There were two clothes closets, one given over entirely to diaphanous silk or gauzed négligés and night-wear: in a pull-out drawer within the closet was a range of sexual underwear, pants without crotches, bras without tips, for nipples to protrude, and lacy garter belts and suspender belts.
It was behind the drawer, which he fully withdrew to take it free of the closet, that Danilov found the hide-away place, a hollowed rectangular space concealed behind a sliding panel that looked at first like the rigid back to the closet. Inside was Nadia Revin’s birth certificate, passport, $22,000 in cash and a manila envelope containing documents. Danilov briefly flicked through the papers before offering them to Cowley.
‘She wanted to go to America,’ said the Russian, simply.
‘And Ralph Baxter signed the acknowledging letter to her visa application,’ said Cowley, reading more thoroughly.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Everything fitted – the shorn hair, the positioning of the shoes, the severed buttons – yet once more there was no way for them to go forward from the already established pattern. The routine began again, a roundabout making another circle, ending where it began.
Novikov’s early and more careful autopsy report gave the same measurements for the weapon, with the exception of the entry wound. The cut here, by what would have been the sharp edge of the knife, was wider than on any of the other victims, nearly six millimetres. The likeliest explanation was that the woman had tried to turn towards her attacker, driving the knife against her own body to cause herself a greater injury. All her perfectly manicured nails were intact, with no evidence of her having fought. There was no vaginal deposit indicating recent sexual intercourse, despite her profession, but this was consistent with the condoms found in her handbag. Novikov insisted that, following the second American post-mortem on Ann Harris and the Quantico assessment that the buttons indicated a nipple fetish, he had closely examined Nadia Revin’s breasts for injury or abrasions. There had been none.
The English publisher, Charles McCleary, was traced by noon of that first day. The reservation at the Metropole was in the name of the company which had published the book found beneath the body. McCleary, a bachelor, admitted at once and quite openly being Nadia’s client the previous evening: they had arranged to meet that night, too. He’d paid her $100, with a $20 tip, and given her the book. It had been a pleasant evening. She had shown no indication of being worried or frightened. She had not talked of a quick-tempered minder or a ponce, or of any outside pressure. Four members of the hotel staff, including the night receptionist and the night security guard, confirmed that McCleary had not left the hotel, either with or without Nadia Revin.
The single names listed against hotel telephone numbers proved to be those of receptionists, counter staff and concierges who had acted as Nadia’s touts. On the off-chance of finding a connection, however tenuous, Danilov had Vladimir Suzlev’s taxi company checked again to see if Nadia Revin had been a regular customer or whether any of their drivers also acted as customer spotters. The company denied all knowledge of the woman and showed unconvincing indignation at the suggestion that their drivers would ponce for a prostitute.
At the Militia commander’s invitation Cowley went with Danilov to a delayed morning conference with General Lapinsk, at Ulitza Petrovka. The American expected the demand to be made for Danilov to accompany him for a meeting with Ralph Baxter, in return for the concession apparently being advanced to him, but it wasn’t suggested. Danilov recited the preliminary findings to the muted background of Lapinsk’s coughing, and when the investigator finished Lapinsk said: ‘So it’s another random killing, like the others? No obvious, logical way to go?’
‘That’s how it looks,’ agreed Danilov, unhappily.
‘We’re going to have to make a statement,’ said the General.
He spoke looking at the American, and Danilov realized that Cowley had been invited to the meeting to share the responsibility for any decisions reached there. For several moments Cowley did not respond, surprised at being questioned so directly. Then he said: ‘I think the more sensational reaction to the earlier killings was increased by delaying the first announcements. For which, as I know you are already aware, we in America were grateful.’ There was a lot of purpose in his being allowed into this discussion: Cowley wished he could work out all of what it was. Yet again plenty to discuss with Washington: he was glad Andrews had returned, to ship back all the duplicated material collected from Uspenskii Prospekt. Senator Burden was not going to welcome his niece now being linked to the killing of a Russian hooker.
