White Night

by J J Marsh

  “How do you think your assistant felt when his boss asked him to lie?”

  Beatrice was stung. “Theo doesn’t mind. We have a very good relationship like that.”

  “Good for whom?”

  She thought about it. Due to Theo’s remorse over getting drunk, she had taken advantage of his willing nature, bullying him into a situation he did not enjoy. He didn’t want to profit from Tuula’s crush on him, but he did it anyway. He would not have enjoyed delivering unwelcome news to Matthew either.

  “Theo’s too good-natured and tends to go along with whatever I say. I’ve been domineering and manipulative. God, every time I talk to you I feel like a horrible person.”

  “Beatrice, a horrible person does not perceive her behaviours as horrible. I am doing nothing more than asking you to examine yourself in the mirror. Because if you don’t acknowledge that you sometimes act in a way that makes you feel guilty or ashamed, those feelings will weigh on your subconscious. It’s like sweeping dust under the carpet. You can’t see it but you know it’s there. Then what?”

  “Then sooner or later I’ll have a down cycle and the negative feelings will multiply because there’s another pile of them under the rug. So how do you think I should deal with this?”

  “Let’s switch roles. I’ve just told you that I’ve been treating my new assistant unfairly and not being honest with my partner. How would you advise me?”

  “All right, I get it. I’ll confess to Matthew that it’s reluctance to leave this case unfinished that keeps me here another day. And I will apologise to Theo. On top of that, I will consciously check my behaviour towards him.”

  James smiled. “An excellent start. I would add that relationships are a two-way street. You might find time for a conversation around the subject of assertiveness. You have a strong character and I can imagine some people find it hard to say no. Theo will need to take his share of responsibility and you can start by giving him permission to do that. Do you remember the ‘No, but’ exercise we tried when I was encouraging you to stand up for yourself at the Met? Softening a refusal by making a concession. Why not try that? It could benefit both of you.”

  “Good point. Theo’s work history has been quite chequered and I think he really likes this job. So he might be overcompensating in order to keep it.”

  “So what else do you need to do when modifying your working relationship?”

  “Reassure him that I’m pleased with his work. He’s made a few mistakes but learnt from them and I can’t fault his enthusiasm.”

  “You see? You’re perfectly capable of thinking this through and making wise choices on your own. All I do is prod you to start. Shall we address the medication question and your mood diary before summarising this call before we finish?”

  When Beatrice ended the call, she experienced a rush of positive energy, as if she had averted a collision. Adrenalin pumped through her and she found she was smiling. For the millionth time, she wondered what she would do without James.

  Chapter 29

  The decent thing to do when intending to expose one’s client’s husband for both leaking to the press and having an affair was to let the client know. However, she did not have that option. Karoliina was off grid until tomorrow, but she had told Beatrice where to place her trust. Time was of the essence. She dug around in her purse until she found the card she was looking for and made the call.

  Astrid Falk responded to Beatrice’s request without a second’s hesitation. “Yes, of course I can meet you. Karoliina said you might call with developments. If you want to talk face to face, you can come to the office unless you prefer somewhere more public?”

  Beatrice was ready with her suggestion. “Given the inclement weather and the urgency of the situation, how about the cathedral? Not far from your office and near where I need to be.”

  “I can be there in twenty minutes.”

  “Perfect. I’ll wear a red scarf so you can identify me.”

  “I will identify you, Ms Stubbs, don’t worry.”

  Beatrice ended the call, curious how the woman could be so sure.

  Twenty minutes later, Beatrice was regaining her breath and drying herself off after ascending the steps to the imposing white edifice towering over the city. She made directly for the nave, but doubled back to leave her sopping wet umbrella in the stand. As she shoved the brolly in amongst all the others, she reminded herself not to forget it. The big church door opened and a huge man blocked out all the light. His stature was such that she wondered how he would fit in a normal room. He walked past her and into the vaulted space within.

