As she reached her designated place, Lestov said: ‘This is a preliminary disciplinary examination, of complaints from Fyodor Ivanovich Tudin, under regulations governing the security service of the Russian Federation. If those complaints are found to be justified they will be laid before a full tribunal hearing. Any such findings will in no way interfere with quite separate criminal charges that might be considered appropriate by the Federal Prosecutor.’
Tudin, the outdated traditionalist who only knew well trodden routes, had moved as she’d anticipated, pursuing her through the organization’s regulations first! Natalia felt a surge of relief. There was still a lot more she had to understand and perhaps prepare herself against.
When she did not respond Lestov said: ‘Do you fully understand what I have said? Why you have been brought before us?’
‘Absolutely.’ She didn’t welcome the irritation in his voice. Natalia came slightly forward, concentrating entirely upon the chairman, needing his attention, which at that moment was upon the documents laid out before him. Natalia supposed she had either met him formally or been in his presence among others on about four or five occasions since their respective appointments. It had been Lestov who officially confirmed her as chairman of the external directorate. He was an inconspicuous, undistinguished man who nevertheless conveyed an impression of the authority he clearly possessed. Head-bent as he was, the thinning hair was more obvious than she could remember from their previous encounters. He was not a career intelligence officer. At one time in the turmoil of fledgeling Russian democracy, which still didn’t properly exist, Lestov had served as Interior Minister, but had been dismissed because he was considered too liberal. Natalia hoped the charge had been true. Not having expected an investigating panel she certainly hadn’t prepared herself for the sort of prosecution that was clearly intended.
At that moment, fortunately, Lestov came up from his papers, looking enquiringly at her.
‘Will I have the opportunity to question the accusations I am going to face?’
Lestov went briefly to the men on either side of him. ‘Within limits. There is no reason for this to be a protracted examination.’
Already judged guilty, decided Natalia, worriedly.
At Lestov’s nod, Tudin hurried to his feet. The man was more florid-faced than usual, and Natalia guessed at a combination of nervous excitement at appearing before his ultimate superiors at last to destroy her, and an excess of alcohol in premature celebration. He’d dressed for the occasion. His suit was immaculate and there was the pose of a man in command in the way he was standing. Twisted sideways, Natalia could easily see Eduard as well. He wore the same clothes as in the detention cell and they were creased, but he was clean-shaven and the near shoulder-length hair was no longer lank and greasy, so he’d been allowed to shower. His belongings had been returned to him. As well as the earring she had seen there was a heavy gold watch on his left wrist and a gold identity chain on the other. There were two rings on his left hand, one dominated by a large purplish-red stone, and one on his right: from where she sat it seemed to be in the shape of a face or a mask. The dishevelled Mikhail Kapitsa, deprived by the formality of the proceedings of the habitual cigarette, was blinking rapidly and frequently brought his hands to his face, as if troubled by an irritation. His frowning look towards her was one of confused bewilderment.
Tudin avoided any flamboyant speech or mannerisms: his attitude was practically the opposite, an address delivered in a flat, sometimes almost boring monotone, with few hand or body movements. He listed precisely by their subheadings and numbers the regulations governing the Agency under which he was bringing the accusations, which he summarized as abuse of power and condoning corruption. In addition he itemized the criminal statutes he contended Natalia had broken.
The man quickly sketched Eduard’s youth at Moscow University before gaining a junior officer’s commission in the Russian army which had ended with the scale-down of the military.
‘Returning to Moscow he became a criminal, joining a recognized Mafia syndicate known as the Lubertsy,’ declared Tudin. ‘He told his criminal associates – as he will tell you here today – that he was in a particularly privileged position. His mother was a high-ranking official in the State’s security service. Her rank and influence put him beyond the law. If he were ever unlucky enough to get arrested, he could call upon his mother to intercede to prevent any prosecution or conviction …’
Tudin paused, and despite his control the man was unable to avoid darting a satisfied look between mother and son.
‘An arrest did happen, through brilliant detective work by Militia Investigator Mikhail Stepanovich Kapitsa, who will also testify before you today …’ Tudin turned quickly, identifying the detective with a hand gesture. ‘… Eduard Igovevich Fedova was seized, with eight other members of a gang of which he was the leader, in possession of narcotic and medical drugs and a considerable amount of black market material. Fedova’s first action was to offer Investigator Kapitsa a substantial bribe. Which Kapitsa of course refused. At that point, Fedova identified his mother. He told Investigator Kapitsa it was quite pointless the man attempting any sort of criminal prosecution: that his mother would prevent it. And he demanded to see her …’
Tudin coughed, his voice becoming strained, but also wanting the minimal pause, for effect. Looking directly up at the assembled committee, he said: ‘Natalia Nikandrova Fedova was contacted on the eighteenth of this month. Within an hour of a telephone conversation between her and Investigator Kapitsa, she arrived at Militia headquarters at Petrovka, to do exactly what her son had always insisted she would do, intercede upon his behalf to block any prosecution against him.’
It was impressive and convincing and Natalia felt a dip of uncertainty. There was no protest she could make, but the whole balance of the inquiry was unfair, weighted against her. Realizing he had finished, Natalia said quickly: ‘I would like to ask Colonel Tudin some questions.’