‘I would expect you to participate in any press conference,’ warned the old man, openly, still speaking directly to Cowley. ‘Do you need to get authority from Washington?’
Cowley wasn’t sure. ‘I’ll ask.’
‘And I think it would be proper for the statement to be issued jointly, both here and in Washington,’ Lapinsk continued, tightening the pressure.
Danilov wondered if all this had been Lapinsk’s idea, on the spur of the moment, or demands prepared well in advance of another possible killing with the Federal Prosecutor or possibly even beyond Nikolai Smolin, involving some even higher official in the Foreign or Interior Ministry. He was surprised at the blatant anxiety to extend the liability.
So was Cowley. ‘A Washington statement about the murder of a Russian national in Russia?’
‘It is a joint investigation,’ Lapinsk insisted. The cough rattled.
Cowley was unsure whether to remind the General that the FBI’s supposed presence was in a support role of scientific liaison. He quickly decided not to: in his eagerness to duck behind every and any barricade, Lapinsk had conceded precisely what the Bureau had wanted to achieve. Which might be an advantage later, ‘I will advise Washington. They will obviously want to know exactly what your statement will be.’
Lapinsk nodded. ‘It would also be best if the statements were issued simultaneously, at an agreed time.’
Definitely not Lapinsk’s sole idea, decided Danilov: these staged insistences betrayed a great deal of advance planning and thought.
‘I will advise about that, too,’ promised Cowley.
As they descended the stairs, back to the level of his own office, Danilov said: ‘I suppose I should apologize. I didn’t know it was going to be like that.’
Cowley smiled across at the other man. ‘No need for apologies. It was just like being at home.’ Watching Your Ass Time, Russian style, he thought.
Ralph Baxter leaned attentively over his embassy desk while Cowley outlined the barest details of another murder identical to that of Ann Harris. And then, obediently, stared down at the mortuary block photographs of the shorn Nadia Revin. Forever a man of quick movements, he jerked his head up, frowning incomprehensibly. ‘Why are you showing me these?’ The moustache twitched.
‘Don’t you know her?’
The bespectacled diplomat went back to the photographs. ‘Of course not. Why should I? You said she was a prostitute?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then what on earth are you talking about?’ Baxter’s voice rose in his outrage.
Cowley offered a photocopy of the embassy letter signed by the other man that had been in Nadia Revin’s closet hiding-place, saying nothing.
Baxter began to read just as attentively, but then stopped, checked the signature with growing dismissiveness and laughed across the table. ‘It’s a long-term visa application!’
‘I know.’
Baxter remained smiling as he depressed an intercom button, identified a reference number and sat back, waiting. Almost at once a secretary entered whom Cowley recognized from the social club gathering, although they had not spoken. The woman recognized him, too, smiling and nodding. Baxter took what she carried and without reading it offered the top document back across the desk to Cowley, together with the notification that had been retrieved from Nadia Revin’s apartment. Both were identical, apart from Baxter’s signature. ‘You
any idea how many visa applications we get here, every day? The line’s around the block, all the time. It’s a pro forma letter, for Christ’s sake! We send out dozens of them, asking for more information when the request is for long-term entry permission, which this clearly was, although I haven’t bothered to check: don’t need to. As the senior consular official, I have to sign …’ He renewed the offer, with the rest of what the secretary had brought. ‘That’ll be her file. If it helps, you’re welcome to keep it as long as you like.’ The grin widened. ‘I bet it doesn’t list her profession as hooker.’
It didn’t. Nadia Revin had described herself as a student of Moscow University, from which she attached a testimonial, wishing to visit America to study for a thesis on East-West cultural differences: she was probably an expert already, reflected Cowley. The section of the form upon which sponsors had to be listed was blank: it was that omission which Baxter’s letter had asked to be supplied. The necessary photographs showed a strikingly attractive girl, blonde hair cascading beyond her shoulders. There had been a lot strewn around at the scene at Uspenskii Prospekt, he remembered.