  Once inside, she avoided the organ, pulpit and relics where the tourists gathered and parked herself on a pew. An Amazonian goddess walked up the aisle and held out a hand. Almost as impressive as the cathedral and with similar colouring, Astrid Falk had a presence one could not miss. She held out a hand.

  “Hello, Beatrice Stubbs. I’m Astrid. Good choice of location. For the most famous building in this city, it’s usually pretty quiet. Did you get caught in the rain?”

  “Just a bit. Thank you for meeting me. Karoliina says I can trust you. You’re her PA, correct?”

  Astrid sat beside her, straight-backed and elegant in her trench coat. “Karoliina is right. I’m her PA, her right hand, bodyguard, confidante and friend. I know she hired you and why. Last thing she told me is that you had completed the job and were returning to England.”

  “Things have changed.” Beatrice interlaced her hands and bowed her head as if she was at prayer. “What I am about to tell you is in complete secrecy.”

  “I understand.” Astrid mirrored her move.

  Beatrice explained her concerns regarding Heikki in the briefest terms and waited for a reaction before proceeding.

  “I wish I could say that is a surprise. But it is not. Not at all. Heikki and Päivi were a couple before he met Karoliina. Several of us suspected that relationship wasn’t over and it seems we were right. He’s still screwing his ex and screwing his wife by leaking stories. I’m guessing you plan to shine a light on that loser.”

  “Yes. I want to feed him fake information, record him sharing it with his fancy piece and show the police I can be trusted. Sadly, that means showing Karoliina that Heikki can’t.”

  Astrid rested her right temple on her knuckles, her eyes so green she looked like a hologram. “Why do you think she told you to call me and not him? In her heart, she knows her husband is a faithless little shit. I don’t know why she didn’t kick him out years ago. What can I do to help?”

  “OK, here’s the plan.”

  Bugging was not Beatrice’s speciality. As she waited for Heikki to arrive at the hotel, she recalled previous experiences of trying to plant a listening device on a human being. In that situation, she had an opportunity, an expert, and most importantly, a translator. If, as she expected, Heikki Mäkinen would go right to the point of assignation as soon as he had seen Beatrice depart, he had to be carrying a discreet recording device. Placing something in his pocket was risky as she might not have an opportunity and even if she did, he might easily find it. Her best chance was to give him some paperwork in a file containing a hidden bug. If he believed what she was about to say, he would be desperate to share the information. Naturally, he would take the documents to show Päivi. If Astrid got to the hotel ahead of them, if she managed to identify the room and if she wasn’t spotted ... she squeezed her eyes shut. As Theo had pointed out, there were a whole lot of ifs.

  Nevertheless, she had the equipment and the expertise. She had to give it her best shot. She reassured herself by patting the brown paper folder on her knee, which contained a fake statement, a meaningless set of timings and some grainy photographs she’d printed in the hotel’s business centre. Sealed inside the metallic clip on the spine was a voice-activated microphone with transmitter.

  Across the lobby, she saw Heikki coming her way. She stood up to shake his hand, leaving the folder on the table. Performance time, PI St
ubbs, and you’d better make this plausible.

  “Beatrice! I came as quickly as I could.”

  “Heikki, I’m most grateful to you. As I mentioned on the phone, I need to contact Karoliina with maximum urgency. I have vital information to share with her and I cannot make contact on her mobile phone. I know she’s at their facility and off the grid, but I assume you as next-of-kin would have a way of reaching her in an emergency. This is very irregular, I understand, and I would not ask if it were not of the most extreme importance. I simply cannot share my findings over the airwaves.”

  The waiter brought Beatrice’s coffee and Heikki ordered a beer. It was not yet lunchtime, but Beatrice raised no eyebrows. Their conversation was on hold until the waiter returned to the bar.

  “Karoliina is inspecting the facility, as you know. That means the majority of the day she will be out of reach. I understood that you had finished your job, Ms Stubbs, so I wonder why you need to speak to Karoliina again so soon? None of my business, of course, but I feel a personal interest in this case.”

