
“Keep talking. I especially want to hear more of the enjoying each other bit.”
A window crashed open above and Luke’s voice rang out. “Mum?”
“What?”
“Can I have a wombat?”
Tanya arched her ne
ck to reply. “No, you can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because I said so. Wash your hands and come down here. We’re having dinner.”
Gabriel stretched out a hand and his rough fingers traced the line of her jaw. “I thought you wanted to bend my ear? You may as well get it off your chest before Luke comes down.”
The mushroom cloud of indignation she’d carried home had somehow transformed into a small wet puff of insignificance. “It’s nothing, really. Just me getting wound up over nothing. Shall I put the grill on for the garlic bread?”
Three hours later, curled up under the quilt, Tanya lay awake, listening to Gabriel’s deep, regular breaths. A small clicking sound drew her attention and she opened her eyes to look at the clock then realised it was her own jaw muscle pulsing as she clenched her teeth. She filled her lungs and exhaled through her mouth, willing herself to fall asleep as easily as her fiancé.
As if she’d mentioned his name, his breathing changed and his hand snaked across the mattress to lie on her stomach. “Tanya Bailey, I know you. You’ll lie there fretting for hours if you don’t cough it up, and we both have work in the morning. If you have indigestion, drink some peppermint tea. If there’s something bothering you, tell me. I promise I won’t lecture you on what to do or suggest how to fix it. All I want to do is listen.”
She took another breath and spilled all her concerns out into the darkness. “I’m pissed off with Beatrice. I can’t believe she’d choose to go off on a foreign job when I need her here. She doesn’t realise it but she’s my buffer. When Mum and Marianne go into full Bridezilla mode, Beatrice is my safe haven. Dad’s no good as all he wants to do is keep the peace. My mother and sister want to turn my wedding into a three-ring circus, when you and I want something simple, green and meaningful to us. It’s my wedding so why the hell the pair of them feel entitled to take control, I have no idea. Now the bloody hen night is turning into some kind of stupid cabaret instead of a few cocktails with my mates. If I throw a wobbler, everyone will say I’m being selfish. That’s why I need Beatrice. She doesn’t take any crap. But she’s not here.”
Gabriel’s hand smoothed circles on her abdomen. “No, she’s not. She’s working and probably escaping from the family tensions. If you need someone to help you fight your corner, there is an alternative. Someone else who takes no shit.”
Tanya rotated her head to look at him. “What do you mean? I would never ask you to enter the fray on my behalf.”
“Thank God for that. No, I didn’t mean me. Tomorrow lunchtime, a London train will arrive at Exeter St David’s, bringing your wedding dress and a certain straight-talking Romanian. I think Catinca Radu will add some big guns to your arsenal.”
Tanya’s face split into a huge grin. “Of course! My dress, my designer and my secret weapon. I love you.” She leaned over to kiss him. “Do I still stink of garlic?”
“Not much. At least I’ve no worries about vampires. Sleep tight. I love you too.”
He rolled onto his back and Tanya folded her hands on her stomach and closed her eyes. Tomorrow was another day.
Chapter 10
The appointment with the Peura family was surprisingly easy to secure. The father answered the phone, and in impeccable English assured Beatrice he was willing to talk to anyone who could help them find his daughter. He was ready to receive Beatrice and her assistant at their convenience.
Over breakfast, Theo and Beatrice planned their strategy. With so much to be achieved in such a short time, it made sense for them to split up.
Theo talked tactics. “I’m the man to talk to the environmental activists, know what I mean? Thing is, I’m not going to have a way in unless the parents can vouch for me. I reckon we play it like this. I come to the girl’s parents and see if they have a contact they’re willing to share. Then I’ll scoot out of there and track them down. See if I can’t get them onside. Meanwhile, you talk to the boy’s mother. My instinct tells me she’ll open up more if it’s just you two.”
His instinct chimed with Beatrice’s. She scooped out the last of her boiled egg and ran her finger down her To Do list. “That sounds like the best use of our time. Just to let you know, I sent an email to the detective in charge of the case this morning. A matter of courtesy, really, and I hope he takes it as such. I don’t expect any offers of help or deliberate obstruction, but neither do I want to trample all over a potential crime scene in hobnailed hoofs. As for the rest of the day, we have the meeting with the two bosses of the other energy companies at three and the television producer says we can buy him a drink at five o’clock. How do you see it?”
