Maija had been naïve, even stupid. Of course, she must be careful. She nodded. Antti followed her back to the interview room.
The carpenter had been lucky. Most of the Russians trying to cross the border were shot by Soviet marksmen before they reached Finland. The ones who got through were helped by Antti and a few others who shared his convictions, but many were marched back to the Soviet officials. ‘Shipped to Siberia if they’re lucky,’ Antti said to Maija.
‘The KGB are all powerful in Finland. They can take whoever they like and do whatever they like to them.’ Antti shrugged his shoulders, ‘We just do as much we can. Which isn’t much.’
This was October 1961, the same year the Soviet Union closed the border between East and West Berlin and started shooting anyone trying to climb over the wall and escape to the West.
Linnonmaa had been Antti’s superior. Maija thought Antti must have reported to him, and he often phoned Maija up to ask for some clarification or other on the transcripts. Maija never found out what happened to Antti. Whether he ever married the dark-haired girl or not.
Maija hung her head. She didn’t want to remember how, indirectly, she had betrayed that poor man, and others like him, who thought they had reached safety in Finland. She’d believed that the immigration process was fair. It was only in the month she gave in her notice that she’d realized the Russian had not been granted refugee status in Finland. In the files she happened on accidentally, not one appeal was accepted. And there were at least a hundred names on the list she saw. The man had told Maija he’d be imprisoned, if not killed, if he was returned to the Soviet authorities.
But when she found out the truth, Maija was engaged to be married to Ilkka, and ready to start her new life in Helsinki. She hadn’t wanted to get involved in politics, not with a baby growing inside her. So she never spoke to anyone about her work. But every time she saw a Russian in Helsinki, she remembered and felt ashamed she hadn’t done anything. Like the tiny Finnish nation, in the face of the whole of the Soviet machinery, Maija was helpless. With bitter disappointment she realised she had little of the fighting spirit, sisu, that her father and grandfather had displayed in standing up to the Russians.
She looked over to Linnonmaa, who was stirring his coffee with a concentrated effort.
‘It is rather delicate,’ he said.
Maija waited.
Linnonmaa settled his pale blue eyes on Maija and continued, ‘I don’t want you to be alarmed, but something the girls have got involved in…something they shouldn’t have.’
‘Drugs? But the other night on the telephone you said they weren’t into…’
‘No, not drugs. It’s to do with diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union.’
Maija stared at Jukka Linnonmaa. Had he heard of her snooping all those years ago? How did her work then have anything to do with Pia?
A door behind them opened, letting in a noisy group of women. A chill wind blew in and reached down the back of Maija’s spine. She shivered and pulled her cardigan tighter around her.
Jukka Linnonmaa leant closer to Maija and said, ‘It’s Anni who’s gone and…’ he sighed and said, ‘she is such a kind girl. She’s befriended these Commies at school. It’s rather difficult for me as they have contacts to the Soviet Embassy and…’
‘What has this got to do with my daughter?’
‘Well, Pia is friends with them too.’
‘Oh.’
‘Oh dear, this is rather difficult.’ Linnonmaa smiled again; it was the same insincere facial expression he had made when they’d started the conversation.
‘Go on,’ Maija said, glancing at her wrist watch. She wasn’t in a hurry, it was only half past eight, but she wanted Linnonmaa to get to the point.
‘Alright, the friend I’m talking about is Heikki Tuomila.’
15
Leena spotted the man as soon as she walked out of the gym hall. It had become her little Friday treat to take the tram to Stockmann’s, instead of having lunch in the dreary staff room at the Lyceum. She usually chose a luxurious tuna salad or an open rye sandwich in the café on the top floor of the store. The place was always busy and she enjoyed watching suited businessmen or well-dressed ladies enjoy their coffee and sandwiches. Afterwards she’d admire the clothes on the first floor. She rarely had the money for the expensive items, but once she’d bought a pair of French trousers; they were still the best piece of clothing in her wardrobe.
The man was standing in the exact same spot as last Monday. He had on a different coat, a little more sensible for the weather, but he still looked foreign, and come to think of it, cold. No Stockmann’s lunch today. This was her chance. She’d show Vadi what a clever woman she was!
‘Can I help you?’
‘Hmm, sorry?’ The man looked shocked. I’m not that frightening, Leena thought. Perhaps her teacher demeanour was a bit too overpowering. She’d just finished another frustrating session with the Friendship Tournament team, and Pia’s lack of co-ordination was sending her over the edge.
‘Actually, I wondered if you had a cigarette?’ Leena tried to soften the tone of her voice.
‘Hmm, no, sorry, don’t smoke.’ He still looked like a frightened rabbit, not at all the evil character Vadi had made him out to be. Suppose he was just following orders. Leena had to change tactics. ‘Are you waiting for Pia?’ Now this was bold.
‘Actually yes, her mother asked me to…’ The man still had the madly worried look, but he did relax a little. He wasn’t that bad looking, quite tall, with wavy slightly grey hair. His ears were frozen and pink. He’d catch the death of cold here if he stood in this place for much longer. The temperatures had plummeted the night before. The thermometer outside her kitchen window had read -19°C that morning. Leena herself was wearing a fur-lined coat and a matching fur-trimmed hat. A 40th birthday present she’d bought for herself.
‘Ah, she’s been detained, I’m afraid.’ Leena lied.
‘Oh?’
‘Pia has extra gym class tonight. For the Friendship Tournament, you know.’ Leena wondered if this would bring a reaction from the man. She might as well get straight down to business, she thought. Besides, Leena was sure she could talk him into understanding how important a win would be for the Lyceum.
‘Why don’t we go and wait for her at the café? She’ll be another hour yet.’ Leena nodded towards the Rixi Bar. Its rickety red neon sign shimmered in the half-light of the late afternoon. She smiled at the man and took hold of his arm. Leena had to hurry. Pia could appear at any moment.
‘Oh, yes, of course,’ he said and started walking beside Leena.
As they moved away from the Lyceum, and crossed the road to the Rixi Bar, the man glanced backwards. As if he was waiting to see if Pia would appear after all. Leena hurried into the café. Normally she wouldn’t dream of frequenting this little shit hole, where she knew most of the students spent their breaks and often lessons too. But she needed somewhere warm to talk to the man sensibly about the matter. Vadi was obviously worried about Pia, so Leena would find out if there was anything untoward about this foreigner. There was no harm in using a little initiative when the opportunity presented itself. Besides, Leena hadn’t heard a word from Vadi since he left in such a hurry the night before.
There was a shock of silence when they walked into the café. She spotted three or four sixth formers smoking and drinking the low-alcohol beer establishments like this were allowed to sell. Most of the children were underage – she should really report both them and the management of this place to the authorities. But she didn’t care to think about that now. She chose a table in the corner and said, ‘Would you mind if I had a coffee?’