The Domino Game (27 page)

Natalia was hysterical.

She had heard the shot and seen the man’s head disintegrate and for a moment she had thought it was Nikolai, but when the figure crumpled and sprawled on the pavement she realized it wasn’t and she was filled with a terrible relief. Relief that it was someone else who had died, not him. Then before she could recover from the shock she saw the two men in overcoats dragging Nikolai away. Pulling him across the street towards the parked car and he was struggling against them and turning back and calling out to her through the night. Then the doors were slamming and the tires screaming as the car accelerated while stunned and confused neighbors began spilling out onto the pavement, turning to one another with questioning looks until they were all gradually drawn to the body that lay where it had fallen in a spreading pool of blood.

It was only then that Natalia realized that Larisa had seen it all as well. That her daughter was standing beside her at the window still staring wide-eyed and terrified down into the street.

She forced herself to turn away and threw the curtain closed. Tried to pull herself together and smeared the tears from her eyes and fell to her knees beside Larisa, taking her arms and turning her, steering her back gently until their faces were just inches apart.

“Don’t worry, my darling.” She forced a smile that almost broke her heart. “Everything’s fine, okay?” She searched the little girl’s frightened face. “Look…” She let go her grip and cast her hands apart. ‘… See. Mummy’s fine. You’re fine. Everything is okay.” She used her fingertips to press away her daughter’s tears, the back of her fingers to soothe her cheeks.” You mustn’t worry. It’s all just a game. Daddy will be back soon and then we’ll all go on our holiday, I promise. You’ll see.”

For a moment it seemed as if Larisa believed her, then the little girl’s lips quavered again and fresh tears filled her eyes. Natalia stumbled to her feet and drew her daughter close, stroking her hair and trying to still her sobbing. Trying to think.

There was no point calling the police. She could hear the howl of the sirens in the distance so they would soon be there anyway, and when they did arrive, with what she knew and what she had promised, what could she tell them? That it was her husband they had been trying to kill? And that when that hadn’t worked they had taken him? Dragged him away and thrown him into a car and driven off with him into the night?

What use were the police? What could they possibly do?

This was Russia and the police would be as helpless as she was because it went to the top, she understood that. Understood it all because Nikolai had told her everything. About Marat Ivankov and Patrushev and Stephasin and the deal he had made with the Americans to try and protect them. Everything except where they had hidden the tapes since it was the tapes, he’d insisted, that were their final shield and he had made her promise that if things went wrong she would deny that she knew anything about them. Hadn’t seen them; didn’t know where they were; hadn’t heard of them; didn’t know what they were talking about. That she would leave it for Niko to make the decisions and play the cards, or if he couldn’t – if anything should happen to him – then she was to go straight to Vari because Vari would know what to do.

Vari!

Her eyes fell to the telephone. She pressed Larisa close and shuffled towards it, edging her daughter with her across the room.
Come with me, sweetheart. Mummy has to make a call. Come on, darling. It’s all okay. Truly, it’s all okay. Mummy just has to call uncle Vari.
She juggled the receiver to her ear with one hand and dialed and held her breath through the three hollow rings until Vari picked up. And then she started, her words tumbling out in an uncontrolled rush until she realized the voice that had answered was still talking as well. That it wasn’t Vari, it was a machine. She stopped and moaned aloud, pleaded in her mind for the message to end until finally the long beep sounded and she started again, taking off this time as though she were running a race, words tumbling over words until, above her own voice, she heard the terrifying jumble of noise from outside and she pulled up short and stopped, holding her breath. The pounding of heavy feet on the landing. Voices raised, stumbling one across another in the hall. Then the sound of a fist striking wildly on the timber-paneled front door.

Her heart sank and her hand dropped to her side, letting the receiver slip from her fingers and back onto the cradle. Then with both her hands she pulled Larisa closer, burying the little girl’s face against her thighs so that she wouldn’t be able to see her mother’s fear.

Vari stared into his glass.

‘They were already there.” His right hand rose to his neck, his thumb stroking the gold crucifix that lay against his chest. “By the time I got to your apartment the MVD were already there, questioning her.” He looked up at Nikolai and tossed his head abruptly.” They didn’t hurt her. Just questions, that was all.”

There were four of them. Three men and a woman. Strangely enough it was the woman who seemed to be in charge.