“My experience with suits in senior management ain’t great, you know what I mean? Don’t matter what I wear or who I’m with, I’m still a black geezer in an all-white environment.” Theo drained his orange juice. “You’re likely to get a better response if you go on your own. If you like, I’ll meet the television news bloke. That’s another macho world but one I know a whole lot better than the boardroom.”
Beatrice gave him a long look, thinking about what he’d said. She had questions in abundance but now was not the time. “That sounds like a reasonable allocation of duties to me. If nothing of significance occurs, shall we regroup here at seven? Perhaps we can find somewhere to eat along the harbour and share our discoveries.”
“I’m up for that. I saw some nice-looking places yesterday on my run. Tell you what else, there’s a car hire place right next to the tourist office. We could do most of the investigation by public transport, but it’s going to take a lot longer. Can we stretch the budget to a vehicle, you reckon?”
Beatrice patted her mouth with a napkin. “I dare say we can. On condition that you do the driving. Are you ready?”
The drive out to the Peura family’s apartment was the opposite of Beatrice’s scenic expectations. The suburbs of Helsinki were not sprinkled with forests and lakes, but conglomerations of commuter towns, grey and functional, with plenty of traffic on the roads. Beatrice was glad of the little Volkswagen Polo and even gladder Theo was behind the wheel. The Satnav let them down at a confusing set of roadworks but Theo did not swear or make any hasty decisions, simply working his way out of the snarl-up. Forty-five minutes after leaving the centre of Helsinki, they found a parking spot between three tower blocks.
They took the lift up three floors to find Mr and Mrs Peura awaiting their arrival. The couple seemed pleased to see them, shaking hands warmly and offering them refreshments. Theo took off his shoes and placed them on the rack by the door. With some reluctance, Beatrice did the same. The Peuras settled them at the dining-room table. After exchanging pleasantries, Beatrice began by placing her business card on the table and with a nod, indicated Theo should do the same.
“I’m aware of the fact you’ve been through this already with the police and I’m sorry to have to cover old ground. My assistant and I have been hired by a private individual to run a parallel investigation.”
Mr Peura exchanged a look with his wife. “It would be interesting for us to know who is paying you for this investigation.”
Theo caught that particular ball. “That’s understandable. In normal circumstances, we’d be happy to share that information. The issue here is that we have agreed to protect the identity of our employer. I hope you understand.” He gave them a warm smile.
Theo had a knack for connecting with people. Beatrice could see them thaw.
“The fact is, we want to find your daughter and her friend fast,” Beatrice said, pressing on. “That’s why we’re here, to learn as much as we can about Valpuri so that we can locate her at the earliest possible opportunity. Can we start by talking about her involvement with the environmental activists? When did she first begin to participate?”
Mrs Peura gave a little laugh through her nose. “Valpuri doesn’t participate, she instigates. She’s been passionate about climate change, animal rights, the welfare of the environment and sustainability as long as I can remember. They s
tudy green issues at school and even from a very young age, she took the subject seriously. Back then, her focus was on smaller, local actions. She and her classmates gained permission to clean up an area of wasteland which had once been a scrapyard and they turned it into a community garden. It was only when we moved here and she changed schools that her attention turned outward. She and Samu were in the same class and he was more politically aware than her.”
Theo asked a question. “When was it that you moved here?”
Valpuri’s father answered. “Five years ago, for my wife’s job. Before that we were living in Vaasa, on the west coast.”
“Was Valpuri happy about the move?”
Mrs Peura looked at her husband. He shrugged. “Yes and no. She really didn’t want to leave her friends in Vaasa but when she got here, she settled in immediately. Making friends, exploring the area and excelling at her schoolwork. She surprised us at how quickly she acclimatised.”
“You mentioned ...” Beatrice checked her notes “... that she instigated the environmental organisation. Can you tell me a little about that?”
“Of course.” Mrs Peura reached for a photograph album and flicked open the pages. Beatrice saw it was full of newspaper cuttings and printouts from news websites, detailing the activities of the Gaia Warriors.
“There were six of them, to begin with. Valpuri and Samu had the original idea. Then there was Tuula, who I would describe as Valpuri’s best friend. After that, Aleksis, Risto and Ursula joined. Tuula and Aleksis go to the same school as Valpuri and Samu, but Risto and Ursula are already at university. All of them are passionate about green causes. They used to meet here a couple of times a week.” She pointed to some faces in the album as she mentioned the names. The grainy print made it difficult to distinguish between individuals, and Beatrice made a note to look at the stories for herself.