(1980) The Second Lady (22 page)

Petrov was amused. ‘I respect your imagination, Mrs Bradford, but you miss the main point. It could not happen the other way around. You Americans do not have our mentality. You are not clever enough for such an undertaking, you are not audacious enough. Your CIA is clumsy, amateurish, crude. Your supposed democratic freedom - not real freedom, only licence — makes your people soft. They could not even entertain a scheme like this. As to our risking the Summit with our undertaking, yes, the gamble aspect of it has been carefully considered. If we win, we will have the power to maintain peace in the world. If we lose - well, to be honest with you, there is no contingency plan if we lose, because we cannot lose, we cannot and we will not.’

‘We shall see,’ Billie said stubbornly.

‘Mrs Bradford, we’ve already seen.’ Petrov gulped down the remainder of his coffee. ‘The proof is plain in the progress we’ve made so far. Here you are. Outside of Razin and our

Politburo no one on earth knows you are here. Our Second Lady is in the White House. No one else knows she is there. I’ve already told you that your husband, your friends, your father and sister, accept her as you. Tomorrow, in London, the British will be welcoming the First Lady.’ He paused. ‘Mrs Bradford, if you have hopes there will be a slip, forget them. Accept your fate, be cooperative, and you will be back where you came from in two weeks or less. Cooperate with us and you will not be sorry.’

‘Cooperate with you?What does that mean?’

‘Don’t be difficult. Don’t try to escape or try to communicate with someone on the outside. Do answer all questions we put to you. In fact, I have several questions for you right now. They are not important. We know everything we need to know. But to verify what is in our files, we wish to hear what you have to say.’

‘About what?’ she said. She was aware that they had at last reached the purpose of Petrov’s visit.

‘About your husband,’ said Petrov, unpeeling the wrapping from a cigar. ‘About the President of the United States.’ He meticulously clipped off an end of the cigar. ‘Is he always as calm, as unruffled, as he appears in public?’

‘You claim to know everything,’ Billie said. ‘Why waste my breath repeating what you already know?’

‘We hear he has a terrible temper in private.’

‘You do?’ She smiled crookedly. ‘How interesting.’

Her attention was diverted to the door behind Petrov. The interpreter, Alex Razin, had admitted himself. He gave her a short nod, and went quietly to a chair nearby. Petrov ignored him, his eyes narrowing on her.

‘That, Mrs Bradford, is what I mean by being uncooperative.’

She compressed her lips and met his stare.

Petrov scowled. As he spoke, his voice became harsh. ‘Young lady, I suggest you reconsider your attitude. You have much at stake. Your health, for one thing.’

‘Is that a threat?’

‘It is whatever you take it to be.’ He busied himself lighting

his cigar. ‘Yes, it is a threat. Know this - we have the means to make you talk. I would prefer not to use them, but if I am forced to, I shall. This is no polite parlour game, Mrs Bradford. This is not a social visit. We are not equals, you and I. At this moment, you have no rights, no choices. If you remain obstinate, you will be punished.’ He took a puff of his cigar. ‘Very well, I’ll give you one more chance to show your goodwill. Let us try your husband again. Is he interested in sex? Does he like to go to bed with you?’

She was immediately furious. ‘It’s none of your goddam business,’ she spat out. ‘How dare you!’

Petrov rose menacingly. ‘Lady, everything is my business, you hear? I will ask you the question once more. If you refuse to answer me, I will see that you answer the guards. I will bring them in -‘

Razin leaped to his feet, placed a restraining hand on Petrov’s shoulder. ‘General, please -‘ He tried to draw the KGB director away from the coffee table. ‘You promised, sir, no - no force -‘

‘If she was reasonable,’ Petrov said angrily. ‘But she is a stubborn bitch -‘

‘Wait, please listen,’ Razin protested. He had succeeded in moving Petrov away from the seating arrangement, leading him toward the door. Razin continued to speak to his superior in an undertone.

Billie sat immobilized on the sofa, watching, waiting, frightened.

She heard Petrov snort, and saw him jerk away, regarding Razin with contempt. ‘Stop your whining. There is still too much of the American in you, I see. Weak and sentimental.’ He puffed hard on his cigar. ‘This once, all right. Talk to her alone. But don’t try my patience too far, Razin.’ Petrov glared at Billie, swung away and stalked out of the room.

