The Red King of Helsinki

by Helena Halme

  Pia didn’t reply, but looked up at the second floor windows. There were no lights on, just as she suspected. She took hold of Heikki’s hand and crossed the street to Anni’s block. When they reached Anni’s door, Pia pressed a button on top of the intercom.

  ‘That’s not Anni’s,’ Heikki said.

  A buzzer sounded and the door opened. She ran through the door, and pulled Heikki inside. ‘Shh,’ Pia said, walking gingerly up the stone steps. Heikki followed. His boots made such a racket, Pia had to turn around to tell him to stop and listen for any noises in the stairwell.

  ‘Hello, who’s there?’ a woman’s voice came from the top of the stairwell. Pia and Heikki hid behind the stone steps. ‘Bloody kids,’ the woman said and banged her door shut. Heikki sniggered and Pia had to tell him again to be quiet.

  When they reached the second floor Pia put her ear against Anni’s door. Then she gestured for Heikki to hide behind the pillar supporting the spiral staircase. She stood flush against the wall, hiding from the spy hole and rang the bell.

  No answer.

  Pia tried again. Again there was no reply, or movement behind the door. The echoes of the bell rang up and down the three-storey building. Gingerly, Pia lifted the flap of the letterbox and peered inside. She could see the legs of the hall table, but not the mat. She could definitely remember Anni’s parents having a beautiful old red rug running the length of the hall. Though she couldn’t see very far through the narrow opening, she knew there was no one inside. She could feel its emptiness.

  ‘I wonder where they all are,’ she whispered to Heikki.

  ‘What are we doing here?’ Heikki whispered back.

  Pia said nothing. She was thinking. They heard a door opening at the other end of the floor. An elderly man in a dark green wool coat and felt hat came out of the door.

  ‘Good evening,’ he said.

  ‘Evening,’ Pia and Heikki said.

  ‘You won’t find anyone there,’ the man said, nodding his head towards Anni’s door.

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘Left for Moscow yesterday. An urgent assignment, they said.’

  ‘Who said that? Mr Linnonmaa?’ Pia asked.

  ‘No, they had two foreign chaps doing the moving for them. Didn’t see the Linnonmaas at all, actually. Must have travelled ahead.’

  The man stood looking at Pia and Heikki. Suddenly Pia realised he was expecting them to leave the apartment block. She nudged Heikki and smiled to the man. They went down the spiral staircase and out into the cold street.

  ‘Hello!’

  Pia heard someone shout from the other side of the street. She watched as Sasha ran towards them.

  ‘Did you tell her to follow us?’ she said to Heikki.

  Heikki was looking at his feet, ‘Of course not.’

  Pia could have hit him. Instead she put on a false smile. Sasha stood in front of them, panting.

  ‘What are you doing here?’

  Sasha looked from Heikki to Pia. ‘It’s a free country, isn’t it?’

  ‘Hi,’ Heikki said feebly.

  Pia didn’t speak.

  ‘My aunt lives on Tehtaankatu, if you must know. She’s just had a baby.’

  Pia considered this lie. She knew Sasha lived in a big house in Meilahti, the other side of town. She’d never seen her around Ullanlinna.

  ‘The point is: what are you two doing here, hanging around Anni’s apartment?’ Sasha looked triumphant.

  Heikki gave Pia a sideways glance, and said, ‘Oh, you know, we were just having a ciggie, thinking we’d ask Anni to come out.’ He put his arm proprietarily around Pia’s waist. She smiled, but could not help wondering how Sasha knew where Anni lived. She was glad Heikki hadn’t spilled the beans, though.

  Sasha looked at them and said, ‘Oh.’ On tiptoe, she moved closer to Heikki and whispered into his ear, ‘Give me a call later.’

  Pia was furious. She watched Sasha’s pink down jacket turn the corner of Tehtaankatu.

  ‘What was that all about?’

  ‘Dunno.’

  ‘Did she really think I wouldn’t hear what she said when I was standing right next to you?’

  Heikki didn’t reply. Pia wanted to ask if he often spoke to Sasha on the telephone in the evenings, but they had to hurry. Pia knew the Russian would not be far away, and now they’d shown themselves twice outside Anni’s house. Pia told Heikki to run to the door and hide by the entrance. She looked around. The street was quiet, only a drunk in the distance talking to himself and holding a bottle. She followed Heikki to the door of the block of flats.

