Takamäki wanted to ask where the money was now. In court, Korpi had mentioned a 400-euro TV which had now ballooned into a three-thousand-euro debt. Yet another mark of his lies.
Saarni’s game was beginning to dawn on Takamäki. She was going through the objects of Korpi’s hatred. As much as he seemed to hate himself, he’d never admit it. So his hate always needed a surrogate, and this time it was Mari Lehtonen.
“You remember Mari Lehtonen from the trial, right?” said Saarni.
“That’s right,” said Korpi, turning toward Lehtonen. “Pretty damn good memory you’ve got for a three of hearts. Pretty convincing show you put on, too, when Martin put you on the spot.”
“Let’s try to stick to the subject,” said Saarni. “What did Mari do wrong?”
Korpi looked at Saarni, confused. “Wrong? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.”
Now even Takamäki was dumbfounded. “Nothing?”
Korpi was outright laughing now. “Absolutely nothing. Mari Lehtonen did exactly what she was supposed to. She called the police and testified in court like a good little girl. There is nothing wrong with that.”
Saarni was at a loss for words. “Well… I don’t understand. Why retaliate against her, then? Why put glue in her lock? Why threaten to kidnap her daughter? Why plant a bomb at her doorstep? I don’t understand.”
Korpi folded his arms on the table and gazed down at them for a while. Then he raised his eyes and surveyed his audience with an almost theatrical flair. His gaze went from Saarni, to Joutsamo, then Takamäki, and finally came to rest on Lehtonen.
“You’re right. You don’t understand,” he said. “Sorry about all this, Mari. But obviously I’m angry that you testified against me. If not for your memory, I’d be a free man.”
He scanned the faces again. It gratified him to see their confusion. “To me it makes no difference if you pin those threats on me. Appeals won’t change the murder verdict, so what do I care? This has nothing to do with her. It has to do with every other mari lehtonen in Finland,” he said with a laugh. “It’s a question of principle. Let’s see once and for all who the public dares side with. I can prepare for anything but some mari lehtonen seeing me in the wrong place at the wrong time. I can eliminate every fucking bug and tap, and flush every rat out of the system. Money can be moved abroad. But the only thing I can’t anticipate is some fucking mari lehtonen. So that’s the last variable I have to control.”
Takamäki was beginning to understand what Korpi was thinking, and it frightened him.
“This isn’t about me. It’s a question of principle. It’s a war between cops and criminals. Innocent bystanders don’t have to have any part in it. But if they decide to get involved, then they’re part of the game.”
Korpi stared directly at Mari.
“So when you called the cops you chose your side. Before that call you were neutral, but now you’re part of the system. An enemy.”
Mari glowered across the table at Korpi. “Listen, asshole,” she said. The psychologist tried to tug on her sleeve, but to no avail, “Neither I nor any other citizen is neutral. Shit… As if we should stand by and watch as someone gets raped in the park. We are the system, but you, Risto Korpi, are a stinking sack of shit. The worst kind, and I’m damn glad that I helped put you away for life. I’m happy to be your enemy.”
Korpi looked at the woman. “Sure, I got the life sentence. But you’re already dead. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon.”
“That doesn’t scare me. We all die sometime.”
Takamäki cut in, “You’re powerless now, Korpi. Ahola’s dead. Nieminen’s dead. Nobody will take orders from you anymore. Nyberg, Siikala, Martin…they’re all in jail.”
Korpi smiled. “So Ahola and Nieminen are dead. So what. Temporary setback. Fresh troops are always on hand. But I’m interested in what you, Mari Lehtonen, are afraid of. If not for yourself, then what about for your daughter? There’re a lotta guys in here that would take a piece of her for free, to say nothing of getting paid for it.”
Takamäki tapped Joutsamo on the shoulder, signaling that this had gone too far. No amount of mediation would get them out of this. Saarni sat frozen in her chair with a vacant expression.
“If you touch her, I will pay to have you killed.”
“Doesn’t bother me. Why would I care about the life I have here? For me it’s a question of principle, but you care about the girl.”
Mari Lehtonen gave a sigh of resignation, then stood as if to leave. She stepped to the side, pulled the short-barreled.44 out of her bag, and leveled it at Korpi. “Are you afraid now?”
Korpi didn’t say anything, but his eyes went first to Takamäki, then to Joutsamo.
“I think you’re lying when you say you’re not afraid,” she said, her voice tense. She circled to the other side of the table where neither Takamäki nor Joutsamo could surprise her from behind.
“Mari, don’t,” said Joutsamo. “This won’t solve anything.”
Saarni gave it a go, “Let go of your hatred. Don’t let it control you.”
Lehtonen smiled and waved the gun in the air. “Right. Use the force.”
Takamäki shoved the psychologist under the table where she’d be out of the way. “Mari,” he said. “If you fire that gun, your daughter’s future will be destroyed.”
Mari Lehtonen grinned as she peered down the barrel at Korpi, “But if it’s really a question of principle, then let’s settle it, good versus bad. Who’s got more guts?”
She had two hands on the revolver now, and it seemed to Takamäki they were trembling. She took another step toward Korpi. Too close, thought Takamäki. She was no more than five feet away.
The armed guards had taken a couple of steps closer, but neither dared draw his weapon.
Salo had circled out of the line of fire.
“Are you afraid?” Mari asked. “Will you be afraid if I pull the trigger? It makes no difference to me. I’m dead already. I’ll gladly go to prison if that’s what I need to do to save my daughter.”
She inched a little closer.
“Watch it!” said Takamäki as Korpi’s right hand lashed out and wrenched the gun from hers. He spun her around, clamped his arm around her neck, and pressed the barrel of the gun against her temple, her body shielding his.
The psychologist shrieked from the floor.
“Shut up bitch!” shouted Korpi, and she fell silent.
One of the armed guards had drawn his weapon, but the other hesitated. At some point in his training he had learned not to provoke a gunman in this kind of situation. Salo jerked the man’s gun out of its holster and aimed it at Korpi and Lehtonen. Takamäki and Joutsamo stood helpless, having left their firearms in the car. Saarni was still huddled on the floor.
“Give it up, Korpi,” said Takamäki. “There’s no way out.”
Korpi smiled and cocked the hammer.
“Really? You listen to me, pig. With this bitch on my arm we could waltz out the front gate. I’ll get a helicopter…an airplane…I’ll go anywhere in the world.”
“If you can get outta this room,” said Salo, taking another step closer.
“Well, well. A real prison guard…fantastic room service. Gets friendly with the inmates and enjoys it, don’t you, punk.”
Korpi turned his gaze back to Takamäki. “But what if I don’t want to go anywhere? What if all I want is to blow this bitch’s brains all over these walls? Might suit my purpose just as well. Imagine the field day the media would have over what happens to your witnesses. Heheh.”
Takamäki’s eyes were fixed on the trigger of the gun. Only a sliver of light was visible behind it now. One little squeeze and Mari’s head would fly apart. The stout little gun would make quite a mess. Takamäki kept imagining Korpi’s hand squeezing the trigger.