After the door had slammed, Razin’s attention remained fixed on it, until he slowly turned around and walked back to Billie and sat near her.

‘I’m sorry,’ he said.

‘God, I hate him,’ Billie burst out. ‘He - he’s subhuman.’

She looked at Razin gratefully. ‘What did you say to him to make him stop?’

‘I simply told him he does not understand American women. I told him torture would get him nowhere, in fact get him the opposite results. I told him you were a decent woman, a nice woman, and a sensible one, and that you would be reasonable - that it was his questions that were unreasonable.’

She favoured Razin with a smile of appreciation. ‘Thank you.’

He stood up. ‘I think we both could use a drink.’ He paused at the radio, turned it on, raised the volume. At the sideboard, preparing a Scotch for her, a vodka for himself, he said, ‘Most men here, men with the authority of a Petrov, they have no understanding of women in the Western world. I was raised by American women. As an adult, I dated them. I understand them. When I was brought back to Russia, I saw at once that the Russian attitude toward women was different. Men here, while they allow women in the work force, really regard them as chattels. To Russian men, women are to be treated as captives, servants, pliable sex objects. It was one thing I always disliked about Russia, one more reason why I always wanted to return to the United States.’

‘If you care for the United States so much, how could you let yourself get involved in this plot?’

‘Self-survival,’ he said simply. He brought her drink and a napkin to her, then sat with his own. He raised his glass in a toast. ‘Your health, Mrs Bradford.’

‘I’ll drink to that.’ The Scotch warmed her. She took two more swallows before setting her glass down. ‘I was alone with Petrov a while. I wondered if my — my, what? — double? — my double was getting away with her act. Petrov insisted that she was doing perfectly. No one had the slightest suspicion of her, not my husband, not my friends, not my father. It was hard for me to believe. Should I believe it?’

‘I’m afraid so Mrs Bradford. It is true.’

‘I still find that unbelievable. How could the woman, pretending to be me, have learned so much?’

‘She’s an actress.’

‘An actress?’

‘A brilliant one, who happened to look like you. I was commanded to work with her, because of my background, my knowledge of English. I hated the assignment, but I had no choice. Actually, coaching the actress was fascinating in one way. I was fascinated, not with her, but with the role she was playing.’

‘She was playing me.’

‘Exactly. And, ever since you came into the public eye, I was aware of you and fascinated bv you.’

‘But why?’

‘I don’t know. Perhaps because you were the prototype of the typical ail-American girl, California version. You were wonderfully pretty, open, frank, bright, zestful. I went with such an American girl once, when I was very young.’

‘I’m flattered,’ said Billie.

Razin made a wry face. ‘Don’t be. I got too fascinated in cloning you. I did my job too well, to my regret.’

‘So for me there’s no hope on that score?’

‘That our actress will slip up, be exposed? No, I wouldn’t count on that.’

‘Then my only hope is getting out of here on my own, getting to the American embassy.’

‘Not a chance.’

‘With your help it could be possible. As I promised you the first day in this room, I could get you into the United States.’

He stared down at the floor, turning it over in his mind. Almost imperceptibly, his head moved from side to side. ‘No, even with my help, you’d never make it. They’d find out I was involved. They’d —’

‘I’d die before telling them.’

‘No,’ he said flatly. ‘Let’s not speak of it again.’

With a sigh of resignation, she reached for her drink and finished it. ‘To get back to Petrov. Those questions about my husband, our sex life. Did he really ask them to verify anything?’

Razin smiled. ‘Of course not.’ He hesitated, finally spoke. ‘I’ll tell you what it is. They have a problem, but they don’t want you to know it. Something unforeseen has come up. I shouldn’t tell you, but I will if you’ll hold it in strictest confidence.’

Billie held up her hand. ‘I swear.’

‘You had an appointment with your gynaecologist this week.’

‘My gynaecol —?’ she repeated, puzzled. ‘You mean — oh, Dr Sadek. I remember. Yes.’ Then she said quickly, ‘Your actress had to keep my appointment?’

‘That’s right. Unfortunately, your doctor met with an accident, so your double had to see his associate. She had to go through the examination, hear the verdict on your tests. I am sorry to have to tell you, Mrs Bradford, but you are not pregnant.’