  “It’s perfectly understandable that you do,” said Beatrice. “And I would happily share this latest development except my agreement was to inform Karoliina before everyone, including the police. Although if there really is no way of reaching her, I will have no choice but to take my findings to the force in Helsinki. Do you think she might pick up her messages at lunchtime?”

  The waiter delivered the beer bottle, opened the lid and went to pour it into a glass. Heikki said something in Finnish and the man left them to it.

  He took a slug straight from the bottle. “Karoliina receives a lot of messages and she doesn’t always listen to them all. She just hasn’t got the time. One thing she always does is call me, just to check in. So if there’s something she urgently needs to know, maybe I’m the fastest means of communication?”

  No way on earth would Beatrice capitulate so easily, even though she wanted the man to take the bait. She had far more style. “That’s exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to hear. So perhaps if she does call you this lunchtime, you could ask her to contact me at her earliest convenience. I do believe this is information she would like to know. I appreciate your willingness to pass things on, but my contract is with Karoliina and I’m a stickler for the small print. Thank you for meeting me and now I really should leave to go to the police.” She took the folder in a protective gesture and tried not to look at her untouched coffee.

  His eyes clocked the move and fixed on the file. “I understand. What you should know is that Karoliina and I are a partnership. We made a joint decision to hire you. We want to find those kids and we’re doing all we can to help the police. What I’m saying, Ms Stubbs, is that anything you need to tell Karoliina, you can tell me.”

  Beatrice hesitated, delivering an Oscar-worthy performance of Miss Indecisive, shooting glances into Heikki’s intense eyes. “I’d prefer to speak to her. Please understand, I’m not being evasive, but neither can I break my contract.”

  “Your contract is underwritten by me and my wife. In her absence, I’m your point of contact. She should have made that clear.”

  Beatrice sat down again, recalling exactly who Karoliina had nominated as her second-in-command. “In that case, I have no choice. Karoliina needs to know that the children are no longer in Finland. We believe they are in Tallinn, Estonia. This means the investigation now involves two national police forces. Rather than returning to Britain as I expected, I will be flying to the Estonian capital in a few hours’ time. The situation is far more complex than we first assumed and I will need Karoliina’s say-so before I go any further. Please ask her to call me as soon as she can. These young people’s lives hang in the balance.”

  His eyes widened. “Do you know who has them? I mean, are they safe?”

  Beatrice shook her head with immense sadness. “When dealing with organised crime, there is little point in negotiation. All we can hope for is that the young people represent enough bargaining power to keep them alive. I must go. Time is of the essence. Obviously, what I have told you must remain in the strictest secrecy. In this file are copies of a statement from a witness, the timings of their departure and photographs of the youngsters boarding a ferry from Helsinki to Tallinn. I share this with you as a trusted partner, as the person who can convey the message to Karoliina the fastest. Would you ask her to call me anyway? Unless I can make her understand the seriousness of the situation, I fear all is lost.” She flared her nostrils, appalled by her own theatrics.

  Heikki held out his hand for the folder. “Thank you, Beatrice. I will pray for them. You can trust me to tell Karoliina the moment she makes contact. Please, do whatever you can to bring them home. Do you need a lift to the police station? This weather ...”

  She shook her head. “Thank you, but that’s not necessary. My assistant is waiting for me upstairs. Goodbye and thank you so much for all your help.”

  He left with almost indecent haste and the second he was out of sight, Beatrice picked up her phone.

  “Astrid, he has the file. Now make your move. Good luck!”

  Ten minutes later, when she was sure Heikki had definitely left, she crossed the lobby and exited the hotel into the wind. She hailed a taxi and instructed him to take her to the train station. Hotel Kuu was a few minutes’ walk from there and even if she was soaked by the time she arrived, she preferred no one to know her business. A movement caught her eye as the taxi driver waited for a break in the traffic. A huge blond man came out of the hotel and got into the cab behind her. Something niggled at her. She’d seen him before. A chap of that size drew attention even in a space as large as ... the cathedral. That’s where she had seen him, coming through the cathedral doors like a Nordic giant. A fellow tourist, probably. Just coincidence they happened to be at the same location twice on the same day. Her own voice echoed in her ears. Theo, I’ve told you before, there’s no such thing as coincidence.

