17
On the Trans-Siberian Express
Yuri’s face is calm, his breathing controlled. I stand up; so does Emily. Tears start in my eyes, but I shout out.
“You can’t do this!”
The policemen ignore me. Yuri looks steadily into my face.
“Don’t fight it, Agnes. Either I go to prison alone, or we all end up in jail.”
I can’t help stepping forward, and I stare at the policemen in horror. “But we have evidence! The testimonies – Rasputin, Prince Alexei! We found the murder weapon, for God’s sake!”
Yuri speaks; his voice is commanding and brooks no argument.
“Don’t argue with these police. If you do, it will end badly. Now Agnes, when you next see Professor Axelson, discuss with him all the evidence that you’ve found. Sweden wants the true killer of Miss Håkansson to be found. So the Swedish ambassador may make representations to the authorities at my trial. That is the best way you can use the evidence you have.”
One of the policemen returns my stare with an emotionless gaze. “Are you Emily Neale and Agnes Frocester, American citizens?”
“Yes.”
“There is a message for both of you at the hotel reception, from a General Aristarkhov.”
This time it’s Emily who steps forward. “So the general is behind this crazy arrest, is he?”
The policeman’s reply is immediate and assured. “Not at all, Madam. Captain Sirko’s arrest is the result of an impartial police investigation. The message for you and Miss Frocester is unconnected to that, and relates purely to your status as foreign guests of the St Petersburg Soviet and the Bolshevik Party of Russia.”
Five minutes later, Emily and I stand at the reception desk, still taking in what has happened. Yuri went away with the policemen, without a backward glance. We’ve left Mr Bukin at our table.
The desk clerk hands Emily an envelope. She tears it open and reads it out to me.
Dear Miss Emily Neale and Miss Agnes Frocester
I am pleased to inform you that more secure and comfortable lodgings have now been arranged for you, and for your associate Professor Axelson, who will join you shortly.
This final stay as guests of the Bolshevik Party of Russia will be of short duration, prior to your repatriation to Sweden and, should you wish, onwards to the United States. All your travel, accommodation and other expenses will be funded by the St Petersburg Soviet.
Please co-operate with our endeavors to ensure your safety, while our investigations involving you are progressing. Your assistance will ensure the swiftest possible conclusion to our inquiry.
Please await the visit of a Mr Sokolov to the Hotel Metropole. He will contact you, and accompany you to your new accommodation. He is empowered to do everything for your personal comfort.”
We return, shocked and silent, to our table. But Mr Bukin has gone.
Emily looks at me and sighs. “I sometimes think that Russia consists entirely of endless train journeys.”
Our new companion, Mr Sokolov, leans across our compartment and interrupts eagerly, speaking over the rattle of the train. “Now that the working men of the nation are in charge of our railway network, it will become a powerhouse! Our Russia is so huge, she contains every natural resource. Even if the rest of the world does not embrace communism, we have no need to import anything. Our railways can move everything for us, and we can be self-sufficient for ever. Look through the window – the land is becoming hilly. We are approaching the Ural Mountains – the richest mines in the world!”
Emily snaps back at him irritably. “I know a whole bunch of Colorado miners who would dispute that claim, Mr Sokolov.”
“Please, as I said, Miss Emily – do call me Andrei.”
Emily is already tired of Mr Sokolov. We first met him two days ago, at the Hotel Metropole. He arrived exactly as the general’s letter said he would, and joined us for dinner at the hotel. At dawn the next day, we boarded the Trans-Siberian Express with him. As we did when we travelled from St Petersburg, we are travelling first class. Luckily for us, all the talk of abolishing first class travel has not yet happened. We’ve now been aboard this train nearly thirty hours, subjected to Mr Sokolov’s cheerful patter.
“Not far now, ladies.”
Emily’s face is tired and a little sulky. “Mr Sokolov, I’ve found that Russia redefines the meaning of ‘not far’. It feels like a lifetime even since we left that last place – what was it – Vyatka?”
“Indeed, our country is on a big scale. As I mentioned, there are eighteen major cities, each of them hundreds of miles apart, along this railway line which ends at Vladivostok on the Sea of Japan. We are only going as far as the fourth city, Perm, which is the regional centre for southern Siberia and the Ural Mountains. In Perm, we will change trains for a local journey to the Yermak Estate.”
Emily mutters under her breath. “The English used get rid of troublemakers by sending them in ships to Australia. In Russia, all you have to do is put them on a train.”
The endless succession of fields and forests goes on outside the window. But I hardly notice it. All I can think of is the exchange of telegrams that happened after Yuri was taken away.
Of course, I wired Professor Axelson in Helsinki immediately to tell him what had happened to Yuri, and set out all the evidence I had gathered about the murder. The professor wired me back within minutes, to say he would do everything he could, and that he would contact King Gustaf directly.
Both the professor and King Gustaf acted swiftly. I had only two anxious hours waiting at the Hotel Metropole, then I received another telegram, this time from the Swedish Foreign Office. I’m truly grateful to them. They need not have wired this to me – but they sent it to reassure me.
“A telegram was wired with urgency from us in the Swedish Government to the new Russian Bolshevik Government Stop Our telegram stated that Sweden has received new evidence via our appointed investigator Professor Axelson about the murder of Miss Håkansson Stop The evidence we have in Sweden casts strong doubt on Yuri Sirko’s guilt Stop We have now received this reply from the Russian Government to our telegram Stop”
The reply from Russia was attached to the telegram.
“We the new Government of Russia have indeed arrested Captain Yuri Sirko Stop He will be treated fairly and kept in comfortable conditions while objective evidence is assembled by our police forces Stop Russia is keen to show the Swedish Government that we will find Miss Håkansson’s murderer and also that the new Bolshevik Government of Russia is committed to fairness and the humane treatment of prisoners Stop”
I try to feel happy about this news. It’s the best I could possibly have hoped for – but despite that, all I can think of are the dire rumors I’ve heard about the Butyrka Prison.
Emily, on the other hand, is thinking about our own situation. After a few minutes, she looks again at Mr Sokolov.
“I thought you said lunch had been arranged for us? You told us that food would be brought to our compartment at half-past twelve. It’s now past one o’clock.”
“Of course, ladies! I will go to check that lunch is on its way.” He bows to us as he leaves the compartment. As he shuts the door, Emily can’t wait to speak.