‘So you never met her?’
‘Of course not! I must sign twenty of them every day of my life, without even reading the names and certainly not an already printed letter. It’s a production line. I’m sorry!’
Another totally acceptable, totally understandable, totally endblocked inquiry, decided Cowley: it had been an obviously official letter, so he supposed he shouldn’t have expected anything more. ‘I can keep the file?’
‘Help yourself,’ agreed Baxter. ‘You really are clutching at anything here, aren’t you?’
‘Yes,’ Cowley admitted. Why did everyone have an answer?
‘So it’s another dead end?’ said Andrews, fifteen minutes later in the Bureau office.
Cowley shrugged. ‘It obviously had to be checked.’
‘You’re forgetting the Quantico lectures,’ Andrews pointed out. ‘Nothing comes from the background of their victims.’ With Cowley so preoccupied it probably wasn’t an opportune time to raise his personal situation. But there didn’t seem a lot that the other man could practically do, at that moment. To reassure Cowley that the routine had been cleared, Andrews added: ‘All the forensic has been packed and pouched. And I’ve checked all your outward messages. There’s nothing back yet.’ He paused. ‘Pauline said it was a good night at the club.’
‘I enjoyed it.’
‘So did she.’ There was no point in pussyfooting around. ‘I’ve applied to be attached to your division, when I leave here.’
‘She told me you were going to.’
Andrews made himself look directly at the other man. ‘It needs your approval.’
‘I know,’ said Cowley unhelpfully, awkwardly, looking back just as directly.
‘I wanted to tell you myself, like this,’ said Andrews. ‘Not for you to get a message from Washington, without my saying anything.’ Come on! Say something, for Christ’s sake!
‘This is best,’ Cowley agreed, still unhelpfully and knowing it. Why was he doing it, he asked himself. It was like bullying.
‘I hope it’ll be OK,’ said Andrews, with obvious difficulty. ‘With you, I mean.’ He hated – loathed – having to plead.
‘You really think I’d block you?’ It was time to stop being ridiculous.
Andrews shrugged. ‘There could be reasons.’
‘I told Pauline I wouldn’t.’ Wrong, he thought at once; he shouldn’t have given the impression they’d discussed Andrews behind his back. Quickly he said: ‘My approval will go in the diplomatic bag tonight.’
There had been a tension between them, since her outburst, but Olga hadn’t made any fresh accusations and Danilov hadn’t referred to it, either. Nor had they talked about the planned reciprocal evening with Larissa and Yevgennie Kosov. Danilov didn’t expect Larissa to accept now if an evening was suggested, but supposed that if a dinner party didn’t take place Olga would regard it as confirmation of her suspicion. He decided to go on saying and doing nothing: Dimitri Danilov, expert at burying his head in the sand, he thought.
With the new murder there was a genuine excuse for Danilov’s late return to Kirovskaya. As usual, Olga was in bed, her back turned away from his side of the bed. He didn’t think she was asleep but moved around with elaborate care. He wasn’t sure but he thought the night-dress was new: certainly it looked fresh. Perhaps the washing machine was fixed. Hopefully he checked the drawer. There were at least six clean shirts, crisp and neatly ironed. He’d have to remember to thank her, in the morning.
Danilov got carefully into bed but lay unsleeping in the darkness, re-examining everything for the hundredth – or was it the thousandth? – time, seeking anything he might have forgotten to do or check that might unlock a door. And finding nothing.
He was still alertly awake when the telephone shrilled.
‘We’ve got him!’ announced the thick, slightly slurred voice of Yevgennie Kosov. ‘His name’s Petr Yakovlevich Yezhov.’
Danilov recognized it.