  Once she located the hotel, she chose a café chain opposite and sat in the window, drying off for the second time that day. Her attention was fixed on the street, watching for any sign of oversized blond men. For a change, her nerves overcame her appetite. So she drank a camomile tea and watched passers-by dashing out of the rain. The first person to catch her eye was a woman pelting out of the revolving doors as if she’d just robbed a bank. Beatrice recognised her instantly from Theo’s photos. She hailed a taxi, her mobile clamped to her ear and a brown buff file under her arm. Päivi Aho had taken the bait.

  She snapped several pictures as the producer scrambled into a cab. With a glance at her watch, she saw the tryst could have lasted fewer than thirty minutes. The cynic in her wondered if they ditched the romantic element of the rendezvous in favour of her story making the six o’clock news. Moments passed and no one of interest emerged.

  A text message buzzed on her phone.

  She left, he’s drinking in the bar and I’m just coming out of the underground car park. Where are you?

  Beatrice sent a hurried reply.

  House of Coffee, across the street. Did you get it?

  She gnawed on a thumbnail as she waited for a reply. The café door opened and in strode Astrid, dressed in black jeans and a rain-slicked jacket. A slow smile spread over her face.

  “Mission accomplished. All on here.” She reached out a fist to drop the tiny recording device into Beatrice’s palm. “I deserve a drink.” She called something to the guy at the counter.

  Beatrice closed her fingers over the little box and stared in admiration. “No wonder Karoliina is such a fan of yours. How on earth did someone with no previous detective experience manage to pull this off?”

  Astrid took the shot glass from the barista and downed it in one. “By following instructions. The second I got your call, I put on my costume and waited till he turned up. Squeezed into the lift with him and alighted on the same floor. From there, it was easy. I saw which room he went into and found the nearest stairwell where I set up the receiver.�
��

  “No one saw you?”

  “No one uses the stairs. I recorded their whole conversation and even got a couple of pictures, time and date stamped, of them leaving the room separately. It’s exactly as you said. He’s feeding her everything he knows, confident he won’t be found out because he can blame you.”

  A cramp convulsed Beatrice’s stomach. She had proof the man was leaking to the press but it involved throwing a bomb into Karoliina’s marriage.

  Astrid looked into her face, as if reading her thoughts. “It’s better that she knows her partner is betraying her. Not only romantically but professionally.”

  “Oh dear. I hope you didn’t have to hear anything embarrassing.”

  Astrid swung her rucksack onto her back. “No, they didn’t have time for a quickie as she needs to take the story back to the station. The pair of them disgust me. When I get home, I want a long, hot shower.”

  “Astrid, I don’t know how to thank you. This is ...”

  Astrid held out a hand. “I like you, Beatrice. You’re honest. But the truth is I did this for Karoliina. If there’s anything else I can help with, you have my number.”

  “I’m deeply grateful to you. Just one question. Heikki has met you before. Plus the fact you’re ... quite distinctive. What kind of costume did you wear as a disguise?”

  “A hijab. That’s all I need. People see the scarf, not the face, and look away. Easy. Gotta go. Goodbye and good luck!”

  The barista and Beatrice gazed after her as she strode through the door, across the street as if the foul weather meant nothing, and slung a leg over a large black motorcycle. She wound her hair into her helmet and roared away into the traffic.

  Chapter 30

  The rain was Theo’s friend. Had it been a sparkling summer’s day, his loitering on the street outside the student accommodation would have been much more noticeable. The vicious gusts of wind and ceaseless rainfall curtailed all curiosity. People ran from tram stop to shop doorway, from front door to car, collars up, heads down and vision blinkered by umbrellas. The second advantage was that Theo was able to conceal his face with the hood of his jacket, just like everyone else trying to protect themselves against the storm.