  ‘Quickly, you know what to do.’

  Heikki looked at Pia, his eyes wide. They were both tense.

  ‘We can’t trick a second person. C’mon before anybody sees us,’ she said, and added, ‘Don’t tell me you don’t know how to do this?’

  ‘You’re incredible,’ Heikki said. He removed something that looked like a thin silver knife from his school bag. He pushed the implement into the lock, and wiggled it about for a while. Pia looked down the stairwell through the glass door. No one.

  ‘There you are, Madam!’ Heikki said triumphantly. He opened the door for Pia and they went inside. The door locked behind them.

  * * *

  This time the stairwell was quiet, and even Heikki managed to walk noiselessly up the stone steps. Outside Anni’s door they stood for a moment and listened.

  ‘I suppose you want me to undo this lock too?’ Heikki whispered.

  Pia gave him a look. It took him a lot longer this time, there seemed to be something slipping inside the lock. Eventually on the third try, the mechanism caught and the door opened.

  The flat was cold. Some furniture had been removed, like the rug, and a lamp, but it looked as it always did when Pia came to visit. The lights were on in the hall. Why hadn’t she seen their reflection from the street? All the curtains must be drawn, she thought. She went into the kitchen. Heikki followed. She put the light on. This window overlooked the inner courtyard, and she hoped, if the Russian was watching them, he wouldn’t see the light from the outside. The kitchen was neat and tidy, just as it had been after the KGB left on Wednesday night. Pia looked inside cupboards, nothing seemed out of place. She walked slowly into the room where she’d been held together with Anni and her father. The small table was there, and the bed, covered with a lace bedspread. Just as she remembered it. The dusty smell of the room made her shiver.

  Pia went back into the kitchen. Heikki wasn’t there. She heard a door shut and followed the sound into Mr Linnonmaa’s study. It was the third door on the left in the hall. She’d seen him come out of the room many times carrying a bundle of papers, but had never been inside. Pia saw Heikki bent over something. He was looking into one of the drawers of Mr Linnonmaa’s large desk. A lamp on top of it was lit. Pia saw the heavy curtains were indeed drawn.

  ‘What are you doing?’ she said.

  Heikki jumped up. Pia realised he hadn’t heard her come in. She saw the silver thing he’d used to open the door to the apartment lying on the desk. Heikki grabbed it quickly and shut the drawer. He looked fleetingly at Pia. ‘Oh, nothing, just wondered if we’d find out where they’ve gone.’

  Pia looked at Heikki’s face. He was lying. Why?

  ‘What do you have to do with all this?’

  ‘Nothing, I’m just helping you, remember?’ Heikki put his arm around Pia. He turned off the lamp on the desk. The room descended into darkness and Heikki started kissing Pia. ‘Not now, we have to make sure no one’s here!’ Pia said. She turned towards the thin strip of light showing under the door.

  They looked into every room. The lounge looked empty of furniture. Only a coffee table remained, but the dining room was untouched. Pia lingered a moment longer in Anni’s room. Her clothes rail was half full, as if someone had grabbed a bunch of clothes and left the rest. On her desk were school books in a neat pile and make-up arranged in a tiny box. In Anni’s parents’ room some of her mother’s dresses were hang
ing at one end of the rail. As with Anni’s clothes, it looked as if the rest had been taken away in a hurry.

  Pia sat on Anni’s parents’ bed. The cover was made out of quilted satin. Heikki stood in front of her. She looked up at him and said, ‘I’m worried about Anni. What if the KGB have taken them somewhere horrible?’ She felt like crying, but held the tears back. She must stay strong. She put her head in her hands. It was hopeless, how could she help her friend when no one told her anything. What did Anni’s father have to do with a Russian defection? How had she, Pia Mäkelä, got involved in something like this?

  Pia felt Heikki’s arms around her.

  ‘It’s OK, baby,’ he said.

  ‘How do you know?’ Pia saw Heikki’s eyes flicker, just for a moment.

  ‘Mr Linnonmaa is a celebrated diplomat. He can look after his family, I’m sure. They probably just left in a hurry and will send for the rest of the furniture and clothes later. And,’ Heikki squeezed Pia harder, ‘diplomats have immunity anyway, the Russians aren’t allowed to touch Finnish diplomats.’