Chapter Thirty-Five
There was no real justification in his going that night, but Danilov had always been uncomfortable with the thought of a vigilante posse: at that moment, as a result of such a posse, a man was in some sort of police custody for no other reason than taking a late-night walk in a Moscow street. There was certainly no cause to rouse Pavin. Or contact Cowley. It was routine, something he could do himself, and with an additional reason for going alone. Kosov, predictably inflating the situation, had said he was at the Militia post: there would be the opportunity, without it in any way appearing contrived, to talk about Eduard Agayans. Danilov pinched his finger again, re-attaching the windscreen wipers outside the flat: it was bitterly cold, well below zero, which seemed to make the bruise hurt more than it should have done. He’d forgotten his hat. He’d done that the night Ann Harris had been killed, he remembered.
It was the first time in two years that he had crossed the threshold of his old Militia station. So late he had expected to find it sleeping, with just a minimal nightstaff on duty, but there were two men inside the glass-hatched ground-floor office and a third at an extensive, light-blinking switchboard which was an innovation since his command. Danilov didn’t recognize any of them. Lights blazed throughout the building and Danilov thought, jealously, that clearly there was no difficulty in getting replacement bulbs here, and he was sure he heard sounds behind two day-room doors. It was impressive.
Danilov had expected to be directed upstairs, to his old office, but instead Kosov descended to him and Danilov belatedly realized that the other man, naturally, intended sitting in if not taking part in an interview being conducted on his own premises: the cells and the interrogation rooms were on the ground floor. Kosov wore his complete uniform, even his hat. There were effusive foyer greetings, continuing the display. To the uninterested counter officers Danilov was identified as a former commander: needing something to say, having involved the men, Kosov said that if they were needed they would be with what he called the prisoner.
On their way to the rear of the building, Kosov said: ‘Bastard tried to escape. Ran like hell. Luckily there were four of my people: two lorries. When they caught him two held him while the others called us. Knew it would work.’
‘Where?’
‘Ulitza Mickiewicz. Ducked into an alley, when he saw the trucks, but they saw him too. So one went around and blocked off the other end, in Spiridonievskii. He ran, like I said. But he wasn’t expecting them to do that, so he didn’t have much of a start. He didn’t fight, though, once they got him.’
Fortunately, thought Danilov. ‘What’s he said?’
‘Nothing. Cried a bit. Makes a whining, humming sound in his throat.’
‘Hummed?’ demanded Danilov, instantly alert.
‘Like a whine really. Like an animal. I think he’s mad.’
Kosov didn’t know the psychiatric history, Danilov remembered. ‘Where did
you get the name?’
‘From his workbook. He’s a labourer in a marshalling yard. You wouldn’t think so. He’s very clean.’
They could hear Petr Yezhov before they reached the cell. The sound was neither a hum nor a whine: to Danilov it sounded like the whimpered, repetitive bark of a puppy chained too long in one place. It changed when Kosov opened the cell door, into a longer, more positive whimper, definitely of fear. The man had been hunched sideways on the bunk, boots on the blanket, his arms clutched around knees drawn tightly up to his chest, rocking back and forth. As they entered he briefly uncoiled himself, scrabbling further into the corner where the bunk abutted the wall, then bunched up again.
Danilov decided the man was trying to make himself smaller. There was a bruise under his left eye, and the side of his right hand, nearest to where Danilov stood, was badly grazed, although the bleeding appeared to have stopped. But it was not that which caught Danilov’s attention. He was oddly bald, an alopecia sufferer, isolated patches of hair clinging to his head. He looked just like the victims, after they had been shorn. ‘Petr Yakovlevich?’
Don’t look at them, say anything. Two men. A uniform. Angry uniform.
‘Petr Yakovlevich, what were you doing, on Ulitza Mickiewicz?’
Had to get out: stop being locked up. ‘Yes.’ The voice was high-pitched, girlish.
‘Why?’ Nothing sensible could possibly emerge from this.
‘Yes.’ The voice was lower.
‘Why do you walk at night?’
‘Walk.’
‘Why do you walk?’ This was cruel. But so had the killing of Vladimir Suzlev and Ann Harris and Nadia Revin been cruel. And the attempt upon Lydia Orlenko.
In the Name of a Killer Page 37