She offered her papers and a fixed smile then waited patiently until Natalia stepped aside. Two of the men followed her across the threshold while the third waited outside, turning his back, lacing his fingers behind it.

The woman was her own age, Natalia judged, or close to it. Slim and erect with pale skin and short blonde hair. She smiled again and let her presence settle, then led Natalia gently aside. Larisa moved with them, folded beneath her mother’s protective arm, her tiny face peering up anxiously at the stranger. The woman reached out to stroke her head but Larisa pulled away and buried her face against her mother. The woman’s lips pressed together in understanding and her gaze moved back to Natalia.

Was there someone, she asked – someone in the building, perhaps, or close by – who could…? Her head tipped towards the little girl.

Natalia nodded distractedly. She started towards the phone but one of the men stepped sideways to intercept her and blocked her path until the woman cast him a nod that signaled him aside.

In less than two minutes Raisa appeared in the doorway, wrapped in a cotton robe and wearing unlaced sneakers on her otherwise bare feet, her face full of concern. Full of confusion at what was happening… at the fracas from outside that had woken her; at Natalia’s call and the pale terror that clouded her face; at the three dark-suited, serious-faced men and the woman she had never seen before who was smiling sweetly as if she were Natalia’s best friend who had just dropped by for a visit and as if it were perfectly normal for all of this to be happening at a little after four o’clock on a Sunday morning.

Natalia read her unspoken questions but ignored them. Found Boris and pressed him into Larisa’s hands then dropped to her knees again in front of her daughter and hooked the hair back from her dark, worried eyes and told her to go along with Raisa. That Mummy had to talk to these people but she wouldn’t be long, and then she would come for her and bring her back and by then Daddy was sure to be home.

Larisa left reluctantly, turning back to look across her shoulder as Raisa led her away, and Raisa turned back herself, her brow furrowed and anxious and full of awful doubt.

Natalia was on the sofa; the woman on the chair to her left. They sat together in silence until one of the two men appeared from the kitchen, carrying a tray of tea things. He set it down on the table between them with a forced smile. The woman waited until he had gone then reached forward and eased one of the mugs towards Natalia. When she spoke her voice was low and conspiratorial. Woman to woman. She hooked a glance across her shoulder towards the two men who stood silently in the hall.

‘They don’t like it much. Working for a woman, I mean.” She smiled and shrugged lightly. “But they’re learning. The world’s changing.”

Natalia didn’t answer. Her eyes drifted to the dining table where the contents of their bags lay stacked in neat piles. The woman’s voice drew her back.

“I am sorry to be a nuisance, truly, but I really do need to understand this. Tell me again, please. Why were you packed and where were you going?”

Vari shook his head.

‘She gave them nothing, Niko. Natalia did exactly as you told her. You would have been proud of her. She showed them the train tickets and told them that was the reason for the luggage. Told them that you were worn out and needed a break and that St Petersburg had been her suggestion. That you’d only made up your minds to go the day before.”

The woman smiled tolerantly.

“But these tickets are for an afternoon train and…” she spread her hands, “it is morning. Early morning.”

Natalia swung back, impatient. “I told you, my husband bought them yesterday. We were going to take the afternoon train but last night we decided to go early instead. We were going to change the tickets at the station.”

The woman pursed her lips and glanced down. “I see. And you say you were waiting for a taxi to take you to Leningrad Station when…” She made the same gesture of confusion with the hands. Her fingers were manicured, Natalia noticed, the burgundy polish a perfect match to the color of her blouse. She looked at the woman blankly.

“I told you before. We heard the car. Thought it was the taxi but we weren’t sure. Nikolai went down to check and then…” Her composure collapsed. She bit her lips and closed her eyes, fighting back the tears.

The woman paused. Spoke softly. “Of course.” She took a breath and rose from her seat, running a hand across her skirt. “Well, Mrs. Aven, I think that is all we need from you for now.” She picked up her purse and reached inside. Took out a card and handed it to Natalia. “If you think of anything else I would appreciate it if you would call me at this number.” She collected her jacket from the back of the chair and turned to go.

Natalia’s will failed her.

“My husband!” It was a cry of desperation and she loathed herself for the plaintive weakness she heard in her own voice.

The woman stopped for a moment then turned back again. There was pity in her look. Natalia wondered whether some of it may even have been genuine.

“I am sorry,” she drew a breath and sighed. ‘This is not something we can discuss at this time.”