There was a peremptory, practically dismissive nod and Natalia tried to remain unruffled by Lestov’s clearly preconceived acceptance of the accusations against her.
She turned fully to confront her accuser, who came around in his turn to face her. He was impassive but still red, his attitude one of assured confidence. She was a long way from matching it, because she hadn’t expected the quasi-legality of an inquiry with witnesses arraigned against her and she still hadn’t properly adjusted. She tried to clear her throat but failed, so when she started to speak her voice was ragged and she had to stop and start again. A smirk flickered momentarily around Tudin’s mouth.
‘You are my immediate deputy, in the external directorate of the Russian security agency?’
Tudin hesitated, cautiously. ‘Yes.’
‘As such I have delegated to you particular authority concerning the new independent republics of the former Soviet Union?’
The caution was longer this time. ‘Yes.’
‘At a recent conference of all department and division heads did I have cause strongly to criticize your performance? And to insist upon substantial improvement within a stated time period?’ The smirk flickered again, and Natalia decided the man imagined she was attempting a defence in an indefensible situation by introducing internecine and irrelevant squabbles.
In immediate confirmation, Tudin turned invitingly towards the committee, visibly shrugging. Lestov responded with worrying speed and obvious impatience. ‘Is there any purpose to these questions? They have no bearing on what we are considering here today.’
‘They – and the attitude of Colonel Tudin – have everything to do with what is happening here today,’ argued Natalia, as forcefully as she felt she could. She was directly arguing against her chairman, she realized.
Lestov’s mouth tightened, but he nodded curtly for her to continue.
‘Was there disagreement between us?’ resumed Natalia.
‘I regarded it then and I regard it now as a department matter. I do not con
sider it has anything to do with these proceedings.’
Natalia’s voice caught again when she began to speak, but this time she did not regret the apparent uncertainty. ‘The conversation between myself and Investigator Kapitsa was a private matter: quite unofficial?’
Tudin smiled openly at what amounted to an admission of what he was accusing her of. ‘Exactly!’ he said, triumphantly. ‘In an official Militia inquiry you intruded unofficially to save your son!’
There was a stir from among the men comprising the examining panel. Natalia tried to remain unruffled. ‘How did you discover that contact between myself and Investigator Kapitsa?’
Tudin’s caution returned. ‘Rumours,’ he said shortly.
‘The directorate has an internal security division. It is not your function or responsibility to respond to rumours or gossip or suspicion of internal wrong-doing within the directorate.’
For the only time since the inquiry began, Tudin looked uncomfortable. ‘I regarded the matter as one of the utmost seriousness: one that had to be handled by someone with the authority I possess, to avoid any intimidation.’
‘Isn’t the truth of the matter that you were spying upon me, as your superior, because of your resentment of my holding that position and because of my criticism of your inadequacy to fulfil the job to which I had appointed you?’
‘No!’ denied Tudin, loudly. ‘I admit – and if the committee should require an apology then of course I offer it – that I did not strictly follow the procedures laid down for investigating matters of this sort. My only reason for doing so was quickly and effectively to prevent an abuse of power and authority. Which I have done.’
Natalia slumped down, stranding Tudin neither talking to her nor to the committee, but to the empty space in between. She hadn’t obtained an admission – as he had from her – but she hoped to have established doubt in the minds of the three men sitting in judgement upon her.
The unidentified man whom Tudin called first gave his name as Anatoli Alipov and his position as a lawyer with the security agency who had witnessed and formally taken the affidavit from Eduard. Alipov’s account was formal, nothing more than assuring the committee that the incriminating statement had been properly obtained.
‘What reason did Colonel Tudin give for your going with him to Petrovka?’ she demanded, when her turn came to question.
‘Legally to conduct the taking of an affidavit.’
‘An affidavit to serve what purpose?’
Alipov considered his reply, a careful lawyer. ‘To establish there had been an abuse of power according to our internal regulations.’
‘Which you considered to be established?’
There was another gap, for consideration. ‘Yes.’
‘Was that all?’
‘No.’
‘What else?’
‘To give an opinion on possible criminal action, too.’
‘What was your opinion?’
‘That there was a case to be made.’
As she sat, Natalia glanced unexpectedly sideways and caught the look of smiling satisfaction upon Eduard’s face, and when Tudin called him by name there was a swagger about the way he stood. He rested his hands upon the chair-back in front and at the beginning looked about him, and Natalia got the impression he regretted not having a larger audience before which to perform.
Tudin led.
The facts, from the moment of the interception on the Serpukhov road, were essentially the same as she had heard from Kapitsa, and there was a basis of accuracy in the account of the conversation she’d had with Eduard and which Kapitsa had witnessed, at her insistence. But it had all been subtly exaggerated, inference hardened into substance, innuendo presented as positive fact.
It sounded convincing and devastating.
Eduard adamantly repeated that he had never doubted her protection: at Petrovka his mother had assured him he would be freed and no action taken against him. His deepest regret was that his mother now faced this and possibly further, more serious inquiries. He had never openly asked her to be his protectress. He wanted to cooperate in every way he could, which was why he had made the affidavit. He hoped his mother would be leniently dealt with, at this and any other investigation.