The news gave Billie a sting of disappointment and pain. She sat very still, letting it soak in. She felt her eyes fill, but fought off tears. She was sorry for Andrew, for herself, too. But hopefully, hopefully, there would be a next time.

Razin was watching her worriedly. ‘I know it is upsetting,’ he said. ‘Are you all right?’

‘Never mind, I’m fine,’ she said. ‘Considering my circumstances here, maybe it’s just as well.’

‘As to your bleeding,’ Razin said. ‘Of course, your gynaecologist was examining another woman, and found her normal. But that tells you nothing about your own condition. Are you still bleeding? Because if you are, we can -‘

‘No bleeding,’ she said. ‘I’m okay.’

‘Good. Anyway, when you had started bleeding a few weeks ago, you were ordered not to have sexual relations with your husband for six weeks. Petrov found that very convenient for your double.’

Billie sat up. ‘How did they know all that - my bleeding — no sex for six weeks — ?’

‘I haven’t the faintest idea. But the KGB knew it. Now they know something else. Your bleeding has stopped. You’ve been pronounced cured and healthy. The doctor says

you and your husband — meaning your double and your husband — can resume having sex in five days from today.’

in five days.’ Billie nodded, i see. Now my double has to know what my husband is like and what I’m like in — in bed?’

‘You’ve guessed it.’

Billie smiled to herself briefly, but when she looked at Razin she was serious. ‘Mr Razin, I’m sure you know, I don’t intend to discuss this subject in any way. I don’t intend to help your actress.’

Razin was sympathetic, i can’t blame you.’

‘I’m glad you understand. I may be liberated, but not that much. I think some things have to be private.’

i agree with you. But it presents one problem for me. I managed to get Petrov out of here, prevent him from having you harmed, by insisting that I might be able to gain your cooperation by appealing to your reason. Now I have to prove to Petrov my way was the best way. If I go to him empty-handed, he may take over your interrogation again. For your own safety, I must give him something, anything, some crumb. If I can do that, I’ll have proved to him my way is better than his.’

She stared at him. ‘What do you want from me?’

‘Oh, anything, anything - no matter how minor — as long as it is true.’

Billie considered her answer. Obviously, what this man was saying to her was honest. If he could prove his manner was effective with her, it would keep Petrov off her neck. Yet, it revolted her to have to speak of Andrew’s sexual behaviour to strangers — not just strangers, but criminals. This man beside her, while one of them, at least had some instinct of decency. Also, he was half-American. The choice was a poor one, but it was a choice.

She chose Razin over Petrov. ‘Well,’ she said hesitantly, ‘this is — this is embarrassing, you know —’

i don’t want to hear anything that embarrasses you,’ he said quickly, ‘just some morsel that will keep Petrov quiet.’

‘Well — my husband — I suppose you could tell them, my

husband — he doesn’t like normal — normal sex — in our — relationship.’

There it was. Something for the bastards. It would keep them quiet. It might save her.

Razin seemed pleased. He leaned forward to pat her hand. ‘Thank you. I know how difficult it was for you. But that’s quite enough. You needn’t say another word. This’ll help both of us.’

‘I— I appreciate your — your concern for me.’

He was on his feet.

‘I’ll do everything I can for you, Mrs Bradford. You can depend on me. Good day.’

Air Force One had taken off from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland two hours ago, and now the four-engined giant jet was at maximum altitude over the Atlantic, its aluminium-and-steel frame hurtling toward London and the Summit Conference.

In a corner of the spacious conference room of the thirty-five-foot-long presidential suite, Guy Parker and the First Lady reclined in blue easy chairs opposite one another, with Parker’s portable tape recorder resting on the table between them. Parker bent forward to see if the cassette had to be replaced, but he saw by the digital counter that there was plenty of tape left.

Satisfied, he sat back and concentrated on the task of getting more material from Billie Bradford for her autobiography. ‘Okay,’ he said, ‘I think we have all we need on your courtship with the President and the wedding. What I’d like to tackle next is your marriage. But before going into the highlights, I’d like to know more of your personal relationship with your husband up to this point. I mean, intimate little things no one else would know. How you two get along from breakfast to bed. Don’t hold back. Just tell me what you can as frankly as possible. You’ll be able to edit it, of course, when. I show you the first draft. But for now, be up front with me, Billie. I repeat, every intimate detail -‘