The Half Truth(57)

Tina removed the wedding band from her finger. ‘I was brought up to believe there were only truths and lies, nothing in the middle, no grey areas. It’s something my parents instilled in me from a very early age.’

‘And now?’

‘I’m beginning to realise that some lies are good lies. Sometimes it is best to lie than to tell the truth.’ Tina slipped the ring into the interior pocket of her handbag. She looked down at her now-naked hand. ‘Not telling Dimitri the truth will be my good lie.’





Chapter 29


He was already waiting for her when she approached the coastguard tower. He looked on edge. The wariness was still in his eyes and he glanced around repeatedly. The sea breeze was playing with wisps of his hair and Tina was glad she had tied hers back into a ponytail. She took her cardigan, which had been resting in the crook of her arm, and put it on to tame the goose bumps that had appeared on her arm, taking care not to knock the pin from the collar of her blouse.

She knew what she had to do

As she walked towards Sasha, Tina tried to work out what she was feeling. Trepidation, certainly, was the most overriding emotion. She was getting over the shock of him being alive and now she was pretty certain of his agenda – one which wasn’t for the love of her or their son.

‘Hi,’ she said as she came to a stop in front of him, making sure it was just out of kissing distance. He seemed to read the body language and checked himself from embracing her.

‘Привет,’ he greeted her in Russian. ‘Kak pozhivaesh?’

For a moment she was taken back to their married days. He always said hi and asked her how she was in his native tongue. It had been an endearing gesture, one that had always made her smile.

She nodded, keeping her emotions in check, refocused on the here and now. She mustn’t let him get to her like this. ‘I’m fine, thanks,’ she said, aware that they both knew it was a lie.

‘Do you want to get a coffee?’ he asked.

Tina shook her head. ‘No, let’s sit on this bench,’ she said, remembering John had told her to keep within range of the car so the listening equipment could still pick up the bug in her collar.

‘Why are you back?’ she asked, not looking at him but keeping her gaze fixed straight ahead. The tide was out, the sun shone down on the wet sand, reflecting back in the rivulets of water which filtered their way out to sea.

She heard him sigh. ‘As I said the other day, it is complicated.’ He sat down beside her. Sasha turned her towards him and rested his hand on the side of her face. ‘My darling, Tina, I have loved you from the first day I saw you and I have never stopped loving you. But … things have happened.’

‘Tell me,’ she said, placing her hand on his. She knew John would be listening to their every word, but she didn’t care. This would be her only chance to find out what had made Sasha leave her.

‘When I went back to Russia I had to build a new life for myself. I knew I could not have you or our child, I could not put either of you in danger. You do understand that?’

Tina gave a slight nod of the head. ‘Sort of.’ She didn’t want to stop him talking, not now. She felt she was close to finding out what had brought him back.

‘I met someone, a woman. We married.’ He paused, allowing her time to take this in.

‘What’s her name?’ She didn’t know why this was important, but she needed to construct the new Mrs Bolotnikov in her mind. ‘What does she look like?’

‘Please, Tina, it is not necessary.’

‘It is. For me, it is very necessary.’

‘Her name is Rozalina. She has dark hair. Brown eyes. About your height.’

‘Do you have a photo?’

He hesitated, his hand resting on the back pocket of his jeans. ‘There’s something else.’

‘You have a child.’ It was a statement, not a question. Why else would he hesitate to show her a photo?’ Pain surged through her veins straight to her heart.

Slowly he removed the wallet and opening the soft, brown leather, he showed her the photo. Tina had been right. A young woman smiled back at her and beside her was a boy of about two years old. Dark hair, like his parents. He was smiling at the camera. The little dimple in his cheek made Tina catch her breath. It was like looking at Dimitri a few years ago. The dimple that both boys had inherited from their father. Her eyes blurred and she realised it was tears. She blinked hard, not wanting to allow them to escape. ‘What’s his name?’

‘Nikolay.’

‘He has your smile.’ A thought struck her. ‘He’s like his brother.’ The tears came now. Dimitri not only now had a father who was alive, he also had a brother, albeit a half-brother. She looked up at Sasha and a tear rolled down his cheek. She wiped it away with her thumb. ‘Oh, Sasha, what a mess.’