She was quickly on her feet, but having risen she did not immediately speak, regarding her son steadily. How could she have ever had any emotion or love for this creature standing before her, thinking about him in the same terms – my flesh and blood – as she thought about Sasha? Her only feeling now was one of loathing hatred.
‘Where do I live?’ Natalia demanded, harshly.
Eduard blinked. There was shuffling in the room. Eduard said: ‘What?’
‘Where do I live?’
‘I don’t … I thought Mytninskaya but it wasn’t.’
‘When was the last time you came to Mytninskaya?’
‘I don’t …’ started Eduard, then stopped. He shrugged. ‘Some time ago.’
‘How long have you been out of the army?’
Another shrug. ‘Quite a while.’
‘Have you come to Mytninskaya to see me during that time?’
There was no longer any swagger or superciliousness. Eduard was suddenly aware it was not as easy as he imagined it to be, and was leaning slightly towards her. Tudin was half turned, but unable to provide any guidance, from his awkward position. Guessing the direction of her questioning, Eduard said: ‘I tried, but you weren’t there.’
He was improvising! Natalia realized at once, from long-ago experience. He was lost without guidance from Tudin and he was improvising as he went along! ‘When did we last meet, before you left the army?’
‘Can’t remember.’
‘The dates of your leaves and furloughs would be a matter of existing record, on army files,’ she warned, heavily. ‘It was six months before you left the army, wasn’t it?’
‘Maybe.’
Natalia was too far away to be sure, but she suspected there was a sheen of perspiration on her son’s face. Sweat you bastard, sweat, she thought. ‘What rank do I hold?’
‘Colonel. That’s what it was.’
‘Not what it was. What is it, now?’
‘Not sure.’
‘Where do you live?’
‘Tverskaya.’
‘In what? An apartment?’
‘You should know! You’ve been there often enough!’
Natalia realized that her son was really remarkably stupid. ‘Is that what you’re telling this inquiry? That I’ve visited you there?’
‘You know you have.’
‘That’s not true, is it?’
‘You know it’s true! That’s where we reached our understanding!’
Tudin was turned away from Eduard now, head lowered towards the floor, and Natalia wondered how the man could have possibly imagined he would succeed with an attack like this. At once she answered her own question. The ways of the past, she remembered: once an accusation as blatantly false as this could have succeeded. ‘Tell the inquiry about that understanding.’
‘Already have,’ said Eduard. He’d been tensed but now he relaxed, believing he had beaten her.
It was important to inflate the confidence, in the hope that it would burst. ‘Let’s do it again. You were sure I’d get you out of Militia custody?’
‘That’s what you’d always said you’d do.’
‘When I came to Tverskaya?’
Eduard smiled. ‘Yes.’
The balloon was becoming stretched, decided Natalia. ‘What did I say, when I saw you in the cell?’
‘That it wasn’t just a matter for you: that you had to consider the Militia position.’
That was a fairly accurate recollection, she conceded. ‘How long had you been in detention when I saw you?’
‘Five days.’
‘When were you released?’
‘This morning.’
‘That is the agreement, is it? Your release in return for talking to this inquiry today?’
Natalia had hoped to get the over-confident, unthinking admission, but before Eduard could reply Tudin hurriedly stood. ‘I should tell the committee that I have today sent a full report to the Federal Prosecutor, recommending immunity in return for this man’s cooperation. At the moment, technically, he remains in Militia custody.’
It was the perfect rebuttal of what Natalia was striving to establish, that a freedom deal had been reached between Eduard and Tudin in return for Eduard’s testimony, and briefly Natalia was numbed by the despair of being so easily thwarted. For several moments her mind blocked and she couldn’t think how to continue – but more importantly how to win – this exchange with her son. And then her mind did start working again and the despair lessened, although she suspected everyone -the committee headed by the security chairman, and Tudin and Eduard and Kapitsa – would believe she had failed miserably to establish any sort of defence. Briskly she said: ‘We weren’t alone in the detention cell, were we? Investigator Kapitsa was there all the time?’
‘Yes.’ Eduard’s caution had returned.
‘He witnessed everything?’ A great deal depended on the honesty of the detective, Natalia realized: more than she’d anticipated until this moment.
‘Yes.’
‘Did you want him to be there?’
Eduard shrugged. ‘It was a matter for you. I didn’t mind.’
‘You didn’t suggest he should leave?’ Natalia concentrated not upon her son but upon Kapitsa when she asked the question. The detective was frowning.
‘No.’
Kapitsa’s frown deepened. Dear God, thought Natalia, don’t let him have reached any agreement or understanding with Tudin, as Eduard obviously has. ‘You identified me as your mother to Investigator Kapitsa the moment you were stopped on the Serpukhov road?’
‘That was what you’d always told me to do: announce it at once to prevent any investigation becoming established.’
Natalia intruded the pause, wanting the silence. Then she said: ‘So it had to be done quickly? You were to be got out quickly?’ Natalia saw Tudin stiffen.
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