  ‘But they did!’

  ‘Yes, but they let them and you go. I’m sure the KGB guy just didn’t know who he was dealing with.’

  ‘Heikki,’ Pia said.

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘What were you looking for in Mr Linnonmaa’s desk?’

  The front door opened and slammed shut. Footsteps echoed on the stone floor of the uncarpeted hall. Pia was glad Heikki had his hand around her. They heard the steps pass the door to Anni’s parents’ room. Whoever it was, had gone into Mr Linnonmaa’s study.

  13

  Iain had his doubts about Heikki. When he saw Pia take his hand and run to the tram he swore silently to himself. What had he just told the girl? He turned away from the window and ran out of the Council.

  The Colonel was far too nonchalant about the girl’s safety. Iain was getting too involved, and he knew the Colonel thought so too. But damn the man, these were real, innocent people. In the tram he suddenly knew where Pia had gone. But when he stepped out of the carriage on Kasarminkatu, he started to doubt. It was late. Surely Pia would go home, so as not to arouse Maija’s fears. Iain pulled the collar of his coat up and walked up Tehtaankatu. Though the street looked empty, he walked around the block and entered the Linnonmaa apartment from a different direction.

  Iain had been standing in the corner of Tehtaankatu for a while, with a good view of the entrance to the block, when he saw an elderly man come out. He was wearing a bottle-green coat and a felt hat. Iain looked at the man carefully and started to sway. He picked up an empty bottle of Frascati he’d spotted by the side of the street. He started to sing a song. He’d heard one of the old puliukko sing it at the Helsinki railway station as the drunk was being led away by two policeman. He recognised it as one Virpi’s father sang, when he had too much beer and vodka after a long session in the sauna. ‘Minun kultani kaunis on, vaik on kaitaluinen, hei luulia illalla, vaik on kaitaluinen…’ The man didn’t even look in Iain’s direction. He was just about to stop the singing – he only remembered the one line – when he saw Pia and Heikki come out of the door. So his hunch had been right! Thank goodness, they were now out, surely this meant they would go home. When another girl appeared, Iain swayed more. Pia looked once in his direction, but didn’t seem to recognise him. At least she didn’t let on. Good girl, Iain thought, and started walking slowly up the street. Then both Pia and Heikki disappeared back inside the Linnonmaa apartment block.

  Iain walked up to the entrance and stopped. He looked up and down the street and used the key he’d got from Linnonmaa’s file to open the door. He listened to Pia and Heikki talk in whispered tones. Then he heard a door being opened and shut.

  Iain sighed.

  There was a space to wait behind the spiral staircase. The stairwell was dimly lit. The only light came from the large windows on the landing between the first and ground floors. They must overlook the inner courtyard, which was lit with a single streetlight. The snow reflected light back into the hallway, so there was no need to put the light on. Iain hoped he was safe in the shadow of the spiral staircase. He crouched down. What would Pia find in the Linnonmaa flat? Presumably the family was out, and presumably the old man had interrupted Pia and Heikki trying to break in. This really was not wise, Iain thought. If Iain was caught in a compromising situation in the Finnish diplomat’s home, the Colonel would probably send him straight back to London. Then who would look after Maija and Pia?

  Iain didn’t trust Heikki, nor was he sure Pia wasn’t in danger from Vladsislas Kovtun. He’d been watching her for some reason, and if he thought the girl was an obstacle to his plans...

  The entrance door to the block went again. Iain listened carefully. The steps were heavy set, a man’s.

  When the man had taken a few steps up the staircase, Iain moved the top of his body slowly and silently around the stone pillar. He caught sight of the man’s black coat and boots. Iain would have recognised them anywhere. ‘Damn, damn, damn,’ he swore silently as he huddled back in the small space under the stairs. The steps stopped on the second floor, paused for a moment, and then Iain heard the door into what must be the Linnonmaa apartment open and shut.

  There was no time to think. Iain moved slowly up the stairs. There were two apartments to a floor. As he walked past flats numbers one and two, his heart beat so hard he could hear the blood rushing in his ears. At the bottom of the first step leading up to the second floor, he paused and tried to steady his breath.

