No Iain.
Four other teams were introduced, two each from Finnish and Soviet schools. The severe looking Russian trainer seemed to be in charge of all the Russian children, whereas the Finns had a different teacher for each school.
Everyone sat down as the lights dimmed. The first Russian team of girls ran towards the blue mat. They stood still at the edge for a moment, and then broke into fast rolls and jumps, one girl imitating the next in rapid succession. Even Maija, who knew very little about the sport, could see how talented the Russian girls were. Their supple bodies were able to bend in ways that seemed impossible. When they jumped it seemed that they had springs on the bottom of their feet. Something made Maija look up to the top of the hall and she saw a familiar grey head. Iain was here after all! Maija smiled and turned her head away, relieved.
When the music stopped, all eyes were on the judges who had their heads down, making notes. After a few minutes, the woman in black glasses lifted her head up and glanced along the line of the table, first left then right. She nodded to Miss Joutila, who had appeared at the side of the hall. Miss Joutila opened the door, and with Pia leading, the Lyceum girls ran to the edge of the mat. The music started, and this time Maija recognised it. A piece from Sibelius’ Karelia Suite filled the hall.
Maija had tears in her eyes as she watched the competent, but clearly inferior gymnastic display of the Finnish team. Now Maija felt even more anger at Miss Joutila. She had let the KGB agent into Pia’s life and been telling the Lyceum girls that they had a good chance of winning the Tournament. The teacher must have known how brilliant the Russian girls were. Maija looked for Miss Joutila, but now she couldn’t see her. Perhaps she was too embarrassed to stay.
Maija sat motionless and watched the other teams perform. Each time the Russians were much better. A small girl who performed an individual routine looked as if she was double-jointed as she performed her splits and handstands with a serious expression on her face. The taller, much older Finnish competitor in the individual category moved a couple of beats slower and achieved less complicated positions. Maija wondered what the point of the competition was. The teams were obviously at totally different levels.
After each performance finished to rapturous applause, the judges deliberated in silence. When it was over, all eyes were on them. The woman in the black-rimmed glasses wrote furiously. Then she lifted her pen and appeared to reread what she had written. Maija saw her turn the page and examine her previous notes. She lifted her head and looked across to the group of dignitaries. She nodded and turned her head right and left, waiting for each of the judges to lift their heads up and nod to her.
Again she spoke in Russian thanking the town and people of Helsinki for hosting the tournament. The woman sat down and a few people in the hall clapped. Now it was the turn of the Finnish speaker. Maija and the rest of the hall listened in total silence as he announced the winners.
21
The Russians are good, Iain thought. He was crouching behind a low wall at the top of the hall. There was a reasonable view of the stage through the banisters. Iain watched the movements of the tallest Russian girl. There was something about her, but Iain could not think what it was. He racked his brain as the hall filled with Russian balalaika music.
Earlier, Iain had spotted Maija settling into a seat at the front. He’d seen her look upwards, but he didn’t think she’d seen him. That was good. He knew his time was running out. The performances would soon end and the Colonel would welcome Kovtun onboard. The ship’s company was ready to sail that evening.
The music stopped. During the silence Iain moved closer to the stairs. If someone had spotted him, it was best to move about as much as possible.
The Lyceum girls entered the stage, led by Pia.
Suddenly Iain saw the connection.
Iain opened the door very carefully and glanced behind him. No one was watching him. The whole of the hall was holding their breath, willing the Finnish girls to do well. Iain shook his head and started running down the stairs. He hoped the music in the hall would conceal the rattle of his footsteps on the steel staircase.
When Iain reached the corridor once more, a door further down opened. A matronly woman came out and locked her hard eyes on him.
‘Hello,’ Iain said in Finnish.
The woman didn’t reply. She folded her arms over her considerable frame and surveyed Iain. The door she’d come through was left ajar. Iain heard someone talking in Russian. There were giggles, and a man’s raised voice. The corridor smelt strongly of sweat and disinfectant. The woman moved to call to someone inside the room, when a door close to Iain opened. It was Leena, ‘Here you are!’ she said and smiled. She nodded to the woman and said ‘Zdravstvuite’ in Russian, and then in Finnish, ‘my husband.’ She motioned to Iain. Once inside, Leena locked the door behind them.
‘What are you doing here? You’re not allowed come into the girls’ changing rooms!’ Leena hissed. ‘That was the Russian trainer!’
‘I’m sorry, I needed to talk to you,’ Iain said.
Leena surveyed him, ‘And how did you know where the girls’ changing rooms are?’
‘Aren’t you supposed to be up there watching the girls – watching Pia?’
Leena looked down at her hands, ‘I’m too nervous.’
‘Ok,’ Iain looked at his watch. He had no time for female logic. The Open Day was due to start in one hour fifteen minutes. It would take half an hour to drive back to Helsinki from here.
‘Leena, could you go back up to the hall.’
‘Why?’
‘I think Pia is in grave danger. We must stop Kovtun.’
Leena was staring at Iain, ‘I don’t understand. What are you talking about?’
‘Miss Joutila, this looks bad, I know, but trust me.’ Iain took a deep breath and continued to hold Leena’s gaze. ‘I have Pia’s best interest at heart and I believe she’s in danger, in grave danger.’
Leena continued to look at him.
‘Please, Leena, believe me, I’ve only told you what you need to know. Kovtun is a dangerous man. He has already killed a secretary at the Soviet Embassy and an innocent young woman in Stockholm.’ Iain bit his lips. He was taking a big risk telling Leena all this.
‘I don’t understand,’ Leena was shaking her head, ‘I knew he was a liar, but…if what you say about him is true, how can you alone stop him?’
‘Don’t worry, I can do it. Now, you must go!’
Leena’s eyes darted from Iain to her hands and back.
‘I’d better get to the girls,’ she said finally.
‘Please, Miss Joutila, Leena, bring the girls down here and wait for me.’
‘What are you saying – that Vadi is planning to hurt Pia? But why?’
The music stopped, and they heard the start of the enthusiastic clapping from upstairs.
‘There’s no time to explain, just make sure you bring Pia back here.’ Iain nearly pushed Leena out of the changing rooms.
The corridor was empty again. Iain tiptoed past the doorway where the Russian woman had stood, walked to the end and then out into the cold. The sun had set while they’d been inside the hall and it was dark. There were no street lamps at the back of the ice hockey hall. Iain climbed the steps slowly, all the time keeping an eye on the bins to his left. Following the brick wall of the building, he made his way slowly to the bins. Some of the snow had frozen in clumps and made a crunching noise as Iain stepped on it. He cursed silently and stopped each time it happened.