  Iain could hear no sound from inside the flat. The whole apartment block was deadly silent. Had Kovtun already taken the two children hostage, or worse? Iain had certainly not heard a gunshot, but then the Russian had other, much quieter, means at his disposal. How would he explain the deaths, and how would he get them out of the flat without being seen? And why was he even taking a risk like this so close to his move to the West?

  Iain looked at the hallway. He spotted a door in between the two apartment entrances. He took hold of the handle and pressed it slowly down. The door opened to a small cupboard. There was a mop and bucket and some old dusters hanging up on a makeshift clothesline.

  Iain moved back to the Linnonmaas’ door and rang the bell, then moved swiftly into the cupboard. He left the door only slightly ajar and waited.

  Minutes, more like hours, passed. The Linnonmaas’ door opened and the face of Vladsislas Kovtun appeared in the doorway. Leaving the door ajar, he walked up to the top of the staircase and peered down. He didn’t have a gun, and was still wearing his long black overcoat. Suddenly he turned around and scanned the hallway. Iain stopped breathing. The man’s eyes lingered on the cleaning cupboard. Did he know of its existence? Had he spotted the door slightly ajar? He nodded slightly towards the door, then turned on his heels and went up to the door of the apartment. Kovtun closed the door, took a key out of his pocket and double locked it from the outside. A few moments later, Iain heard the outer door of the apartment block slam shut.

  Iain touched his watch. The display lit up and he waited exactly five minutes before stepping out of the cleaning cupboard. As he did so, the Linnonmaas’ door opened again. He rushed to Pia and Heikki and pushed them back inside.

  ‘Oi!’ Heikki said when they were back inside.

  ‘Quiet!’ Iain took each youngster by the arm and led them into the kitchen. ‘Now, you two, what are you playing at?’

  Pia was looking down at the floor. She looked frightened. The boy’s face was as defiant as ever.

  ‘Pia, didn’t I tell you to be careful?’ Iain said.

  The girl looked at him and now he saw she’d been crying. Suddenly she flung herself on Iain, taking him aback. He felt her soft breasts against him. Iain put his arms loosely around the girl, and started to pat her back. ‘There, there,’ he said in English. Over Pia’s head he scrutinised Heikki. He did look a little pale.

  ‘Did he see you?’ Iain asked.

  ‘No, we were in Anni’s parents’ room wh
en he came in. Who was it anyway?’ Heikki said. His voice was higher than usual. He was obviously frightened. Good, Iain thought.

  ‘Now Pia, it’s OK, as long as he didn’t see you?’

  ‘No,’ Pia sniffled. Iain gave her a hankie from his trouser pocket. She moved away from Iain and said, ‘I was so scared. Can we just get out of here?’

  ‘Yes, but first I need to know why you’re here.’

  ‘I wanted to see Anni,’ Pia said.

  ‘So it was your idea, Pia?’ Iain examined Heikki’s face.

  ‘Yes, but the man said they’d gone to Moscow.’

  ‘What man?’

  After Pia had told Iain about the neighbour, he remembered the man walking out of the block just before Pia and Heikki. He’d have to describe him to the Colonel. Just as well he’d had a good look at him.

  ‘Did the neighbour talk to Anni or her parents?’

  When Iain heard the removal men had foreign accents, he knew something was very wrong, very wrong indeed. He needed to telephone the Colonel. Or perhaps he should just go home and think it through himself and then talk to him later. But first he’d have to make sure these two youngsters had played enough heroics for one night.

  ‘Why wouldn’t Anni tell me she was moving?’ Pia asked.

  Iain looked at her face. Her mascara had run in dark smudges around her eyes. She’d have to wash that off before she went back home.

  ‘They might not have been allowed to say, I’m sure. The removal men weren’t allowed to either. It’s all absolutely normal in diplomatic circles to be called up at short notice.’ Iain hoped he sounded calm and reassuring. The boy was looking at him sceptically. Pia seemed to believe him. Maybe she wanted to. ‘But now, young lady, we’ve had enough antics for one night. Go and wash your face and I’ll take you home.’ Iain turned towards Heikki. ‘Might be best if you make your way out of here first. I’ll follow, then wait for Pia. OK?’

  ‘Sure,’ Heikki said. He turned towards Pia and kissed her lightly on the lips. ‘See you tomorrow.’